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STATE OF TECHNOLOGY REPORT

PLCs, PACs
and PCs
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Table of Contents
The more controls change, the more they stay the same . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Trends in Technology
Is the PLCs obituary premature? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
PLC vs. programmable relay . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
How do you protect controllers from cyber attacks? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Back to the Basics


Keep it simple with ladder diagram . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
IEC 61131-3 specifies syntax and semantics
for a unified suite of programming resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
How do we communicate with aging PCs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Technology in Action
Scalable control system is at the heart
of water-treatment process skid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
How controls make for a better machine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Case study: a quicker path to custom test benches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
How OPC aids integration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

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The more controls change,
the more they stay the same
By Mike Bacidore, editor in chief, Control Design

C
ontrol choices can vary, sometimes by application At its peak, the decision typically comes down to the ex-
or sometimes by engineers preferences or expertise. perience and familiarity of the individual. Older program-
The more the needle moves, the more it stays in the mers typically prefer PLCs or PACs because of the relay
same place. Futurists constantly predict the demise of logic approach to program development. PLCs can do
the PLC, and yet its use is as prevalent as ever. And now, some creative things; the same goes for PACs, in addition
as software companies attempt to draw control to the to structured programming and function blocks. Younger
cloud via the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), ma- programmers might be more comfortable with PC-based
chine builders and plant engineers hold onto grounded controls and the almost limitless options they offer.
control systemswhether theyre PLCs, PACs, PC- While the programmers definitely tend to be higher-edu-
based controls, FPGAs or DCS with both fists. cated, the individuals who operate and maintain the equip-
But the testbeds for time sensitive networks with deter- ment might not be, so traditional PLCs or PACs with some
ministic control capabilities already have started. And more solid programming can still hold their own.
edge devices have intelligence embedded. The future This State of Technology Report explores in greater de-
seems to accelerate, the closer it gets. tail the trends that have shaped PLC/PAC/PC machine
However, PLCs and PACs are still the heavyweight when control, the fundamentals of the technology, and real-life
it comes to system/machine logic. While PACs, for example, examples of implementation that have proven successful.
are still very popular, the biggest concern is that most users are Drawn from the most recent articles published in Control
underutilizing their capabilities. PACs can interface with in- Design, this special report includes articles on emerging
formation systems, and their potential to interface and provide developments, basic primers and machine-control exam-
values remotely could make them invaluable and further blur ples illustrating the latest technology in action. We hope
the lines between them and DCS or PC-based controls. that you find it useful.

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MTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
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Siemens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
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Trends in Technology

Is the PLCs obituary premature?


Large installed base and personnel with ladder-logic experience keep the
controller flush in applications.

By Marty Weil, contributing editor

T
he general health of the programmable logic con- industry, particularly with maintenance personnel or auto-
troller (PLC)market is a thing to behold. mation technicians, that is oriented to using ladder logic,
According to Frost & Sullivan, the global PLC mar- says Elston. Most of them dont understand a scripted lan-
ket has witnessed positive growth across all regions. The guage, so they are comfortable with working with PLCs. Its
market, which experienced a strong decline in the early a workforce issue at that level.
part of the decade, has bounced back strongly and is ex- Don Fitchett, president of St. Louis, Missouri-based
pected to reach $14.58 billion in 2018, up more than 40% Business Industrial Network (BIN), underscores this point
from five years earlier. This growth includes the mature (Figure 1). On the automation side, a lot of OEMs want to
markets of North America and Europe, where uncertainty push the end of the PLC idea; but its not going to be the
about economic standing had precipitated the earlier de- end because the end users drive the market, he says.
cline. Of particular interest is the Frost & Sullivan note that Fitchett compares the current situation to the vendors in-
the small and medium PLC segments will be instrumen- troduction of soft PLCs two decades ago. When the indus-
tal for market development. Those segments are the do- try came out with soft PLCs and pushed that approach, end
main of traditional PLCs. users went out and bought any old computer instead of in-
Much has been made in recent times about the impend- dustrial computers. So when things collapsed, they pointed
ing demise of PLCs, expected to meet their end as the in- the finger at soft PLCs and went back to legacy PLCs, he
exorable digital advance renders them obsolete with the says. Even though vendors still sell soft PLCs, theyre not
advent of process automation controllers (PACs) and more pushed anymore because end users pushed back. A similar
advanced computer-based controls. situation exists with the process automation controller and
other new technologies for the entire plant. Theyre not us-
From the bottom up er-friendly for maintenance personnel.
Chris Elston, senior controls engineer at Fort Wayne, In- The fact that manufacturers are finding the depth of the
diana-based Yamaha Robotics, says that PLCs remain ex- skilled labor pool a significant issue at this time only in-
tremely relevant. Probably 95% of machine builders still creases the impact of bottom-up resistance to switching out
use PLCs as the controller of choice when they design a PLCs. Its really an issue of education, and also a gener-
piece of machinery, he says. There really arent a lot of ational one, notes Elston. Many machine builders are
people out there who have switched over to something like really cutting edge, but the issue with adoption is one of
PACs or PC-based control or anything of that nature. support after the fact. There is always a lag time between
One of the reasons there hasnt been an overwhelming builders and users, and end users are typically reluctant
rush to implement new control technology at the plant to change control platforms. Maintenance personnel will
level is that many end users arent positioned to support it even put PLCs back after they are switched out. Theyve
at the business end of things. It can be boiled down to been doing that for years because the PLC is something
this: Theres a lot of skill set out there in the manufacturing they have deep experience with and understand.

7
Trends in Technology

Application breadth
PLCs have been around for a long
time, explains Kevin Romer, prod-
uct manager at Advantech America.
They work. They get the job done.
There are a lot of people in the field
that have familiarity with PLCs and
know how to use them, so its not sur-
prising that they are so broadly ap-
plied in industrial automation.
Industry analysts at ARC Advisory
GroupandVDC Researchestimate:
80% of PLCs are used in small ap-
plications (1 to 128 I/O points)
78% of PLC I/O is digital
80% of PLC application challenges
are solved with a set of 20 lad-
der-logic instructions.
These statistics support what some
have called an 80/20 rule: if 80% of WHOS DRIVING?
applications incorporate simple digi- Figure 1: End users familiarity with PLCs and their programming will drive continued
tal and analog control, the boundar- use. Source: Business Industrial Network
ies of control applications are being
pushed by a 20% minority. This ratio
acts to preserve the viability of tradi- has a hard drive in it has experienced plications. Consider Yamaha. It isnt
tional PLCs. some kind of failure with the drive, known for big six-axis robots; it does
A lot of end users are less interested he says. Just remember the famous a lot of single-axis robots that move
in PACs than PLCs because of the blue screen of death. Those kinds products from point to point. They
PLCs simplicity, says Romer. They of experiences dont lead to comfort, are relatively inexpensiveless than
say that PACs and more advanced whereas PLCs are extremely robust, $2,000 for everything, including me-
controllers are complicated. A PLC is resistant to environmental threats, chanical assemblyand provide a set
simple. They know it and have a long such as vibration, and have set a stan- of add-on instructions that a user can
history with it. From this perspec- dard in terms of interfacing. Theres a program in ladder logic.
tive, they dont see key advantages to vast array of compatibility built into This setup does a couple of
changing out PLCs. the neatly designed package. things, says Elston. If most of the
Another reason for the resilience At a basic level, the simplicity/com- industry has the capability to use or
of PLCs is the robustness of the hard- plexity paradigm can be used to deter- wants to use ladder logic, they can be
ware, says Elston. Almost anyone mine where PLCs are likely to remain intimidated when they see a robotic
who has worked with something that the choice in machine-building ap- come to their floor that requires more

8
Trends in Technology

exotic programming and so are reluc-


tant to change. Our approach elimi-
nates this.
BINs Fitchett says the manufactur-
ing industry will be the last to come
around to networking all of their as-
sets, and this will keep the PLC a ma-
jor player in the sector (Figure 2).
Things like strappers will be net-
worked because they need data from
other machines in the plant, for ex-
ample, to know the size of the prod-
uct coming down to be strapped, he
says. But in small manufacturing,
presses will be a stronghold for PLCs,
because of the cost of upgrading and
because the need to interface isnt as
high. A simple press with a cylinder
going up and down doesnt have the
need to transfer data to other equip- THE LAST TO KNOW
ment. Such applications will retain Figure 2: The manufacturing industry will be the last to come around to networking all
the legacy PLC, which lasts decades of their assets, and this will keep the PLC a major player in the sector. Source: Business
without the need for replacement. Industrial Network
Moreover, many companies have
invested many man-hours and dol-
lars in sending their personnel to says that PLCs continue to provide a vately owned company that has grown
schools and are much more comfort- combination of low cost and function- to become a major energy player in
able in adding assets that can be pro- ality that still makes them attractive the mid-continent region, with more
grammed in a familiar environment. choices for the end user. And heavy than 1 billion barrels of oil equivalent
Most of the time we see that comfort use in process applications often will and approximately 480 employees.
in ladder logic, in Allen-Bradley or drive acceptance and longevity in dis- Tiller designed solutions for a variety
Siemens or Omron, depending on crete manufacturing, as well. There of Chaparral applications at its Ponca
what area of the country we are in, are some companies such as Triangle City, Oklahoma, facility. They are
says Elston. Research that have built a lot of func- going to stick with the PLC every-
tionality into legacy PLCs, enabling where, including a couple of PLC-
Cost considerations networking without a lot of program- based edge devices that Ive put in,
Michael Tiller, general superinten- ming skills, he says. he says. The facility uses PLCs for ap-
dent with an engineering, construc- Tiller cites his work with Oklaho- plications ranging from process skids
tion and fabrication services company, ma-based Chaparral Energy, a pri- to tanks and tank arrays.

9
Trends in Technology

One reason they chose the legacy PLC solution was Beyond that, some reliability and stability issues linger
because of cost advantages, says Tiller. Compared to from earlier experiences with computer-based controls
more complicated solutions, it was a magnitude less ex- something that still contrasts to the long history of PLC
pensive. They do the job. Theres no need for expensive performance. People choose PACs or higher technol-
software packages, and regular electricians can program ogy if they need really high speed or machines to com-
them because theres no high-level language involved. municate to each other. But even in highly regulated
The low initial investment clearly provides strong support plants, such as nuclear power facilities, if the machine
for the ongoing use of legacy PLCs. Buying a legacy PLC is stand-alone, there is less maintenance, less overhead,
will be at least one-third the cost of newer technology, says and higher reliability with PLCs, comments BINs Fitch-
BINs Fitchett. Its three times higher to buy a PAC than a ett. Theres also a concern among end users about being
PLC. For example, consider Allen-Bradleys SLC 504 PLC. more OEM-dependent with the newer technology.
It can handle 95% of all industrial applications, and its Elston notes that certain industries, such as medi-
around $3,000 versus up to $20,000 for a PAC. cal-device manufacturers, will be early adopters of new
Advantechs Romer says the people involved are key in technology because there are stringent mandated regu-
application development. It really depends on the person, lations to meet. At that point, PACs or computer-based
he notes. If youre targeting an electrical supply house or control is a better choice, because of the need to inter-
electricians, they wont use anything but a PLC. If theyre face databases with systems such as MES or ERP. In
involved in specification, PLCs will be specified in. these cases, the PLC is problematic because it doesnt
easily lend itself to such integration.
Timeline projections In five years we will see a significant market change due
While there are compelling reasons the traditional PLC has to cloud and IoT scenarios, predicts Advantechs Romer.
remained so prevalent, change is inevitable, as technology Security is a bit of a pushback, but those concerns should
such as cloud-based solutions and the Internet of Things be overcome. I wish I could say the switchover from PLCs
(IoT)begin to move more prominently into the manufac- would be greater than half, but I think it will be less than
turing ecosystem. There is a convergence of price, func- that. In the end, it will be end customers requesting fea-
tionality and power that is beginning to enable the IoT in tures that will drive the change.
the manufacturing sector, says Tiller. This is starting to Both Tiller and Fitchett agreed with the five-year time-
be embraced, but there remains a real learning curve that frame. But Romer concludes with a reminder of how resil-
average users of automation need to climb to be able to pro- ient PLCs have proven: Ten years ago, they were supposed
gram this technology, to put systems together regardless of to be dead, but theyre still a force in the market.
implementation scope and size.

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Digital Factory
Trends in Technology

PLC vs. programmable relay


Can a simple application still benefit from a programmable logic controller, or is a programma-
ble relay all it needs?

By Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

A
Control Design reader writes: I have a small test sys- of programmable relays should the number of variables of
tem that I want to put error proofing on. The sensors your test allow. If more complex logic is required, then the
are actuated in a very simple extend-and-retract se- next step up in cost and setup complexity is the PLC.
quence. The application only has four inputs and three Jim McConahay, PE, senior field applications engineer, Moore
outputs. Because its such a simple application, how do I Industries International, www.miinet.com
decide whether to use a PLC or a programmable relay?
Think function blocks
ANSWERS Modern programmable relays offer multiple communica-
tion possibilities, like Modbus RS-485 or TCP/IP, and are
expandable. To draw a line between PLCs and programma-
Plan for expansion ble relays is getting harder. You even get analog inputs as
PLCs will allow your process expansion capability that a pro- standard. There are different vendors which offer advanced
grammable relay cannot. If you believe that your process will programmable relays. Programming is done by powerful,
never need more than four inputs and three outputs, a pro- easy-to-use function blocks.
grammable relay is just fine and much cheaper. However, if Thomas Siegmeth, owner, mtsesi-electronic, www.xlogic.com.au
you think you may be expanding this machine to include more
than just this process, then you may want to consider a PLC Test results
sized to meet your current and possible near expansion needs. I would also add previous knowledge to your decision. Since
Monty Bass, senior controls engineer, Maxion Wheels, you are not producing hundreds of these systems, the cost
www.maxionwheels.com and complexity is not just hardware, but time to implement
the solution. This includes installing software and learning
Simplicity and cost to program the device. If you or your facility has already
Todays programmable relays offer a significant cost reduc- used a basic PLC for test stations 1,2 and 3, then your best
tion in signal to relay movement configuration. No training choice could be to use the same hardware; you already have
is required. Many such industrial programmable relays pro- the programming tools and implementation knowledge. Of
vide upwards of four relay outputs corresponding to input course, if there are no previous systems, this does not apply.
analog signal thresholds. These decisions also include tim- Dont forget about data logging of test results! Is it needed?
ing delays and dead zones and even include a real-time Scott Cunningham, engineering manager, KEB America,
display of signals. Thus consider the simplicity and cost www.kebamerica.com

12
Trends in Technology

21st century PLC Do your homework


With simple applications, a PLC is often the best solution. Newer technology has allowed us to introduce smaller
A PLC offers a superior experience to an end user. With and less-expensive PLCs that definitely cross into the pro-
a wide variety of HMI options, including color touch dis- grammable-relay category. The Click PLC from Automa-
plays, a PLC can offer user interaction that a programma- tionDirect has only 21 instructions for simple to moderate
ble relay cannot. Advanced troubleshooting options via the applications and is very simple to program. With a begin-
PC-based software reduce development time. Data log- ning price tag of $69 for eight digital inputs and six digital
ging, communications and other advanced features may outputs, and expandable up to 142 I/O, you will be hard-
enhance the system. With a PLC, there is always room for pressed to find a programmable relay with greater func-
system expansion and to allow you to bring your application tionality at a lower price and easier to use. The various
into the 21st century. built-in communications options make connecting a low-
Holly Dillon, sales and marketing manager, Unitronics, cost HMI a snap. In general, a PLC will give you a more
www.unitronics.com scalable product line for better initial selection of options,
as well as room for future expansion. With a little home-
Consider the features work you can find a PLC or a programmable relay that
The number of I/O is one consideration, but its not the will accomplish the job at a reasonable price, the question
only one. Clearly, the I/O count you are dealing with is well is whether or not you want a solution for now or a solution
within reach of even the smallest smart relays and PLCs. that will benefit you in the future.
Consider the features available in the programming soft- Jeff Payne, Automation Controls Group, AutomationDirect,
ware, serial communication options, connectivity to HMIs, www.automationdirect.com
available programming languages, physical size, expand-
ability and price. Micro/pico PLCs and smart relays con- Affordable footprint
tinue to become more capable. Most automation suppliers Smart relays are usually all-inclusive of power supply, I/O
offer both smart relays and small PLCs. and a simple display in a small and affordable footprint. Of-
One way to think of the differences between smart relays ten you can program it from the built-in display or through
and PLCs is their targeted applications. Generally, smart re- a free software package. If the project scope were to grow in
lays are a great way to replace and upgrade from traditional the future, Mitsubishi Electric Automations Alpha2 smart
control panels that previously were built using dozens of re- relays even offer expansion options in the form of commu-
lays, timers and counters and complex wiring with a single nication boards or additional digital and analog I/O.
programmable control device. Small PLCs offer more com- All of these features make the smart relay a suitable solu-
plex programming and communication capability and are tion for the simple application being discussed here. But,
very good at performing machine automation. With both besides accomplishing the application at hand, are there
smart relays and micro PLCs you can download free or trial other pain points or goals to address? For instance, by us-
software. This will let you see whats possible, run simula- ing the FX3S programmable controller, you would benefit
tions and make your choice before purchasing the hardware. from more customizable programming, robust diagnostics
Jacob Kimball, industry business, offer manager, OEM controllers, and advanced security features. Do you have other appli-
Schneider Electric USA, www.schneider-electric.com cations that are already using PLCs? If so, would it be ben-

13
Trends in Technology

eficial to standardize on one control platform and reduce HMI interface allows Argee to communicate back and forth
learning curve and spare part inventory? with a users browser-enabled device. The ease of this pro-
Deana Fu, product manager, Mitsubishi Electric Automation, gramming environment allows for simple programming of
www.meau.com these divides in a minimal amount of time, which could be
well-suited for your application. Argee can also execute fea-
Wheres the interface? tures such as assigning of variable names, assigning of reg-
For this application, wed definitely recommend a program- ister values, timers, counters and math functionality, and
mable relay as current models of these products can easily ac- even communicating to an upper level PLC.
commodate your application needs. For example, our model Noah Glenn, product managerfieldbus technology, Turck,
FL1F SmartRelay can handle up to 24 discrete inputs, 20 dis- www.turck.com
crete outputs, eight analog inputs and eight analog outputs.
This is more than sufficient to meet your current needs and Commit to the software
can also handle future additions or modifications. With PLCs there is a commitment to learning the program-
While a PLC would certainly work, it would be much ming software. The PLC hardware is expensive and prob-
more expensive in terms of not only hardware, but also ably overkill for this small application. Micro controllers
required programming software. With programmable re- are limited to the specific input and output parameters of
lays, the program can be entered from the built-in front each controller. These micro controllers could be equipped
panel display. Alternately, the program can be created on with integrated relays, with fixed voltage and current rat-
a PC with programming software thats typically free and ings. The relays are soldered on to the board and cannot
then downloaded to the relay. Another cost savings will be replaced. Therefore, if the relays fail, the system has to
be realized in terms of the operator interface. Most PLCs be shut down and the controller has to be replaced. PLC
dont include a built-in, integral operator interface, so one Logic, is a smart relay system developed by Phoenix Con-
has to be purchased, programmed and integrated with the tact to help solve the problems listed above.
PLC. By contrast, most smart relays have a built-in front PLC Logic modules are inserted directly into the con-
panel display, which should be more than sufficient to tacts of our slim 6-mm-wide PLC relays. The relays are
meet the needs of your application. pluggable and can be replaced if needed, without having
Don Pham, product marketing manager, IDEC, www.idec.com to shut the system down. Each of the relay channels can be
configured as an input or an output, from 16 I/Os up to 48
Avoid overkill I/Os, with the use of expansion modules. PLC Logic is pro-
For this specific case, I would not recommend the purchase grammed using Logic+ software. The software is free and
of a standard PLC as it would be overkill for this application. only requires a micro USB cable for programming. Logic+
A programmable relay would be a better solution because of is easy-to-use, drag-and-drop software which uses common
the sequence simplicity and limited I/O. Turck is also intro- function block programming. PLC Logic was made for
ducing I/O block technology called Argee, which enables simple stand-alone automation applications.
users to program the device through an HTML5-enabled Traci Bretz, relay product marketing specialist, Phoenix Contact,
browser simply by using the devices IP address. A built-in www.phoenixcontact.com

14
Trends in Technology
How do you protect controllers
from cyber attacks?
International panel weighs in on protecting the control system and other IoT-related issues.
By Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

C
ontrollers are part of the system, when youre thinking of the Internet of Things. They are nothing more than de-
vices on the network, and the key to their protection is making the network as secure as you need the controllers
to be. The IoT is a brave new frontier, andthese 11 international expertsgive their thoughts on keeping control-
lers secure and navigating through the IoT.

MEET THE PANEL

Martin Harnevieis an international consultant, author Dwayne Dixonis a technology sales and business
and critic on the Internet of Things. From 2004 to development executive in the Minneapolis area
March 2015, he was the CEO ofSensMasterin Sweden. with more than 25 years of experience in high-tech
Harnevie has experience in leading the development environments. He has had numerous roles at firms
of sensor networks and active RFID technologies, including fitting including IBM Global Services, Xerox and Dun & Bradstreet, as
legacy machines with wireless connectivity, wireless asset tracking well as his most recent position as vice president of sales and
and sensor networks for defense materials security, as well as for strategic partner management atLogic PD. He publishesThe
environmental monitoring in buildings, oil and gas and automotive DixonTech Report, a newsletter focusing on big data, IoT and
manufacturing. He has a master of science degree from Chalmers digital disruption.
University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden, and he studied
economics at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden. Anshul Saxenais deputy general manager of IT
atBharti Airtelin New Delhi, India. Airtel has
Francisco Marotois managing director and founder operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa with
atOIES Consultingin Madrid, Spain. He has more than more than 300 million customers. Saxena has worked
20 years of international experience with information in IT across several industries, including both public and private
technology and IoT/ M2M communications. Prior to organizations. He has a masters degree in computer science from
OIES, he led communications development teams in the Europe, the University of Mississippi and an MBA from Indian Institute of
Middle East and Africa (EMEA) market and has helped numerous ManagementAhmedabad. A core technologist, Saxena works
startup companies with their technology and information-system with upcoming technologies with a keen eye to monetizing them.
implementation. He also speaks on M2M communications and IoT
at numerous live events. Samuel Bucholtzis co-founder ofCasaba Security, a
cybersecurity firm in Redmond, Washington. Bucholtz
Nicola De Carnes passion is connecting the specializes in secure software development, advanced
unconnected. He is CEO ofWi-Nextin Milan, Italy. He program analysis tools, threat modeling concepts,
is a hands-on researcher whose primary focus is on code review, penetration testing and network security. Hes also
changing the Wi-Fi paradigm. Wi-Next works to bring performed deep reviews of crypto implementations for secured
industrial production data closer to systems for advanced analytics network protocols and custom authentication schemes, as well as
and intelligent management decisions. It was recently honored in hardware device testing of embedded devices. Bucholtz also was a
Gartners Cool Vendors in Italy 2015 report for its work with the contributing author to Hacking Exposed: Web Applications.
industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), including Wi-Nexts patented
Network Operating System, a dynamically reconfigurable mesh
network based on open industry standards.

15
Trends in Technology

Anand Gijareis IoT practice leader withMind Glenn Vassallois an IoT solutions architect in Sydney,
Commerce Publishing, which produces research Australia. With more than 20 years of experience
reports in the areas of IoT, data and analytics, as a technical leader, entrepreneur and consultant,
infrastructure, virtualization, big data, business Vassallo develops end-to-end IoT solutions and has
strategy, wearable technology, software and applications. Located expertise in its four main technologiesembedded, mobile, data
in India, Gijare has authored more than 110 reports on various and cloud. He is part of the organizing team for theSydney Internet
trends, and he regularly tracks technologies and writes about them, of Everything Meetup Groupand is the Texas Instruments IoT
as well as market forecasts. MVP in its online community. Vassallo has created training videos
for Texas Instruments, developed an IoT proof of concept built
Jonathan Pollet, founder ofRed Tiger Securityin on the CC3200 MCU and Microsoft Azure, developed embedded
Houston, is an ethical hacker specializing in microcontroller software enabling control via mobile apps and
industrial cybersecurity. He consults for a broad range has worked with Chinese manufacturers on their hardware
of manufacturers, energy companies and other critical manufacturing practices.
infrastructure industries. Hes presented SCADA security workshops
to the FBI, DHS and Utility Telecom Council, and hes spoken at Peter Waheris co-founder and CEO ofClayster
industry events such as Black Hat, Kaspersky Security Analyst Laboratoriosin Chile, an IoT solutions company that
Summit and The Chertoff Group Security Series. originated in Scandinavia but that now operates
on four continents. Originally a mathematician,
Vihang Sapaleis the founder ofEmbionics commercial pilot and computer games developer, Waher has
Technologies, an IoT/M2M product design house in worked 20 years with computer and device communications, from
Pune, India. He is an embedded-system professional low-level development in assembler for resource-constrained
with experience in industrial-automation design and devices to high-level system design and architecture. Hes a
holds a bachelors degree in engineering from PuneUniversity. participant in various standardization efforts within IEEE, IEC, ISO,
Hes been involved with the design and deployment of complex UPnP and XSF, working on standards for the Internet of Things.
products such as satellite communication panels, engine control His work with Smart Applications for the Internet of Things and
systems and wireless sensor networks. Embionics specializes in the development of the IP-TV application, Energy Saving Through
competitive analysis, technology, design and commercial launch. Smart Applications, won the Urban Living Labs global showcase
award in the Cultural and Societal Participation and Collaboration
Tools category.

How can machine builders protect the controllers in their equipment from external cyber hacking?

Dwayne Dixon: Use secure elements to protect encryption lers. In some systems, the option of having a hybrid cloud
keys, temper detection circuits and limit the system access part public, part privatecan be useful and economical for
of individual nodes to prevent them from becoming threat such controllers that handle local protected data.
vectors if theyve been compromised.
Peter Waher: Using the delegation of trust communi-
Martin Harnevie: The protection of controllers must be cation pattern allows for dynamic security decisions to
part of the overall security management. We cannot protect be taken in real time in complex networks. It allows for
controllers in isolation, as long as they are part of the overall fine-grain control by the owners of the equipment, not the
IoT system. Well-executed and maintained security manage- operators of the system or network, of which data values
ment of the complete IoT system will also protect the control- can be read and which control commands are executed by

16
Trends in Technology

different parties. A successful distributed IoT architecture efit analysis. Yes, many will find a side by side comparison
provides the same resources and decision support mech- of risk/reward analysis to be dry reading, but I would like to
anisms to all participants in the network, be they sensors, see you publish one for both of the emerging technologies
actuators or controllers. (IoT and Cloud SAS). Using charts and graphs could spice
up such an article.
Samuel Bucholtz: Do not expose an interface. A cyberat-
tack requires an interfaceport, socket, APIto communi-
cate with. If no interface is exposed or the data/operations Any additional comments or recommendations
sent into that interface are tightly regulated, an external at- youd like to make concerning IoT, M2M
tack becomes much more difficult. Design security to be communications or cloud-based data exchange?
on by default. Require users to expend effort to make the
system less secure. Builders should also adopt learnings
from the software industryincorporating the hardware, Harnevie: It is a fascinating world were entering, almost
firmware and software for machines into an overarching regardless of which industry one is in. The vast opportu-
security development lifecycle, which includes training, nities, both in terms of increasing competitiveness and
threat analysis and testing. growing into new markets, should not have to be im-
peded or unexplored by fear of security threats as long as
Jonathan Pollet: Machine builders should ensure that security is managed.
minimum key security features for data, content, devices,
the network, access control, monitoring and measuring are Pollet: Securing M2M and IoT communications is a very
supported within their hardware or software. These secu- new topic, and unfortunately there does not currently ex-
rity features should be preset at the factory level to the max- ist any standards, best practices or regulations that can
imum security settings but allow the user to log into the be used to help drive consistency in the product market.
device and have the flexibility to change these security set- Each device manufacturer is left to try to figure out which
tings to adapt the device best to their environment. security features to include in their devices. And, with-
out common standards, security tends to fall to the low-
Don Fitchett: Has anyone seen a risk/reward analysis for est common denominator. Proactive device manufactur-
the Industrial IoT and a risk/reward analysis for industrial ers can look to the NIST Cybersecurity Framework set of
cloud services? In all the many articles I have read, most do controls as guidance, and one device manufacturer that
not mention the riskwith this article being an exception to has incorporated security concepts into all of their em-
that general rule. Most that list rewards for IoT commonly bedded devices is HP. Look for a white paper that will be
focus on the data collection and networking of devices. But coming out soon whereby Red Tiger Security collaborated
that reward is already existing in current in plant LAN/ with HP to bring a common set of security controls to all
WAN. (Putting on the Internet does not expand that reward of their printer and embedded devices.
that I can see.) With the cloud services pitch, once again,
risk is hardly ever mentioned; reward touted is lower cost of The full Q&A with the panel can be found at:
software. Yet lifelong use of software cost (annual subscrip- http://www.controldesign.com/articles/2015/11-experts-discuss-the-
tions, downtime, risk, etc.) is not analyzed in any cost/ben- industrial-internet-of-things/?show=all

17
Back to Basics

Keep it simple with ladder diagram


Ladder diagram is all that is needed for typical machine control applications.
Do yourself a favor and use it.

By Dave Perkon, technical editor

S
tandards are important, but, as with most standards, It adds more time and costs during development, testing
often only a portion of it is widely used. and maintenance of the program. It can also make it more
TheIEC 61131 Open Programmable Logic Control- difficult for the next guy to figure out the program when us-
ler standardis an example of that. Although the IEC 61131 ing multiple programming methods. The syntax is different
standard has four programming languages and a structural between each type of program and must be learned before
component and defines data well, just sticking with ladder it can be supported, and some are just a waste of time.
diagram, the de facto standard for PLCs and PACs in dis- Sorry instruction list programmingthe days of low-
crete manufacturing and process skid applications, will save level programming are over, and I cannot think of anything
you money and keep you efficient in the future. but the most limited applications where you would want
Although personal preference plays a role, using just lad- to write single instructions in a line-by-line format. I did
der diagram programming for machine sequence control work on a machine from Germany several years ago that
keeps things simple for an integrators controls department strangely used instruction list. They like it, but it is impos-
and the customers support and maintenance department, sible to comprehend why a large integrator would write a
and thats what most machine builders want. The quicker program for a $5 million machine using instruction list. It
the customer can support the equipment, the better. Sticking was massive and very difficult to understand where to start
with ladder diagram helps, as the majority of programmers or what the program structure was, and it was in German.
have little need or awareness of the IEC 61131 specification Nein! If you ask me, instruction list programming is not
even though it has been around for more than 20 years. necessary and a bad idea, so dont use it.
Although the IEC 61131 standard is useful and has its Structured text has its uses for data handling, string func-
place in more complex applications, most programmers do tions and math, among others, but most can be done using
not save time or money by using multiple programming ladder. Its also good for iteration loops, but doing it in lad-
languages. Ladder diagram and maybe some function der eliminates the need to understand another syntax and
block programming is all that is needed. Mixing several dif- tie two different programs together.
ferent languages in a single program is less efficient from a The sequential function chart structure may help to de-
programming and support standpoint. fine process or machine sequence flow, but each block in

18
Back to Basics

the chart has additional programming behind it that must as it is the poorly written program that makes it difficult to
be managed within the program. There are too many bits support. Its really the programmer who sets the program
and pieces. Just reset a sequence in the middle, and there architecture, and this is where improvements can really be
will be many small sections of logic that will need to be made. A well-written and simple ladder-diagram program
cleaned up, reset and initialized, and the chart structure includes sensor back checking, mode and cycle control,
hides it nicely. Not my favorite. step sequences, output logic and fault logic at a minimum.
Keeping these functional blocks of code separate is a good
How-to: the important standard starting point. Let me know if you are interested, and we
A how-to standard can better help the average PLC pro- can expand greatly on these techniques.
grammer, technician and maintenance worker by creating The key here is the ladder-diagram step sequence. When
well-thought-out ladder diagram programming techniques, a program is written, started up and run for a year before
as opposed to defining what ladder diagram, function block, anyone touches it again, there is nothing better than ladder
structured text and instruction list programming languages diagram and a well-written and documented step sequence
and sequential function chart structure are. The program- to quickly understand program function. Reading through
ming environment typically doesnt need the whatat the coil descriptors in the ladder-diagram step sequence
least not in the United Statesthey need the how. The should read like a sequence of operation. The steps define
what has been done already. the operation chronologically and display the condition of
Often the reason software costs so much to develop and the logic graphically.
maintain is that the program is poorly written. Ive seen a When there is a problem or an enhancement needed, the
program that was a single rung with 200 branches. The pro- new guy can get up to speed quickly and not have to wade
grammer thought the structure was great, and so was the through multiple programming languages. If you dont do
gray code he used to control the sequence, until right be- it every day, simpler is better. Opening a program and find-
fore he was fired. Most often, I see what I call scatter code ing the main step-sequence ladder diagram, the program-
the incredible wandering PLC program where rungs of mer, technician or maintenance personnel can understand
logic are just randomly placed with no thought to purpose, whats going on with the equipment with little study or re-
function or organization. Focusing on proper program- view needed. While you are at it writing a great step se-
ming structure and techniques is what is most important. quence in ladder diagram, be sure to consider ways to make
Its not the complexity of the sequence or process as much it reusable code, but thats a subject of another column.

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Back to Basics

IEC 61131-3 specifies syntax and semantics


for a unified suite of programming resource
Independent standard for industrial automation can be split into common elements
and programming languages.

By Eelco van der Wal, PLCopen

I
EC 61131-3is the first real endeavor Configuration
to standardize programming lan- Resource Resource
guages for industrial automation.
With its worldwide support, it is in- FB
Task Task Task Task
dependent of any single company.
Function Block
The third part of the IEC 61131
family, it is a specification of the syn-
tax and semantics of a unified suite Program Program Program Program
of programming languages, includ- FB FB FB FB
ing the overall software model and a
structuring language. Global and direct variables
Execution
Another elegant view can be seen by control path
splitting the standard in two parts
common elements and programming Access path
languages.
IEC SOFTWARE MODEL
Common elementsdata typing Figure 1: The entire system required to solve a particular control problem can be
Within the common elements, the formulated as a configuration.
data types are defined. Data typing
prevents errors in an early stage. Its rived data types. In this way you can high level of hardware independence
used to define the type of any param- define an analog input channel as data is created, supporting the reusability
eter used. This avoids for instance di- type and reuse this over and over again. of the software.
viding a date by an integer. The scope of the variables is nor-
Common data types are Boolean, Common elementsvariables mally limited to the unit in which they
Integer, Real and Byte and Word, but Variables are only assigned to ex- are declaredfor example, local. This
also Date, Time_of_Day and String. plicit hardware addresses, such as. in- means their names can be reused in
Based on these, you can define your puts and outputs, in configurations, other parts without any conflict, elim-
own personal data types, known as de- resources or programs. In this way a inating another source of errors. If the

20
Back to Basics

variables should have global scope, they have to be declared


as such. Parameters can be assigned an initial value at startup
and cold restart, in order to have the right setting.
Common elementsconfiguration, resources and tasks
To understand these better, lets look at the software
model, as defined in the standard (Figure 1).
At the highest level, the entire system required to solve a
particular control problem can be formulated as a config-
uration, including the arrangement of the hardware, mem-
ory addresses for I/O channels and system capabilities.
Within a configuration, you can define one or more re-
sources. You can look at a resource as a processing facility
that is able to execute IEC programs.
Within a resource, one or more tasks can be defined.
Tasks control the execution of a set of programs and/or
function blocks. These can either be executed periodically
or upon the occurrence of a specified trigger, such as the
change of a variable.
Programs are built from a number of different software
elements written in any of the IEC-defined languages. Typ-
ically, a program consists of a network of functions, such
as ADD, ABS, SQRT, SINus and COSinus, and function SEQUENTIAL FUNCTION CHARTS
blocks, which are able to exchange data. Function and Figure 2: An SFC consists of steps linked with action blocks and
function blocks are the basic building blocks, containing a transitions. Each step represents a particular state of the system.
data structure and an algorithm.
Function blocks contain data, as well as the algorithm,
so they can keep track of the past. They have a well-defined IEC 61131-3 adds much to this, making it open to the fu-
interface and hidden internals, such as an IC or black box. turea future that already includes multi-processing and
In this way they give a clear separation between different event-driven programs.
levels of programmers or maintenance people. IEC 61131-3 is suitable for a broad range of applications,
A temperature control loop, or PID, is an excellent exam- without having to learn additional programming languages.
ple of a function block. Once defined, it can be used over Common elementssequential function charts
and over again in the same program, different programs or A sequential function chart (SFC) describes graphically
even different projects. This makes them highly reusable. the sequential behavior of a control program. With this, it
Function blocks can be written in any of the IEC lan- structures the internal organization of a program and helps
guages and, in most cases, even in C or C++. In this way to decompose a control problem into manageable parts,
they can be defined by the user. while maintaining the overview (Figure 2).
A conventional PLC contains one resource, running one An SFC consists of steps linked with action blocks and tran-
task, controlling one program, running in a closed loop. sitions. Each step represents a particular state of the system.

21
Back to Basics

All four languages describe the


same simple program part (Figure 3).
The choice of programming language
is dependent on:
the programmers background
the problem at hand
the level of describing the problem
the structure of the control system
the interface to other people or de-
partments.
Ladder diagram has its roots in the
United States. It is based on the graph-
ical presentation of relay ladder logic.
Instruction list is its European coun-
terpart. As a textual language, it resem-
bles assembler.
Function block diagram is very com-
mon to the process industry. It expresses
the behavior of functions, function
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES blocks and programs as a set of inter-
Figure 3: All four IEC 61131 languages describe the same simple program part. connected graphical blocks. It looks at
a system in terms of the flow of signals
between processing elements.
Structured text is a very powerful
A transition is associated with a condi- Programming languages high-level language with its roots in
tion, which, when true, causes the step Within the standard, four program- Ada, Pascal and C. It contains all the
before the transition to be deactivated, ming languages are defined. This essential elements of a modern pro-
and the next step to be activated. Steps means that their syntax and semantics gramming language, including selec-
are linked to action blocks, performing have been defined, leaving no room tion branches (IF-THEN-ELSE and
a certain control action. Each element for dialects. Once you have learned CASE OF) and iteration loops (FOR,
can be programmed in any of the IEC them, you can use a wide variety of WHILE and REPEAT). It can be
languages, including SFC itself. You systems based on this standard. The used excellently for the definition of
can use alternative sequences and par- languages consist of two textual and complex function blocks, which can
allel sequences, commonly required in two graphical versions. be used within any of the other lan-
batch applications. Textual versions include instruc- guages (Figure 4).
Because of its general structure, tion list (IL) and structured text
an SFC also provides a communica- (ST). Graphical versions include The 3rd edition and object
tion tool for people of different back- ladder diagram (LD) and function oriented features
grounds, departments or countries. block diagram (FBD) With the release of the 3rd edition in

22
Back to Basics

2013, object oriented features were added to the specification.


With this, classes, method, interfaces and namespaces be-
came part of the specification, all linking it to a new genera-
tion of software programmers, as well as to other software tools.

Conclusion
The technical implications of the IEC 61131-3 standard are
high, leaving enough room for growth and differentiation.
IEC 61131-3 impacted the whole industrial control indus-
try: not only the conventional PLC market, but also the
motion control market, distributed systems and soft-logic/
PC-based control systems, including PACs. And the areas,
including safety, communication and exchange, are still
growing.
Having a standard over such a broad application area,
brings numerous benefits for users and programmers. The
benefits for adopting this standard are various, depending
on the application areas. They include:
reduced waste of human resources, in training, debug-
ging, maintenance and consultancy
creating a focus to problem-solving via a high level of soft-
STRUCTURED TEXT ware reusability
PROGRAM EXAMPLE reduced misunderstanding and errors
Figure 4: Structured text can be used for the definition of programming techniques usable in a broad environment:
complex function blocks, which can be used within any of the general industrial control
other languages.  combining different components from different pro-
grams, projects, locations, companies and/or countries.

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Back to Basics

How do we communicate with aging PCs?


Replacing legacy HMI displays requires programming software.

By Control Design

A
Control Design reader asks: Ive been replacing leg- are settings that will allow you to adjust for things such as
acy HMI screens that are many, many years past life screen resolution and number of colors. Its a roll of the dice
expectancy, but they still work. The issue though is at best, but the first try for sure.
whether we still have access to a working programming You also can try loading older versions of the OS as a virtual
terminal of the same vintage. Virtual PCs can be of some machine, and that can work at times. Missing dynamic-link li-
help, but we still have to deal with the communications braries (DLLs) or drivers will, in a lot of those cases, be the
from PC to device and some of the older technologies nemesis, but I have had some success getting things to run.
dont pass through a virtual PC very well. The challenge There are also some conversion programs out there that you
has been to get a version of the application for these HMIs, can try. Old DOS programs sometimes can be successfully
so I could either convert it or rebuild it in a new platform. converted. Note that Windows has not been built on DOS for
Without the programming software and application, Im some time, and the command prompt is not full DOS.
left with developing it from scratch. Anyone have experi- There are things to keep in mind. Was this a 16-bit pro-
ence with this or suggestions on how to address this? gram now trying to do 64 bit? Or did the application do
things such as use the timing of the CPU to make request
ANSWERS and wait cycles?
So how an application was built will have an impact on
Whats old can be new whether you can get it to run in modern technology.
I wish there was a simple answer to this, but unfortunately One thing I do know for sure is this will get harder, not
there isnt. But there are some possibilities. I speak with easier, as software and hardware progress at the breakneck
our clients almost every day that have had one of our speed we have today. So, I would look at every legacy ma-
legacy machines for more than 10 years and now have a chine you have and determine a plan well ahead of time.
pending event to replace/repair. These legacy industrial Planning for obsolescence unfortunately is a necessity. And
PCs can have various hardware components that just ar- you dont want to do this when things are down and the
ent available anymore. That is usually the easy part. Most boss is over your shoulder.
of the time, it is that legacy application. It ran in DOS or Tim Stone, North American product sales manager for HMI panels,
Windows 95 Windows 98 or Windows XP. There are a lot Advantech, www.advantech.com
of situations where the installation disks are either long
gone or in a format that isnt easy to portfloppy disk such Obsolescence planning
as the old 5-1/4 in for the old guys like me or the 3-1/2 in. Or The challenge of upgrading and modernizing legacy equip-
the installation media is long gone, and the original com- ment is a top priority for many machine builders today. Out-
pany that built the application is out of business. dated tools have limited capabilities, and upgrading equip-
There are some things that you can do. If you are fortu- ment can be expensive.
nate enough to not be too far back, you can try running You could consider doing a cost/benefit analysis of retaining
the application on a newernot newestoperating system the older application code and moving it to a newer platform
(OS), such as Windows 7 in the compatibility mode. There versus building something that is partially migrated but writ-

24
Back to Basics
ten from scratch. Using the latest technologies will allow you to years. At one time such equipment manufacturers could
take advantage of new capabilities. For example, if your HMI have been the single go-to source for machine and process
is using legacy alarming based on an external database, a new information and control, simply because of the belief that
alarming approach may be easier to integrate with your con- those companies providing this equipment would support
troller. With a new alarming approach, you could build alarms the HMI devices and technology indefinitely.
in the controller and receive more accurate state-change and Unfortunately this has proven not to be the case for many
time-stamp information in to your HMI. Newer technology reasons. In some cases, the equipment manufacturers were
also offers reusable displays and graphics (objects), which help purchased by a different company, and the legacy products
to ease the process of developing HMI content. were simply dropped, since they were no longer compati-
Many machine builders are starting to see obsolescence ble with current devices or technology. In other cases, the
planning as an opportunity to correct issues from both a HMI technology, whether the hardware or software parts,
platform and application perspective. This creates a more or both, were simply not available or compatible with ex-
sustainable solution for the future, rather than continuing isting platforms and operating systems anymore. Libraries
to battle migration issues with each piece of aging equip- that were used to compile older versions of programming
ment or software individually. software could have been abandoned or replaced because
Chirayu Shah, commercial program leader for HMI software, of unrepairable security flaws or unsupportable code that
Rockwell Automation, www.rockwellautomation.com was 8-bit- or 16-bit-based, and being run in a 32-bit or 64-
bit environment using a more advanced or entirely different
Rebuild from scratch OS. Whatever the reason, at some point, older technology
The inability to access old configuration files is a challenge simply cannot be repaired or replaced without extraordi-
that will only grow tougher as the years pass. The following is nary costs being incurred to maintain the vintage equip-
an excerpt from one of my application engineers in response ment, along with the constant concern that the vintage re-
to your situation. Weve worked with a number of integrators pair parts will continue to simply fail due to age or become
who were trying to move an older (competitive) HMIs pro- almost entirely incompatible with current technological
gramming to a newer Red Lion HMI. In these cases, even solutions. It is at this point that a decision must be made to
if the customer successfully retrieved the old application abandon the older technology for newer, or simply replace
file using old software and an old/virtual PC, the customer the machine or process line, if it is possible. In the case of
would still need to rebuild the project from scratch. Unfortu- an expensive, complex, useful machine or process line that
nately, there is no magic bullet to this situation and it seems is otherwise mechanically sound, having complicated re-
the reader already has a couple methods of accessing older lay-relay logic (RRL), PLCs and modern computers have
configuration files. If they are able to access the base file and successfully been used to replace the failing RRL logic
they plan to stay with the same manufacturer, there may be for example, everything from telephone exchanges using
some easier upgrade paths in place. For example, Red Li- rotary step relays and switches to packaging or bundling
ons HMIs feature a smooth migration from Crimson 2.0 to machines using time-delay relays with pneumatic timing
Crimson 3.0 for use on our newer HMI platforms. bladders. HMI displays and physical interfaces are no differ-
Colin Geis, product marketing manager, Red Lion Controls, ent. Vintage HMIs were initially constructed using mono-
www.redlion.net chrome LCDs and CRTs with simple 8-bit video drivers for
alphanumeric-only displays that did not convey very much
Retrofit vs. replacement information about a machine or process, along with com-
Engineers have been faced with replacing aging propri- puter keyboards or embedded/sandwiched wafer switches
etary equipment, and most recently aging HMIs, for many that physically wear out. GUIs today are color, high-resolu-

25
Back to Basics
tion displays with embedded screen multi-touch that can tual legacy HMIs are still functional, but finding a work-
have computing ability well beyond the older equipment ing computer to run the programming software is prob-
and can include connectivity to databases, host thin cli- lematic, again your only choices are reverse-engineering
ents and display operational data including trends and pro- and adapting modern technology or replacement. Since re-
cess efficiency data. Generally speaking, when retrofitting verse-engineering requires specific expertise and the prod-
older equipment, a cost/benefit analysis on retrofit vs. re- uct design documentation may be sketchy, incomplete or
placement must be done. This is required before any retro- unavailable, this problem is now compounded immensely.
fit is really implemented because, as the person asking the Reverse engineering a device and adapting or construct-
question has demonstrated, retrofitting can get into a great ing technology to interface to it can be a very expensive,
deal of reverse engineering, and, in some cases, much of time-consuming endeavor. Additionally it makes the
the information needed to mimic or replace functional- equipment one-of-a-kind with only one or only a few peo-
ity in the machine or process line may not be available ple who understand how it works. Commonly people who
anymore, and certainly not available electronically. Many are looking for this kind of shortcut or cost savings have not
younger engineers may not have the working knowledge considered the real costs involved with this kind of project,
needed in mechatronics to be able to successfully retrofit including the months of development time required to get
older machines and HMIs, so it becomes necessary to re- the new interface equipment running well enough to be
move and replace enough of the older technology to satis- useful. Additionally, while the HMIs may be operating OK
factorily restore proper operation of the equipment. In the well past their replacement cycles, they might start failing
very simplest of cases, where a CRT-based HMI, which was without warning and without any replacements available;
previously a display and a keyboard/keypad, is being used, everything that was just previously done to extend their
its technologies need to be removed back to the actual ma- service life was wasted effort and resources. Additionally
chine or process controller. If this is a supported legacy this situation can ultimately create an emergency situation
PLC, using a standard legacy communication protocol, where production just stops until adequate replacement
such as Modbus, using software like InduSoft Web Studio equipment can be secured and installed.
in a flat-panel PC or an embedded solution such as Won- Richard Clark, automation and control systems engineer, InduSoft/
derware InTouch Machine Edition in a flat panel using an Schneider-Electric Software, www.indusoft.com
embedded OS can be a very cost-effective solution to this
problem. The form factor of the flat-panel PC or embed- Its all about the vendor
ded device can be purchased to fit into the same physical Unfortunately, there isnt much a customer can do in a situa-
environment as the older HMI, and these software pack- tion like this. Its up to vendors to enable a smooth migration
ages are extremely simple to use and configure. Addition- to their new platforms. When GE developed our new Quick-
ally they already come with industry drivers for legacy pro- Panel+ operator interface, we made sure that programs that
tocols. Additionally, there are utilities to directly replace our customers have created in our legacy OI can be ported
the older programmed HMIs such as Allen-Bradley Panel over to the new model. Upgrading to a new HMI with the
Builder or Eatons Panel Mate and import the tags directly latest features such as multi-touch gesture and secure remote
into the software. If necessary, serial protocols used to in- connectivity is great, but not at the expense of migrating the
terface older machine or process control logic to the HMI customers from older technology. Thats why choosing an au-
can be mimicked using the TXRX serial driver-to-TCP/IP tomation vendor will become increasingly important as the
included with InduSoft Web Studio and InTouch Machine pace of technological innovation increases.
Edition. For more unusual HMI implementations such as Vibhoosh Gupta, product management leader, GE Intelligent
the one being mentioned in this question, where the ac- Platforms, wwe.ge-ip.com

26
Technology in Action
Scalable control system is at the heart of
water-treatment process skid
From 15 to 15 million gallons of wastewater processing per day, N-E-W Tech trailer includes PLC,
HMI, power-distribution components, motor starters, stepper drives and local I/O.
By Gregory Mller, PhD, University of Idaho-Washington State University

T
he University of Idaho is show-
ing some of its creative ways
with its N-E-W Tech water treat-
ment demonstration project, which
demonstrates innovation at the nu-
trient, energy and water nexus.
N-E-W Tech is a reactive filtration
water-treatment technology that
uses a metal functionalized biochar
as a sacrificial catalyst with ozone
for catalytic oxidation. The process
purifies water through a series of
connected reactors and filters.
The N-E-W Tech water-treatment
technology is at the heart of the
40-ft-long, 9-ton research water treat-
ment process trailer that entered wet
test trials and system calibration and N-E-W TECH PROCESS TRAILER
will include any required redesign Figure 1: The University of Idahos research water-treatment-process trailer provides
(Figure 1). This early-stage devel- wastewater treatment via a series of connected reactors and filters.
opment-process trailer and research SOURCE: NICHOLAS WOOD

platform was created to demonstrate


the potential of N-E-W Tech as a biochar fertilizer Our N-E-W Tech process trailer
next generation of water treatment. carbon sequestration. will help prove the benefits of this
This large process skid is the Swiss N-E-W Tech is our third-genera- technology including supply of clean,
army knife of the N-E-W Tech tech- tion technology, with its foundation reusable water (Figure 2). In addition,
nology as it demonstrates: in six issued patents, and it uses pat- it will also show that the processes by-
renewable water reuse ent-pending reactive water filtration products can be used for energy pro-
biomass energy with functionalized biochar as a cata- duction, carbon trading credits and
watercontaminantdestruction lyst and ozone for catalytic oxidation. creation of biochar fertilizer. Com-
water sterilization This technology processes dirty water mercialization of this process is ex-
nutrient removal to a level of treatment suitable for re- pected in late 2016.
phosphorus recovery use and recycling.

27
Technology in Action

A look at the science


An important piece of the biomass
energy potential of this process is the
biochar. Biochar is similar to the ac-
tivated charcoal often used in water
treatment systems, inline water filters
and filtered water pitchers. Biochar is
a charcoal-like product created from
the restricted airflow burning of bio-
mass, such as agricultural waste and
wood waste, a process called pyrolysis.
Similar to charcoal used in a backyard
grill, biochar retains about half of its
combustion energy value, as its half-
burned while produced.
During commercial biochar produc-
tion, the heat from the biochar process
can be used in energy generation, and
the gaseous byproducts can be further
refined to biofuels and combusted for
INNOVATIVE PROCESS
energy. This biomass energy is carbon
neutral as it is recovered from plant life Figure 2: The N-E-W Tech water-treatment process has been cited as one of the 25
and not fossil fuelsan important con- innovations that changed the world.
sideration for green, sustainable energy. SOURCE: EMILY MOWER AND NICHOLAS WOOD

Biochar can also be used in agricul-


ture as it traps and isolates carbon in carbonates, sterilizing the water by importance since phosphorus recycling
soils for hundreds or thousands of years, killing all microbial life including is a global food security concern.
and some scientists consider it a possi- prions, viruses and bacterial spores.
ble solution for climate change. Bio- Bioactive contaminants in dirty wa- Equipment tour
char can also help with retention of wa- ters posing public health risks, such The portable water treatment process
ter and soil nutrients in the plant root as hormones and antibiotics, can be trailer was built in about five weeks.
zone for agriculture, ensuring irrigation destructively removed by this process. It consists of a 40-ft flatbed trailer
economy and prevention of nutrient The resulting mineralized nutrients, with a 20-ft metal shipping container
runoff pollution of waterways like the phosphorus and nitrogen, can be recov- mounted to it, and it houses the pro-
dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. ered from the water by binding to the cess controls and instrumentation.
Catalytic oxidation is used for the biochar. The nutrient-laden biochar The container also encloses valves,
destructive removal of most organic can then be removed and pelletized for pumps, an ozone generator, an air
contaminants in the water. This re- fertilizer use and for use as a soil amend- compressor and an air dryer. It houses
action mineralizescontaminantsinto ment in agriculture. This is of critical much of the process piping, along

28
Technology in Action

with the sample ports, testing equipment, instrumentation,


power supply and control panel.
The major fluid flow systems include chemical dosing,
main fluid flow, air and ozone, making this a complete wa-
ter treatment process research and training platform.
This research platform is designed to not only demon-
strate the technology, but to also meet process industry stan-
dards since earlier versions of our reactive filtration technol-
ogy have U.S. and international installations exceeding 10
million gallons per day.
Safety is a primary concern, so we are making this re-
search platformOSHA-compliant in all possible ways as we
move forward. Third-party personnel in the plumbing and
electrical trades have helped in this regard. Many skilled
trade personnel, project engineers and scientists worked
long days and endured summer heat in the shipping con-
tainer to make this process trailer operational.
External to the process control container are twin blue
catalytic filter towers and an interlaced pair of lime green
plug-flow reactors which perform the treatment (Figure 3).
The filters are accessible via a catwalk, and the reactor pip-
ing is accessed from the bed of the trailer.

Process steps
The main components of the treatment process include a
pair of plug-flow reactors in series. Each of the 45-ft reactors
is followed by a corresponding self-cleaning moving bed re-
active sand filter. The first reactor introduces low doses of
functionalized biochar and ozone. After moving through
the first reactor, samples are taken and the effluent moves
into the first reactive filter.
This reactive filtration is a priority process in a moving-bed
sand filter where the sand surfaces are made highly reactive
for removal of trace contaminants. At the exit of the first fil- FILTERS AND REACTORS
ter, samples are taken again, and the effluent moves into the Figure 3: These reactors and filters are part of the reactive
second reactor where precisequantities of ozone and metal filtration water treatment technology, which uses
salts are injected for high-efficiency water polishing. functionalized biochar as a sacrificial catalyst with ozone for
The injection of ozone coupled with metal salts causes catalytic oxidation.
a process known as catalytic oxidation, which provides de- SOURCE: NICHOLAS WOOD

29
Technology in Action

structive removal of most organic contaminants by miner- nical criteria, he also explained the accelerated timeline for
alizing them to carbonates, and that also sterilizes the wa- completion of the project. AutomationDirect technical staff
ter. Phosphorus and nitrogen, which have bound to the determined itsProductivity2000 programmable logic con-
biochar, are recovered from the water reject stream as a troller(PLC) met the requirements and shipped his entire
byproduct. After a third sample is collected, the effluent bill of materials the day he placed the order.
moves through the second reactive sand filter where the
product water is polished again. Control technology
Downstream of the second sand filter, a final sample Not only is the process technology scalable, so is the control
is collected, and processing is complete. Along the pro- system. The main control panel is located in the process con-
cess-treatment train, sensors read out flow, pH, redox, dis- trol container and houses the PLC, HMI, power-distribution
solved ozone, head loss, turbidity and total organic carbon. components, motor starters, stepper drives and local I/O.
The output of this process is sparkling clear, clean water; The PLC automates all aspects of the process includ-
and we are actively exploring the efficiency of destructive ing motor control, opening and closing valves, running
removal of many trace contaminants and pathogens of pumps, metering biochar and ozone, monitoring flow and
concern. We expect publication of our research results in level, reading sensor data, process signal control and sam-
peer-reviewed scientific journals in early 2016. pling operations.
The mobile platform processes about 15 gal/min, but, After learning of our design needs, AutomationDirect
because it is based on a commercially proven reactive fil- provided state-of-the-art process control hardware for our
tration platform, it is scalable to tens of millions of gallons project. The supervisory control and data acquisition for
per day. Its a high-flow process that removes watercontam- the process trailer contains the hardware and comes with
inantsand pathogens in just minutes. Industrial, municipal wireless data streaming capability. Staggs programmed
and agricultural wastewater treatment is anticipated to be a this unit and integrated advanced digital sensors and
leading application for this technology. controls into the N-E-W Tech process.AutomationDi-
Engineering the technology rect supported our design-build goals with advice and
I teamed up with Professor Dan Strawn and engineers advanced technology.
from the College of Engineering to build this platform and The PLC is AutomationDirects most recent addition to
its related control system to further research the intensifica- the Productivity line of industrial controllers. It provided a
tion and recovery of resources such as phosphorus, energy modular, rack-based system with a full lineup of discrete,
and water from various wastewater sources using biochar. analog and specialty I/O modules to control the process,
The engineering effort was led by systems integration en- and the high-performance CPU has the memory and fast
gineer Martin Baker and was part of a capstone effort in- scan times needed to control a scaled-up process.
volving engineering students Tim Hammer, Gene Staggs Specifically, the P2-550 CPU was used in this appli-
and a visiting French engineering intern from Suez Envi- cation. The CPU has LED status indicators as well as a
ronment, Pierre Rasson. four-line-by-10-character, high-resolution OLED diagnos-
Gene Staggs is a recent graduate from the Bio-Systems tic text display with keypad provides status, configuration,
Engineering department at the University of Idaho and is system alarms and user-defined messages. Five onboard
the automation and control lead on the project. He con- communications ports including Ethernet, USB and se-
tactedAutomationDirectin early June 2015, asking about rial support protocols meet current and future communi-
PLC options to control the project. In addition to the tech- cation requirements.

30
Technology in Action

Data logging, programming, I/O and display


Data collection is critical in the process, so significant
amounts of information is logged and made available via
various means. Because this is also a research platform,
the data logging and network capabilities are invaluable,
notes Staggs.
A micro SD card slot and mating standard micro SD card
provide up to 32 GB of data logging capacity for the process.
Users can also access the CPUs built-in Web server via any
Web browser to view, download and delete data log files.
Some of the best features were PID control, custom tag
names and QR codes, explains Staggs. He also reports that
the import/export of the tag database was a huge time saver,
and he says the team was able to use the spreadsheet-style
tag data to help document other parts of the project.
The PLC is running eight separate PID loops and, with
auto-tuning, the closed-loop processes were quickly tuned.
The easy-to-use programming environment also reduced A WELL-CONTROLLED PROCESS
development time when creating the ladder logic and func- Figure 4: A PLC provides state-of-the-art hardware and
tion block-style programming, and when using the task software for control and monitoring of the wastewater-
management feature to structure the program scan. treatment process.
A wide variety of I/O modules were used in this pro-
SOURCE: BIO-SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

cess (Figure 4). Modules included 16-point ac I/O, a


16-channel analog current input module, an eight-chan- the USB pen drive, and configured software projects can be
nel analog current output module, a two-channel high loaded to the HMI from its pen drive.
speed pulse output module and a four-port serial com- Two AutomationDirect SureStep microstepping drives
munication module. and stepper motors are also used for preprocessing of the
Each analog module has a built-in OLED interface to biochar (Figure 6). Commercially available biochar is avail-
display field signal levels, as well as module and signal able in three forms: powdered, slurry and suspension. Our
faults. All modules include a pull-down QR-coded tab engineers developed a creative approach to manipulate and
which can be scanned from any smart phone or tablet to meter the biochar, regardless of type. Three sets of custom
get its latest specifications. 3D-printed parts were designed to fit on the shaft of the
The PLC also communicates with an AutomationDi- stepper motors.
rect C-more touch panel HMI via a serial port for opera- A simple auger process is used for the powder form of
tor control and monitoring (Figure 5). AutomationDirects biochar, an auger and a linear actuator is used for the slurry
C-more EA7 series touchscreen-interface panel was used. form, and a pair of mixer paddles and a peristaltic pump is
Its an 8-in color TFT NEMA 4/4X, IP65 touch panel with used for the suspension form of the biochar. The stepper
Ethernet and USB ports. This HMI also provides data log- motors are controlled using a high-speed pulse output card
ging and Web server functionality. The C-more logs data to in the PLC rack.

31
Technology in Action

Process research and training


The mobile platform gives our team a great vehicle
to further our research and to show wastewater-treat-
ment operators the benefits of this new technology.
While it is still in the early stages of research and de-
velopment, the results are very promising. Existing
studies conclude that reactive filtration is one-third
to one-half the capital, maintenance and operation
costs of other approaches. And the process will pro-
duce useful fertilizer, clean reusable water and even
carbon trading credits.
Additional upgrades and modifications are planned
for the platform. University of Idaho College of Engi-
neering senior design teams will be considering a num-
IN TOUCH WITH THE OPERATOR ber of N-E-W Tech subassembly innovation projects.
Figure 5: An HMI is used for operator interface and data logging. With funding from the Idaho Global Entrepre-
SOURCE: BIO-SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO
neurial Mission of the Idaho Department of Com-
merce, the primary function of the mobile platform
is to go on-site at various locations such as munic-
ipal wastewater treatment plants, dairy lagoons and
industrial water impoundments to process effluent,
remove phosphorus and collect samples.
The platform is also a STEM education vehicle.
The development team has already coordinated tours
for elementary, middle-school and high-school teach-
ers and students, and they have plans to take the plat-
form to various professional conferences, as well.
Many recognize that N-E-W Tech is an ambitious
research undertaking with a focus on the future. We
have dozens of basic and applied research questions
still to be answered in our work, and many engineer-
ing subsystems still need to be worked out using ad-
BIOCHAR PREPROCESSING
IS THE CRITICAL PROCESS vanced material handling and process control ap-
proaches. We are optimistic for success but recognize
Figure 6: The biochar preprocessing system is one of the most the considerable trials ahead as we address the grand
critical as it filters the wastewater and converts byproducts to challenges at the nutrient-energy-water nexus..
address carbon sequestration and fertilizer needs.
SOURCE: BIO-SYSTEMS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO

32
Technology in Action

Meet the author, Gregory Mller, PhD


Gregory Mller, PhD, is professor of environmental chemistry and toxicology at University of Idaho-
Washington State University (UI-WSU), School of Food Science, Environmental Sciences Program. His
award-winning open webcast course, Principles of Sustainability, with lectures filmed as documentaries
in HD surround sound, has global distribution including a June 2015 SatTV broadcast across the
continent of Africa on the Peoples Weather Channel.
He was the 2014 recipient of the National Excellence in College and University Teaching
Award, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Association of Public and Land-
grantUniversities, representing 238 public research universities, land-grant institutions and state
university systems. Internationally, he was recognized in 2005 as a fellow of the International Union
of Pure and Applied Chemistry for efforts in toxicology education, and he received a 2005 Teaching-
Research Fulbright Scholar Fellowship in Greece at the University of the Aegean in Mytilini, Lesbos.
Professor Mllers research is in the field of environmental and food-chain contamination, and
in the development of sustainable water treatment processes. He has worked with students and
collaborators to advance the goals of sustainability by developing new knowledge and innovations
in the area of sustainable solutions for water resources, with positive impacts on individuals,
communities and the environment, nationally and internationally. He has had six U.S. patents issued
and licensed in the past six years and has two patents pending for new approaches to sustainable
municipal and industrial water treatment. These new technologies have met with commercial success
across the United States and abroad.
The Water Environment Federation, with 36,000 individual members across the globe, awarded
the Harrison Prescott Eddy Research Medal to his team. The Association of University Technology
Managers cited his teams water treatment technology as one of 25 Innovations That Changed
the World, alongside the Google search engine. The Science Coalition selected his teams water
treatment research as one of 15 national examples of how Americans can benefit from their
investment in university research through scientific advances. About 3 million people across the
globe now have reduced impact on water resources because of these innovations

33
Technology in Action

How controls make for a better machine


A well-tested, standard control system is cost-effective and as simple as the design requires.

By Dave Perkon, technical editor

E
ngineers focus on making packaging machines more rug-
ged, versatile and simpler to integrate with a wide range
of feeding systems and peripheral equipment at Matrix
Packaging Machinery in Saukville, Wisconsin. Our packag-
ing machines are uniquely capable of providing a high level
of performance with minimal maintenance and complexity,
says Marc Willden, general manager at Matrix Packaging.
Keeping engineering involved ensures we can tailor a wide
range of flexible packaging solutions to the specific needs of
our customers.

Building a leader
Founded in 1988, Matrix has grown from its humble begin-
nings in the garage of its founders and is becoming an in-
dustry-leading manufacturer of vertical form-fill-seal pack-
aging equipment for all types of flexible packaging. These
machines form plastic bags from roll stock, receive product
dispensed from above and then seal the product into the
finished bag. It has also expanded its product offerings to in-
clude horizontal pre-made pouch, stick pack and horizontal
form-fill-seal solutions that it distributes in North America.
Today Matrix plays a key role in the Flexible Packaging
Group of Pro Mach, a leading provider of integrated pack-
aging and processing products and solutions. It acquired
Matrix in 2011. Most Matrix systems are utilized in various
segments of the food industry.
Matrix has approximately 53 employees, including eight
field service technicians and nine engineers and designers.
It ships machines worldwide with the majority of its busi- CAPABLE CONTROL
ness in North and South America. These machines are The machines PC-based control system provides a low-cost,
supported by a highly experienced service team located flexible and expansion-ready system. Source: Matrix Packaging
throughout the regions. Machinery

34
Technology in Action

As an important part of its customer support, Matrix pro- the complexity and learning curve of different controllers
vides a full range of in-house and on-site training, support, and control hardware.
installation and after-market repair/retrofit services with
99.9% of repair parts shipped the same day, says Willden. Connections and flexibility
Matrix also provides Web-based remote monitoring and The current, well-developed, PLC-based design uses serial
maintenance hardware and software to ensure maximum communication from the HMI to the PLC using standard
uptime and efficiency. Rockwell Automation protocols along with ASCII commu-
nication strings to and from the temperature control unit.
Engineering control Matrix Packagings new PC-based design uses EtherCAT
Matrix uses a standardized selection of HMIs, PLCs and for the motion control network.
PC-based controllers, motor drives and pneumatics de- Matrix Packaging continues its networking with connec-
pending on equipment complexity. Matrix control sys- tions to the Internet of Things (IoT), enabled by partnering
tems are designed for high reliability and flexibility by us- with Ei3 and its remote monitoring cloud technology. Ei3
ing appropriate levels of complexity for our machinery and has an excellent product that provides unparalleled firewall
the market place, says Mike Krummey, electrical engi- protection, which is essential for long-term reliability, says
neering manager at Matrix Packaging Machinery. Krummey. It also allows energy and usage monitoring and
Due to the range of equipment it provides, Matrix Packag- remote technician access to the machines. This technology
ing considers all possible features and options in its hardware gives us flexibility.
and software designs. Standardization of both control hard- Flexibility of a standardized system allows for control of
ware and software is essential for problem-free expansion ca- any possible features and options, and it drives design deci-
pabilities, says Krummey. Very seldom is a custom control sions, continues Krummey. Careful cost monitoring is also
system needed for even the most unusual application. As such, required to continue providing control components that are
we dont offer the choice of PLC, HMI or motor drives. best-in-class, he says.
Matrix Packaging currently usesRockwell Automation Krummey thinks there is a trend toward increased func-
PLCs, but it has machinery designs withBeckhoff Auto- tionality inside of motor drive devices. Many of these drive
mation PC-based controlsthat are becoming more com- units now contain instruction sets that allow for control of
mon. We prefer to deliver a rigorously tested and proven entire machines. As this trend continues, we believe that
solution with a high level of support as compared to cus- PLCs may only be needed for simple supervisory functions
tomized, brand-specific controls that can be plagued with and could possibly be eliminated completely. HMIs are also
operational abnormalities and bugs, says Krummey. Its developing along a similar path, combining into a single
important to stick with the brands we know, eliminating controller.

35
Technology in Action

A quicker path to custom test benches


Kraus Automatisierungs-Technik can program made-to-order test benches for its customers,
without having to write a single line of PLC code.

By Stefan Besendorf, K AT

Q
uality is why companies put
their faith in automated test-
ing processes, including regular
lifecycle verification, fatigue testing
and materials inspections. The ma-
chine builder has to match the test-
ing units and instrumentation to the
needs of each individual customer.
Many employ National Instru-
ments LabView software for this
function. This graphic programming
system is always used whenever its
necessary to acquire and process mea-
surement data and to integrate the in-
strumentation needed for inspection
purposes (Figure 1). NO CODE
How long is the lifecycle of a com- Figure 1: The technology makes it possible to program machinery via LabView
ponent, given what it can withstand software, without having to write a single line of PLC code.
and how its manufactured? asks Dr.
Ralf Koeppe, vice president of engi-
neering and manufacturing for elec- Lower Franconia, we manufacture knowledge of both systems and had to
tric drives and controls at Bosch Rex- test benches for the automotive in- use two separate user interfaces. That
roth. This can only be answered by dustry and other sectors. Theyre used is why KAT sought an integrative solu-
special measuring and testing ma- to test mechanical elements service tion to write programs for test bench
chines. Not only do they test proto- lives under the most realistic condi- automation without having to leave
types, but in large-scale series produc- tions possible. LabView (Figure 2).
tion, they test series components over Until recently, the employees at At KAT we have this option now
and over again in order to guarantee KAT, in addition to programming us- with Rexroths Open Core Engineer-
100% quality. ing LabView, also had to write a PLC ing (OCE). Its new Open Core Inter-
program for the actual operation of face (OCI) technology makes it possible
One task, one user interface the machine. This was both complex to program machinery via the LabView
At Kraus Automatisierungs-Tech- and time-consuming. In addition, the software, without having to write a sin-
nik (KAT) in Hassfurt, Germany, in programmers had to have in-depth gle line of PLC code. With the adoption

36
Technology in Action

PROGRAM FROM THE BEGINNING


Developer Uwe Schweinfest at KAT can program machines from beginning to end.

of Open Core Engineering, we are now working with fewer they must first agree on a common language, explains
user interfaces. That is both efficient and minimizes the risk Koeppe. Only then can they coordinate tasks and come to
of error. A single programmer has the entire project under his mutual agreements. The same applies for machines and IT
own control. This means that we are far more flexible in man- systems. For the first time, high-level language-based appli-
power planning. Seamless and complete inclusion of the con- cations on external devices have access to all the functions
trol and drive function in the LabView development environ- of the control units and drives.
ment makes it possible for programming using LabView only. Thus, applications based on C/C++, for example, can run
This simplifies and accelerates the commissioning of custom- in the real-time environment of the control unit. That is
ized testing equipment and instrumentation. why the OCE software portfolio includes interface technol-
KATs customers also profit from OCE. They can use ogy through which Bosch Rexroth now brings together the
LabView to make modifications to a testing machine them- worlds of automation and IT. The OCI automatically makes
selves, without being familiar with PLC. a variety of programming languages available to the control
OCE translates programming languages for machine unit. The result is machinery manufacturers can program
control. When people of different nations work in a team, with modern higher-level languages without having to write

37
Technology in Action

a single line of PLC. This reduces the programming efforts kit (SDK). With its help, and in conjunction with the Rex-
by up to 50% as one of the first OCI applications shows. roth IndraMotion MLC and IndraLogic XLC control sys-
In the software of these machines, the program Lab- tems, users can access control functions right from the ap-
View has been established worldwide, says Koeppe. Its plication program. The programmer uses a supplementary
designed exactly for the requirements around the industrial package to import these libraries into LabView and thus has
measuring and testing. The only disadvantage until now more than 550 virtual instruments (VIs) at hand. KAT uses
is that, in addition to LabView, the machine manufactur- this new freedom, for instance, to execute the jog mode, but
ers must program machine controls and coordinate the two also for travel at velocity, position regulation or switching on
programs with one another. There are no standard inter- and off the corresponding drive regulator in LabView. The
faces for this, which lead to extra time and effort. The spe- signals generated by the sensors and actuators, wired to the
cialists for LabView and for PLC had to agree at first and PLC input and output modules, are available immediately.
then write their respective programs and then test them to Everything is programmed from beginning to end, ex-
see if they would actually work hand in hand. plains Uwe Schweinfest, a developer at KAT. We only have
OCI has facilitated the work of the programmers consid- to integrate the VIs into a class. That lets us form chains of
erably, explains Koeppe. A programmer now uses LabView steps for the actual machine processes. And we can re-uti-
to produce the software for the tests and the movement pro- lize our work in later projects without major effort.
cesses of the machine without needing to write a single line OCE was distinguished in 2013 with the Deutsche
of PLC code, he says. This eliminates double work and Messe Hermes Award technology prize. OCE connects the
error-prone interface programming. Rexroth is providing previously separate PLC and IT worlds by offering an inte-
libraries with more than 550 virtual instruments. These grated solution consisting of open standards, software tools,
translate the LabView commands for the PLC controls. function toolkits and the OCI. To achieve this, Rexroth has
OEM machine builders such as KAT are already using opened the control core to provide expanded access.
OCI to their benefit, to reduce engineering efforts and to Now, with a variety of high-level languages and operat-
reduce their delivery times. With the same team, the com- ing systems, machinery manufacturers can create indepen-
pany can now program twice as many machines. dent individual functions, which run parallel to the firm-
ware directly on the control unit or on external devices,
Reduced complexity says Koeppe. With this capability, machinery manufactur-
This degree of efficiency when programming instrumen- ers can now, for example, also fully integrate smart devices
tation and test systems using the Open Core Interface is into automation and take advantage of their operational in-
achieved by Rexroth with the aid of a software development terface capabilities.

38
Technology in Action

How OPC aids integration


Owens uses three major interfaces for these OPC connections: basic Ethernet, Ethernet using
socket communication and EtherNet/IP.

By Dan Hebert, PE, contributing editor

O
wens Design is located in Fremont, California, and
makes high-speed material handling equipment for the
semiconductor, disk drive, solar and consumer electron-
ics industries. It often links machine control systems to high-
er-level IT systems, using a variety of different methods de-
pending on the specific application.
Where the communications link is made from the HMI
to an IT system, its typically through an OPC server run-
ning on the same PC as the HMI, says Doug Putnam-Pite,
director of software development, Owens Design. The
HMIs OPC server connects to the machine or tool PLC,
and the customers IT system connects to the OPC server
running on our PC. With an OPC server running on the
tool PC, several hosts can connect to the tool and gather
data remotely, adds Putnam-Pite.
In the case where the machine or tool does not have OPC CONNECTIONS
a PC, then the customer will connect directly to the tool This Owens Design 300 mm wafer platform is designed for
PLC using OPC. In these situations, the customer pro- semiconductor metrology equipment applications and is linked
vides the OPC server and connectivity hardware, ex- to IT systems via OPC. Source: Owens Design
plains Putnam-Pite.
Owens uses three major interfaces for these OPC con- to write the socket communication interface and often need
nections: basic Ethernet, Ethernet using socket communi- to spend a significant amount of time working with the cus-
cation and EtherNet/IP. Ethernet using socket communica- tomer to integrate the tool into their system. This effort can
tion is typically used when the tool provided is a component be on the order of four to eight weeks, notes Putnam-Pite.
in a larger tool. Communication standards in most automation envi-
For OPC links via EtherNet/IP, the programming effort ronments are nonexistent, except for the semiconductor in-
is typically fairly low. The primary task is documenting the dustry, and to a lesser degree the solar industry. Both these
interface so the customer knows the functionality of the industries have widely adopted the SEMI SECS300 and
tool variables and registers. This effort is one to two weeks GEM interfaces. The development and adoption of inter-
depending on the size of the tool, details Putnam-Pite. face standards in other automation industries would help
If we are providing an Ethernet socket communication in- both machine and tool builders to integrate machines and
terface, the effort level is much higher as our developers need tools to factory IT systems, concludes Putnam-Pite.

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