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Machine Data in the Palm of Your Hand

When Is Redundancy a Necessary Necessity?

Functional Safety Is Technology-Dependent

AP

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An Important First Step Toward Sustainable Manufacturing Is Better Machine E­ ciency and Conservation

Green IdentityGreen Identity

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336 Volts of Green EngineeringMEASURE IT – FIX IT

Developing a commercially viable fuel cell vehicle has been a significant challenge because of the considerable expense of designing and testing each new concept. With NI LabVIEW graphical programming and NI CompactRIO hardware, Ford quickly prototyped fuel cell control unit iterations, resulting in the world’s first fuel cell plug-in hybrid.

Ford is just one of many customers using the NI graphical system design platform to improve the world around them. Engineers and scientists in virtually every industry are creating new ways to measure and fix industrial machines and processes so they can do their jobs better and more efficiently. And, along the way, they are creating innovative solutions to address some of today’s most pressing environmental issues.

>> Download the Ford technical case study at ni.com/336 800 258 7018

©2009 National Instruments. All rights reserved. CompactRIO, LabVIEW, National Instruments, NI, and ni.com are trademarks of National Instruments. Other product and company names listed are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies. 2009 0834

DesignDesign optimized control algorithms and systems

AcquireAcquire and measure data from any sensor or signal

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FIX ITMEASURE IT

0834 Green Engineering Ford.indd 1 12/15/09 3:27:29 PM

CD1004_FPA.indd 4 3/22/10 12:12 PM

April 2010 Control Design 5

co

nt

en

ts

features

20 Cover Story

Green IdentityAn Important First Step Toward Sustainable Manufacturing Is

Better Machine Efficiency and Conservation

Jim Montague, executive editor

27 Machine Control

A Look at IEC 61508The Standard Drives Functional Safety of Machinery in the U.S.

and Europe

Matthias Haynl, TÜV Rheinland

32 Product Roundup

Let’s Get Mechanical Components Are Still Easy-to-Install and Operator-Friendly

aPrIL 2010

CONTROL DESIGN, (ISSN: 1094-3366) is published 12 times a year by Putman Media, 555 West Pierce Rd., Suite 301, Itasca, Illinois 60143. (Phone 630/467-1300; Fax 630/467-1124.) Periodical postage paid at Itasca, IL, and at additional mailing offices. Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive Offices, same address. Printed in the United States. ©Putman Media 2010. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Control Design, Post Office Box 3430, Northbrook, Illinois 60065-3430. SUBSCRIPTIONS: To apply for a free subscription, fill in the form at www.ControlDesign.com/subscribe-mag. To non-qualified subscribers in the United States and its possessions, subscriptions are $60.00 per year. Single copies are $15.00. Subscriptions for Canada and Mexico are $60.00. Foreign subscriptions outside of Canada and Mexico accepted at $99.00 per year for surface and $199.00 for air-mail. Putman Media also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, FOOD PROCESSING, INDUSTRIAL NETWORkING, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING and PLANT SERVICES. CONTROL DESIGN assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Canada Post Interna-tional Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor information: World Distribution Services, Inc., Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 6J5. Printed in the United States.

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coLumns

Hot Buttons

13 OEM Spotlight

Once Upon a Packer Builder

16 InDiscrete

National Engineers Week Hits the Books

35 Real Answers

Can OTS OS Do Embedded Control?

40 Product Showcase

39 Beckhoff’s Embedded PC Delivers Power

controL DesIgn excLusIve

7 ControlDesign.com

Technology Goes Green

9 Editor’s Page

Term Limits

11 Machine Builder Mojo

Machine Information in Your Hand

15 Live Wire

Unnecessary Redundancy?

19 Embedded Intelligence

SCADA, HMI Boundaries Blur

31 TechFlash

IP Opens New Doors for I/O

42 OEM Insight

Don’t Fear Accuracy and Precision

CD1004_05_TOC.indd 5 3/22/10 3:04 PM

CD1004_FPA.indd 6 3/22/10 12:12 PM

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 7

Kath

erine B

on

fante

• man

agin

g ed

itor, d

igital m

edia

• kbo

nfan

te@p

utm

an.n

etC

ON

TR

OL

DE

SIG

N.C

OM

Save the environment. Recycle. Save energy. Go

green. Buy a hybrid. These and

other things are what people

constantly talk about today. By

browsing the Internet, I find

many articles that suggest how

each of us can do our part for

the environment. Going green

takes time and effort and can

be costly. If, for the average

person, going green costs a

lot—have you seen the prices

on those hybrid cars? —can you

imagine how expensive run-

ning a green factory might be?

No matter what, I believe going

green is the answer to our future,

and we should make necessary

changes to have that future.

ControlDesign.com has

articles featuring what some

of our Machine Builder Nation

members are doing to make

their plants, machines and

products as green as possible.

Log on to www.ControlDe-

sign.com/greenisnotenough to

read Senior Technical Editor

Dan Hebert’s story, “Green—

Your Way.” In this article,

Hebert learns what different

companies such as Optimation

Technology, Dynatorch, GL&V

Paper Group and Partner Pak do

to become green.

Building green machines

isn’t just about producing

machines that can save energy.

Customers today want equip-

ment that emits fewer pol-

lutants, can be repurposed to

produce other products, cuts

waste and scrap, cuts cycle and

idle time and uses automation

to replace materials.

Hebert says that as a

machine designer and manu-

facturer, claiming that your de-

vices are green is not enough.

You should back up your claim

with specific performance and

cost advantages.

Contributor Loren Shaum

wrote a story on sustainable

machines, as well. His report

established that the industry

still uses older machines, not

green machines, that continue

to perform well. However, build-

ers and system integrators

constantly have to worry about

keeping these machines run-

ning economically while helping

users migrate to new greener

technology. Shaum studied

how some builders deal with

this issue. Read his article, “The

Sustainable Machine,” at www.

ControlDesign.com/sustain-

ablemachine to find out more.

You can also log on to our

Machine Builder Forum and

weigh in with your opinion.

There, we ask how important

sustainable manufacturing

is to your customers. So far,

sustainable manufacturing is

a convenient phrase to collect

all the energy- and material-

saving initiatives applicable to

manufacturing. Green initia-

tives for machine builders have

been put in place, but what else

is being practiced by machine

builders? Can recyclable mate-

rials replace certain machine

components, reclaimable at the

end of machine life? Can you

replace wire and cable with

wireless alternatives? Is there a

value proposition for you?

Visit www.ControlDesign.

com/sustain and tell us if you

believe green manufacturing is

important to your customers.

Do you think you have a role to

advocate for greener machines?

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To download PDF papers, go to www.ControlDesign.com/whitepapers.

SPECIaL TO ThE wEb

FocuS on: retaining automation Know–how Control Design interviews Haumiller and Concep Machine to get a closer look at how companies are retaining automation know–how.

marKet intelligence report: motion control partS 1 & 2 Learn what machine builders and system integrators are using.

View these videos at www.ControlDesign.com/multimedia.

DiD you Know you can receive control DeSign electronically? Subscribe to the digital issue of Control Design and you’ll be able to download a high-quality PDF of the magazine exactly as it appears in print. Not only that, we’ll send you an email each month when it’s ready for you! Go to www.ControlDesign.com/digital.html.

Technology Goes Green

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There’s liTTle argument that

machine builders have a growing

need to include energy-efficiency

and material-conservation initia-

tives in their designs.

Customers demand it more

often now, and for a variety of

reasons beyond the lifecycle cost-

saving aspects.

If you don’t find these issues

becoming an important part of

your customers’ machine require-

ments, I wouldn’t count on it stay-

ing that way. This is a rising tide

that will float—and in some cases

sink—all boats.

We’ve certainly been giving

the topics more coverage. April

includes another cover story (p20)

in which Jim Montague identifies

more machine builders who are

knee-deep in the process with their

customers. You’ll also find Jim in

our most recent Focus On video

(www.ControlDesign.com/green-

manufacturing) that previews his

cover story.

Katherine Bonfante aims her

column (p7) at a review of our

coverage of these subjects in the

recent past and where to find it at

ControlDesign.com.

When we discuss issues that

include terms such as “green”

and “sustainable,” we’re trying to

keep the terminology consistent.

“Sustainable,” in particular, is the

“it” word right now.

Sustainability in manufactur-

ing seems to be this overly deep

bucket that contains just about

everything. Many companies

include machine safety, environ-

mental responsibility and employ-

ee well-being. Many also include

initiatives and programs such as

lean manufacturing, Six Sigma,

and quality management.

So, we end up with something

that seems better described as an

attempt at smart manufacturing

or responsible manufacturing.

This is an altogether really good

thing. I just don’t like finding that

sustainability has been co-opted

to be another commercialized

buzzword that means different

things to different people.

Sustainability in simplest

terms is a zero-sum game. It

means producing power from

renewable or inexhaustible fuel,

products from renewable precur-

sors or recyclable materials. It

probably implies not screwing up

the surroundings in the process.

The trouble with using the

term “sustainable” correctly is

that it’s largely unachievable.

At least today that’s the case. So

we’ve seen its meaning change

to better suit initiatives that

industry is willing to try.

I only make the point so that

we can better understand each

other when a retailer talks about

sustainable manufacturing with

the consumer products manu-

facturer that, in turn, talks to

machine builder that, in turn,

talks to suppliers.

Maybe we can more uniformly

recognize the value in having

goals to relentlessly, albeit slowly,

approach a genuinely sustainable

manufacturing universe by doing

all these good things. And then

let’s keep score that way.

April 2010 Control Design 9

The trouble with using the term “sustainable” correctly is that it’s largely unachievable.

Term LimitsJo

e Feeley • ed

itor in

chief

• jfeeley@p

utm

an.n

ete

dit

or

’s p

ag

e

editorial teameditor in chief

Joseph Feeley jfeeley@putman.net

executive editor

Jim montague jmontague@putman.net

managing editor

mike baCiDore mbacidore@putman.net

managing editor, digital media

katherine bonFante kbonfante@putman.net

senior technical editor

Dan hebert dhebert@putman.net

editorial assistant

lori golDberg lgoldberg@putman.net

columnist

Jeremy pollarD jpollard@tsuonline.com

design/productionart director

Derek Chamberlain

subscriptionscustomer service

888/644-1803

circulation audited december 2009Air & Gas Compressors 738

Engineering & Systems

Integration Services 8,959

Engines & Turbines 1,526

Food Products Machinery 1,542

Industrial Fans, Blowers,

& Air Purification Equipment 596

Industrial Heating, Refrigeration,

& Air Conditioning Equipment 1,322

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens 560

Machine Tools 5,561

Materials Handling, Conveyors

& Conveying Equipment 1,594

Metalworking Machinery 3,555

Mining Machinery & Equipment 481

Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment 1,249

Packaging Machinery 808

Paper Industries Machinery 456

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment 563

Pumps & Pumping Equipment 924

Rolling Mill Machinery & Equipment 151

Semiconductor

Manufacturing Machinery 1,082

Textile Machinery 222

Woodworking Machinery 244

Other Industries & Special Industrial

Machinery & Equipment NEC 7,886

total 40,019

controldesign.com

555 W. Pierce Rd., Suite 301

Itasca, Illinois 60143

630/467-1300

Fax: 630/467-1124

CD1004_09_Edit.indd 9 3/22/10 3:07 PM

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CD1004_FPA.indd 10 3/22/10 12:13 PM

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 11

Dan

Heb

ert, PE • sen

ior tech

nical ed

itor

• dh

ebert@

pu

tman

.net

ma

ch

ine

bu

ild

er

mo

jo

AS Your cuStomErS use handheld wire-

less human-machine interface (HMI) units more

frequently, it’s important that you understand

how best to make your machines fit their overall

wireless infrastructures. Increasingly, compatibil-

ity with existing and planned wireless machine

monitoring systems will be a required feature.

For example, Mohawk Fine Papers (www.mo-

hawkpaper.com) in Cohoes, N.Y., uses Transpara’s

Visual KPI to monitor and control its paper ma-

chinery and other plant components.

Key performance indicators (KPIs) are deliv-

ered to handheld HMIs, in this case Blackberry

devices. Data isn’t accessed directly from ma-

chines, but instead primarily through OSIsoft’s

PI data historian. Other data are delivered to

the Blackberry devices through Microsoft SQL

Server for data extraction, transformation and

loading, and through Microsoft Sharepoint as

an information portal.

Everyone in the plant has access to the data via

their Blackberry devices including technicians,

managers, supervisors, engineers and even the

chief operating officer. Handheld HMIs played an

important role in Mohawk’s overall 2009 improve-

ment in machine output, customer satisfaction

and energy consumption.

“Supervisors and senior managers now have

real-time access to machine, production and

order status,” explains Ben Whitaker, manager of

enterprise process reengineering at Mohawk. “This

allows more responsiveness to customer require-

ments and manufacturing issues. In the mainte-

nance area, supervisors and senior engineers have

access to energy consumption for better response

to machine performance issues.”

Machine OEMs supplying Mohawk and com-

panies using similar systems need to make their

machine control system accessible to the data

repositories accessed by handheld HMIs. This

means that links must be provided to software

such as data historians and often to various

Microsoft products as well.

These links are most commonly Ethernet-

based, meaning that your machine should have

an Ethernet port at either the controller or the

HMI level. This takes care of the hardware

connection, but doesn’t address the software

protocol issue. Most manufacturers use one or

more Ethernet protocols in their plants, and it’s

incumbent on the machine builder to ascertain

which type of protocol is needed and to provide

the machine with same.

Although many companies use handheld HMIs

for machine monitoring, few are using them to

replace the primary machine-mounted HMI. The

handheld HMIs are instead used to extend reach,

usually via one-way communication of machine

status. Any problems requiring adjustments to

the machine control system typically still will be

made at the machine.

Future implementations might feature high-

speed two-way access. This would allow your

customers not only to monitor their machines

remotely, but also to change control parameters

to adjust machine operation. These types of

adjustments probably will be made by operators

in close proximity to the machine, paving the

way to systems that completely eliminate on-

machine HMIs.

In these types of systems, your machine

would be provided with no local HMI. Instead,

a handheld wireless HMI would be used to pro-

vide full monitoring of your machine along with

adjustment of machine operating parameters.

The advantages of such a system to manufac-

turers are numerous.

First, one handheld HMI could be used to

monitor and adjust many different machines. In

typical plant operations, an operator goes from

one machine to the next to observe operating

conditions and make adjustments.

Second, an operator could access a machine

from a safe distance, often outside a hazard-

ous area. This not only could improve safety,

but also save time as personal entrance into a

hazardous area is often a time-consuming task

requiring special protective personnel equip-

ment (PPE) and lots of paperwork.

Third, linking the handheld HMI to the ma-

chine and to the central control room could allow

an operator to make machine adjustments with

the entire process in mind.

One handheld HMI could be used to monitor and adjust many different machines.

Machine Information in Your Hand

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Red Lion helps you manage the complexity of your entire environment with simple, highly-functional and open integration solutions. Seamlessly leverage multiple legacy devices from a single entry point with a universal software platform and integrated conversion of over 200 protocols. Enable Ethernet communications on serial devices, data acquisition, web serving, data logging and remote management via mobile devices. Connect dissimilar devices and access orphaned data that can be used to make your process run more effi ciently. Red Lion controls awaken your technology, create transparency and span the gaps in your process environment. Call for free catalog at (717) 767-6511 or visit www.redlion.net

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Operator Interface Protocol Conversion Signal Conditioning Panel Meters Data Acquisition

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controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 13

OE

M S

PO

TL

IGH

T

CASE AND TRAY packers for

the food, beverage, chemical

and personal-care industries are

the primary machines designed

and built by Standard-Knapp

(www.standard-knapp.com), an

employee-owned company lo-

cated in Portland, Conn. Its prod-

uct line also includes uncasers,

multi-packer or bundlers, slitter/

sealers and product laners.

“There are unique differ-

ences in each of the industries

we serve,” says Mario Mazzotta,

customer relations and market-

ing manager. “The food and

beverage industries constantly

increase the demand for faster

equipment, gentler product

handling and more ef� ciencies.

The chemical and personal care

industries develop many new

bottle designs that are very at-

tractive but dif� cult to handle

in a standard case packer.”

The 125-year-old company

employs around 60 people, and

its machines are sold primar-

ily in North America, Central

America and Asia. Machines also

are supported by manufacturing

licenses in Europe and in Japan.

Control automation on

Standard-Knapp’s machines

includes a PLC, touchscreen

HMI and servos, explains

Jeff Reilly, controls engineer.

“Our controls are primarily

PLC-based with no embedded

control,” he says. “We use PLCs

because of cost, in addition to

the bene� t of having one con-

nection to upload, download

and edit. ControlLogix permits

editing with just one software

package for ac drives, servo

drives and PLCs.”

Thirteen engineers—10 me-

chanical and three electrical—

comprise Standard-Knapp’s

technical staff.

Networking on its ma-

chines is both hardwired and

digital, says Reilly. “But we’re

currently not using wireless

networking, due to cost and

noise issues associated with

wireless.”

All of Standard-Knapp’s

machines include safety relays.

“We use safety relays to comply

with NFPA requirements,” ex-

plains Reilly. “New safe-off fea-

tures in A-B drives and servos

allow Category 3 safety rating

without the wiring, external

contactors and panel space.”

Standard-Knapp employs � eld

service engineers (FSEs) in a

variety of locations throughout

the U.S. “These FSEs also per-

form all of our machine training

at the customer’s facility,”

says Mazzotta. “The training is

divided between classroom and

hands-on sessions. We stock

a large inventory of parts and

typically ship part orders the

same day they’re ordered.”

Technology plays a major role

in after-sales support, speci� -

cally with maintenance issues.

“Our new, graphically driven op-

erator-interface (OI) system has

a very detailed preventive main-

tenance schedule that visually

alerts maintenance personnel of

upcoming servicing,” explains

Mazzotta. “Maintenance simply

can navigate to the correct

screen on the HMI and plan for

upcoming service without stop-

ping the machine or waiting for

component failure.”

At Standard-Knapp, inno-

vation is driven by customer

demand and cost, explains

Reilly. “We believe advances

in networking will have the

greatest impact on our machine

design,” he says. “With ad-

vances in networking, the main

difference or bene� t will be the

use of less wiring for controls

and communications.”

Once Upon a Packer BuilderField Service Engineers and OI Keep Customers Happy Ever After

FINE TOUCHJeff Reilly (right), controls engineer, fi ne-tunes the control program settings, as Skip Miller, machine assembler, works on the 989 PakMore continuous motion case packer with integrated 189 slitter/sealer.

STA

ND

AR

D-K

NA

PP

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RL-384A Corporate Ad_ControlDesign.indd 1 2/24/10 9:58 AMCD1004_FPA.indd 14 3/22/10 4:03 PM

You’ve heard them speak. You might even

be one of them yourself. The redundant “is” talker

can turn a simple sentence into a complicated

web of syntax.

“The problem is, is that we need to clarify our

objectives.”

“What you need to know is, is that there are

more potential pitfalls lying in wait.”

While the redundant “is” talker’s duplication is

unnecessary, redundant machine subsystems can

be critical. The trick is knowing when redundancy

is necessary and beneficial and when it needlessly

complicates the design and increases the cost.

Redundant safety and power systems are often a

given. But what about control and I/O?

Dan Cox, director of engineering at AOC Resins

(www.aoc-resins.com), a supplier of resins, gel

coats and colorants headquartered in Collier-

ville, Tenn., believes redundancy of electronics

in plants is extremely overdone. “The only ben-

efit usually gained from a redundant controller

setup is the ability for online upgrades, but this

is typically outweighed by cost and complexity,”

he says. “In 20 years, the only controller failures

that have occurred in facilities I have worked in

were on redundant systems. In fact, redundant

systems have caused me more heartburn than

simplex systems have.”

Choy-Hsien Lin, development engineer,

process control, Stora Enso Publication Paper,

Hylte Mill, (www.storaenso.com), Hyltebruk,

Sweden, agrees. “If a failure doesn’t impact the

bottlenecks of the process, redundancy should

be avoided to reduce the complexity and remove

the additional point of failure,” he says.

When the organization can live with an inter-

ruption in the system for the time it takes to fix it,

redundancy is optional, explains Lee House, CTO

and vice president of engineering, GarrettCom

(www.garrettcom.com). “The availability of re-

placement equipment can be a factor in determin-

ing the need for redundancy,” he says. “However,

redundancy is often more cost-effective than

dealing with the headache and cost of downtime.”

Redundancy can involve a variety of technolo-

gies including rapid-recovery options for a switch

using a ring topology or mesh network that allows

data to continue to flow without interruption in

the event that a network switch goes down; and

dual-homing at the edge of a network, which al-

lows that device to be connected to two separate

points in the network, says House.

Some systems that operate intermittently

and have inherent standby time for repair and

maintenance might require minimal or no re-

dundant systems, says Thomas Ferrara, director

of engineering, Atlantic Industrial Technologies

(www.aitzone.com), a designer and manufac-

turer of hydraulic and pneumatic systems in

Shirley, N.Y. “The ripple effect of this type of

subsystem is containable, and therefore the

expense of implementing redundant systems

is debatable,” he says. “There exists a middle

ground. A system without redundancy can use

inexpensive, redundant relays, which provide a

poor man’s redundancy. These redundant relays

would use a majority voting scheme to circum-

vent relay or signal failure. These systems can

also implement a quick repair cycle procedure

to substitute for a true redundant system.”

The need for redundancy comes down to the

application, explains Tyler Croft, product market-

ing manager, GE Intelligent Platforms (www.ge-ip.

com). “There are applications that cannot shut

down, in which case redundant controllers are

essential, so routine maintenance can be done on

one controller while the other is controlling the

process. If you can’t lose the controller and the

program, then you need to have redundant CPUs.

If they want to ensure that they do not lose I/O,

then they should have redundant I/O.”

But Helge Hornis, Ph.D, manager, intelligent

systems, Pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.

com) adds some words of caution when deal-

ing with redundant inputs. “It’s common to use

sensors with inverted outputs,” he says. “As far

as the logic is concerned, one only works with

one output. The second output allows the PLC

to check that the sensor is still OK.” His white

paper on redundancy (www.ControlDesign.

com/redundancy) explains I/O considerations in

much greater detail.

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 15

“�The�only�benefit�usually�gained�from�a�redundant�controller�setup�is�the�ability�for�online�upgrades,�but�this�is�typically�outweighed�by�cost�and�complexity.”

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CD1004_15_LiveWire.indd 15 3/22/10 10:15 AM

16 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

ENGINEERS FROM Phoe-

nix Contact in Pennsylvania

and Michigan shared their

enthusiasm for science with

local students during National

Engineers Week, Feb. 14-20, an

annual event that promotes

engineering careers to young

people and honors engineers’

contributions to society.

Engineers from Phoenix

Contact’s U.S. headquarters,

just outside Harrisburg, Pa.,

worked with students at the

nearby Middletown Area

Middle School. Each day, a team

of engineers taught sixth-grade

science class, incorporating

a combination of theory and

hands-on activities into the

lesson. Students learned about

static electricity with a demon-

stration of a Van de Graaff gen-

erator, built an electric motor,

raced cookie tins to see how

the distribution of mass around

an axis affects the speed of an

object and built a catapult to

demonstrate momentum and

trajectory. This was the third

year that the company worked

with the school for Engineers

Week (www.eweek.org).

Phoenix Contact’s auto-

mation sales and software

development of� ce in Ann

Arbor, Mich., also visited a local

school. The Ann Arbor team

worked with the seventh- and

eighth-grade classes at Ann

Arbor Open School. Students

learned about the history of

manufacturing and began work

on the “mini-factory” project, a

desktop model of a production

line that includes a conveyor

and some simple robots.

“Over the past few years, our

engineers in Harrisburg have

had a lot of fun working with

local students,” said Jack Nehlig,

president of Phoenix Contact

USA (www.phoenixcontact.com).

“These hands-on demonstra-

tions not only show how math

and science can be fun, but also

how engineering impacts all of

our lives on a daily basis.”

In addition to the school

activities, Phoenix Contact

honored its practicing engi-

neers with lunches in both

Middletown and Ann Arbor.

National Engineers Week Hits the Books

CHARGE OF THE BUBBLESA Middletown Area sixth-grader in Pennsylvania shoots bubbles at a Van de Graaff generator that repels them.

IND

ISC

RE

TE

PHO

ENIX

CO

NTA

CT

NOTEWORTHY

American Sensor Technologies (www.astsensors.com) expanded its CE approval for pressure sensors, transducers, transmitters and switches.

IEEE launched an upgrade to the IEEE Xplore digital library at www.ieee.org/newieeexplore.

MERGERS, ALLIANCES & ACQUISITION

Sixnet (www.sixnet.com) acquired JBM Electronics, a networking connectivity solutions provider in St. Louis.

Cisco (www.cisco.com) joined the Connected with Kepware (www.kepware.com) program to deliver OPC-based network monitoring and management drivers for use with its products.

Maxon Precision Motors (www.maxonmotorusa.com) and National Instruments (www.ni.com) collaborated to highlight mutual areas of interest in the fi eld of robotics.

Mori Seiki (www.moriseiki.co.jp) acquired the measuring systems business of Sony Manufacturing Systems, a subsidiary of Sony.

CD1004_16_18_Indiscrete.indd 16 3/22/10 11:49 AM

Survival of the fitteSt

Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc.Twinsburg, Ohio330.486.0002www.pepperl-fuchs.com

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digitalcommunicationsviameriamdigitalprotocolormodbusrtuprotocol(pending)Convenient field set up and re-calibration using supplied PC software or protocol commands Compactsizeperfectfordinrailorpanelmounting;4.625”lx2.125”wx1.25”h,10to16ouncespressurerangesfrom10”h20(pending)to3000psifullscale±0.025%off.s.traceabletonistincludingallaffectsoflinearity,repeatability,hysteresisandtemperatureoveroperatingrangeof-20ºto+50ºC(-4ºto+122ºf).14pressureupdatespersecondordampentosuitapplicationdifferential(dry/dryorwet/wet),gauge,compoundandabsolutepressureversionsforprocessmediacompatiblewith316sspowerwith8-36VdCor“poweroverusb”withtheusboption

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CD1004_FPA.indd 17 3/24/10 11:31 AM

controldesign.com

IND

ISC

RE

TE MHIA: 6%+

Growth in New Orders for 2010Material handling equipment

orders contracted 37% in 2009

but are forecasted to grow more

than 6% in 2010, according to

Material Handling Industry of

America (MHIA).

“Industrial production activ-

ity is increasing even though

factory operating rates remain

very low by historical compari-

son,” said Hal Vandiver, MHIA’s

executive vice president of

business development.

“Demand created as the

economy shifts from reces-

sion into recovery mode—� ll-

ing supply chain pipelines,

re-establishing inventories and

responding to pent-up de-

mand—is the principal impetus

for improvement over the next

few quarters in manufacturing,

warehousing and distribution,”

says Vandiver.

In addition, material han-

dling equipment shipments

contracted 34% in 2009 but are

forecasted to grow 1-2% in 2010.

Domestic demand—shipments

plus imports less exports—con-

tracted 35% in 2009 but will

grow 1-2% in 2010. Exports and

imports will improve in 2010 at

about the same rate.

The Material Handling Equip-

ment Manufacturing (MHEM)

forecast of material handling

equipment manufacturing

is released each quarter by

MHIA and looks 12-18 months

forward to anticipate changes

in the material handling and

logistics marketplace.

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CD1004_16_18_Indiscrete.indd 18 3/22/10 11:50 AM

I wIll be a presenter at a SCADA conference in

Bogota, Columbia, in August. SCADA and HMI are

different, but then they’re not.

I thought back to 1984 when I was at Rockwell

Automation creating some project screens for a

client sales presentation on an A-B Advisor em-

bedded graphics system.

This device was a CPM-based SCADA system

that created screen displays using object-like

symbols and used small CRT display units for in-

terfacing. A keyboard was the main interface for

the operator with custom inserts for key defini-

tion. Plug-in cards were used for everything.

The development system was intense—a lot of

code generation, driver configuration and object

hoop-jumping. There also was a T30 operator/

HMI terminal, which had a development system

embedded in the unit. I don’t think a touchscreen

was available in the first few product iterations,

but there were keypads on the unit faces so the

developer could assign key presses to functions.

The screen components were not complex, but

effective. There were color screens, as well as

grayscale. It was a fully embedded SCADA system

but was called an HMI.

The only portion of the SCADA component that

wasn’t available was the data acquisition part

since there was no way to offload the data the ter-

minal acquired, except through a serial port, but

that normally had a printer attached. As I remem-

ber it, the Advisor system wasn’t much better.

We’ve traversed so much technology since

then. In 25 years, we have jumped orders of mag-

nitude forward. Most “kids” don’t know what CPM

is, let alone an 8-in. floppy drive.

What’s different, and what hasn’t changed?

Well, everything and nothing. What has remained

the same are applications these devices inter-

face with. I’m sure there are 30-year-old plywood

presses with modern industrial computer inter-

faces running Windows-based software that we

only dreamed about when the process was first

installed using T30s and Advisor systems.

What’s different is methodology—development

software, options for development and runtime

platforms, connectivity, protocols and transmis-

sion methods and tons of third-party support us-

ing such standards as ActiveX, .NET, Java, AJAX,

XML and HTTP.

The availability of vital operating information

in real time, data historians, KPIs and data-min-

ing extensions make the modern-day differences

between SCADA and HMI systems very blurry.

Machine control interfaces are connected to

the controlling PLCs and PACs, and are connected

to the plant-wide information highway, just as

SCADA systems are. One of the more innovative

products that blur the lines is embedded touch-

screen terminals from Invensys/Wonderware.

Wonderware is SCADA, but it also is HMI. It’s the

same development system with multiple targets.

InduSoft is another.

Many new technologies are a hit with users

and OEMs alike. A recent poll reported that most

companies will use the controller vendor’s HMI

offering, if available. Once upon a time there were

many third-party HMI developers. They got pur-

chased by the big boys, so there are very few left.

The big third-party camp these days is in OPC

servers, which is very odd.

With this development, there isn’t a device on

the planet that can’t be connected and monitored

by any HMI/SCADA system. Coupled with that,

proprietary networks are all but gone. Ethernet

wins that battle, wired or not. So all protocols,

still somewhat proprietary, propagate over a con-

nectivity standard. Who knew?

So where are we now? Which way do things

migrate? My next few columns will reveal all.

Web-based clients, licensing issues, Visual Basic,

C#/F#, scripting and “server-based everything” all

have their pros and cons.

For instance, anyone who would use a fixed

HMI with embedded firmware for development, in

my opinion, is crazy. A touchscreen interface with

Embedded XP or Linux and a true development

platform has to be on your radar. And I’ll tell you

why next time.

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 19

There isn’t a device on the planet that can’t be connected and monitored by any HMI/SCADA system.

SCADA, HMI Boundaries BlurJerem

y Pollard

, CeT

• jpo

llard@

tsuo

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em

be

dd

ed

int

el

lig

en

ce

Jeremy Pollard has been writing about technology and

software issues for many years. Publisher of The Software

User Online, he has been involved in control system

programming and training for more than 25 years.

CD1004_19_EmbedIntel.indd 19 3/22/10 10:17 AM

The cusTomer is always righT—and These days ThaT can mean going green. Consumers,

retailers and pretty much everyone else is waking up

to the value of saving energy and reducing waste. As

a result, many demand that utilities and manufactur-

ers run greener and provide tools enabling them to

be more ecologically responsible themselves. In turn,

manufacturers require machines and equipment that

consume fewer resources and produce more sustain-

able products. So, some machine builders are rede-

signing to run greener and handle greener materials.

However, the reality of a sustainable manufacturing

environment—an environment based on renewable

sources of energy and raw materials—is a long way off

for many industries. Basically, like so much else, the

concept of sustainability rolls downhill.

So, going green is a first step for manu-

facturers and machine builders. It is

also a way to make some green.

For example, jet fuel is very expen-

sive, and so airlines try to conserve it

by flying planes with lighter airframes.

This is why airplane manufacturers and

their parts suppliers use more carbon-

fiber-reinforced plastic parts. However,

machining carbon-fiber can produce potentially

unhealthy particles, and so machine tool builder Mori

Seiki USA’s (www.moriseikius.com) Machining Tech-

nology Lab (MTL) recently developed and implemented

its Zerochip high-pressure vacuum process for many

of its machining centers. The system uses hollow ma-

chine spindles through which a specialized vacuum

sucks the dust-like chips from machining carbon-fiber,

graphite and composite materials into a sealed con-

tainer. This allows users to safely machine the lighter,

energy-saving parts they need for green airplanes, as

well as racing cars, bicycles and other future products.

“Many of our customers are concerned about their

carbon footprint, and all of them are concerned about

the cost of energy,” says Greg Hyatt, Mori Seiki’s engi-

neering vice president. “So they ask us to make our

machines more energy efficient, but the more interest-

ing challenge is when they have innovations in their

own products that require us to provide new machin-

ing solutions to enable their new technology.”

Combining TasksWhile making machines simpler is one way to go

green, other builders are joining together several

devices to save energy and materials. For example,

Hyatt reports that Mori Seiki MTL’s newly released

grind-hardening process brings together formerly

separate rough machining, heat treat-

ing and finish machining processes

into one center, such as its NT4250DCG

mill/turning machine that makes

heavy machine parts. Besides com-

bining machining functions, grind

hardening uses heat from rough

machining to selectively heat-treat

machined parts in the same unit. This

allows users to avoid sending parts out

to an off-site furnace for heat-treating. Hyatt reports

this process is 85-95% less costly than traditional

machining and heat-treating methods.

More Than EfficiencyIs this just good old efficiency dressed up in green

clothing? No and yes. While traditional efficiency af-

fects a builder and its end users, green manufacturing

influences a wider circle of disciplines and require-

ments—eventually touching everyone. In short, green

manufacturing appears to embrace more technical

areas and a larger jurisdiction than efficiency.

20 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

An Important First Step Toward Sustainable Manufacturing Is

Better Machine Efficiency and Conservation

The reality of a sustainable

manufacturing environment is a

long, long way off for many industries.

by Jim Montague, executive editor

CD1004_20_25_CvrStory.indd 20 3/23/10 12:58 PM

“We see and hear about green and sustain-

ability all the time, so we offer energy sav-

ings and simpler designs in the machines we

build,” explains Craig Friesen, product manager

at packaging machine builder Thiele Technologies

(www.thieletech.com) in Minneapolis. “For instance, we

can do 440 V or 220 V machines that use less current, save

power, cost less to run and help the environment. Or

we simplify the design and have a conveyor that used

to need two motors now operate with one. However,

this doesn’t always involve equipment and can instead

involve greener consumables.” For example, he says, a

customer might want to use a more recyclable hot adhe-

sive, and Thiele then needs to design around it.

“It can be hard to get more efficiency and energy savings out

of a machine that we’ve been building for 50 years, but we’d rather

update a design than invent a whole new machine, and so we have

to be very creative,” he adds. “We work with our fabrication shop

and engineering group, look at what we usually build, perhaps a

laser cutter and brake, and then design easier-to-manufacture parts.

It’s an ongoing process, and there are lots of baby steps. But some-

times, after building the same model for years, an engineering and

assembly guy suddenly says, ‘I think if we did this differently, we

could save some assembly time.’”

Saving EnergyNo doubt the most obvious and significant way

to go green is to conserve energy. Mark Elsass,

applications and technical services manager

for Milacron’s (www.milacron.com) U.S.

mold-making operations in Batavia, Ohio,

reports, “For us, ‘green’ means being

more energy-efficient by using larger

and more efficient motors to translate

rotational motion to linear and using

servo-driven motors to drive the axes

on our electric machines instead of

CD1004_20_25_CvrStory.indd 21 3/23/10 12:58 PM

the ac induction motors we used

on previous machines. Because we

supply machines to users to make

molds, we work closely with mold

manufacturers on what their users

will need as they seek to be more

ef� cient and sustainable.”

Likewise, to better handle sea-

sonally � uctuating demand and

increasing product varieties and

save energy at the same time, Ger-

man brewer and bottler C&A Veltins

(www.veltins.com) decided in 2007

to deploy 284 of SEW Eurodrive’s

(www.sew-eurodrive.com) Movigear

mechatronic drive units in a single-

line network installation (SNI) on the

container and box conveyors serving

its new 60,000 bottles/hr � lling line

in its new plant in its hometown

of Meschede-Grevenstein. The line

alternates between Veltins’ Pilsner,

alcohol-free and beer-mixture prod-

ucts, and must quickly change over

between different bottle types.

Movigear optimizes the in-

terfaces between its motor and

gears by directly combining those

gears, motor, drive, motion control

and communications in a single

gear housing, which reportedly

achieves 12-20% better ef� ciency

and delivers similar energy sav-

ings, according to Rich Mintz,

SEW Eurodrive’s strategic product

marketing manager.

To further simplify its network

infrastructure, the brewery’s SNI

daisy-chained its Movigear units

together by their three-phase

power cables, but these wires also

use a PowerLAN method to carry

the application’s high-frequency

communication signals, adds

Mintz. “This meant that Veltins

didn’t need to install about 4600

m of 24 V standard bus wiring,

and so it saved about 60% on its

cable costs,” he explains.

controldesign.com

Speedway_CD_Apr10 o.indd 1 3/16/10 11:07:12 AM

Creating more efficient machines, applications, facilities and products requires users to adopt and follow some better practices. Though each machine and application is different, here are some basic practices that can be used across a variety of production settings and industries.• Measure and evaluate the energy, materials, water,

compressed air and other resources you and your organization are using now and begin to develop a plan for conserving those resources. This plan might include powering down or turning off equipment when it’s not being used and replacing simple induction motors and drives with variable-speed motors and drives or servo drives that can more closely match production needs with energy used.

• Check if your machine, application or facility could use regeneration technology, which typically uses a shared power source and linked drives to capture power from decelerating components and use their energy to accelerate other components.

• Conduct a mini-audit of one of your machines or production processes, investigate which solutions might help it save energy or reduce materials, implement a test or trial run and evaluate the savings it generated.

• Examine all the materials that your machines consume or process into products and seek ways to reduce waste, perhaps by running closer to tolerances or by recycling materials. Also, check if more sustainable alternative materials could be used, and determine which design changes they might require in your machines.

SO YOU WANT TO GO GREEN?

CD1004_20_25_CvrStory.indd 22 3/23/10 12:59 PM

Energy in EuropeNot surprisingly, European manufacturers and machine

builders have dealt with higher energy costs for a lot

longer than their counterparts in North America and

elsewhere, so they have many lessons to offer about

green manufacturing and the goals of sustainability.

“Every organization can look at the energy, materi-

als, water, compressed air and other resources they

consume,” says Scott Hibbard, automation vice presi-

dent at Bosch Rexroth (www.boschrexroth-us.com).

“This can involve plugging in a kilowatt meter and

turning off some lights, but it also can involve looking

at the resources consumed by individual processes

and changing machine programs to save energy by

using servo drives instead of bleeder resistors. For ex-

ample, a thermoforming machine that makes yogurt

cups might have platens that press down in sequence

to form the cup’s rough shape and internal ribs. Each

step requires the drives to use a large spike of energy,

but where the excess energy used to go to a resistor

that dissipated it as heat, it can be put back on the

grid by being stored in capacitors and then shared on

a dc bus between multiple drives.”

Conserving Materials While saving energy is hugely bene� cial, it’s also just

the beginning of going green. Machine builders and

end users need to think about how to reduce waste,

recycle and seek alternative materials that are easier

on their communities and the environment. Some

veteran builders say this challenge is similar to learn-

ing about and adopting any new capability.

“Green is just one more ripple in the whole process

and history of understanding customers and learn-

ing what their real problems are because they don’t

always tell you,” says Thomas Kleeman, CEO of Spar-

tanics (www.spartanics.com) in Rolling Meadows, Ill.

“For example, about 10 years ago, our European cus-

tomers wanted to stack the leftover material coming

off our PVC plastic printing and die cutting machines

that make credit cards, so they could ship it to their

recyclers more easily. As a result, we designed and built

a machine to neatly stack all this scrap that used to go

into a bin. This material still goes into a dumpster in the

U.S., but more end users here are looking at this kind of

recycling. These types of plastic can either be reused by

their initial manufacturer or used down-market in milk

jugs, traf� c cones and park benches.”

Speedway_CD_Apr10 o.indd 1 3/16/10 11:07:12 AM

RECYCLING PLASTIC Figure 1: Spartanics’ laser die cutting systems can add components for neatly stacking leftover plastic die cut material.

SPA

RTA

NIC

S

CD1004_20_25_CvrStory.indd 23 3/23/10 1:00 PM

Spartanics builds laser and hard-tool die cutting,

screen printing and re-registration, machine vision

inspection and nishing machines, which are used to

produce everything from credit cards to automotive

dashboards and displays (Figure 1).

“We also see more users who want to say they employ

materials from more sustainable sources, such as biode-

gradable plastics made more from corn and grasses, and

less from petroleum,” adds Kleeman. “However, we’re

nding bio-plastics have to be handled differently be-

cause they’re harder for us to cut. So, we’re learning how

these plastics act, and we’re developing some different

tools to make the die cuts. We also work with our end

users and their materials suppliers to test which new

methods work best with these new bio-plastics.”

Simplify the MachinesBesides just trying to save energy, green manufacturing

also can mean simplifying packaging machine designs,

so they can run more � exibly and ef ciently and also

save on raw materials while making lighter, stronger

packages, adds Friesen. “We build packaging machines

for consumer goods manufacturers, and they demand

green equipment,” he says. “This is because their cus-

Helping progressive process control companies run and grow successful businesses

Do you know ...The market trend for your products?The Industry’s five-year growth rate?Whether your compensation plan is competitive?Which end-user markets will remain strong?How your customers feel about you?Introducing an online sales training program including sales, technology and industry applications modules

Resources for the World’s Leading Process Control Suppliers

Measurement, Control and Automation Association905.844.6822 mcaa@measure.org www.measure.org

•••••

STRONGER BOXES Figure 2: Thiele Technologies’ SWF Bliss-Matic case former uses PLCs to increase the machine’s fl exibility and change corrugated box parts more easily, which enables users to implement new and stronger designs that use less materials.

THIE

LE T

ECH

NO

LOG

IES

CD1004_20_25_CvrStory.indd 24 3/23/10 1:00 PM

tomers are retailers who use supplier

standards such as Walmart’s Green

Scorecard, which require goods

manufacturers to address environ-

mental impacts and sustainability

issues. So, if a customer needs to

design a greener package that uses

less material, we have to make sure

our machines can handle these

new designs. Once we understand

what they’re trying to accomplish,

then we can go back to them with

machine design modifications that

achieve what they want.”

“�It�can�be�hard�to�get�more�efficiency�and�energy�savings�out�of�a�machine�that�we’ve�been�building��for�50�years.”

Friesen says Thiele refined the

design on its Bliss corrugated box-

forming machines about a year ago,

so they have fewer parts and use

PLCs instead of relay logic, which

makes them more energy-efficient

and able to do more functions for the

same cost (Figure 2). “We can control

all the Bliss functions through its

PLC, which is more flexible and easy

to program than the programmable

logic system and cams and encoders

that we used previously,” he says.

“This new flexibility allows us to

change box parts to stronger designs

that use less materials.”

In the end, green manufacturing

and sustainability are just a couple

more design requirements that

end users can tack onto the next

request for proposal (RFP) and design

specifications. “I don’t see green and

sustainability backing off anytime

soon,” adds Friesen. “We’re going

to have more regulation of energy

use and waste generation, and so

retailers will push their suppliers

to provide products to accomplish

these goals.”

controldesign.com

sealevel.com > sales@sealevel.com > 864. 843.4343

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Connectivity and control. Making your interface as reliable as the

tides—and just as strong. Sealevel creates hardware and software

solutions for both digital and serial interface requirements.

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Experience exceptional computing at low power with the SBC-R9, an application-ready

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CD1004_20_25_CvrStory.indd 25 3/23/10 1:01 PM

4

Great things come in small packages

Introducing the 411 Series miniature solenoid valve from ASCO. Designers used to frustrating

tradeoffs are in for a great little surprise. Because compared to competing products, these new valves

deliver up to twice as many cycles of reliable, repeatable performance in medical devices, analytical

products, and instrumentation. Yet they offer 12% to 15% lighter weight, plus better performance for the

same power — critical in battery-operated portable devices. These valves also provide 12%-15% higher

flow rates, improved maximum operating pressure differential (MOPD), and full RoHS compliance.

Call ASCO to make a big difference in your design!

800-972-ASCO (2726) www.ascovalve.com/411 e-mail: info-valve@asco.com

CD1004_FPA.indd 26 3/22/10 12:13 PM

In the past, industrial machinery safety functions

such as e-stop were hardwired, and the failure modes

and failure data of these components, such as relays,

were very well known. The applicable standards

were EN954-1:1996 (Safety of Machinery—Safety Re-

lated Parts of Control Systems) for Europe and NFPA

79:1997 (Electrical Safety for Industrial Machinery) for

the U.S. Additionally, complex components such as

microcontrollers or microprocessors were not consid-

ered or allowed to be involved in the performance of

the safety functions.

Prior to the changes in the standards, the number of

devices used to implement and perform safety func-

tions was not a factor as long as the particular devices

had the same safety category. With technology moving

forward and complex components—for example, micro-

controllers or microprocessors—becoming integrated

in safety systems, the fault behavior becomes more

sophisticated. When the failure modes and the failure

data are not well-defined and the fault conditions cannot

be determined completely, the incorrect functioning of

these new technologies has to be addressed.

Traditional safety assessments such as for electri-

cal safety are not sufficient to cover all of the safety-

relevant aspects of today’s technologies. As a result,

functional safety, which is an assessment of the com-

ponents or systems that impact functional hazards, is

a critical item to be addressed.

IEC 61508 was introduced in 1999 as the basic

standard for functional safety. It is a comprehensive

standard composed of seven parts. Parts 1-4 are nor-

mative, and parts 5-7 are informative.

Application-Independent, Technology-DependentIEC 61508 is the basic functional safety standard for de-

signers of functional-safety-related devices and system

integrators of safety-related systems. The IEC 61508

standard is application-independent but technology-de-

pendent. Its scope includes electrical, electronic and pro-

grammable electronic (E/E/PE) safety-related systems.

The standard is written in such a way that it can be used

as a framework for other technologies, as well.

IEC 61508 addresses the functional hazards of new

technological advances. A major feature of this stan-

dard considers the possible occurrence of dangerous

failure that might arise from incorrect specifications,

omissions, random or systemic hardware failure,

software errors, common cause failures, human error

and other influences. IEC 61508 contains requirements

for preventing failures by avoiding the introduc-

tion of faults and for controlling failures by ensuring

safety even when faults are present. Additionally, the

standard provides new requirements for a product’s

overall safety lifecycle. This takes into consideration

every phase of a product from initial concept to final

decommissioning or disposal.

The standard uses a risk-based approach to deter-

mine safety integrity requirements of safety-related

E/E/PE systems. The probability approach targets

random hardware faults that could be dangerous and, if

undetected, result in loss of the safety function. It spec-

ifies four discrete safety integrity levels (SILs) of safety

performance for a safety function. SIL 1 is the lowest

level of safety integrity, and SIL 4 is the highest level.

Requirements to achieve safety integrity at the higher

levels are more meticulous than the lower levels.

One attribute of the SIL classification is the danger-

ous failure probability. System integrators have to

consider all devices and components implemented to

perform the safety function and ensure that the dan-

gerous failure probability corresponds to the targeted

SIL. Hence, it is important to know how many devices

implement and perform the safety function, and the

manufacturer of safety-related devices has to deter-

mine the specific safety parameters.

The Standard Drives Functional Safety of Machinery in the U.S. and Europe

A Look at IEC 61508

Where in the World?

Functional safety requirements are mandatory for European machinery, but it can be a different story for similar safety requirements in North

America. Which regulations do you follow? Join the functional safety discussion at www.ControlDesign.com/functionalsafety.

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 27

MACHINE CONTROL

by Matthias Haynl, TÜV Rheinland

CD1004_27_29_Featr2.indd 27 3/22/10 2:37 PM

Another focus of IEC 61508 is the overall safety life-

cycle, the corresponding E/E/PE system safety lifecycle

and the software safety lifecycle. The purpose of this is

to avoid systematic faults during design and develop-

ment, installation and commissioning, operation,

maintenance and modi� cation of the safety-related

equipment and systems. Systematic faults can occur

in either hardware or software designs. Measures and

techniques to avoid and control them are speci� ed by

IEC 61508-2 and IEC 61508-3. To address the functional

safety requirements in reference to the overall safety,

E/E/PE system safety and software safety lifecycle

IEC61508-1 requires an effective management of

functional safety (MFS). The MFS

covers responsibilities, procedures

and activities with respect to the

overall safety, E/E/PE system safety

and software safety lifecycle.

Functional Safety in EuropeIEC 61508, or EN 61508, is not a har-

monized European standard. That

means it cannot be used exclusively

as proof of CE conformity. To comply with the machin-

ery directive’s requirements, the harmonized stan-

dards EN 62061:2005 and EN ISO 13849-1:2008 are the

most relevant from the functional safety point of view.

The harmonized European standard EN 62061:2005

(Safety of machinery—Functional safety of safety-

related electrical, electronic and programmable

electronic control systems) is driven by IEC 61508 and

makes recommendations for the design, integration and

validation of safety-related E/E/PE systems for indus-

trial machines. EN 62061:2005 has the same SILs as IEC

61508, except SIL 4 is as relevant to the risk reduction

requirements normally associated with machinery. The

main focus of EN 62061:2005 is the safety function—

from speci� cation to validation. The standard requires

a complete functional safety assessment in reference to

IEC 61508 for complex systems or subsystems.

It is also important to note that the application-

dependent standard EN 62061:2005 also speci� es

increased severity levels for EMC

testing. The standard makes refer-

ences to general electrical safety

requirements for machinery, for

example, to EN 60204-1 for protec-

tion against electric shock.

The harmonized European stan-

dard EN ISO 13849-1:2008 (Safety of

machinery—Safety-related parts

of control systems) combines the

complex probability method from IEC 61508 and the

deterministic category approach from EN 954-1 on the

basis of the risk assessment. The safety classi� cations of

EN ISO 13849-1:2008 are performance levels (PLs), where

PL a is the lowest level and PL e the highest. The simpli-

� ed procedure under EN ISO 13849-1:2008 considers

the relevant parameters and architectures to provide a

practical assessment solution for machinery safety. The

simpli� ed procedures could be used only for the desig-

nated architectures described in the standard.

The requirements of EN ISO 13849-1:2008 and EN

62061:2005 are to some extent identical and comple-

mentary. The scope or introduction to the standards

determines which of the two is most applicable.

Functional Safety Requirements in the U.S.In the U.S., the mandatory requirements for certi� ca-

tion and validation of safety systems designed for ma-

chinery safety are speci� ed under the Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR), available from OSHA. The 29 CFR

1910, Subpart O, speci� es the minimum requirements

for machinery and machine guarding—for example,

29 CFR 1910.217 for presence-sensing devices, or 29

CFR 1910.212 for machine guarding.

Requirements can be found in 29 CFR 1910.217 for

safe conditions in the event of any single failure. In

28 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

The standard provides new requirements for a product’s overall safety lifecycle. This

takes into consideration every phase of a product

from initial concept to � nal decommissioning or disposal.

IEC 61508: THE BASIC STANDARD FOR FUNCTIONAL SAFETYFunctional safety assessments of the components or systems address the correct performance of the assigned safety functions as required for the necessary level of risk reduction. In 1999, the new standard IEC 61508 (Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems) was issued. IEC 61508 consists of the following parts:Part 1: General requirements Part 2: Requirements for E/E/PE safety-related systems Part 3: Software requirements Part 4: Defi nitions and abbreviations Part 5: Examples of methods for the determination of

safety integrity levels Part 6: Guidelines on the application of IEC 61508-2

and IEC 61508-3 Part 7: Overview of techniques and measures

CD1004_27_29_Featr2.indd 28 3/22/10 2:37 PM

addition, the term “control reliability” is speci� ed and

drives requirements regarding the design, validation

and certi� cation of safety-related systems. Of note is a

requirement that an OSHA-recognized third-party vali-

dation organization shall be used to validate whether:

• The design of components, subsystems, software

and assemblies meets OSHA performance require-

ments and are ready for the intended use

• The performance of combined subsystems meets

OSHA’s operational requirements.

Typical analysis methods like failure mode and ef-

fect analysis (FMEA), as well as the general approach to

perform a risk evaluation and a hazard analysis, are ref-

erenced. The probability approach—for example, under

EN ISO 13849-1:2008 or EN 62061:2005—is not considered

or required under the OSHA requirements at this point

in time; however the deterministic approach regarding

the system architecture and behavior are similar to the

EN 954-1:1996 requirements. Application-dependent

standards for the U.S. would be ANSI B11.19:2003 (Per-

formance criteria for Safeguarding) or NFPA 79:2007

(Electrical Standard for Industrial Machinery).

Future Developments and DirectionsMachine components and safety functions will become

more complex and sophisticated. Intelligent and distrib-

uted control will manage functions such as an intelli-

gent safety area around hazardous areas or objects. New

communication media such as wireless technology will

be in the safety loop to reduce wiring and provide more

mobility and � exibility. The use of safety communica-

tion buses is de facto a standard today.

Functional safety requirements are mandatory for

machinery safety in Europe. Yet it also is wise to consid-

er these requirements for machinery in North America.

It is likely that updates to related standards are going to

cover new approaches and technological advancements

to address overall functional safety hazards.

MATTHIAS HAYNL has been manager of functional safety

with TÜV Rheinland’s Functional Safety Division since 2003. He

has experience in the testing and assessment of safety-related

systems of power plants, nuclear power plants, processing

machinery and industrial machinery. He can be reached at

info@us.tuv.com.

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 29

MACHINE CONTROL

Standard Pros Cons

IEC 61508

Assessment of the complete safety lifecycle Non-harmonized European standard

Covers hardware and software for simple and complex systemsComplex and sophisticated for safety of machinery, especially

for the machine builder

IEC 62061

EN 62061

Partly simplifi ed approach as under IEC 61508

(e.g., QM requirements)References to IEC 61508 can lead to a diffi cult understanding

Covers confi guration, parameterization

and embedded software aspects

Complex systems and components are covered up to SIL3

Harmonized European standard

ISO 13849

EN ISO 13849

Simpler approach as under IEC 61508 (e.g., QM

requirements, calculation of safety-related parameters)Restrictions apply for complex electronics regarding the PL

Covers confi guration and parameterization

and embedded software aspectsNot applicable for complex programmable systems

Continues with the EN 954-1 requirements Results of the safety parameters are very conservative

Covers non-electrical, electromechanical

and complex electronics

Harmonized European standard

29 CFR 1910, Subpart O

Simpler approach as under IEC 61508

(e.g., QM requirements)Probability approach is not covered

Regulates the requirements for all kinds of machinery

and the related equipmentNot suitable for complex electronics (e.g., safety-related PLC)

OSHA-recognized third-party validation required Does not specify specifi c standards

STANDARDS IN RELATIONSHIPOverall, there are similarities to the EU and U.S. approaches with regard to the safety loop and the risk-based approach. The following table shows the advantages and weaknesses of the standards.

CD1004_27_29_Featr2.indd 29 3/22/10 2:37 PM

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Machine-Mount i/o replaces parallel wiring

by extending the network into the machine. De-

spite its upside, adoption has been relatively slow.

However, recent changes in terminal nodes, wire

schemes and IP protection have made machine-

mount I/O more attractive.

John Harmon, networking and connectivity

product manager, Balluff (www.balluff.com),

believes the reduced costs drive the attractive-

ness of machine-mount I/O. “Initial node costs

are about half of what they were just 10 years

ago,” he says. “And today we have higher-

performance I/O networks, more network cable

options and an overall acceptance and deeper

knowledge at the floor level.”

Machine-mount I/O has the ability to concen-

trate multiple sensor inputs or actuator outputs

on one IP67 interface, says Stephen Arnold, senior

automation product marketing specialist, Sch-

neider Electric (www.us.schneider-electric.com).

“These IP67 blocks connect to the control system

with common, open-architecture fieldbus net-

works such as CANopen, eliminating the expense

and support issues surrounding proprietary

network solutions,” he explains. “These I/O blocks

also communicate on Ethernet networks such

as Modbus TCP/IP and EtherNet/IP. When these

networks are used on an I/O block, the application

benefits from the speed and bandwidth available

on the network but keeps the price of sensors and

actuators low since the network doesn’t need to

be embedded in each I/O device.”

The IP67 protection rating is comparable

to NEMA 6 and 6P, meaning the devices are

resistant to harsh environments, moisture and

dust, says Kurt Wadowick, I/O systems special-

ist, Beckhoff Automation (www.beckhoff.com).

“Today, line, tree or star topologies are possible

with machine-mounted boxes.”

The general concept is to locate the control

component as near to the actuators and sen-

sors as possible, explains Bruce Centofanti, sales

manager, fieldbus I/O and control technology, B&R

Industrial Automation (www.br-automation.com).

“This can reduce or shorten wiring runs to devices

and results in cleaner design and construction

cost savings,” he says. “Some manufacturers offer

an IP67 I/O that delivers faster update rates to the

master PAC, PLC or distributed control system.”

Machine-mount I/O has been widely accepted

in European markets for several years now, says

Aaron Henry, marketing manager, Murrelek-

tronik (www.murrinc.com). “Builders in the U.S.

are beginning to understand the benefits of dis-

tributed I/O systems,” he says. “IP67 is an added

level of protection for most machine builders,

who struggle to reach IP65 with most current

field-wired installations. Molded cordsets, cap-

tured gaskets and less upfront preparation also

allow machine builders to inventory fewer parts,

have less pre-assembly time and reduce the

number of installation errors.”

IP67-rated and higher-rated control components

have made machine-mount I/O viable, explains

Tracy Lenz, senior product support—Wago-I/O-

System and advanced electronics (www.wago.

com). “While IP67-grade designs make them

physically robust, electromagnetic compatibility

(EMC) issues play a role in reliability,” says Lenz.

“Machine-mounting options and layout are what

make or break IP67-grade I/O. Does the design

provide more than one mounting option?”

In reality, machine-mount I/O can be many

different things, explains Karie Daudt, senior

product manager, Turck (www.turck.com). “For

example, an IP20 I/O node in a small enclosure

is technically machine-mount I/O,” says Daudt.

“The difference is that the points themselves

still are physically landed on the I/O rather than

terminal blocks. In this solution, you still hard-

wire the points themselves.”

Decentralized I/O systems are commonly

available in the market but require a vast array of

wires, says Susanne Walker, product manager—

advanced connectivity, Weidmüller (www.weid-

muller.com). “Cable-based solutions, especially

for bus communication, can be problematic or

even impossible in applications with moving sys-

tem parts such as drag chains or slip rings,“ she

explains. “Flexing stress can cause cable breakage

and compromise the integrity of the equipment

and the entire manufacturing line.”

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 31

“�Today�we�have�higher-performance�I/O�networks,�more�network�cable�options�and�an�overall�acceptance�and�deeper�knowledge�at�the�floor�level.”

IP Opens New Doors for I/OM

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CD1004_31_Techflash.indd 31 3/22/10 10:22 AM

even as alternatives have

been developed, mechanical

components remain as much

a part of the motion profile as

speed and accuracy.

“Advanced mechanical

motion control components

working in unison with today’s

electronic controls offer this

performance at a cost-effective

price point, which maximizes

customer value,” says David

Hein, vice president of engi-

neering, Nexen Group (www.

nexengroup.com).

John Pieri, product line man-

ager, Thomson (www.thomson-

linear.com), illustrates how the

technology remains the best

choice in certain applications.

“One example is electrome-

chanical wrap spring and fric-

tion clutches and brakes, which

are widely used as an alterna-

tive to leading-edge servo tech-

nology,” says Pieri. “Clutches

and brakes offer flexible or cus-

tom mounting, simple installa-

tion, high accuracy, low power

draw and high torque per unit

size, all at an inexpensive cost

compared to servo technology.

Servo technology is overkill for

most motion applications, in

that the complexity and cost

far exceed the requirement.”

George Edwards, chief engi-

neer, Fabco-Air (www.fabco-air.

com), agrees that simplicity

and cost are major attributes

of mechanical motion. “Most

machine element motions

follow fairly simple paths,” he

explains. “Pneumatic actuators

can provide these motions for

low initial cost and follow with

easy, low-cost maintenance

and service as well. Pneumatic

force outputs can meet most

application requirements,

ranging from a few ounces to

several tons using force-multi-

plying air cylinders.”

Installation, operation and

maintenance are more easily

accomplished with mechanical

motion components, too, says

Bob Jeter, applications engi-

neer, Amacoil (www.amacoil.

com). “Mechanical components

require little to no training and

are easy to install and oper-

ate,” he explains. “Electronics

can be complex and require ex-

pert technical support, while

setup for mechanical devices

is generally intuitive and they

are easy to fix, thereby reduc-

ing downtime.”

SERVO GEAR UNITSLow backlash planetary and

helical-bevel servo gear units

have input speeds to 6000 rpm

with 15 integer ratios from 3 to

100 and circumferential back-

lash as low as 1 arc/min. PSC,

PSF and BSF gear units span

ranges of 25–3000 Nm of torque

in 18 different models with

input adapters to accept most

any servo motor or be mounted

directly on SEW’s dynamic

synchronous DS, CM and CMP

servo motors.

seW eurodrive; 888/sew-3876;

www.seweurodrive.com

chOOSE yOUR AccURAcyeLine ball rail and cam roller

linear guide systems are avail-

able in sizes 15, 20, and 25 with

single-piece rail lengths to 4 m.

Users choose between accuracy

classes N and E, with or without

preload. Family of eLine prod-

ucts includes both styles of run-

ner blocks, end seals and front

lube units on standardized rails.

Bosch Rexroth; 800/322-6724;

www.boschrexroth-us.com

BALL ScREW ALTERNATIVEPDP alternative to ball screws is

made of two ground WMH pin-

ions connected through a pre-

load system to reduce rack-and-

pinion mesh backlash. When

mounted at the output flange of

SRP, a high-tech planetary gear-

head, PDP offers four different

modules with straight or helical

teeth, eight reduction ratios,

angle-drive versions, two-output

pinion diameters for each size,

and an input interface in-line

flange or with a 90° angle.

andantex Usa; 800/713 6170;

www.andantex.com

32 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

Let’s Get Mechanicalcd

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P Components Are Still Easy-to-Install and Operator-Friendly

CD1004_32_34_Roundup.indd 32 3/22/10 10:23 AM

SERVO BRAKESEclipse spring-engaged, servo

motor brakes have a split hub,

zero backlash clamp collar for

attachment to the servo motor

shaft in a variety of input and

output flange/shaft combina-

tions. Torque ranges 2–125 Nm,

with low inertia, high tensional

rigidity with no system wind-

up, integral flanges that adapt

to any servo motor and mount-

ing style and NEMA 23, 34 and

42 frame sizes.

Nexen Group; 651/484-5900;

www.nexengroup.com

HAVE TRAVElPro Series ballscrew-driven

linear stages in 68 standard

models have travels of 50–1500

mm. The tabletop can be outfit-

ted with an optional brush

assembly and models are avail-

able with a 5 mm/rev, 20 mm/

rev, or 25 mm/rev ballscrew

with a matched brushless

rotary servo motor to provide

maximum travel speeds to 1400

mm/s with ±6 μm accuracy, ±1

μm bidirectional repeatability

and up to 0.5 μm resolution.

Aerotech; 412/967-6854;

www.aerotech.com

lINEAR ACTUATORSMDrive linear actuators with

integrated step motor and

driver technology come in

three motor sizes and non-

captive and external shaft

styles, with options including

programmable controller and

motion control technology.

These products have an input

voltage range from +12 to +75

Vdc, nominal load limits of up

to 200 lb and full (256 x 200) mi-

crostepping with an operating

range of –40 to 85 °C.

Intelligent Motion Systems;

860/295-6102; www.imshome.com

AIR pOwERNitra pneumatic line of stain-

less steel, round body, non-re-

pairable cylinders feature type

304 stainless steel bodies with

double rolled-in construction

with high-strength aluminum

alloy porting ends. Single

and double acting models are

available with nose, pivot and

double-end mounting options.

Some models are available with

magnetic pistons for position

indication. Bore sizes range 7/16–2 in.; depending on bore

size; available stroke lengths

range ½–18 in.

AutomationDirect; 770/889-2858;

www.automationdirect.com

CAGED TECHNOlOGYSBK ball screw has a recircula-

tion structure where balls are

picked up in the tangential

direction and the lead-angle

direction by end caps. It has

Caged Technology with a syn-

thetic resin cage and patented

curvature that cradles each ball

and separates it from the next

one. SBK is available with screw

shaft outer diameters ranging

15–32 mm and nut diameters

ranging 38–58 mm.

THK America; 847/310-1111;

www.thk.com/us

wORM GEAR REDUCERSUltra Kleen right-angle, worm

gear reducers are available in

quill and three-piece coupled

input and with solid or hollow

output. Made of stainless steel

for washdown protection, the

units are available in ratios of 17,

21, 23, 26 and 30 with center dis-

tances 1.75-3 in., and a factory-

filled H1 food-grade lubricant.

Baldor; 479/414-4711;

www.baldor.com

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 33

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CD1004_32_34_Roundup.indd 33 3/22/10 10:24 AM

BE DYNAMICElectric actuator EGC is de-

signed for high dynamic speeds

and high rigidity. This modular

actuator can be used as an

individual component adapted

to third-party motors or as a

complete system provided by

one source. The unit is avail-

able in toothed belt and ball

screw designs, as well as differ-

ent screw pitches.

Festo; 631/404-3173;

www.festo.com/us

ANTI-BACKLASHZBX Series anti-backlash

linear actuator assembly for

vertical applications requiring

noise or vibration control has

a self-lubricating, polyacetal

nut that is radially preloaded

on a 303 stainless steel screw.

The assembly offers torque

consistency and repeatabil-

ity when traversing in either

direction through its unique

load transfer capability.

HaydonKerk; 800/243-2715;

www.haydonkerk.com

INDUSTRIAL-GRADE POSITIONERHD-N industrial-grade posi-

tioner offers bending moment

of inertia for rigidity and

minimal de� ection, lubrication

for life and maintenance-free

bearings and ball screws. Posi-

tioners can come with custom

motor mounts.

Parker Electromechanical

Automation Div.; 800/245-6903;

www.parkermotion.com/hd

34 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

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CLASSIFIED

Nano-10Nano-10

Control equipment remotely with your own web-page

Control equipment remotely with your own web-page

With a full-functionWith a full-function

PLC at PLC at

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$129$129

EQUIPMENT

Contact: Polly Dicksonpdickson@putman.net 630-467-1300 ext.396

MORE, MORE, MORE

Find more mechanical motion components from companies

such as Amacoil, Portescap, Ross Controls and Wittenstein

at www.ControlDesign.com/roundupsarchive.

LOOKING toADVERTISE?

CD1004_32_34_Roundup.indd 34 3/22/10 11:44 AM

Our semicOnductOr processing machin-

ery is controlled by our proprietary embedded

controller with a mature homegrown operating

system (OS). We’re looking to upgrade, and we’re

wondering what’s the best choice for an industrial

strength OS. There are lots of options at various

prices, and we’re a bit confused about the best

way to go. We’re used to supporting our own OS,

so our level of technical expertise is pretty high.

Does anyone have machine control experience

with an off-the-shelf (OTS) OS for embedded con-

trol that they’d like to share?

—from February ’10 Control Design

ANSWERS

Tested and ReliableThe right off-the-shelf OS should be selected on

technical details such as determinism, driver

availability, hardware support, performance and

footprint, as well as the business impact of the

system, cost, time to market and scalability. Several

real-time operating systems will do the job; the

difference will be in the details of the development

tools and the ecosystem surrounding the platform.

Initially, the control system’s current re-

quirements and possible future requirements

should be clearly defined and compared with

the potential RTOS platforms. Many soft RTOSs

are marketed for embedded designs, but fail to

provide hard real-time performance for critical

processes or machine control. The requirements

around the level of determinism required should

be well understood. Also, consider the level of

real-time safe communication mechanisms for

inter-process and intra-process communication

included with the platform, along with the avail-

ability of application-specific functions and algo-

rithms necessary to complete the project. While

testing and validation is always necessary for a

reliable system, vendor or community-provided

code bases will save time, rather than spend it to

design and implement new reusable functions for

communication, analysis and control. Because no

application is written perfectly the first time, the

platform’s debugging tools for viewing threads

and tasks, identifying priority inversions and

resource contentions and tracking down errors

should also be evaluated.

Hardware and driver support affects time to

market, flexibility to scale to the right controller,

available I/O and peripherals, and ability to leverage

new technology such as multi-core processors and

FPGAs. The startup time alone required to bring

up your own board and validate that the RTOS is

working correctly can be reduced drastically with

an offering that supports commercial-off-the-shelf

(COTS) hardware, rather than custom-assembled

boards. These savings are on top of the reduced risk

and additional time savings gained with vendor-

tested, industry-vetted I/O drivers that allow the

user to easily expand the system’s hardware compo-

nents and interfaces to the real world when projects

experience feature creep. Any system can be

expanded; however, some platforms require register

level development to get support for specific I/O.

Kurt Williams, LabView product manager

National Instruments, www.ni.com

Real-Time PerformanceWe have embedded controllers running vxWorks,

Linux and Windows XP Embedded with various

real-time extensions. These were selected to

provide a range of real-time performance at dif-

ferent price points, while all have mature, robust

development tools.

Can OTS OS Do Embedded Control?

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 35

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JuNE’S PROBlEM

We use a micro PLC to control our metal-cutting machines with good results. When customers see that we use a PLC, they want to specify brand, causing us multiple headaches in design, programming and after-sales support. There’s very little variability in the operating parameters from machine to machine, so we’re actually thinking of switching to a preprogrammed relay that would be set up and delivered by the vendor ready to go with its own part number. If a machine needed something a little different, we would order it preprogrammed accordingly. Are we mortgaging future versatility for fewer headaches right now?

send us YOur cOmments, suGGestiOns Or sOlutiOns FOr tHis PrOBlem. We’ll include it in the June ’10 issue and post it on ControlDesign.com. Email us at RealAnswers@putman.net. Please include your company, location and title.

reala

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CD1004_35_37_RealAnswrs.indd 35 3/22/10 11:53 AM

Most machine controllers use COTS devices for

vision, motion and process control, and other spe-

cialized tasks. Suppliers provide an API and/or IDE

and tools that typically run on Windows and spe-

cific embedded operating systems. Identify the top

candidates for each requirement and determine

which OS will provide integrated API and tools.

The IDE needs to support your preferred pro-

gramming language and should have debugging

tools to reduce development time. We should be fo-

cused on improving process, not building and sup-

porting development tools. Consider the third-party

APIs and whether you plan to run the HMI directly

on the machine controller or via an external panel.

Regarding maturity, reliability and portabil-

ity, choose an OS that supports a broad range of

processors and base hardware platforms. Make

a decision that considers future advances in CPU

technology and provides a clear roadmap to lever-

age current investment on future designs.

Josh Jensen, product manager,

Kollmorgen, www.kollmorgen.com

Embedded VirtualizationIt is not always necessary to purchase a new OS.

A complex motion system can be constructed

by combining your existing software with new

devices and new application code.

The combination of these elements and the abil-

ity to handle multiple operating environments at

the same time is possible through virtualization,

but not the type often used in office and server

environments that sometimes fails in time-critical

applications. Embedded virtualization technology

maximizes the predictability of the response of

the application code in order to support a multi-

OS environment to hardware-generated signals. It

does so by isolating hardware between virtual en-

vironments so as not to detract from the system’s

ability to respond quickly.

Your existing embedded OS runs in paral-

lel with Windows on a standard PC-compatible

platform enabling faster migration from out-

dated hardware to modern embedded platforms.

In addition to preserving your legacy system, the

technology provides the deterministic response

necessary for time-critical events by partitioning

and allocating hardware devices ensuring that

time-critical I/O resources aren’t virtualized.

The solution sounds complicated, but it’s sold

out-of-the-box with all of the necessary compo-

nents and integration tools. Our eVM embedded

virtualization platform enables you to combine

the old and new worlds, while saving costs and

improving reliability at the same time.

Kim hartman, vice president, sales and marketing,

TenAsys, www.tenasys.com

Interfaces and SafetyLook beyond current requirements. Although

deterministic real-time response and low OS

overhead are important, so is how the RTOS ad-

dresses growing software complexity, demand for

better user interfaces and expectations for safety

and security certification.

At some point, your design could need to mi-

grate to a multicore processor—either it’s the only

viable choice or user demand for advanced fea-

tures increases software complexity, generating

the need for greater processing capacity. Either

way, an RTOS with proven multicore support can

provide an invaluable migration path.

Multicore chips come in a variety of configura-

tions, including a single general-purpose processor

with a DSP, multiple general-purpose processors

and multiple DSP accelerators and stand-alone

dual- or quad-core general-purpose processors. If

your system requires pure computing capacity, you

probably need the third option, in which case the

RTOS should support parallel processing through

symmetric multiprocessing (SMP). The RTOS

vendor should also provide system-tracing tools

that can analyze the highly complex system-level

interactions that characterize multi-core designs

to focus on areas that yield the greatest gains in

parallelism and performance.

The complexity of your software design probably

is growing. However, this complexity cannot be

passed along to your end users; the system must re-

main easy to use. This is particularly true now that

consumer devices like iPhones have dramatically

raised user expectations about attractive, easy-to-

use human-machine interfaces (HMIs).

It is difficult to create appealing HMIs without

support from the RTOS. It should support hard-

ware-accelerated 2D/3D-graphic APIs and high-

level user interface design tools. Also, to create

a sophisticated user interface, developers must

often combine multiple graphics technologies

such as Adobe Flash, native 2D/3D graphics ap-

plications, HTML content and video on the same

display. Thus, the RTOS must provide facilities

36 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

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CD1004_35_37_RealAnswrs.indd 36 3/22/10 11:53 AM

to layer these multiple technologies seamlessly.

Look for standard interfaces to ensure portability.

Many off-the-shelf RTOSs support time

partitioning, which allows developers to place

programs into virtual compartments and to al-

locate a guaranteed amount of CPU time to each

compartment. Such guarantees simplify the job

of integrating software subsystems from multiple

development teams or vendors. They can also

contain runaway threads and denial-of-service

attacks, enabling higher availability, and allow a

developer to debug a live system without starving

critical processes of CPU time.

As systems grow more connected and complex,

so do concerns for safety and security. IEC 61508

defines a number of safety integrity levels, such as

SIL 3, that define measures to prevent systematic

failures (bugs) from being designed into a system.

Likewise, The Common Criteria for Information

Technology Security Evaluation defines a set of se-

curity requirements that can be applied to embed-

ded devices. A certifiable RTOS can greatly reduce

the effort required to achieve such certifications.

Even if certification isn’t an immediate require-

ment, it can be important to keep your options

open. An RTOS that can be upgraded to a certifi-

able version without API changes is a real benefit.

Kerry Johnson, senior product manager,

QNX Software Systems, www.qnx.com

Here’s a ProductIn the past, machine builders had to venture

outside their core competencies to design custom

operating systems because PC operating systems

were not designed to be real-time and not stable

enough for machine control.

Our Simatic WinAC RTX is a programmable logic

controller designed to run on open platform PC

systems. It offers the I/O logic control of a PLC with

integration to standard PC platform interfaces and

high-level languages.

Its real-time and deterministic capabilities are

met by operating in an extremely stable Ardence

RTX real-time OS extension. With its Open De-

velopers Kit, migrating high-level programs and

intellectual designs is possible.

eric Kaczor, product manager, discrete automation,

Siemens Industry, www.industry.siemens.com

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Products

INDEXING SERVOKinetix 300 EtherNet/IP index-

ing servo drive supports up

to five indexing types and 32

indices. It has drive-based Web

configuration tools and seam-

less integration with RSLogix

5000 software through an add-

on profile. The drive comes

with safe torque-off function-

ality and can be combined

with MP-Series or TL Series

motors, as well as the Com-

pactLogix L23 or CompactLogix

L32 controller for low-axis-

count motion.

Rockwell Automation;

414/382-2000; www.ab.com/motion

UP TO 40 MPZ-G Series of self-contained,

threaded, photoelectric sensors

provide detection distances of

to 40 m. The sensor incorpo-

rates a front-panel LED align-

ment indicator that illuminates

when the transmitter beam

is perfectly aligned with the

receiver. It features standard

M8 and M12 threaded quick-

connects with a standard pin-

out and has response speeds

to 500 µs. There are 19 types of

mounting brackets, including

one-touch, available. The PZ-G

Series has three sensing styles:

thru-beam, reflective and

retro-reflective.

Keyence of America;

888/539-3623, x70703;

www.keyence.com/prs

THE MIDAS TOUCHMIDAS (monitored informa-

tion devices and systems) has

a standard display structure

and pre-manufactured system

data screens that can be used

in their standard form, incor-

porated in a modified form by

Altronic Controls or updated/

adjusted in the field via the

full-featured MIDASBuilder

software package and Altronic

product data library included

with each system. The integral

Ethernet port and system soft-

ware allow for remote access

to panel controls and data via a

standard Web browser.

Altronic; 330/545-9768;

www.altronicinc.com

CORE 2 DUO INDUSTRIALCore 2 Duo Series heavy

industrial panel PC includes

two Ethernet ports, five serial

ports, four host USB ports (six

host USB ports on the 19-in.

model) and a 64-bit Core 2

Duo processor. The panel PC

comes with Microsoft Win-

dows XP Professional. An

SXGA TFT display sports 16

million colors with a resolu-

tion of 1280x1024 pixels. The

units are equipped with an 80

GB anti-shock hard drive that

is upgradable to 160 GB. They

include 1 GB of DDR2 DRAM

that is upgradable to 3 GB.

Maple Systems; 425/745-3229;

www.maplesystems.com

ELECTRIC ACTUATORSTritex II Series electric ac-

tuators are available with an

absolute feedback option. The

compact actuators feature a

built-in mechanical converter.

The actuators provide 1500

W, ac-powered operation and

digital position control, pairing

a brushless servo motor with

rotary or linear actuation. Addi-

tional features include 100–200

Vac operation; enhanced

software with 16 program-

mable indexes, linked moves

and firmware flash upgrade;

40 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

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CD1004_40_41_Showcase.indd 40 3/23/10 10:01 AM

Modbus port; support of multiple com-

munications protocols; and eight digital

inputs, four digital outputs and one analog

input and output.

Exlar; 952/368-3434; www.exlar.com

Software

Development anD Run time WebAccess HMI & SCADA software ver-

sion 7.0 uses a Web browser for devel-

opment and run time. Its architecture

consists of Project Node (the development

platform, Web server and central data-

base server), SCADA nodes (data acquisi-

tion and supervisory control nodes that

connect with field hardware and serve

live data to clients and the project node),

and Web browser clients (to remotely

view and control, with graphical anima-

tion and live video). The WebAcccess

software also supports thin clients,

which allow the use of mobile devices to

view and control.

Advantech Industrial Automation Group;

800/205-7940; www.advantech.com

reSourceS

tempeRatuRe meaSuRementVolume MMXIV Omega Temperature

Measurement Handbook 7th Edition

offers detailed information and speci-

fications on more than 40000 products

for process measurement and control

featured on more than 2000 full-color

pages. The new edition contains new

products in sanitary temperature sensors

and devices, wireless connectors and

instruments, profile temperature labels,

thermal imagers and infrared tempera-

ture products, automation products and

new technical books related to measure-

ment and control, as well as updated

technical references and data.

Omega Engineering; 203/359-1660;

www.omega.com

Know How to BenD2009 catalog features an easy-to-use quick

reference guide, application examples

from a wide range of industries and details

on the latest Chainflex cables. Reference

guide helps select a continuous-flex cable

by highlighting key features such as jacket

types, temperature limits, price indexes,

and maximum bending radii. The catalog

also offers information CF Robotshielded

cable for applications involving high levels

of torsion, Firewire cables for long distance

machine vision applications, and cables

specifically designed for USB applications.

Igus; 800/521-2747; www.igus.com/chainflex_

catalog_request.asp

SCRew CataloGMore than 50 pages of this 250+ page Lead

Screw, Ball Screw and Ball Spline Catalog

is technical engineering reference mate-

rial designed to help the reader correctly

specify, install, maintain and service lead

screws, ball screws and ball splines. A

technology comparison chart and applica-

tion analysis worksheet are included to

help the design engineer determine the

optimum linear actuation method.

Thomson Linear; 540/633-3549;

www.thomsonlinear.com

controldesign.com April 2010 Control Design 41

publiShing team

group publisher & vp, content

Keith Larson klarson@putman.net

Ad trAffic supervisor

anetta Gauthier agauthier@putman.net

director of circulAtion

JaCK Jones jjones@putman.net

group Art director

steve herner sherner@putman.net

SaleS team

northeastern and mid-atlantic regional manager

Dave Fisher dfisher@putman.net

508/543-5172 fax: 508/543-3061

24 cannon forge dr.

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Midwestern And southern regionAl MAnAger

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555 w. pierce rd., suite 301

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digitAl sAles speciAlist

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events director

anDy wuebben

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adminiStrative team

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vice president

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vp, circulation

Jerry CLarK

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is the only magazine exclusively

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555 w. pierce rd., suite 301

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fax: 630/467-1124

CD1004_40_41_Showcase.indd 41 3/23/10 10:01 AM

AccurAcy. Precision. Gr&r. Two words

and an acronym that strike fear into the hearts

of many a manufacturing engineer or control

system designer. The terms and principles are ex-

tremely well-understood by most QA and process

control specialists, but what about the rest of us

mortals trying to wade through statistics without

getting bogged down in too many details? To

start with, we have some object that we wish to

measure. We could be measuring weight, length,

color, shape—the type doesn’t matter. The mea-

surement device we need—a scale or a ruler or a

colorimeter—is called a gauge.

The accuracy of a measurement is the degree

to which it is close to the actual, true measure-

ment. The true measurement is taken, if you will,

by some sort of perfect measurement system or a

measurement system that is calibrated and tested

to some extremely trustworthy degree. The ac-

curacy of our on-the-floor measurement would be

the difference between that perfect measurement

and the one we get. If we have a block measured

and certified to really be exactly 1 in. and our

in-process gauge reads 1.053 in., this one single

measurement is accurate to within 0.053 in.

That makes sense. Precision could be a little

harder to grasp. Precision is a measure of how

easy it is to repeat a measurement taken with a

gauge. In fact, repeatability is another name for

precision. What if I measure the block with the

same gauge three more times and get: 1.051, 1.052

and 1.054? Well, this is a relatively precise gauge.

Our measurements only vary over a range of

0.004 in., and I might be tempted to say that the

precision of the gauge is something like ±0.002 in.

In practice, we would use statistical methods to

analyze all of these readings and use a statistical

tool such as standard deviation to determine that,

say, 90% of our readings would range over some

particular window.

What if my three measurements were: 1.041,

1.101, 0.987. We see gauges like this in real fac-

tories all the time. Maybe it’s an old micrometer

and the lines are sort of worn off here and there.

Maybe there is dirt or grit in the gauge. Our mea-

surement technician does his best, but it should

be no surprise that if we measure the block over

and over again, the readings will vary consider-

ably—in this case, over a range of more than 0.1

in. Clearly, a much less precise gauge.

Loss of precision can come from gauge inade-

quacies or from operator training. Differentiating

between the two is important and commonly is

accomplished using analysis of variance gauge re-

peatability & reproducibility (ANOVA GR&R), often

just called GR&R. A precise statistical technique

(ANOVA) is used to analyze multiple measure-

ments made by multiple operators using the same

gauge. This not only determines the precision of

the gauge, but it also analyzes how the precision

and accuracy vary from operator to operator. Each

gauge most likely has some tricks to its use and

requires a certain amount of training, patience

and practice to use well. The GR&R study provides

a way to determine not only how good the gauge

is, but how consistent each operator is in using

the gauge and what each operator’s skill level is.

GR&Rs are quite easy to do, contrary to factory

myth. Just five or 10 measurements with three

operators or so is usually enough to give great

insight into the quality of the gauge and the

consistency of operator training. A more detailed

study with 20 measurements using, say, 10 opera-

tors, is often as complicated as one needs to get to

differentiate between accuracy, repeatability and

operator training. The GR&R provides a hugely

important data point for interpreting measure-

ments coming from the factory floor.

In today’s automated measurement world, are

GR&Rs obsolete? Absolutely not. In my industry,

machine vision, we always use GR&R studies to

evaluate our calibration (accuracy), the quality

of our image acquisition and analysis algorithms

(which affect precision) and the ability to run the

same parts through different inspection stations

and get the same measurements. Automated

GR&Rs are quite easy to design and perform.

ned Lecky is an ME and EE with 25 years of experience

in control systems and machine vision. As owner of Lecky

Integration (www.lecky.com), he consults for OEMs,

system integrators and machine vision providers.

42 Control Design April 2010 controldesign.com

The GR&R provides a hugely important data point for interpreting measurements coming from the factory floor.

Don’t Fear Accuracy and Precisionn

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CD1004_42_Insight.indd 42 3/22/10 10:32 AM

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