Electricity + Control January 2018

FEATURES: Control systems + automation Drives, motors + switchgear Earthing + lightning protection Pressure + level measurement + instrumentation

COMMENT

ON THE COVER

2018 promises to be fascinating!

W ell then – welcome to 2018. What a fascinating year it promises to be. We have the usual New Year excitement of students traipsing into Universities and TVET Colleges – to (we hope) – in due course join our profession in one or oth- er role – and then continue to build this economy of ours. And, my goodness, it needs building. In the profession? Well, as we have grown accustomed to the unknown and unpre- dictability of our environment – I am hope- ful that we will begin to see a settling down as things begin to return to normal, and the high levels of angst (that I perceive in soci- ety) slowly begin to disappear. A probable picture? At the time of writing, I just do not know. How can one tell? My sense is to move away from populist politics to real action and awaken to the urgency of growing the economy. Let me be blunt. Much of the populist pos- turing is premised on one thing, and that is a growing economy. It is not often that populist rhetoric is accompanied by the less populist, (and colder) acknowledge- ment that economic growth requires solid decisions and a stable policy environment. But so be it – this we leave to those more able to operate in the rarefied atmosphere of political leadership. From the perspective here at the coal face … I believe that unless we begin to sense stabilisation in the leadership and policy arenas, it will be hard to imagine a nota- ble build-up of confidence. What intrigues me is that the situation in which we find

ourselves seems to have crept up on us by stealth. Those who were aware of the issues simply were not able to articulate their concerns to the rest of us; or, more specifically, to those in positions where the matter could actually be dealt with properly. Now we have (as is our wont) another opportunity to start again. But is that not the nature of evolution? Nature tends to experiment until finally it hits on the cor- rect recipe, as it were. Our single biggest advantage is that we know how to move things forward. Whether the views of those in the appropriate leadership posi- tions will hold sway with the population, remains to be seen. I am confident. In fact, I am very confident that things will begin to move in the right direction. My sense is that we have reached a wa- tershed moment; we need to be coura- geous and step up. I am mindful that each of us needs to continually ask what we can do to assist. No matter how small the contribution – we need to step up and make a difference.

FEATURES: Control systems+ automation Drives,motors+ switchgear Earthing+ lightning protection Pressure+ levelmeasurement+ instrumentation

Beckhoff continues to develop its extensive, innovative product portfolio for seamless integration of Industrie 4.0 and IoT applications into the 1/11/2018 12:21:20PM www.electricityandcontrolmagazine.co.za EC JAN2018 cover.indd 1

overall control system. Read more on page 11.

Magazine Team

Editor: Design & Layout: Advertising Managers:

Wendy Izgorsek Adél JvR Bothma Helen Couvaras Heidi Jandrell Karen Smith Karen Grant Wilhelm du Plessis Ian Jandrell

Circulation: Publisher: Deputy Publisher: Editorial Technical Director:

Circulation

Quarter 3 (Jul - Sep 2017) Total print circulation: 4 537

Enjoy the year!

Contact

Published monthly by:

Crown Publications cc Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Sts, Bedford Gardens PO Box 140, Bedfordview 2008 Tandym Print

Ian Jandrell PrEng IntPE(SA) BSc(Eng) GDE PhD, FSAAE FSAIEE SMIEEE

Printed by:

Telephone: E-mail:

+27 (0) 11 622 4770 e-mail: ec@crown.co.za admin@crown.co.za www.crown.co.za

Visit our innovative online technical resource for the engineering industry. www.eandcspoton.co.za

Website:

Electricity+Control is supported by

Or watch the latest interviews on our Facevalue page. Just scan here

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of thepublisher, theeditor,SAAEs,SAEE, CESA, IESSAor theCopperDevelopmentAssociationAfrica

CONTENTS

4

Features

Control systems + automation 4 Industrie 4.0 Meets Building Automation Michel Matuschke, Beckhoff Automation

6 Ageing Systems and Expansion Drive Modernisation Marc Ramsay, Schneider Electric

10 Round UP

Drives, motors + switchgear 16 Load Management Through Utilisation of VSDs on Water Transfer Schemes JP de Wet, W Schoeman, JF van Rensburg, North-West University

22 Round UP

Earthing + lightning protection 24 Surge-Protective Devices for Low-Voltage Power Systems Holger Heckler, Phoenix Contact 27 Lightning protection and education at SA schools is critical Hannes Ackermann, DEHN Africa

29 Round UP

24

Pressure + level measurement + instrumentation 30 Renewable Electricity from Traffic! Clement Mokoenene, Epitome Consulting

34 Twice as easy: On the safe side with differential measurement Florian Burgert, VEGA

36 Round UP

30

Regulars

1 Comment by Ian Jandrell 11 Cover Article 38 Light+Current

39 Social Engineers 40 Not to be missed 40 Brain Block 40 Advertisers 40 Write @ the back

34

2 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

To be linked:  www.limtec.be  www.beckhoff.be Limtec+ has built a state-of-the-art training centre for service technicians at the Diepenbeek Technology Park in Belgium. For building automation, the compa- ny has adopted the principles of Industrie 4.0 and integrates building services, media control and industrial communication on the PC-based control platform.

1

Industrie 4.0 Meets Building Automation

Michel Matuschke, Beckhoff Automation

Goran Novkovic, Valiver

Limtec’s goal was to implement the principles of Industrie 4.0 in the context of build- ing automation, so all systems had to be intelligently connected.

Take Note!

The advanced building automation platform in this company’s new building reflects the prin- ciples of Industrie 4.0. Intelligent networking of all systems in a building improves the energy effi- ciency of the building. And it makes life easier for the users.

1

S ervice technicians in the field of electri- cal engineering receive advanced train- ing based on the latest standards at the Limtec+ Training Centre in Diepenbeek, Belgium. More than 2 000 participants attend these training courses each year. The advanced building automa- tion platform in the company’s new building, which was completed in 2017, reflects the principles of Industrie 4.0 and integrates the complete range of building services, media control and industrial communication in a central control system. "In order for the industrial companies in our re- gion to grow, they need well-trained personnel,” says Limtec Managing Director, Benny Siemons. “Our training courses focus specifically on the maintenance of machines and systems. In order to help participants learn how to efficiently elim- inate machine malfunctions, frequently occurring incidents are simulated and corrected using state- of-the-art technology.” EtherCAT network connects all rooms Limtec’s goal was to implement the principles of In- dustrie 4.0 in the context of building automation, so all systems had to be intelligently connected. First, they wanted to implement a powerful system, and now they can expand their training activities

to include building automation. Bert Vanderhallen, a technical coordinator at Limtec, adds: “We have implemented extensive digitisation and a holistical- ly integrated system, so that all technical functions can be managed from one software platform.” A C5210 Industrial PC was chosen as the central control platform, while the building management system was developed completely in software us- ing TwinCAT 3. Monitoring and operator interfaces are carried out on 28 multi-touch CP2611 Panel PCs using TwinCAT HMI software. The PC platform of- fers the necessary openness required for seamless communication between the various systems in the building. In the world of buildings, each system speaks its own language. In our training building, there are a total of 14 different bus systems. Of these, 13 were already available in the extensive Beckhoff interface portfolio, while Beckhoff devel- oped one new RFID interface especially for this project. In addition to DALI, M-bus and MP-bus, the window blind control system as well as Modbus and RFID for access control and security equipment were also integrated into the automation platform. Limtec uses the industrial communication standards of EtherCAT and Safety over EtherCAT to guarantee safety in the training workshops, with the possibility to shut off the machines using

2

3

‘The special thing about our new building is that all building functions, including media technology, are handled on one platform’.

4 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

2

3

4

2 All of the building’s status messages can be retrieved and managed from the touchscreen HVAC, lighting and façade, to media technology and safety systems, are integrated into the central control platform. 3 On the basis of system- spanning building automation from Beckhoff, all the functions of the building – including media technology – are holistically integrated on one software platform. This ensures a high level of energy efficiency with great user convenience at the same time. 4 Each room is equipped with a centrally configured touchscreen on which, for example, the projector in the classroom can be switched on, the lighting can be dimmed and the blinds can be lowered by the press of a button. in the entrance hall. All technical systems, from

an emergency stop button. All the classrooms are interconnected via an EtherCAT network, and each room has a decentralised I/O station, to which the various bus systems of all systems and the Con- trol Panels are connected. The less time-critical applications communicate with the controller via standard Ethernet. The special thing about the new building is that all building functions, including media technology, are handled on one platform. In addition, commu- nication can take place using almost any of the common protocols. This allows freedom to imple- ment all the functions wanted and needed at any time. In the control system, for example, AES 70 (OCA) was used to integrate the loudspeakers and PJLink to operate the projectors. The intelligent networking of all systems in the building improves not only the energy efficien- cy of the building, but also makes life easier for the users. The air conditioning and lighting of the rooms are dependent on whether or not people and daylight are present, and this is linked to the blind control system as well. “It’s incredibly easy to use,” Bert explains. “As soon as someone wants to start a presentation, he or she can switch on the projector, dim the lights and close the blinds by pressing a single button”. Each room is equipped with a centrally config- ured touchscreen that offers these functions. As Seamless integration of media control and building automation

an alternative, each device in the room can be op- erated separately using the touchscreen. In addi- tion, the Beckhoff platform is linked to the room occupancy plan, so that the control system can take this into account. Conclusion The control platform functions like a large, modular system. A large part of the programming is carried out using pre-configured software function blocks, which are provided by Beckhoff as a standard of- fering. This includes functions that only run in the background – for example, a specially developed automatic process for testing emergency lighting. To do so, the controller activates a test function in the lighting module via the DALI bus to which the emergency lighting is connected; the result is then read out via the bus. The building manager re- ceives an automatically generated e-mail with the test results on a regular basis.

Acknowledgement Images courtesy Limtec+, Belgium.

Michel Matuschke is theVertical Market Manager, Stage and Show Technology, at Beckhoff Automation Limtec+, Belgium Limtec+, Belgium. Enquiries: Michelle Murphy. Tel: +27 (0) 11 795 2898 Email: michellem@beckhoff.co.za

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

5

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Ageing Systems and Expansion Drive Modernisation

Marc Ramsay, Schneider Electric

Management at Premier FMCG decided that the time was right to replace and mod- ernise its control, automation, and electrical systems.

Take Note!

Schneider Electric de- signed an industrial control, supervision, and reporting solution for a wheat mill that produces various types of flour. Process Automation Sys- tem, PlantStruxure PES, is designed to meet the demands of production facilities with hybrid con- trol applications. PES is built on Ethernet – allowing seamless in- tegration of system com- ponents and providing connectivity to business systems for fast and easy information exchange.

1

T he existing control system used in Premier’s wheat mills (Siemens S5 PLC and CitectS- CADA system) was ageing, and the lack of support and spare parts for its Siemens PLCs pre- sented a definite operational risk. Additionally, they expanded the plant with a new wheat mill, increasing their production capac- ity. As part of this expansion, Premier decided that the time was right to replace and modernise the control, automation, and electrical systems. They sought to: • Modernise the control system based on a proven and mature architecture • Standardise the control system software based on a proven and mature automation software standard/philosophy • Apply power metering and variable speed drives to monitor, control, and optimise energy usage From its humble origins in the 1820s as a local Durban bakery, Premier FMCG has grown and expanded into milling and commercial baking, in addition to other lines of business. It currently operates 16 bakeries, five wheat mills, two maize mills, a sugar confectionery plant, and 24 distribution depots across South Africa, Swaziland, and Lesotho. Its wheat mills have a total capacity of 800 000 tons of wheat per annum, and two are designed specifically to mill flour for speciality in- dustrial customers.

Innovative systems integration a key selling point PlantStruxure PES, Schneider Electric’s innovative process automation system which is designed to meet the demands of production facilities with hy- brid control applications, played a key role in the customer’s selection for this modernisation project. Premier was impressed by all the functionalities provided by PES to efficiently manage their process and energy use, starting with its single environment for engineering, operation, and maintenance. They also liked the fact that PES is built on Ethernet, an open industry standard which allows seamless inte- gration of system components, like smart devices, and provides connectivity to business systems for fast and easy information exchange. Long-term back-up and support were also im- portant considerations for Premier and the rea- sons they always prefer to partner with large com- panies. Schneider Electric offered a large pool of engineering resources and support services that will give Premier confidence in their systems well into the future. Leveraging PlantStruxure PES in a fully con- nected architecture Schneider Electric delivered an industrial control, supervision, and reporting solu- tion for a wheat mill that produces various types of flour. Built on the single PlantStruxure PES platform, the system consists of redundant super- vision servers and clients, connected to multiple controllers, remote I/O stations, and 500+ variable speed drives on an industrial Ethernet network.

2

3

6 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

abbreviations DCS – Distribution Control System I/O – Input/Output P&ID – Piping & Instrumentation Diagram PES – Process Expert System PLC – Programmable Logic Computer SCADA – Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition TVDA – Tested, Validated and Documented Architecture VSD – Variable Speed Drive

Goal Modernise ageing control, automation, and electrical sys- tems in wheat mills. Solution PlantStruxure PES, the single process automation system to engineer and operate the plant. Results • Cost effective engineering • Advanced operation services that reduce downtime • Future ready solution • Improved energy management • Robust, scalable, and flexible automation architecture

The architecture implemented by Schneider Elec- tric is mature, has a proven track record, and is based on a wide range of Schneider Electric’s Ethernet devices. It is robust through the use of redundant Ethernet ring networks, as well as flex- ible and scalable for easy expansion in the future. PlantStruxure PES offers a single, object-oriented database that allows it to maintain consistency – both during engineering as well as throughout the system’s life cycle – for complete traceability and easy modification or extension during operation and maintenance. PES’ all-in-one configuration functionality also means faster system design from a single data entry point. Through the ap- plication manager, the application can be easily replicated as it is in real life, using any model. The design can be based on a hierarchical organisation, according to the P&ID definition, for easier evolu- tion of the installation. The system was engineered from scratch, with- out reusing existing code, to leverage the benefits of an object oriented platform. A multi-phased ap- proached was used to switch over the existing sys- tem to the new system during plant shutdown and maintenance periods so that only small portions of the plant were impacted at any given time. The flow of wheat and flour through each of the plant’s processes (in tons per hour) is continuously mon- itored and displayed on the supervision system. This system is integrated into Premier’s intranet, but not directly to the Internet. Remote access and control is available to limited users on the in- tranet, from any of their sites around the country. PlantStruxure PES collects process, quality, and energy data from the plant and generates detailed reports to support effective decision making. It seamlessly connects to the production and busi-

ness systems to ensure that the right people have access to the information they need. Reports have been configured to present plant management and accounting staff with the operations and pro- duction data from the plant. They can generate production and mass balance reports to determine the amount of wheat and flour processed by each section of the plant. The flexible reports allow anal- ysis over any desired time frame (e.g. hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, annually etc.). PlantStruxure PES also provides Premier with a mechanism to back up its system configuration, as well as process data like setpoints, tuning pa- rameters etc. PlantStruxure PES engineering li- cences are tailored to the size of the application. Its runtime licences are tailored to the instances’ objects count and architecture of the application, i.e. separate floating licences for servers, clients and web clients.

PlantStruxure PES, Schneider Electric’s innovative process automation system, played a key role in the customer’s selection for this modernisation project.

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

7

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

In-house design and integration a value-added service

• Open and extensible objects and object librar- ies • Connectivity, flexibility, and information trans- parency • System-wide Ethernet-based architecture which is also open to other industry standards • Predictive maintenance alerts for equipment to reduce energy use and downtime • Process and energy in a single system • Automation system can be tailored to suit any size of application • Powerful and scalable controller platform Benefits for the customer By selecting PlantStruxure PES for its modernisa- tion project, Premier chose one of the most inno- vative process automation systems on the market. Its innovation is in its unique combination of the best of both worlds – the integration and single da- tabase of a traditional DCS with the openness and ease of use of a PLC/SCADA system. Cost effec- tive engineering and future ready solution Using a Schneider Electric Tested, Validated, and Docu- mented Architecture (TVDA) in the Ethernet net- work design, provided Premier with a system that has predictable and deterministic performance characteristics. It is also flexible and scalable, ena- bling easy expansion in the future. PlantStruxure PES, with its MS Excel import capability, reduced the engineering time required, saving the customer time and money. It drove the

The system’s design and integration was per- formed by the Projects Department of Schneider Electric’s solutions and execution centre in Mid- rand, South Africa, as a value-added service to the project. Schneider Electric assembled a dedicated team to perform all project management, design, procurement, manufacturing, factory acceptance testing, and onsite integration functions for the entire electrical, control, and automation systems. The customer regards Schneider Electric as their technology partner. The two companies en- joy a mutually beneficial relationship based on their confidence in Schneider’s technical expertise and our ability to provide ongoing support for their operations, both in terms of the existing installed base as well as future projects. After all, we are the experts at applying our own technology to provide complex, integrated solutions for our customers. PlantStruxure PES features • Faster system design, diagnostics, and main- tenance, based on ISA88 standard • Single data-entry supporting the 'configure once' philosophy in an object oriented and hi- erarchical environment • Integrated objects offer consistent and stand- ardised functionality throughout the system. Open, so engineers can build their own ob- jects if needed

8 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Energy awareness reduces usage and waste PES’s embedded energy management features combine energy and process data in one system so the customer can reduce energy consumption and waste for a positive real-time impact on pro- cess efficiency. Conclusion Energy consumption (kWh) per volume of pro- duction/ processing (tons) is also measured and logged by the supervision and historian to provide them with real-time energy efficiency data. Thanks to PES and its seamless integration with Schnei- der’s electrical devices, including power meters, Premier now has energy metering at almost every level of the plant, from an overall plant level right down to the device level. This energy metering is compared to the through-put of the plant and can be used to determine if any part of the plant is degrading in terms of efficiency. The customer’s operators can use this as a tool to schedule main- tenance and to optimise the plant over time.

development of the control and supervision appli- cations in a standardised and structured way. Plant- Struxure PES provides a library of templates that seamlessly integrate the network, control, and su- pervision components of the process automation system – development of the communications, control, and supervision software for a particular application employs these templates in a single en- gineering process. Once the templates and stand- ards were established, it was simple to roll them out on a large scale. However, this strong drive to structure and standardise does not reduce PES’ flexibility which remains flexible enough to easily in- corporate custom code for non-standard scenarios. Operators now have access to the control code and documentation (manuals and drawings) direct- ly from the supervision via the Runtime Services provided by the PlantStruxure PES server. With a traditional control/ supervision solution, finding the correct control code to inspect in order to deter- mine the cause of a particular fault is laborious. PES offers a direct short cut from the supervision display of a particular plant area to the relevant control code. Shortcuts to equipment manuals can also be included in the same navigation tree. PlantStruxure PES is also scalable and can be used to engineer any size of automation solution ranging from very small and basic to large and com- plex, using any of Schneider Electric’s M340, M580 or Quantum controllers. This feature will serve Pre- mier for future expansions to their systems.

Marc Ramsay is Vice President Southern Africa, Industry Business at Schneider Electric. Enquiries: Tel. +27 (0) 11 254 6400 or email marc.ramsay@schneider-electric.com

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

9

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Simplifying the IIoT landscape

A re there ‘quick wins’ to be had in implementing a Connected Enterprise? Rockwell Automation Sub-Saharan Africa Manag- ing Director Barry Elliott unpacks the value of incremental, self-sus- taining informational upgrades on IIoT implementation. The many studies surrounding the Industrial Internet of Things all agree on one central theme: the potential profitability gains of smart, real time connectivity across operations and information do- mains represents trillions of dollars of value. Rockwell Automation recently teamed up with The MPI Group to conduct a study of our own, exploring how ready manufactur- ers are for the arrival of the IIoT. The general findings of the study revealed that, while manufacturers generally agreed on the impor- tance of IIoT to their future business competitiveness – and thus recognised a need for associated capital investments – most did not have a strategy on how it should be realised in their enterprise. It’s not the fault of industry that there’s a general lack of under- standing about how they should be embracing the fourth industrial revolution. On the contrary; our job as technology companies and advisors is to help businesses realise and understand the wide range of options and scale available to them in which incremental gains in the migration to the smart factory or plant can be achieved. Indeed, upgrading the connectivity of your operation needn’t be costly. And it certainly isn’t scary. In many cases, unbeknown to them, customers already have a range of suitable technologies –

in whole or in part – to achieve at least some quick, and in most cases, sustainable wins. Instead of conceptualising enterprise connectivity just as a big-investment, high-gain operational jump of impending necessity, discussions need to be had about the role, nature and value of quick, achievable, but most importantly, scala- ble wins. Can more value be leveraged from existing assets and processes without additional capital requirements? In most cases, that answer is yes. Targeting these opportunities can often yield tangible gains in pro- ductivity, and even cost base, generally for very little investment. But perhaps even more importantly, they can function as a proof of con- cept, simplifying the IIoT landscape and paving the way for custom- ers to not only make more robust, better informed business cases, but know exactly at which points in their operation they should be focussing these efforts to reap maximum performance gains. This goes a long way to addressing the general lack of under- standing surrounding how best to implement IIoT that was high- lighted in the MPI study. It also represents the type of invest- ment models that are more relevant today and can be realistically achieved in the currently depressed global economy, where large- scale capital investments remain relatively scarce. If we begin to align available operational expenditure allocations with small incre- mental improvements to process efficiencies, migration to an IIoT enterprise – a Connected Enterprise – becomes a self-sustaining exercise that can then be proportionately up-scaled with often minimal balance sheet impact. As vendors and advisors providing the technological basis for IIoT to materialise, we need to help in- dustry understand the many and varied ways in which a road to greater operational connectivity can be established. By simplifying the landscape through step-by-step operational improvements that deliver quick, tangible value, we can help customers’ journeys to a Connected Enterprise become much clearer.

Barry Elliott is the Managing Director of Rockwell Automation Sub-Saharan Africa. Enquiries: Tel. 011 654 9700 or email mjunius@ra.rockwell.com

‘Industrial IoT company of theYear’

business case, backed by a broad portfolio of Pervasive Sensing technologies, an ex- tensive suite of analytical software tools, secure and robust data infrastructure, and expert services. Enquiries: Rob Smith.Tel. +27 (0) 11 451 3700 or email Rob.Smith@emerson.com

Emerson has been named the ‘Industrial IoT Company of the Year’ by IoT Breakthrough. The award recognises Emerson’s extensive innovation and leadership in driving Industri- al Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and strategies for customers in manufacturing industries, including oil and gas, food and beverage, chemical, life sciences and others. Today’s industrial business challenges in- clude fast-changing market dynamics, tech- nical complexity and the relentless pressure to do more with less. To help overcome challenges, Emerson has harnessed the power of Industrial IoT for customers through its Plantweb digital ecosystem to enable broader process au- tomation and deeper data insights that can improve operations. “As technology contin- ues to evolve, customers are increasingly turning to us for help navigating the Industri-

al Internet of Things,” said MikeTrain, execu- tive president of Emerson Automation Solu- tions. “Industrial IoT holds a lot of promise for manufacturers, but many struggle to identify the right strategies for adoption within their operations. Our job is to act as a trusted partner, helping customers devel- op the right business case, then implement scalable solutions that deliver measurable returns.” A recent IndustryWeek survey spon- sored by Emerson revealed that 60% of industrial companies are exploring or invest- ing in Industrial IoT pilot projects, but only 5% are investing against a clear business case for how to best implement the tech- nology. To meet this need, Emerson’s Plant- web digital ecosystem includes consulting services to help customers build the best

10 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

COVER ARTICLE

Beckhoff Automation Standardised IoT Communication Simplifies Implementation of Industrie 4.0 Concepts

FEATURES: Control systems+ automation Drives,motors+ switchgear Earthing+ lightning protection Pressure+ levelmeasurement+ instrumentation

EC JAN2018 cover.indd 1

1/11/2018 12:21:20PM

A s information technology and automation technology continue to converge, cloud-based communication services are increasingly used in industrial control projects. As a result, PC-based control technology is gaining importance. The TwinCAT automation software platform from Beckhoff supports relevant communication standards for this purpose, such as OPC UA, MQTT and AMQP, simplifying the implementation of cloud-based manufacturing concepts. PC-based control integrates cloud services and message brokers: PC-based control provides key technologies for advanced communication scenarios and has become an integral part of many present day automation projects.The cloud is increasingly assuming the role of an IoT project enabler. Cloud service providers deliver their infrastructures and services in an abstracted manner for customers globally and thus minimise the complexities of system configuration. Such cloud services can provide basic storage functions such as SQL or NoSQL databases in addition to complex machine-learning algorithms that are hosted and executed on the cloud provider's infrastructure. When communicatingwith services in a public cloud, amessage broker is frequently used for data ingestion. From the perspective of the transport protocol, the message broker represents a secure and standardised end point for distributing messages to the cloud, and serves as a means to access and use other cloud services. The IoT communication protocol – MQTT: The underlying transport protocol is the common denominator for all of these platforms. A protocol for data transport became established quite early on in the form of the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol and was adopted by all major public cloud systems. Simplicity and lowoverheadsmake this protocol attractive even for applications where small embedded systems have to exchange data over unstable communication lines – either with the cloud or among each other. From an application perspective, this makes further processing of the data extremely difficult. Fortunately, the OPC Foundation has addressed the advantages of cloud-based communication based on publisher/ subscriber principles in its Unified Architecture (UA) communication protocol. A corresponding working group within the OPC Foundation is extending the

OPC UA specification based on publisher/subscriber mechanisms. MQTT was chosen as a transport protocol since the transport channel in OPC UA is exchangeable and the need to develop a transport channel for publisher/ subscriber mechanisms can be avoided as a result. In this way, a high level of compatibility is achieved with existing systems, which is further supported by the increasing adoption of MQTT within the cloud systems. With new IoT products and concepts, the TwinCAT 3 engineering and control software provides the ideal technological foundation for Industrie 4.0 concepts and IoT communication. What's more, new I/O components from Beckhoff, such as the EK9160 IoT Bus Coupler, enable seamless and easily configurable integration in public and private cloud applications. For these purposes, the TwinCAT automation platform is enriched with the TwinCAT OPC UA and TwinCAT IoT supplementary products through the inclusion of standardised and secure communication paths (not only) for the cloud. It can be seen that pioneering automation solutions can be created today that extend the scope of conventional control systems through the implementation of big data, Seamless integration of standard IoT protocols in TwinCAT

data mining as well as condition and power monitoring. Industrie 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT) strategies, however, place new challenges on the communication among devices and services … challenges which Beckhoff anticipates in all instances. Beckhoff continues to develop its extensive, innovative product portfolio for seamless integration of Industrie 4.0 and IoT applications into the overall control system.

Enquiries: Michelle Murphy. Beckhoff Automation. Tel. +27 (0) 11 795 2898 / 0861 BECKHOFF or email: michellem@beckhoff.co.za or visit: www.beckhoff.co.za

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

11

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Precise presence detection of low-contrast targets in a weld shop

Customer: Automobile manufacturer Requirement: Verify the presence of a grey adhesive pad on a grey metal surface Background: Environmental conditions in automotive weld shops can adversely affect sensor performance and longevity. Frequent stops in production processes may be required to clean, maintain, and replace damaged or dirty sensors. Challenges: • Weld splatter can burn sensor lenses, causing permanent dam- age • Accumulation of dust and residue from welding fumes on the sensor lens gradually degrades performance and reliability • Low-profile, low-contrast targets can be very difficult to con- sistently detect Solution: Q4X laser distance sensor • 316L stainless steel housing and an add-on aperture lens kit made of borosilicate glass protects the sensor and lens, ensur- ing a long working life • Best-in-class excess gain burns through dust and residue on the sensor lens to provide reliable performance with minimal maintenance downtime • IO-Link enables remote configuration, monitoring, and extend-

ed diagnostics to simplify installation, maintenance, manage- ment, and sensor replacement • Sensor detects sub-millimetre changes in distance to verify part presence or positioning, regardless of colour or reflectivity of object and background • Compact sensor installs easily into space-constrained applica- tions Enquiries: BrandonTopham.Tel. +27 (0) 11 453 2468 or email brandon.topham@retautomation.com

New services to modernise PLC operations

more accurate business decisions at the right time, which enables them to drive measurable improvements to their opera- tional profitability, safely and sustainably.” The seamless migration combines a Uni- ty M580 application converter with a migra- tion expert configuration utility tool, which identifies operational gaps and provides recommendations to solve each customer’s unique systems challenges. This combina- tion enables customers to easily convert Uni- ty software applications on both Quantum and Premium platforms to be compatible with the M580, while providing the option to produce a pre-engineering proposal for the newM580 I/O. A quick wiring system for the TSX Premium processor allows upgrades to be completed in less than one hour. Innovation at every level to control op- erational profitability “Today’s pace of business, especially in manufacturing, requires technology built for faster, more connected operations. Many of our customers are relying on old- er, inefficient PLCs that are less reliable, have a higher total cost of ownership and leave operations vulnerable to new and emerging threats,” said Marcotte. “Mod- ernising to the Modicon M580 ePAC gives our customers a future-proof, IIoT-ready

platform, one that can quickly help them control their operational profitability in real time, without disrupting their business. “These services are the latest example of how we help our customers migrate to value-focused IIoT solutions via EcoStruxure Plant. Our open, interoperable, IoT-enabled system architecture and platform allows us to innovate at every level to improve the safe- ty, reliability, efficiency and profitability of our customers’ operations in real time. It helps them convert their automation investments into the profit engine of their business.” Enquiries: LebohangThokoane.Tel: +27 (0) 11 254 6400 or email lebohang. thokoane@schneider-electric.com

Schneider Electric , the leader in digital transformation of energy management and automation, launched a new service that will help industrial manufacturers modern- ise their programmable logic control (PLC) systems easily, safely and more cost effec- tively, sometimes in less than one hour. By reducing downtime and disruption to the operation, the service provides an easier migration to the company’s Modicon M580 programmable automation controllers. With built-in Ethernet capability and best- in-class processing power and memory, the Modicon M580 ePAC is the only PLC that can enable 100 percent ROI within three months for hybrid applications. Modernising to value-focused technology ”Upgrading older or obsolete PLC systems is proven to increase the safety, efficien- cy, reliability and, especially, profitability of our customers’ hybrid and process opera- tions,” said Nathalie Marcotte, senior vice president, Industry Services, Schneider Electric. “Our PLC modernisation service helps manufacturers quickly and efficiently leverage Schneider Electric’s value-focused IIoT technology and expertise to gain bet- ter insight into their industrial operations. Upgrading to the Modicon M580 ePAC will empower their workforce to make better,

12 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Wireless call for parts, service, or pallet pick-up Increase production efficiency by developing a wireless call-for-parts/service/pallet pick-up system that allows for up to 18 work stations to call out to six forklifts/Hi-Los using the EZ- Light K70Touch to wireless Q120 6-Button Pendant. This provides for quicker responses from forklift drivers and/or supervisors to indicate a request has been accepted. When creating a call system using wireless indicators, work stations can maintain a steady workflow and resolve critical issues quickly. Total time of requests, number of requests, and total time to acknowledge requests are tracked, allowing analysis of average delivery and acknowledgement times for each station. Each station has a single call (K70 Touch) with a lighted response that is initially red upon request and becomes green after it is acknowledged by the Q120 6-Button Pendant. On the Q120 Pendants, each station has a corresponding button that flashes red above the button when a request is made. To accommodate up to 18 stations, three sets of pendants per forklift are used, for a total of 18 buttons. When the corresponding button is pressed to accept the job, the light above the button flashes green to indicate the job has been accepted and stops flashing on all other Q120 Pendants. This system provides the information neces- sary to react quickly to work station requests and drive efficiency improvements based on data that was previously unavailable.

Features and benefits Call for Parts/ Service/Pallet Pick-up

Up to 18 work stations using a K70 Touch can have a single call for parts, service, pallet pick-up, etc. Up to six sets of three Q120 6-Button Pendants can be used to respond to requests; each set can be placed on a forklifts/Hi-Lo Count the number of times each station sends a request Total length of request time and time to acknowledge requests are tracked for each station Use a master light to show combined status of all light modules

Call Response

Event Counters

Request and Acknowledge Time Remote Master Light

SMS Text/Email Alerts

Generate SMS text and/or email alerts based on specific events

Efficiency Metrics Produce efficiency metrics with provided data Cloud Monitoring Push data to Cloud webserver or PLC (via LAN or cellular connec- tion) for remote viewing, alerting, and logging

Enquiries: BrandonTophamTel. +27 (0)11 453 2468 or email brandon.topham@retautomation.com

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

13

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Digitalisation of motion control drive technology

At the SPS IPC Drives 2017, Siemens demonstrated the consistency of the dig- ital twin over the entire machine life cycle using the example of a packaging machine manufactured by machine builder Easys- nap. To achieve this degree of consistency, all the engineering tools required for de- sign, configuration and commissioning in- teract seamlessly with each other to enable truly integrated engineering. Siemens sup- plies a comprehensive range of different tools embedded in its ‘Digital Enterprise Suite’ solution portfolio which are designed to enable the creation of a digital twin and so bring about substantial improvements along the value chain. The digital twin can be created using tools such as the Mecha- tronics Concept Designer, which enables kinematic simulations, and the Sizer con- figuration tool which uses this data as the basis for determining the required electrical drive values and relevant products. All the relevant data can continue to be used during the subsequent step, commis- sioning. The guided selection process en- sures right from the start that the convert- ers and motors are perfectly matched for every application. A wide range of digital in-

formation such as technical data, 2D dimen- sional drawings and 3D data models of the devices, macros for electrical planning and circuit diagrams for electrical design helps to reduce the amount of work involved, and speeds up both engineering and the prepa- ration of technical documentation. Open in- terfaces to internal and third-party systems automatically ensure data consistency, as they eliminate the need for the multiple re- dundant acquisition and matching of data. This in turn further simplifies processes such as control cabinet production. With its integrated hardware and soft- ware solutions, Siemens supports machine builders in their bid to create a digital twin of their application, and to optimise it vir- tually in model form, allowing faults to be detected and eliminated from an early stage. This saves time and expense when it comes to actual commissioning, as every aspect is engineered to an advanced stage of maturity and ideally configured. Data generated by the machine in operation is gathered and rendered usable in Mind- Sphere, the open, cloud-based IoT operat- ing system from Siemens, with the aid of either Siemens’own MindApps or partner

apps. The Fleet Manager used by Easys- nap, for instance, supplies an overview of all relevant operating statuses, allowing it to suggest preventive servicing measures at an early stage and so prevent machine standstill. The MindApp Analyze MyDrives also detects any actual servicing require- ment in advance by continuously checking energy flows, output volume, speed and frequency. These apps not only enable pre- dictive maintenance to be carried out but also allow any energy saving potential to be determined. The Easysnap machine exhibited at the SPS IPC Drives produces small individual portions of liquid and semi-liquid F&B and cosmetic products. Siemens is using this application at the show to demonstrate its new servo drive system comprising Sinam- ics S210 converters with Simotics S-1FK2 motors. It comes complete with One Ca- ble Connection(OCC), Simatic S7-1500-T controller with integrated motion control and safety functionality combined with the newly innovated Sinamics S120 C/D type motor modules in the 3 A to 30 A range. Commissioning takes place using extreme- ly simple one-button tuning. The entire Sinamics 210 servo drive system is UL certified, and use of the Simotics S-1FK2 motors makes for outstandingly high per- formance. Connection to MindSphere is possible using a MindConnect Nano. “The use of digitalisation in drive technology opens up significant benefits to machine builders and operators alike, starting with end-to-end digital engineering through commissioning to running operation. This allows all the sequences along the entire value chain to be made not only transpar- ent but ultimately also more efficient. From our point of view, digitalization in drive tech- nology is a highly effective lever for greater competitive strength, and we are continu- ously working to improve its efficiency still further,” sums up Achim Peltz, Head of the General Motion Control (GMC) Segment at Siemens AG. The integration of drives and motors into your machine using end-to-end engineering tools offers a raft of benefits, creating trans- parency along the entire drive train by link- ing to the cloud. Enquiries: jennifer Naidoo. Email Jennif- er.naidoo@siemens.com

14 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

ID scanners upgraded at ORTambo International Airport SICK Automation recently upgraded luggage identification scan- ners at OR Tambo International Airport, the largest and busiest airport in Africa. The upgrade included replacing SICK’s recently discontinued range of CLV 490 scanners with its next generation CLV 690 laser-based barcode scanners that offer improved read rates. The upgraded scanners ensure reliable and accurate lug- gage barcode scanning, no matter the luggage shape, height or orientation. The new scanners are mount- ed onto aluminium frames along the airports’ luggage conveyor belts to scan and identify luggage in accord- ance with the International Air Transport Association

(IATA) standard. The identification data captured is communicated to the airport’s higher-level control system. SICK replaced a total of 310 barcode scanners at Terminals A, B and CTB at the airport. In order to minimise any disruption to the airport’s operations dur- ing the upgrade, SICK installed the scanners in one-day phases throughout the various terminals. “Most of the world’s airports use SICK scanners for luggage identification,” adds Labuschagne. “This market-share enables us to deliver an effective, highly technical solution that we know operates reliably and efficiently at the world’s busiest airports.” SICK Automation Southern Africa was contracted by system integrators Krier Technologies on be- half of Aviation Coordination Services (ACS). The OR Tambo Inter- national Airport upgrade was completed in March 2017. Enquiries: Danie Labuschagne.Tel.: +27 (0) 11 472 3733 or email Daniel.Labuschagne@sickautomation.co.za MICROMINE to preview latest software solutions at Mining Indaba 2018 Latest software solutions – Mining Indaba 201MICROMINE will showcase its entire suite of software solutions at the event, includ- ing secure and flexible data-management solution Geobank, 3D modelling and mine design solution Micromine, and market-lead- ing fleet management and mine-control system Pitram.“We give our customers an in-depth understanding of their projects so as to ensure that prospective exploration regions can be targeted more accurately,” MICROMINE South Africaregional manager Renier Stry- dom explains.Both Geobank 2018 and Micromine 2018 have been developed on the back of extensive client consultation. “We place a substantial emphasis on, and invest a large amount of financial re- sources in, research and development of our software solutions.We are deeply committed to provide regular product releases that build upon the strengths of previous versions,” Strydom comments.The latest iterations of both Geobank and Micromine will be launched of- ficially in March, with new features aimed at improving functionality and usability. Product specialists will be on-hand at the MICROMINE stand at Mining Indaba 2018 to provide delegates with more detailed information about the latest software solutions.Billed as the largest event of its kind for the mining industry in Africa, MICROMINE will use Mining Indaba 2018 as a platform to not only catch up with ex- isting clients and their current project portfolios, but to establish new relationships with potential clients, and to introduce them to the myriad benefits of its software solutions.The MICROMINE team present at Mining Indaba 2018 will focus on explaining to delegates how its software solutions can assist mining operations in meeting their business objectives inan increasingly cost-competitive com- modities’ environment. Enquiries: Visit https://www.micromine.com

“The original scanners were installed between 2008 and 2010 and are still operating to spec,” comments Danie Labuschagne, Logistic Automation Manager, SICK Automation Southern Africa. “But as the range had been replaced with the newer models, spare parts availability was becoming more difficult. And with the fast pace and need for accuracy at any airport, let alone Africa’s busiest, having the newest technologies and ample spare parts drove the need for the upgrade.” Better solutions with magnetic sensors In special applications, the ifm magnetic sensors with these new targets offer long sensing ranges where other tech- nologies reach their limits. In challenging applications, the combination of magnetic sensor and target can maximise performance. New magnets with a small design offer easier mounting options in a machine, even where space is restrict-

ed, due to countersinks or a thread. Due to the new targets it is possible to dou- ble the M12 sensors’ range while an en- largement of clear space between sen- sor and magnet provides a more flexible installation as well as an increased pro- cess safety. Enquiries:Tel +27 12 450 0400 or email info.za@ifm.com

IO-Link master for intelligent sensors in hygienic areas The decentralised IO-Link masters are used as gateways be- tween intelligent IO-Link sensors and the fieldbus. Thanks to their special housing materials and high ingress resistance (IP 69K), they can be used directly in wet areas in the food in- dustry. The materials and production methods are identical to the ifm jumper cables of the tried-and-tested EVF product se- ries. The ecolink technology guarantees reliable, permanently ingress-resistant M12 connections of the connection cables. High-quality materials especially suited to the application and

intensive monitoring during and after production guarantee maximum quality standards. Enquiries: Tel: +27 (0) 12 450 0400 or email info.za@ifm.com

Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018

15