Sparks Electrical News August 2019

INDUSTRY 4.0

17

RS COMPONENTS EXPLORES INDUSTRY 4.0 AT KITE 2019

CANADIAN POWER COMPANY RELIES ON MODERN MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT H ydro-Québec is the largest power utility in Canada and gen- erates nearly all of its electricity using water. In order to im- prove the performance of turbines and generators and to make maintenance as simple as possible, Hydro-Québec uses the latest technology from the Siemens PLM Software solution portfolio. With this solution, onsite tests and measurements can be performed at the generators, which provide important information about the status of the systems. Based on this data, Hydro-Québec was able to increase generator performance by 20 percent, while also extending the maintenance interval to five years. Hydro-Québec operates some 60 hydroelectric generating stations. To ensure the optimal operation of these stations, the company works with the Québec Electricity Research Institute (IREQ). IREQ experts focus on the challenges associated with the generation and distribution of energy, such as the maintenance of the turbines. The turbines are in permanent use, which means that service intervals must be planned precisely. The same applies for any necessary tests, particularly if the tests cannot be performed during operation. Hydro-Québec uses solutions from the Simcenter portfolio from Siemens PLM Software. Using Simcenter Scadas Mobile mobile test hardware and Simcenter Scadas XS, the data acquisition system for noise and vibration problems, IREQ technicians perform measurements on the turbines to determine, for example, whether vibrations remain within permitted tolerances. Using Simcenter solutions, a first assessment can bemade onsite,before the data is analysed further in the lab. “Simcenter Scadas Mobile and Simcenter Scadas XS provide maximum flexibility,” says François Lafleur, a researcher at IREQ. “They can easily be brought to the most remote test sites to perform measurements in operating conditions.” A connection to the laboratory’s server is not required. Another advantage of the Simcenter solutions is the seamless integration of software and hardware. With Simcenter Testlab software, Lafleur has access to a wealth of analysis tools to gain deeper insights into the data sets. These evaluations provide the basis for extremely efcient maintenance planning, enabling Hydro-Québec to reduce costs and, above all, to reliably supply customers with clean energy. SIX POSSIBLE IOT TRENDS IN SOUTH AFRICA BY 2020 T he Internet of Things (IoT) has already changed our world. In the future, anything that can be connected will be and every machine will be connected with the aim of improving lives and positively impacting businesses. Global predictions vary, with anything from 12 billion to 30 billion IoT devices expected to be connected to the internet by 2020. African Analysis forecasts that the IoT installed base in South Africa will reach 35 million by 2020. According to a recent study by Business Report, it is all about the management of either people, assets and/or processes. Here is a list of current or po- tential IoT value propositions that we are likely to see in action in future: Agriculture: Sensors placed in the soil enable farmers to track acidity levels, temperature and other variables to assist in improving crop yields. Biochip transponders help keep track of animals, for example, connected cows. Access to real-time information, such as weather conditions, and interconnectivity with operators, dealers, buyers and agricultural consultants can help farmers enhance productivity and increase efciency. Mining: The mining sector is using sensors to detect dangerous meth- ane levels and rock movement in mines to improve workplace safety. Petroleum industry: Fuel pipelines are fitted with sensors to monitor for leaks. Manufacturing: Manufacturers use smart sensors to enable real- time plant monitoring and optimisation. For example, an overheating machine in a factory might send an alert to a supervisor. Utilities: Some local municipalities are already using internet-con- nected smart meters to measure household utility usage. These devices can be used not only to measure power and water usage and provide feedback to customers, but also to automatically adjust the system’s parameters based on demand. Municipalities could also use IoT to track refuse collection and emptying. Connected homes: A smart, connected home can help its occupants improve energy efciency and control security through remote-con- trolled thermostats, door locks, lights and security cameras. Enquiries: www.siemens.com

T he world, as we know it, is changing. Everything is evolving and at a rapid pace at that. Industry too, is faced with these changes. We find ourselves at a crossroads where the old way of doing things is no longer working as optimally as before and in order to be ahead of the curve, industry needs to ‘up the ante’ while being more relevant than ever. The KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition (KITE) will explore the path industry will be taking in the not too distant future as well as enlightening those in attendance what needs to be done in order to survive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). According to Brian Andrew MD of RS Components South Africa, if businesses don’t embrace this disruption, they will not survive. “Automation, IoT and connected devices impact all industries, it could grow business and create jobs, and already, we in SA can see its plethora of benefits. Furthermore, for South Africa to compete successfully in a 4 th Industrial Revolution economy, stakeholders across all sectors must work together to drive progress in this country. This is why we embrace opportunities to exhibit at events such as the upcoming KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition as it allows us to show companies, emerging businesses and individuals the impact of technology and IoT in all aspects of our lives,” he said. RSComponentsSA,amarket leader in theelectrical andengineering component space is one of the companies that exhibited at this year’s KITE event. “We, at RS Components, pride ourselves and our brand to share our knowledge and support initiatives that promote, nurture and guide technological-driven programmes from STEM education projects at grass roots level to showcasing what can be done in this connected age at events such as KwaZulu-Natal Industrial Technology Exhibition. At RS, we promote technological thinking and this is further enhanced through our DesignSpark website for anyone of any age to share ideas, innovations, learn how to code or conceptualise designs with other users. DesignSpark has grown in leaps and bounds with more than 750 000 members – all of whom understand the S ecuring the Internet of Things (IoT) is something that cannot be done with a one-size-fits-all approach – every kind of con- nected object must be assessed individually. So said the Co- chair of Trusted Computing Group’s (TCG) Embedded Systems Work Group. Speaking on the second day of the Embedded Technologies Expo and Conference 2019, Steve Hanna highlighted how the growing trend for greater connectivity puts everyday objects at risk of exploi- tation and makes mission critical systems in businesses and Govern- ments more vulnerable to attacks. And while securing the IoT is often referred to as a singular move- ment, Hanna emphasised that every device had to be handled ac- cording to its individual needs, warning that there was no single meth- od that could be universally applied to safeguard devices. “When you consider other security systems, for example a lock, what you would use for a front door is very different to what would be used for a bank or a Government building because the scale of an attack would be much greater and more complex in the case of the latter,” he said. “The same is true for computers and embedded sys- tems; when we think about security, we have to think about different

importance of the connected age where IoT is revolutionising the way we see our lives moving forward,” added Brian. This annual exhibition, which took place between July 24 th and 26 th at the Durban Exhibition Centre, also played host to a number of co-located events that provided attendees with the opportunity to increase their knowledge base on current trends and technology within the sector. Nick Sarnadas, pointed out that the three main educational events at KITE included the free-to-attend SAIMechE Seminar Theatre, the free-to-attend MESA (Manufacturing Enterprise Solutions Association) special interest group, and the Lifting Equipment Association of South Africa (LEEASA) conference. “Some of the topics under discussion at the SAIMechE Seminar Theatre included ‘Embracing Industry 4.0 – reshaping and redefining industrial manufacturing’, ‘Embedding compliance into business processes’, ‘The 5-year plan in terms of opportunities and challenges facing the SA manufacturing industry’, and ‘The top 5 industrial automation trends for 2019 and beyond’. The impressive speaker line- up included a number of well-known industry specialists who brought their own personal business experiences to the table,” he said. levels that correspond to the level of risk.” Hanna illustrated his point by comparing a baby monitor with a chemical plant – both of which are likely to become connected as standard in the near-future. For the latter, he said, the impact of an attack could be as serious as an explosion which would ultimately endanger human life. “While it is important to secure things like baby monitors, for exam- ple, to avoid the devices being used to eavesdrop on conversations, there is a price point that needs to be met as well – no one is going to spend thousands of dollars on a baby monitor and, for the manufac- turers, that means the security solution needs to be less expensive,” continued Hanna. “In the case of a chemical plant, the risk is much greater, the level of attack is likely to be more sophisticated and a serious amount of money could have been invested in carrying it out. As a result, the security measures need to be much more stringent.” Hanna went on to explain that the customised security approach required by the Internet of Things can be easily achieved using tech- nologies that are available today. Enquiries: www.kznindustrial.co.za

A ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO SECURE THE IoT

Enquiries: www.trustedcomputinggroup.org

WHY INDUSTRY 4.0 NEEDS ARTISANS 4.0

T he Internet of Things and Industry 4.0 have stolen the stage lately where industrial revolutions are concerned. These technological advancements in the industry are an inevitability and will touch everything from manufacturing and logistics to product design and marketing. Automation is central to this trend, including robotic applications and, as the Internet of Things promises, lights out manufacturing where humans are left to handle only the highly skilled jobs of programming the system at large, while machines are left to do the hard labour. While these technologies sweep across continents and redefine business models, there is another growing trend in the marketplace that is contrary to Industry 4.0, but not altogether separate. There is an opportunity that exists where artisanal craftsmanship meets automation. In this pairing of seemingly separate spheres,

manufacturing capabilities will need to be augmented (and, eventually, replaced) with new skills and requirements such as automation, programming, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, system integration and software development. And they recognise that Industry 4.0 will allow them to create new operating models which, in turn, will require additional changes. The challenge is significant. Those current employees willing and able to be upskilled and retrained will need to be identified. New talent will need to be attracted, retained and integrated into the business. New ways of working will need to be developed and formalised. And, all the while, the factory floor will need to keep operating and the business will need to keep growing. So how does the artisan of Industry 4.0 look? That is why Industry 4.0 needs artisan 4.0.

you’ll find that the finest handmade products can be produced on a massive scale and meet the demand of the one-button ordering markets of today. They call this creative collaboration Industry 5.0. There is no substitute, at least not yet, for human senses, and the feeling, thinking brain behind them, and yet there is similarly no way for humans to work with the precision and the unceasing drive of a robot. As a result, we are starting to find co-working robots in new environments beyond their usual factory floors. And so it is with the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Like the skilled workers of the first industrial revolution, today’s factory and back ofce workers are seeing tasks once managed by humans handed over to robots and artificial intelligence bots. We are now dealing with smart factories. Nobody is breaking machines yet. But the concern on the factory floor is palpable. Companies understand that traditional

Enquiries: www.skillsportal.co.za

Enquiries: www.iol.co.za/business-report

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

AUGUST 2019