How consumer behavior and distribution channels are changing … · 2019. 4. 11. · APRIL 2019 INTELLIGENT DESIGN SOFTWARE SMARTS ON THE EDGE BETTER CODE THROUGH REUSE How consumer

AP

RIL

20

19

INTELLIGENT DESIGN SOFTWARE

SMARTS ON THE EDGE

BETTER CODE THROUGH REUSE

How consumer behavior and distribution channels are changing the type of automation and technology needed to deliver product

CD1904_01_Cover3.indd 1 3/25/19 3:07 PM

the #1 value in automationOrder Today, Ships Today!

* See our Web site for details and restrictions. © Copyright 2019 AutomationDirect, Cumming, GA USA. All rights reserved. 1-800-633-0405

Research, price, buy at:www.automationdirect.com/total-air-prep

TAP Series Total Air PrepReduce installation space and cost with TAP series integrated pneumatic air prep units. A single, high-fl ow unit contains an automatic drain air fi lter with clogged fi lter indicator, relieving regulator, lockable shut-off valve, pressure gauge and air dump. Interchangeable inlet and outlet port inserts allow easy mounting to most pipe sizes.

Both models off er:• 0-120 psi (0-8 bar) operating range• 20 micron air fi lter with automatic drain

(5 micron fi lter element sold separately)• Mounting hardware included (through-panel

mounting brackets sold separately)• Operating temperature range: -10 to 50°C (-14 to 122°F)• IP 65 ingress protection rating & CE approvalElectric model (shown) also includes:• Adjustable electric soft start• Electric shut-off valve• Adjustable pressure switch with LED indication

Air Preparation Made EasyPrepare your air supply with a convenient, all-in-one unit

NEW TAP SERIESTOTAL AIR PREP

STARTING AT

$173.00TAP-3000 electric modelshown priced at $318.00

• Filter• Regulate• Indicate• Shut-o� /Dump

PLUS:

• Soft-Start• Electric Shut-o� • Pressure Switch(on electric model)

AirPreparation AutomationDirect

NITRA Festo

All prices are U.S. published prices. Many other part numbers are available from all vendors. AutomationDirect prices as of 12/19/2018. FESTO prices are from www.radwell.com 11/21/2018. Prices subject to change without notice.

* Panel Mount Kit sold separately† Flow (SCFM) measured at 87psi with ∆P of 14.5psi

Weight

Price

Size (HxWxD)

All-in-One Unit

Flow†

Through-Panel Mount

$318.00TAP-3000

5.7” x 6.5” x 4.2”

3 lbs.

Yes

Yes*

141 SCFM

$769.00Multiple part numbers

11.7” x 12.2” x 3.9”

8 lbs.

No

No

159 SCFM

HALF THE SIZE,HALF THE WEIGHT,

HALF THE PRICE!

1904-ControlDesign-NITRATAP-MAG.indd 1 3/13/2019 3:27:15 PM

CD1904_FPA.indd 2 3/25/19 3:15 PM

Tired of working nights and weekends on motion control projects? It’s time to contact an automation specialist at SEW-EURODRIVE to help solve your design challenges.

Using the latest innovation, we provide a complete package from start to finish including, project planning, design, software, components, commissioning, and worldwide support.

Go home and relax ... we got this!

seweurodrive.com / 864-439-7537

Overworked?

SEW-EURODRIVE to help solve your design challenges.

Using the latest innovation, we provide a complete packagefinish including, project planning, design, software, components, commissioning, and worldwide support.

Go home and relax ... we got this!

CD1904_FPA.indd 3 3/25/19 3:15 PM

| PC1

1-48

USA

|

Flexible installation via rear or side panel mounting, or on DIN rail.

40 mm

82 m

m

Meet the smallest Industrial PC from Beckhoff.The ultra-compact C6015 IPC for automation and IoT.

www.beckhoff.us/C6015With the ultra-compact C6015 Industrial PC, Beckhoff has again expanded the application possibilities of PC-based control. Wherever space or cost limitations previously prevented the use of a PC-based control solution, this new IPC generation offers an excellent price-to-per-formance ratio in an extremely compact housing. With up to 4 CPU cores, low weight and unprecedented installation flexibility, the C6015 is universally applicable in automation, visualization and communication tasks. It is also ideal for use as an IoT gateway.

Processor: Intel® Atom™, 1, 2 or 4 coresInterfaces: 2 Ethernet, 1 DisplayPort, 2 USBMain memory: up to 4 GB DDR3L RAMHousing: Die-cast aluminum-zinc alloyDimensions (W x H x D): 82 x 82 x 40 mm

HONORABLEMENTION

2018

CD1904_FPA.indd 4 3/25/19 3:16 PM

FEATURES

wireless

Control in the palm of your handCincinnati Crane &

Hoist uses state-of-the-

art wireless remote to

grow business, increase

productivity and

improve operator safety

Tony Strobl,

Cincinnati Crane & Hoist

41product roundup

A world without wiresWireless technology

equips the new breed

of networking

CONTROL DESIGN, (ISSN: 1094-3366) is published 12 times a year by Putman Media, 1501 E. Woodfi eld Rd., Suite 400N, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. (Phone 630/467-1300; Fax 630/467-1124.) Periodical postage paid at Schaumburg, IL, and at additional mailing offi ces. Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive Offi ces, same address. Printed in the United States. ©Putman Media 2019. All rights reserved. The contents of this publica-tion April not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Putman Media, PO Box 1888, Cedar Rapids IA 52406-1888; SUBSCRIPTIONS: To change or cancel a subscription, email [email protected] or call 1-800-553-8878 ext. 5020. To non-qualifi ed subscribers in the United States and its possessions, subscriptions are $96.00 per year. Single copies are $15. International subscriptions are accepted at $200 (Airmail only.) Putman Media also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, FOOD PROCESSING, PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING, PLANT SERVICES, SMART INDUSTRY and THE JOURNAL. CONTROL DESIGN assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Canada Post International 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.

table of contentsVolume 23, No. 4

ControlDesign.com / April 2019 / 5

vision

Why inspection is critical to automationRecalls and warranty

costs, along with

increased production

demands, drive the

need for automated

inspection

Bhaskar Ramakrishnan,

DWFritz Automation

44machine input

Information overlordHow many more

sources and interfaces,

buttons or stacklights

can operators rely on?

Mike Bacidore, chief editor

22 47

cover story

ChangesHow consumer

behavior and

distribution

channels are

changing the type

of automation and

technology needed

to deliver product

Patti Satterfi eld,

Fortna

32

CD1904_05_07_TOC.indd 5 3/26/19 12:25 PM

© Allied Electronics & Automation, 2019

1.800.433.5700 alliedelec.comFill your cabinet at

We stock 99% of the components you need for inside and outside the

cabinet. Shop, build, and deliver – quickly and effi ciently.

Build a Better Control Cabinet

We stock 99% of the components you need for inside and outside the

cabinet. Shop, build, and deliver – quickly and effi ciently.

Build a Better Control Cabinet

APR19 Schneider-Control Cabinet Ad (CD).indd 1 3/15/19 3:10 PMCD1904_FPA.indd 6 3/25/19 3:16 PM

9 editor’s page

Don’t write o� collegeMike Bacidore, editor in chief

15 live wire

Ready to empower, not replace, workersDave Perkon, technical editor

17 embedded intelligence

Edge computing and system controlJeremy Pollard, CET

18 technology trends

Reusable software is ever-developing—Part IRick Rice, contributing editor

50 product showcase

54 automation basics

How to ensure a robust pneumatic systemDave Perkon, technical editor

COLUMNS

Allied Electronics .................................................................6

Altech Corp. ........................................................................52

AshCroft ...............................................................................28

AutomationDirect.............................................. 2, 11 - 14

B & R Industrial Automation ...........................................8

Ballu� ...................................................................................49

Beckho� Automation ........................................................4

Bihl+Wiedemann .................................................7, 30, 31

Bimba ....................................................................................19

Carol Gavazzi ......................................................................25

CC-Link Partner Assocication - Americas ................27

Digi-Key................................................................................56

Endress+Hauser ...............................................................10

HMS Networks...................................................................33

icotek North America ......................................................34

Motion Industries .............................................................20

MTS Systems .....................................................................26

Murr Elektronik ..................................................................35

Novotechnik .......................................................................55

Rollon Corp .........................................................................29

SEW-Eurodrive ......................................................................3

SMC Corporation of America ........................................23

Telemecanique Sensors ................................................21

Wieland Electric ................................................................24

Yaskawa America .............................................................16

ad index


table of contentsVolume 23, No. 4

P Simplified wiringP Safety integratedP Short cycle times

AUTOMATION REINVENTED.

ASi-5

www.bihl-wiedemann.com/asi-5Phone: 616-345-0680



ASi-5




ASi-5




ASi-5




ASi-5


CD1904_05_07_TOC.indd 7 3/26/19 12:25 PM

www.br-automation.com/ACOPOStrak

ACOPOStrakUltimate Production Effectiveness

High-speed diverters Track design flexibility Purely magnetic holding

Enabling the adaptive machine. Like no other transport system.

Track design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibilityTrack design flexibility

OEEROI

TTM

CD1904_FPA.indd 8 3/25/19 3:16 PM


IN THE UNITED States, employee retirement will create 3.5 million un�lled manufacturing

jobs, said Morten Wierod, group senior vice president, drives, at ABB, who spoke during a

lunch panel at ABB Customer World in Houston. “We need more skilled workers for more

industrial jobs,” he explained.

That mantra has become all too familiar in industrial circles the past few years. It

seems we’ve become quick to steer young people into trades and save them from wasting

their young years studying in a university.

Yes, there are young men and women who are perfect candidates for bypassing college

and learning a skilled trade. And some of them might not have found their way without a

push in that direction.

But it’s irresponsible and a grave disservice to urge every 16-year-old who hasn’t de-

cided on a major to start preparing

for technical trade school.

According to a Georgetown

University study from 2015, “The

Economic Value of College Majors,”

the average college graduate will

earn $1 million more over the course

of a lifetime.

A million dollars doesn’t buy what

it used to, but that’s a considerable amount of coin to walk away from just because you’re

a teenager and don’t know what you want to be when you grow up. At that same event in

Houston, I heard the �rst good idea regarding technical programs.

“Industry, education and government need to work together,” said Michael Wiebe, chief

operations of�cer at Krones, who also was part of the panel discussion. “The public, who

are the parents, play a role. A primary opportunity right now is the quantity of graduates

in STEM. Industry is sometimes bottlenecked by the lack of those STEM graduates. We

wish we had more students coming into the technical college straight out of high school.

Parents want their kids to go through a four-year university program.”

Wiebe proposed a two-phase program designed to funnel more high-school gradu-

ates into technical programs. Phase I ushers them into two years of a technical program

followed by a three-year apprenticeship. In Phase II, the individual continues on to two

years in a university, with credits transferred from the previous two-year program to earn

a bachelor’s degree, and then another three-year apprenticeship. This 10-year plan ad-

dresses the pain points of employers, educators and parents, explained Wiebe.

That’s a step in the right direction, giving students a plan to not only recapture that ad-

ditional income, but to acquire those technical trade skills along the way, as well.

Don’t write o� collegeeditorial teameditor in chief

Mike [email protected]

technical editor

Dave [email protected]

digital managing editor

Christopher [email protected]

contributing editor

Rick [email protected]

contributing editor

Tom [email protected]

editorial assistant

Lori [email protected]

columnist

Jeremy [email protected]

design/productionsenior production manager

Anetta Gauthier

senior art director

Derek Chamberlain

subscriptionscustomer service

800-553-8878

circulation Air & Gas Compressors 553

Engineering & Systems

Integration Services 11,547

Engines & Turbines 1,025

Food Products Machinery 1,569

Industrial Fans, Blowers

& Air Purification Equipment 526

Industrial Heating, Refrigeration

& Air Conditioning Equipment 1,139

Industrial Process Furnaces & Ovens 472

Machine Tools 2,110

Materials Handling, Conveyors

& Conveying Equipment 1,507

Metalworking Machinery 2,600

Mining Machinery & Equipment 510

Oil & Gas Field Machinery & Equipment 1,187

Packaging Machinery 906

Paper Industries Machinery 312

Printing Trades Machinery & Equipment 441

Pumps & Pumping Equipment 891

Rolling Mill Machinery & Equipment 157

Semiconductor Manufacturing

Machinery 817

Textile Machinery 172

Woodworking Machinery 274

Other Industries & Special Industrial

Machinery & Equipment NEC 11,305

TOTAL 40,020

1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N Schaumburg, Illinois 60173

630/467-1300 Fax: 630/467-1124

In Memory of Julie Cappelletti-Lange, Vice President 1984-2012

Mike Bacidoreeditor in [email protected]

editor’s page

The average college graduate will earn $1 million more over the

course of a lifetime.

CD1904_09_Edit.indd 9 3/25/19 8:41 PM

Integrating a complete shopping experience into our website underlines our goal to help streamline your procurement processes and to improve your buying experience - both online and offline.

Introducing new possibilities on Endress.com

Set up your account and start shopping today!www.us.endress.com/e-commerce

DIGITAL+PERSONALNew possibilities, new experiences

Complete e-commerce functionality now on Endress.com

CD1904_FPA.indd 10 3/25/19 3:16 PM

TECHNOLOGY WILL LEAVE you behind if you try to stop it. I’ve

written several columns on the subject, with one of them titled,

“Automation for the people.” (www.controldesign.com/ar-

ticles/2019/automation-for-the-people) That’s you, and you need

to automate, including the use of robots and advanced design

software. Automation should create new jobs and opportuni-

ties, not government regulations.

I’ve read many articles slanted to make automation look bad.

Some keep hinting that automation or robots will be replacing

personnel in more than 50% of occu-

pations; some say 70%.

Then, to make it even worse, the

authors point out that the jobs will

be quickly lost. The reality of these

anti-automation articles is that they

exaggerate without considering the

slow pace of change in the automa-

tion industry. Regardless of the actual speed at which automa-

tion, software and arti� cial intelligence affects occupations, I

can assure you that it will, so plan for that.

If robots are bad, shouldn’t we also be concerned about eCAD

software. That’s electronic computer-aided design, also called

electronic design automation (EDA). Not only are we replacing

manufacturing workers with robots, the automation is replacing

those who design it, as well. What will happen to the engineers?

For those out there who fear automation and think a safe

space is needed to be free of it, you should know, I have been

using eCAD for decades as a control system designer, and this

helpful software has just made me more ef� cient by automating

many of the tedious tasks and a lot of the calculations and data

entry. More of that would be great.

The software makes me a better controls engineer, just as

robots make the personnel on the assembly lines better, more

ef� cient and more productive.

An automation-biased professional may quickly see these

anti-automation articles for what they are—politics making a

slippery mess on the factory � oor—and somebody will get hurt.

These dripping opinions include taxing and regulating auto-

mation, re-distributing the pro� ts due to gains in productivity

and many similar story lines. I like to focus on automation and

better ways to do things, which requires knowledge, experience

and innovation.

These sky-is-falling articles won’t stop automation of any

type. However, it can affect where automation puts down its

roots, or where it doesn’t.

In my mind, regulation of automation removes the incentive

to excel at things, hurting innovation. I wonder if the state will

let me use eCAD when they � nd out it makes me a better engi-

neer. Software automation toolsets that help a control system

designer ef� ciently draw, edit and document electrical sche-

matics and related control panel layouts and part lists should

be a requirement, not something

regulated or taxed.

I started out drawing mechanical

and electrical designs on paper. I

was quite the artist, and the draw-

ings looked great. Early in college

and at the start of my career I was

introduced to computer-aided

design from various suppliers. Going from paper to digital made

a huge difference, and that is a trend continuing today in many

ways, 35 years later, with the digital twin as a popular example.

Even with the big step from pencil and paper to digital draw-

ings, especially when it came to editing and storing the designs,

there were still many manual functions that needed to be done.

Creating electrical symbols and getting the lines on screen

were still tedious processes. All the components and connect-

ing wires, terminals and dots were manually inserted or drawn.

Then the wire numbers, device designators and cross-reference

information needed to be added.

Although eCAD requires training to become ef� cient with all

of its features, once the knowledge is gained, it’s much quicker

to create designs by selecting electrical schematic symbols

from an extensive library of components.

These eCAD symbols contain much more data now. They in-

clude an actual part number that can automatically be added to

a bill of materials, as well as current-carrying capabilities and

other speci� cations to provide error-checking functionality.

The result is as expected: automation increases production.

There should be no additional fees for being more competi-

tive and capable. Some stories just ignore the facts and real

examples, but let’s not get bogged down with the industrial

politics of things (IPoT) and what in the future will be dead-end

jobs (DEJs). Instead, let’s automate and learn to use it.

Ready to empower, not replace, workers

live wire

Automation should create new jobs and opportunities, not government regulations.


Dave Perkontechnical [email protected]

CD1904_15_LiveWire.indd 15 3/25/19 9:47 AM

Your time is valuable. The new, easy-to-use GA800 AC Drive from Yaskawa gives you the power to make all of your operations better.

• Rest easy with legendary Yaskawa quality and embedded functional safety.

• Experience ultimate ease-of-use with DriveWizard® Mobile and optional Bluetooth® connectivity.

• Enjoy incredible torque production and network connectivity.

Your days are complicated enough. Let us helpsimplify them. To learn more, visit or call Yaskawatoday at 800-YASKAWA.

NEW!

Introducing the GA800 AC Drive

For more info: http://go.yaskawa-america.com/yai1267Yaskawa America, Inc. Drives & Motion Division 1-800-YASKAWA yaskawa.com

POWER HASCOME FULL CIRCLE

CD1904_FPA.indd 16 3/25/19 3:16 PM


Jeremy [email protected]

embedded intelligence

I’VE HAD TROUBLE identifying edge computing as something

different, something that we haven’t had before, and I have

always come up with the fact that it is nothing more than a

standard control system—a PLC or a PAC—with a new name

and maybe a renewed topology.

What may be different is that the computing power goes to

the data points, instead of the data points coming to the control

system. Is there a difference?

The de�nitions of edge computing are hazy. Numbers and

hardware don’t care where they

do their crunching, according to

an article on computing power in

process applications from Control

magazine (www.controlglobal.com/

articles/2019/computing-power-at-

the-device-level-is-transforming-

process-applications).

In the article, Peter Zornio, CTO at Emerson Automation Solu-

tions (www.emerson.com/en-us) admits that the term “edge

computing” was invented by IT groups because it was a new

concept for them. I couldn’t agree more, so why all the hype

about edge-based solutions?

Normally, the edge would be the I/O systems that were con-

nected to a CPU somewhere and connected by some physical

layer and protocol like Remote I/O or Ethernet/IP. Now it seems

that the edge has to have computing power by de�nition.

Bedrock Automation and Opto22 have introduced edge-based

products that are PLCs, albeit with new designs. But can’t any

PLC be an edge PLC?

It all seems to be hooked to IoT and/or IIoT. I read a white

paper titled, “Transformation of the Edge” (www.stratus.com/

en-us/lp/ia/transformation-of-the-edge) from Stratus.

The intent of the paper is to re-de�ne the edge, since the

edge has always been there, but now it’s different because of

the convergence of additional devices under the IoT umbrella.

Big data is desired, and it is becoming more and more cloud-

based, and thus you need the computing power at the edge to

push this data up to the cloud.

The end result, according to Stratus, is the availability of edge

data, which can provide better business decisions and manage-

ment using that data.

Essentially, what Stratus is saying is that the RTU of the past

should now be an edge controller, which talks directly to the

cloud instead of the RTU talking Modbus to a PLC somewhere

and giving small amounts of data periodically.

They state that some of the bene�ts to the OT crowd

include risk mitigation due to unplanned downtime, opera-

tional ef�ciencies since the system can be better monitored,

lower total cost of ownership (TCO) since it is a system and

OT empowerment since the edge systems reduce the depen-

dence on IT departments.

It makes some sense since the

edge controllers are back in the

realm of the OT peeps, which can

be monitored and maintained by

maintenance and/or control engi-

neering departments.

Opto 22’s EPIC edge controller

has a built in HMI, which serves up

diagnostic information to the user. This user can be local or re-

mote and get the same information, which further demarcates

the edge as such since that level of information was saved for

a central SCADA system.

Benson Hougland, VP of marketing at Opto 22 (www.opto22.

com), agrees with Status in the Control article, in that an edge

solution is a system which is adept at sharing process data with

the cloud, which in turn should allow for real-time decision

making using the large amounts of data that would be available

from the edge controller. He also states that newer more com-

pact protocols such as MQTT—publish/subscribe model—can be

used natively making the edge system more secure.

EPIC’s HMI is Web-server-based, which allows any browser to

have access removing the client licensing issue with some HMI/

SCADA systems. While not a function, per se, of an edge solu-

tion, it provides a window into the fact that OT solutions are us-

ing commercial technologies as the base, such as Ethernet and

HTTP. Hougland insists that the power of an edge solution gives

the user a higher-performance device than standard remote I/O

type solution. That performance eases data exchange between

data formats, as well as the sheer amount of data.

Edge computing and system control

Normally, the edge would be the I/O systems that were connected to a

CPU somewhere.

JEREMY POLLARD, CET, has been writing about technology and

software issues for many years. Pollard has been involved in control

system programming and training for more than 25 years.

CD1904_17_EmbedIntel.indd 17 3/25/19 9:48 AM

18 / April 2019 / ControlDesign.com

technology trends

Rick Ricecontributing editor

[email protected]

This is the � rst of a two-part column about how software’s evolution

always brings a little bit of the past with it.

MY LIFE AS a controls guy for a food co-packer is spent main-

taining existing machines and processes with far less of it on

my favorite part, software development. Software is my Mount

Everest—the peak of my career aspirations. For me, there is

nothing � ner than getting an opportunity to start with a blank

sheet and design software for a packaging machine.

Much in the way that a machine

builder would start with a concept

and break it down into smaller, more

manageable bits, the design of the

software is about identifying the func-

tions that make up the bigger “ma-

chine” and sorting them into smaller

groups to provide better focus. Nearer

to the end of the process, we bring all those bundles of code

together and make them work with each other.

Over the years, I’ve � gured out some techniques that seem

to work well, and, naturally, a library of code soon piled up so

that I can pull it out whenever I get the opportunity to develop a

new application. Periodically, I go back through that library and

identify blocks of code that should either be scrapped or could

bene� t from a do-over.

It’s easy to want to stick with what works, but the risk in that

is creating an archaic program that doesn’t allow for � exibility

because the designer is so focused on making it all work togeth-

er that they fail to allow for new ideas and thought processes to

enter the picture.

The � rst hiccough I encountered in my software journey was

the transition necessitated by the change in technology from

� xed memory-based to tag-based PLCs. Let’s admit it, most

programmers might be a tad bit OCD, in that we liked the idea

of a bank of memory addresses of a particular type—binary,

integer, real—that we could then break down into groups to use

for particular parts of the programming process.

For example, I used to program palletizers, and I had multiple

infeeds bringing product into the palletizing unit. I quickly

developed a pattern for these infeeds where Infeed 1 might use

B11, N21 and R31—Bits, iNtergers and Real data types—while

Infeed 2 might use B12, N22 and R32, and Infeed 3 would use

B13, N23 and R33 for registers during the programming process.

At a glance, the second digit in each would immediately tell

me which infeed I was looking at in the program. With the

advent of tag-based memory structures, the memory table is

completely de� ned by the programmer. Now, all my tags would

appear as Infeed_1.xxx or Infeed_2.xxx and so on.

Most PLC software has a conversion program that allows the

designer to quickly convert older programs into the newer tag-

based memory allocations. Once converted, the program still

appears to be � xed memory map-

ping but is really just an array of its

former self. For example, B13:0/12

might be converted to B13[0].12.

The nice thing about the newer

software is the program developer

can then rename B13 to be what-

ever the developer wants it to be, so

the � nal structure might be Inf01_Bits[0].12 to re� ect the binary

nature of the bits from the original structure.

Once past the tag structure, it quickly becomes apparent that

modern programs should be written in object-oriented format.

This likens back to Visual Basic, Visual C, Pascal and such pro-

gramming languages. The modern PLC has much more in com-

mon with these languages than the PLC of old does. There are

tasks and programs and routines used to break down the code

into like areas for both function and organizational purposes.

Function blocks follow, and now the library of old takes on

an entirely new use where tried and true code can be used

over and over again in a program by mapping internal bits to

external bits.

Perhaps I have over-explained some of this, but I am trying to

get to a point of understanding—that the software application

of today bears little in common with those of even 20 years ago.

As a natural progression of the profession, a programmer

must always be reworking code and techniques to keep up with

the advances in the hardware platform that the application will

run on. The same holds true for the developers of the software

application that we use to develop our application on.

It seems hard to imagine any more, but, at one time, a PLC

programming software platform might have comprised a core,

module-loading program with 6-10 submodules that gave us the

programming interface, memory tables and force tables that

Reusable software is ever-developing—Part I

The library of old takes on an entirely new use where tried and

true code can be used over.

Simply easy!

The revolutionary wireless andbattery-less Limit Switch from

Telemecanique Sensors isnow available even smaller.When cabling is difficult, expensive, or unwanted, XC

Wireless Switches from Telemecanique Sensors are anideal solution. �ese innovative, virtually maintenance-free switches are the perfect way to give your machines

more freedom of movement. Installation and maintenance costs are signi�cantly reduced.

Wireless. Battery-less. Robust. And now available in miniature.NEW!

For moredetails on this innovativesolution, go to:

www.tesensors.com/XCWireless

See this product at:

Booth S1852

CD201902-Telemecanique.indd 1 1/11/2019 3:25:10 PMCD1904_18_21_TechTrends.indd 18 3/25/19 9:50 AM

We makethingsMOVE

Whether it’s a standard off -the-shelf cylinder or a cutting-edge custom assembly, Bimba is uniquely positioned to help with your motion control application. That means everything from simple, non-repairable products to the latest in precision mechatronics or end-of-arm tooling applications. If you’ve got an engineering challenge, Bimba has the solution to keep your application moving forward. From innovative design to unparalleled customer service, it’s all about getting you the right solution at the right time.

Find out moreVisit www.bimba.com

Pneumatic.Electric.Hydraulic. Vacuum.

BIM-13642 Bimba Resizes 2019_Control Design_WMTMv2_040119.indd 1 3/18/19 2:26 PMCD1904_FPA.indd 19 3/25/19 3:16 PM

©2019 Motion Industries, Inc.

Brands you count on, people you trust…that’s ABB and Motion Industries.

https://tinyurl.com/y2rbd3ur

The ABB Ability Smart Sensor for mounted

bearing is an easy-to-use, wireless sensor which

monitors the health of your Dodge® mounted

bearings, allowing users to reduce downtime,

improve reliability, and operate safely.

And, you can �nd ABB Ability Smart Sensorat your local Motion Industries location. Our

local sales and service specialists are experts in

providing application and technical solutions, with

the choices and expertise you need to stay up

and running.

Brands YOU Count On, People You TRUST.

Watch Now to Learn More

ABB Ability Smart Sensor

CD1904_FPA.indd 20 3/25/19 3:16 PM

permitted us to develop our software applications. All of it � t on

a 5-1/4-inch � oppy disk, or maybe two.

Well, don’t look now, but even my favorite “smart relay”

software programming tool now downloads at a massive 2.3

gigabytes. Now, isn’t that a jaw dropper?

I never really paid too much attention, but have a look the

next time you are installing a programming software applica-

tion update. The number of associated � les is simply staggering.

One might wonder: How could software development get so

complicated? Some of us older folks might remember when you

could develop an application in Visual Basic or Visual C, and,

while you developed multiple software modules, the � nished

product compiled into a single executable � le.

Elaborate programs might require the use of a technique that

swapped modules into and out of temporary memory to handle

the physical memory needs of the modules, but even that

sounds simple compared to the software environment of today.

A couple of weeks ago, I decided to do my twice-a-year task

of updating my application development packages to the latest

versions. In many cases, the differences are minor and more

often contain � xes for anomalies in previous releases, so the

impact is not really noticeable to the end user.

Software releases seem to come along continuously from

most hardware/software vendors, but I like to limit my unwill-

ing adventure to twice a year to limit the distraction from my

normal work functions. This particular exercise moved along

at a comfortable pace, and I was so happy with the results that

I took the time to update my protégé’s laptop to save him some

time in what for him is a far busier schedule than my own.

Part II of this column can be read in the May 2019 issue of Control De-

sign, or read both parts now at www.controldesign.com/articles/2019/

reusable-software-is-ever-developing.

technology trends

RICK RICE is a controls engineer at Crest Foods (www.crestfoods.com),

a dry-foods manufacturing and packaging company in Ashton, Illinois.

Simply easy!

The revolutionary wireless andbattery-less Limit Switch from

Telemecanique Sensors isnow available even smaller.When cabling is difficult, expensive, or unwanted, XC

Wireless Switches from Telemecanique Sensors are anideal solution. �ese innovative, virtually maintenance-free switches are the perfect way to give your machines

more freedom of movement. Installation and maintenance costs are signi�cantly reduced.

Wireless. Battery-less. Robust. And now available in miniature.Wireless. Battery-less. Robust. And now available in miniature.

When cabling is difficult, expensive, or unwanted, XCWireless Switches from Telemecanique Sensors are an

ideal solution. �ese innovative, virtually maintenance-free switches are the perfect way to give your machines

Wireless. Battery-less. Robust. And now available in miniature.NEW!

For moredetails on this innovativesolution, go to:

www.tesensors.com/XCWireless

See this product at:

Booth S1852

CD201902-Telemecanique.indd 1 1/11/2019 3:25:10 PMCD1904_18_21_TechTrends.indd 21 3/25/19 9:50 AM


With advanced communication technology, what sorts of additional information are stacklights able to provide that can be of use to operators and �oor managers?

John Curtin, director, automation solutions, at Motion Industries

(www.motionindustries.com), Advantages in wireless

communication have greatly enhanced the potential

for stacklights to become far more helpful to operators and

production managers. Traditionally, stacklights have been

stand-alone indicators for a few speci�c functions of a single

process. Now, stacklights are able to be networked. This allows

the production manager to identify and document faults and

unproductive time throughout the plant. In addition to

pinpointing the location of a fault, reducing response time and

downtime, this information can also reveal opportunities to

improve processes and plant productivity.

Robb Weidemann, senior business development manager, lighting

and indication, at Banner Engineering (www.bannerengineering.

com), Stacklights can be used to provide visual

indication of tank level, temperature level and warning

thresholds, process status, takt time, current production level,

alarm state, operator response time and more. With IO-Link or

wireless communication, these statuses can be monitored

remotely to ensure prompt action to critical changes, and the

data can be logged over time to identify trends, locate bottle-

necks, resolve process inef�ciencies and even enable predictive

maintenance capabilities.

Alvaro Sanchez, product manager at Rockwell Automation (www.

rockwellautomation.com), Device-level communication

protocols such as IO-Link are being integrated into

more �eld devices every day. IO-Link and similar enabling

technologies allow �eld devices to easily integrate into the

Connected Enterprise, delivering plant/device data and

diagnostics from the device directly into a control system to

help minimize downtime and increase productivity.

Trey Gantt, product manager at Eaton (www.eaton.com),

Connected devices can provide immediate indication

of a fault and the data to diagnose and even prevent

downtime from occurring. Connected technologies can impact

productivity by improving ef�ciencies, saving time and costs.

Tom Rosenberg, vice president of marketing and engineering at

Ballu� (www.ballu�.com), It’s a new world for real-time,

point-of-use information. Stacklights and indicators

can provide much more feedback to operators and plant �oor

managers than ever before. One popular form of information is

continuously variable information also referred to as analog

information. This information can be used to indicate current

level status in tanks, hoppers, feeders, �ow racks and so on.

Operational status such as �ow rates, pressure values and

process speed are also popular. Another use for continuously

variable information is pacing for operators in manual assembly

areas. They can quickly see how much time each individual

person has for their process step. If someone is struggling,

others can visibly see the situation and step in and help.

The other piece of information that has been popular is simply

displaying that the machine is in idle state. This would typically

suspend all other forms of indication. We are all familiar with

the spinning icon on our computers, and now this is available for

machines, as well. Basically, it indicates the machine is not ready.

Again, colors can be used as part of a communication plan to indi-

cate the reason for the idle time and call for speci�c personnel to

respond. As soon as the machine is ready, the indicators and stack-

lights revert back to normal operations, just like your computer.

Michael O’Neill, sales manager at Werma (www.werma.com), The

wireless transmission of the indication from a stack-

light can notify equipment status to people anywhere

through the use of SMS texts and/or e-mails sent to cell phones;

display data for all to see on a shop �oor via �at screens mounted

in the production areas; store performance data as machine

history; provide summary reports from real-time data; schedule

and track production via counting that the stacklight can make;

and indicate failure of signal communication links.

Information overlordHow many more sources and interfaces, buttons or stacklights can operators rely on?

by Mike Bacidore, chief editor

machine input

CD1904_22_29_MachineInput.indd 22 3/26/19 1:54 PM

WirelessSerial Communications

SMC Corporation of Americawww.smcusa.com/wireless 800-762-7621

www. smcusa . com

Effective communication range up to a radius of 33 Ft.

Communication is possible

up to a radius of 33ft

CD1904_FPA.indd 23 3/25/19 3:16 PM

Peter B. Gasparini, sales manager at

Werma (www.werma.com), If we are

talking about wireless

monitoring and free software/SQL, the

solution time-and-date-stamps every

critical process or condition or status or

timely email or texts, which can be

analyzed for lean initiatives and

continuous improvements. Werma has

clients gathering all types of information

with stacklights. And the classic

low-hanging-fruit data is uptime;

downtime/faults, or reasons for stoppage;

QC processes using vision sensors;

production cycles/counting; transparency

of production facility—what’s the current

status of my machinery or manual

workstations or pumps or chillers;

identify more productive capacity;

initiate processes, such as start/stop

machinery; document time to respond.

Werma clients are very creative and

have come up with very interesting ap-

plications for our stacklights with com-

munication—wireless—technology.

Lee Clore, owner/controls designer at

Onyx Industries (www.onyx-indus-

tries.com), As microprocessors

make their way into these devices, the

options open up. They could act as a

large vertical bar-graph display as an

example. Stacklights are quite useful for

awareness indicators—an active laser is

in the area or an exposed surface is

heated. This is especially true if the

indicator light will allow for backlit

symbols. 5S lean initiatives make use of

indicator lights for production purposes.

Long visibility is useful for schedulers

and production managers to monitor

multiple work cells.

Juergen Duemmler, product manager

at Siemens (www.siemens.com),

Communication capability

allows stacklights to send diagnostic

information through sensors on the

machine to the operator regarding the

condition of the machines. This data

can be used to schedule maintenance or

repairs that could possibly prevent

more costly damage to equipment if it

went unmonitored.

Todd Mason Darnell, Ph.D., marketing

manager of services and safety at

Omron Automation Americas (www.

omron247.com), The addition of Bluetooth

or other wireless technology to the

stacklight can signi� cantly improve its

effectiveness. The stacklight, by itself,

is a simple visual indicator that

provides only basic information about

the machine status. With the additional

of wireless connectivity, the stacklight

can push an error noti� cation to plant

personnel enabling a “smart � rst

response” to machine. Even if the

control system does not support the

push of an error code, supplementing

the visual alarms with a noti� cation

that goes to the phone or other wireless

device improves the response time,

especially with larger plants or during

times of reduced staf� ng, such as third

shift or holiday production.

In addition to wireless technology, we

are seeing stacklights that have audi-

tory alerts to supplement the visual in-

dicators. These are moving beyond the

machine input

The addition of Bluetooth or other wireless technology

to the stacklight can signi� cantly improve its

effectiveness.


traditional blaring alarms to include different tones, MP3 � les

with music or voice annunciators that identify the machine

and the type of error.

Lyon Lee, product marketing manager at IDEC (www.idec.com),

Stacklights can show a wide range of information

such as alarms, throughput, speed, � ow rate,

temperature, pressure or tank level.

Steve Olson, IIoT technical specialist at Hilscher (www.hilscher.

com), member of Control System Integrators Associa-

tion (CSIA, www.controlsys.org), Audible signals and

scrolling message displays have been combined with stacklights.

Danny Weiss, senior product manager at Newark (www.newark.

com), Many of our customers use stacklights with

communications to provide personnel with detailed

fault information via the communication network, but quick

visible or audile information via the stacklight.

Jim Krebs, engineer at AutomationDirect (www.automationdirect.

com), With the newer communications technology,

information such as runtime or downtime of a

machine or the motion of an operator in a work cell can now be

easily sent to a central database to help develop ef� cient plans

to increase uptime and provide other bene� ts.

Aside from an e-stop button, what other buttons, alarms, stacklights or switches can be used to improve the safety of an operating machine?

Robb Weidemann, senior business development manager,

lighting and indication, at Banner Engineering (www.

bannerengineering.com), For safety applications, it is

important to conduct a risk assessment and utilize safety-

rated devices, such as e-stops, to prevent the risk of injury.

That said, there are many non-safety-rated devices, includ-

SENSORS: Inductive and Capacitive Proximity Sensors • Photoelectric Sensors • Level Sensors • Ultrasonic Sensors • Magnetic Sensors • Limit Switches

Whether it’s our industry leading solid state relays and con-tactors, our our vast range of sensors, motor controls, energy meters and current-, voltage- and 3-phase monitors, CARLO GAVAZZI has the solution for your application needs.

Contact us today, and one of our field sales representatives will show you why we are one of the fastest growing auto-mation companies worldwide. We’ll even provide a free evaluation sample to qualified OEMs.

GavazziOnline.com • 847.465.6100 • [email protected]

USA Tel: 847.465.6100 Fax: 800.222.2659Canada Tel: 888.575.2275 Fax: 905.542.2248 Mexico Tel and Fax: 55.5373.7042www.GavazziOnline.com • [email protected]

twitter.com/CarloGavazziNA facebook.com/CarloGavazziNA

Visit our website for downloadable data sheets,brochures and pricing: www.GavazziOnline.com

CARLO GAVAZZI A u t o m a t i o n C o m p o n e n t s




Innovative Automation SolutionsInnovative Automation SolutionsInnovative Automation SolutionsInnovative Automation SolutionsInnovative Automation SolutionsInnovative Automation Solutions

SWITCHES: Solid State Relays • Contactors and Overloads • Soft Starters • Definite Purpose Contactors • Mini Circuit Breakers • Electromechanical Relays • Pilot Devices

CONTROLS: Energy Meters and Software • Current-, Voltage- and 3-Phase Monitors • Current Transformers • Transducers • Timers • Panel Meters


ing indicator lights and buttons, that

can be bundled together with a safety

system to provide an intuitive and

ergonomic interface for operators. For

example, sometimes operators will

need to enter a robotic cell during a

work cycle. Shutting off the robot with

an emergency stop button, while

sometimes necessary, will bring

operation to a sudden halt that can

damage the robot and materials being

worked on. Instead, with an illuminat-

ed operator selector switch, the

operator can bring the robot to a

controlled stop. The illuminated base

turns from green to yellow when the

movement of the robot has stopped,

providing a clear indication that the

operator can enter the cell.

Tom Rosenberg, vice president of

marketing and engineering at Ballu�

(www.ballu� .com), As our

automation systems become more

collaborative, additional guidance is

required to ensure machines do not go

into full stop or even slow down due to

humans unknowingly encroaching in a

safety zone. Again, this is where the

continuously variable information

displayed on a stacklight or indicator can

signi� cantly improve the process. For

instance, when an operator enters a

safety zone monitored by an area

scanner, stacklights or indicators can

display just how far into the zone they

are. As the operator moves deeper into

the zone, the variable indicator can signal

the encroachment in real time. The

operator can visibly see that they are

causing a potential slow down and get

out of the area before a full stop occurs.

machine input

[email protected]

800 633 7609

I AM THE NEWGENERATION

R SERIES V POSITION SENSORSFOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS� Rugged & reliable

� Better performance

� Backward compatible

POSITION SENSORSFOR INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS

There are many non-safety-rated devices,

including indicator lights and buttons, that can be bundled together with a safety system to provide

an intuitive and ergonomic interface for operators.


Alex Dzatko, proposals specialist, process automation, at

Pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.us), Buzzers and horns

are devices that would be suitable to improve the

safety of operating machines. There are many buzzers and

horns available for most any application, from ATEX/IECEx

Zone-1-rated 30-mm, illuminated buzzers to general-purpose

and class/division-rated electronic horns. These devices can be

installed on the door or on top of control panels, or they can be

located in appropriate places around the plant-� oor machinery.

Alvaro Sanchez, product manager at Rockwell Automation (www.

rockwellautomation.com), In addition to e-stops and

indicators, there are a wide variety of machine-safe-

ty products that help to protect personnel, machinery and the

environment while maximizing uptime and enhancing

productivity. These products include safety light curtains and

laser scanners, interlock switches and pressure sensitive

safety mats, among others.

Danny Weiss, senior product manager at Newark (www.newark.

com), As plant operations and distribution centers

become more automated, there are fewer people

standing next to every machine. Conveying information quickly

and in the best format helps productivity. For example, a

stacklight conveys information such as material shortage in a

bin particularly well. Stacklights also help maintenance people

quickly identify problem areas and machine status, whereas

detailed fault information, past alarms for machine trouble-

shooting, machine runtime is best conveyed with the HMI.

Fewer people often mean that conveying information quickly is

the key to productivity and machine uptime.

Michael O’Neill, president at Werma (www.werma.com), It’s a

visual world, and communication is key, so much so it is

an important part in any lean-principles program. For

this reason stacklights are offered with a variety of light effects:

permanent; blinking—viewed within one’s peripheral vision;

rotating; � ashing—getting attention outside of one’s peripheral

vision; random � ickering—to overcome one being acclimatized to

the � ashing effect; ultra-bright for bright ambient areas.

Announcing the future of

OPEN INDUSTRIALETHERNET.

CC-Link IE TSN: Time-Sensitive Networking joins open gigabit Ethernet to deliver the world’s most advanced automation network technology for Industry 4.0.

■ Performance: Combines unique gigabit bandwidth with TSN to deliver the highest productivity network solution for Industry 4.0.

■ Connectivity: Open technology provides freedom of choice for end users, OEMs and device vendors.

■ Intelligence: A wealth of intelligent features reduce time to market and downtime while increasing productivity.

Contact us now to see how CC-Link IE TSN can meet your needs.

[email protected]

It’s a visual world, and communication is key, so much so it is an important part in any lean-principles program.

Announcing the future of

OPEN INDUSTRIALETHERNET.

CC-Link IE TSN: Time-Sensitive Networking joins open gigabit Ethernet to deliver the world’s most advanced automation network technology for Industry 4.0.

■ Performance: Combines unique gigabit bandwidth with TSN to deliver the highest productivity network solution for Industry 4.0.

■ Connectivity: Open technology provides freedom of choice for end users, OEMs and device vendors.

■ Intelligence: A wealth of intelligent features reduce time to market and downtime while increasing productivity.

Contact us now to see how CC-Link IE TSN can meet your needs.

[email protected]


Peter B. Gasparini, sales manager at

Werma (www.werma.com), A client

had a fabric-cutting machine

with several processes, so the yellow

LED �ashed during this process to alert

the operator not to go anywhere near

blades/cutter. Or light with alarm

simultaneously activated during a

potentially dangerous process.

Todd Mason Darnell, Ph.D., marketing

manager of services and safety at

Omron Automation Americas (www.

omron247.com), One of the keys to

improving safety is improving the

situation awareness of the operators and

plant personnel. Adding �ashing/

illuminated reset buttons, request to

access buttons, door-open alarms and

audible alarms, including music and

melodies, all help to create worker

awareness of the status of the machine.

We also recommend as a best practice,

and it is required by in ANSI B65-1 for

the printing industry, that larger

equipment or equipment with multiple

operators have a machine start alarm to

alert everyone before the equipment

starts to operate.

Steve Olson, IIoT technical specialist

at Hilscher (www.hilscher.com),

member of Control System

Integrators Association (CSIA, www.

controlsys.org), Light curtains, safety

switch mats and proximity motion

sensors can be used.

Michael Doebelin, Advanced

Engineering (www.adveng.com),

member of Control System

Integrators Association (CSIA, www.

controlsys.org), Typically a risk analysis

has to be in place. Traditional e-stop

buttons, rope switches, light curtains,

area scanners and safety lockable gates

with feedback are a minimum. More and

more devices feature safe torque off.

Juergen Duemmler, product manager

at Siemens (www.siemens.com),

There are several products that

machine input

The product you manufacture is only as good as the parts it’s made from. One bad component can bring down the system and your reputation. The Ashcroft® G2 pressure transducer

is engineered for long term reliability and stands up to high shock, vibration and extreme temperatures. A wide variety of electrical and pressure connections make it an easy fit in nearly any installation. Need something special?

Our Custom Engineered Solutions experts would like to review your requirement and adapt a sensor to meet your need. To learn more about the G2 and other Ashcroft specialty pressure transducers, visit www.ashcroft.com or call 203-385-0635.

EXTRAORDINARY PERFORMANCE ON AN OEM BUDGET

ALSO OF INTEREST

GV FOR EXTREME VIBRATION G3 FOR AGGRESSIVE MEDIA

tel: 203-378-8281

email: [email protected]

www.ashcroft.com

19 April Control Design 015-5815.indd 1 3/21/19 4:17 PMCD1904_22_29_MachineInput.indd 28 3/26/19 1:55 PM

can be used to improve safety of an

operating machine. First, stacklights, aka

signal columns, are used in any applica-

tion that requires visual or audio

signaling to inform workers and/or

visitors of their environmental condi-

tions. The signaling can be used to

monitor process control of their machin-

ery by letting them know when a

machine is running, turned off or down

for maintenance; to provide plant safety

information to workers by letting them

know when it is safe to enter a restricted

area or not; to provide an emergency

evacuation notice to the plant area—

strobe lights and sirens/buzzers are often

used together.

Second, a switch could be used to turn

the application off and on, such as an HOA

switch. An advanced application using a

switch would incorporate a keyed switch

that would only allow authorized person-

nel to access and control the machine; an

RFID-keyed switch that provides autho-

rized keyed control access to a machine

by job levels to provide not only a measure

of security/safety, but also provide overall

equipment effectiveness (OEE).

For example, the operator is given

a color-coded key that allows for the

machine to be turned on and off. Mainte-

nance personnel are given another color-

coded key that provides another level

of access, and �nally the supervisor is

given a key that allows complete access.

In addition, the RFID switch provides

controlled access if it is connected over

the customer’s network and it can pro-

vide information about the machine’s

productivity. Further analysis of this

data can become a gateway of informa-

tion to increase productivity.

Trey Gantt, product manager at Eaton

(www.eaton.com), This category

of controls includes a wide

range of pilot devices to support

operation, control and protection that

rated for global applications. Devices

include pushbuttons, indicator lights,

selector switches, actuators,

joysticks and palm switches.

MOVE YOURROBOT

*Robot not included

Seven axes, infinite possibilities. Rollon’s Seventh Axis expands your work area and enhances your automation system—from painting to palletizing. Integrate this shuttle system with any robot up to 2,000 kg.palletizing. Integrate this shuttle system with any robot up to 2,000 kg.palletizing. Integrate this shuttle system with any robot up to 2,000 kg.

LEARN MORE AT MOVEYOURROBOT.COM

Seventh Axis


Since the 1990s, AS-Interface (ASi) has become

an integral part of modern industry, with more

than 37 million installed notes worldwide. Cus-

tomers can benefit from the economically reason-

able fieldbus/wiring system for the first automa-

tion level, used to easily, reliably and economically

connect sensors and actuators and attach them

to the higher control level.

The yellow ASi cable transmits power and data

at the same time. The easy wiring process is do-

able even without training. Now a new generation

of the ASi standard has been presented for the

new requirements in times of Industry 4.0. ASi-5

easily enables faster transmission of larger data

volumes and effortless integration of intelligent IO-

Link sensors.

Fabricio Granados, director of international sales

at Bihl+Wiedemann, shares his candid thoughts

about the advantages of ASi-5 and how easy it is

to use ASi-5 slaves together with ASi slaves of any

previous generation.

Q: Why is it time for the next generation of AS-

Interface?

A: The main reason for evolving ASi was the

changed situation for our customers. With the rise

of a connected digital industry, more data needs

to be transmitted. ASi-5 now allows us to transfer

larger quantities of data at higher speed, while

making integration of intelligent IO-Link sensors

easier than ever.

Intelligent sensors and actuators are respon-

sible for an increasing number of control functions

in distributed systems. ASi-5 was developed by

seven renowned automation companies, including

Bihl+Wiedemann.

The complete project took more than 200,000

developer hours. Bernhard Wiedemann, CEO of

Bihl+Wiedemann, was the technical leader of this

cross-company development group.

Q: Is ASi-5 a completely new technology?

A: No, ASi-5 is the evolution of the well-proven AS-

Interface standard. ASi-5 offers all the advantages

that have already made ASi so special in the past.

The greatest challenge during the development

of ASi-5 was to keep all the known advantages of

ASi. AS-i 5 had to be at least as good as ASi-3 in

every aspect.

Customers still benefit from the simple wiring

scheme with just one cable for both power and

data, the ability to connect slaves to any desired lo-

cation of the yellow profile cable and the high flex-

ibility due to the use of application-specific slaves.

ASi-5 offers both a high bandwidth—process

data size from 16 bits to 32 bytes per slave—

and short cycle times—up to 384 digital inputs

and 384 digital outputs in just 1.27 ms—mak-

ing it possible to transport more and more data,

without restrictions, to where they can yield valu-

able information.

Q: In what way does the higher data bandwidth

influence the usability of ASi-5? Is it more complex

now for the users?

A: The main advantages of AS-Interface are incor-

porated in the new generation. Long story short,

our products are still as easy to use as before.

Each network is controlled by one ASi-5 master

that transmits data via fieldbuses such as Ether-

Net/IP or Profinet to a central control system or via

OPC UA to the cloud.

The connection technology, such as connec-

tors and wires, stays the same. Additionally, to the

same usability, the user benefits from increased

diagnostics; for example, a channel diagnostics is

possible now.

This is a new generation of AS-Interface, which

means that the technology still needs to prove

its usefulness. When are the first ASi-5 products

available?

SPONSORED CONTENT

The next generation of AS-Interface

FABRICIO GRANADAS Director of International Sales,

Bihl+Wiedemann


CD1904_30_31_BihlQA_featr.indd 30 3/25/19 8:43 PM

Bihl+Wiedemann is already offering the

first ASi-5 gateways and modules. Our

goal is to develop quickly a wide product

range to meet all of our customers’ needs.

The all-rounders in our portfolio are three

new gateways that run on ASi-5 and ASi-3

and thus are able to communicate on

both networks. If you want to read more

on the technical specifics you can find

the information on our website.

As with all new technologies, it will take

some time to develop all products that are

available on ASi-3. ASi-5 enables a more

efficient incorporation of intelligent sensors

in the AS-Interface, which was worth all the

invested effort. Many of the new features

will be playing an increasingly important role

as digitalization continues. This is an itera-

tive process, which I am very much looking

forward to see what will come out of it.

Q: Can customers use their existing AS-

Interface devices together with ASi-5

products?

A: The greatest advantage of ASi-5 is that

it’s completely compatible with all ear-

lier ASi devices and components. ASi-5

slaves can be combined with ASi slaves

of any generation in existing as well as in

new ASi networks.

All ASi generations work parallel on the

same cable—intelligent slaves, standard

slaves and safety slaves on one network.

In an existing ASi network, you can simply

connect additional new ASi-5 slaves and

easily continue to use existing ASi slaves.

To use ASi-5 slaves all you need is a new

Bihl+Wiedemann ASi-5 / ASi-3 gateway.

Here’s another advantage: As be-

fore, AS-Interface in its ASi-5 expres-

sion remains a standard that guarantees

compatibility between components of

any manufacturer, not just the develop-

ment partner. Any product with the ASi

logo can work together with all the others

in a common network and communicate

seamlessly. Thus, for each problem there

continues to be an ASi solution.

Q: In what applications is it worthwhile to

switch to ASi-5 right now?

A: From our perspective that would be,

above all, applications characterized by

high transmission speeds or elevated

data quantities—for example, at loca-

tions where much I/O data needs to be

collected in a tight space. ASi-5 also

makes incorporating intelligent sensors,

such as IO-Link sensors, much easier.

And the new, high-performance stan-

dard modules with up to 16 inputs can

replace one or another expensive field-

bus solution in the field.

For more information about

Bihl+Wiedemann and its AS

interface (ASi) devices for automation

and safety equipment, visit

www.bihl-wiedemann.de/us/asi-5.html.

SPONSORED CONTENT

IO-LINKASi-5 now allows us to transfer larger quantities of data at higher speed, while making integration of intelligent IO-Link sensors easier than ever.


CD1904_30_31_BihlQA_featr.indd 31 3/25/19 8:44 PM


cover story

CD1904_30_40_CoverStory.indd 32 3/25/19 8:45 PM

How consumer behavior and distribution channels are changing the type of automation and technology needed to deliver product


NEARLY A QUARTER of the Earth’s

population buys at least some

goods and services with mouse

clicks instead of shopping trips.

This rate will increase, surpassing

2 billion online shoppers world-

wide by 2020, according to re-

search from Statista (https://www.

statista.com/statistics/251666/

number-of-digital-buyers-world-

wide). In this shifting landscape,

retailers must design better

websites to place orders and better

warehouse systems to ful�ll them

quickly and cost effectively.

by Patti Satterfield, Fortna


To increase shipping capabilities, the

Journeys distribution center in Lebanon,

Tennessee, hired Fortna (www.fortna.

com) for a recent warehouse expan-

sion project (Figure 1). Journeys (www.

journeys.com), a retailer of young adult

footwear brands from Adidas and Fila to

Converse and Vans, has successful brick-

and-mortar stores across the United

States. However, growing e-commerce

sales have forced the company to mod-

ernize its distribution strategy (Figure 2).

Fortna and Journeys � rst partnered

in 2000 to design and implement a

320,000-sq-ft distribution center, which

would support 800 stores with an annual

throughput of 17 million SKUs. However,

the online shopping boom since then has

forced the distribution center to ful� ll

large quantities of same- or next-day or-

ders. This prompted Journeys and Fortna

to begin planning a major warehouse

expansion in 2015 and implement the

renovations in 2017, explains William

King, group vice president of integrated

technology solutions for Fortna (Figure

3). “We increased the distribution cen-

ter’s capacity by adding a new conveyor

and picking system during the expan-

sion project,” King says. “As part of that,

we upgraded the warehouse control us-

ing our FortnaWES warehouse execution

system (WES) software and the support-

ing hardware.”

Fortna designs, implements and sup-

ports distribution solutions, including

advanced automated systems and its

WES software, for companies across the

globe (Figure 4). Headquartered in West

Reading, Pennsylvania, the company has

locations throughout North America, as

well as in Mexico, Colombia, Vietnam,

the United Kingdom and South Africa.

Founded in 1946, Fortna originally

sold pallet jacks and forklifts but shifted

to conveyors and automated systems


cover story

The art of distributionFigure 1: The Journeys distribution center in Lebanon, Ten-

nessee, supports order fulfi llment for hundreds of stores and the footwear retailer’s growing e-commerce presence.

One package at a timeFigure 2: Growing e-commerce sales have forced the company to modernize its distribution strategy.


when Chairman Peter Counihan as-

sumed leadership in 1988. Fortna helps

customers to implement innovative con-

trols technology while leveraging legacy

systems for better results.

“Our goal is to give clients and their

distribution operations a competitive

advantage,” King explains. “Our services

range from helping companies de� ne

their distribution strategy to design-

ing, implementing and supporting their

distribution-center operations via turn-

key offerings.” The Journeys warehouse

expansion required all of these aspects.

Changing landscape requires next-day or same-day shippingAmong the many challenges in today’s

e-commerce environment, minimizing

the time between placing an order and

delivering it to the customer’s door tops

the list. For distribution centers, this re-

quires ever-increasing levels of automa-

tion, networking and control.

High-speed sorters and merges must

handle more than 130 cartons per min-

ute with incredible accuracy, because

just one mistimed carton could jam a

conveyor and bring the entire operation

www.ewon.biz

Secure Remote Access to PLC, HMI, ...

Cosy 131Industrial Remote Access Gateway

• Firewall friendly solution

• Proven solution with 13+ Million VPN connections

• Free VPN service

2015201620172018...

Prior performanceFigure 3: Prior to the 2017 expansion, Journeys and Fortna teamed up in 2000 for the original design and implementation of the Lebanon, Tennessee, warehouse.


to a halt, and operations like the Journeys warehouse simply

cannot tolerate unplanned downtime.

Order ful�llment even continued during the warehouse

expansion, says Jeremy Davidson, director at Fortna. “This

implementation required a challenging combination of seam-

less equipment transition, continuous operation throughout

the rollout, zero operational impact and minimal service inter-

ruption,” Davidson says.

As large distribution centers from Journeys and other retail-

ers increase their reliance on the Internet, they must further

harden security. Any unapproved access into the distribution

system, whether a data breach or interference with the con-

trols, could lead to a major slowdown or stoppage of distribu-

tion. “Security has rightly become a key area of focus,” King

says. “Fortna puts considerable effort into making our systems

more secure. Our clients can rest assured that our highly con-

nected systems minimize risks.”

The system architecture also needed to support open com-

munication across the warehouse to all controls and �eld de-

vices. Because so many warehouse operations constantly play

catchup with the quick turnaround demanded by e-commerce,

many businesses cannot spend the time, much less the ex-

pense, to replace entire distribution systems with equipment

from the same manufacturer.

Cross-vendor communication is a point of pride for Fortna,

explains King. “Our software is hardware-agnostic, allowing us

to purchase and commission best-of-breed sorters, conveyors,

merges and other equipment from a variety of vendors,” he

says. “That’s one of our key differentiators.”

System openness is also a key feature of Beckhoff Auto-

mation hardware and software solutions, leading Fortna

to standardize on Beckhoff for all new installations. “The

open architecture and support for both EtherCAT and legacy

�eldbuses, including EtherNet/IP, was a fundamental fac-

tor in Fortna’s success with Beckhoff technology,” says Doug

Schuchart, vertical manager of material handling and logistics

for Beckhoff USA. “This allowed Fortna to utilize new PC-based

control technology in a multi-phase approach, �rst adding

Beckhoff controllers to run the legacy software, then upgrad-

ing to EtherCAT for �eldbus devices and �nally implementing

complete TwinCAT automation software solutions.”

Automation solutions deliver the results in warehouse expansionFortna offers hardware and software for upgrades and new

solutions with additional features by leveraging open platform

cover story

www.icotek-usa.com

The KT-M grommet can be used with recessed plugs, panel sockets, bulkhead fittings and more, integrated into any of icotek’s KEL series of cable entry frames.

■ Use a single hole for all your cables and connectors■ Increase cable density and lower your cable entry and connector

footprint■ Space-saving solution■ Thread sizes M12 to M25 available

IP65

GET ONE 4 FREE!

[email protected]

312-643-2315

Interface for Round and Hybrid Connectors

Grommet with Metric Inner Thread

Visit icotek @ AWEA WINDPOWER 05/20/2019 - 05/23/2019 | Houston

Go WES, young manFigure 4: Fortna designs, implements and supports distribution solutions, including advanced automated systems and its WES software, for companies across the globe.


solutions from Beckhoff Automation. Fortna �rst adopted Beck-

hoff TwinCAT 3 automation software as an engineering plat-

form to design the new controls layer for its WES (Figure 5). The

result, Fortna Real-Time Controls (FRC), replaced the company’s

25-year-old FortnaPlus software, a C+ program running on the

QNX operating system.

“The new FRC represents a signi�cant improvement,” says

King. “When we �rst started working with Beckhoff, our end

goal was to migrate to a new controls platform and to leverage

new Beckhoff PC-based control hardware, EtherCAT I/O and

TwinCAT 3 software for engineering and runtime.”

www.murrinc.com

IO-Link Analog Converter

Murrelektronik’s IO-Link analog converter can be used to easily connect analog devices to an IO-Link master. This makes it possible for a series of sensors and actuators to be used in a variety of IO-Link applications without having to be integrated into installation concepts again and again.

The IO-Link analog converter is the quickest, easiest and most economical way to integrate analog devices into an IO-Link system.

Quick switch from Analog to IO-Link

Con�gure it outFigure 5: FortnaWES warehouse execution system (WES) software is con-figurable to each company’s application requirements.

InterfaceFigure 6: Operators on each line interface with FortnaWES through a multi-touch control panel.



cover story

Fortna drove the convergence of a

number of warehouse solutions to en-

hance the Journeys distribution center,

but one of the key aspects was Fort-

naWES, a warehouse execution software

product that Fortna designs, develops

and implements in-house. This system

relies on the �exibility of TwinCAT 3 and

the openness of Beckhoff PC-based con-

trols, which support any software that

can run on a PC.

TwinCAT TCP/IP is particularly impor-

tant for WES, explains King. “Ethernet

TCP/IP is the protocol that allows our

FRC controls layer to talk to our business

layer in real time to process thousands

of transactions per hour,” he says. “Any

time we scan a carton at a sorter, for

instance, the controls layer asks the

business layer, ‘Where should this go?’

The business layer, which contains the

logic, may respond, ‘Take it to Lane 6.’

That happens in hundred-millisecond

timeframes, and TwinCAT TCP/IP makes

it possible.”

Operators on each line interface with

FortnaWES through a 19-inch CP3919

multi-touch control panel (Figure 6).

In many applications, Fortna mounts

a Beckhoff multi-touch panel directly

to the control cabinet, but in Journeys’

case, it made sense to pole-mount the

HMI next to each conveyor line and use

CP-Link 4, the One Cable Display Link, to

transmit USB 2.0 signal, DVI signal and

power from a nearby cabinet (Figure 7).

Both the software and HMI run on a

Beckhoff CX2030 embedded PC with a

dual-core, 1.5 GHz Intel Core i7 proces-

sor (Figure 8). The embedded PC offers

greater functionality while reducing

complexity, which helps engineers

familiar with PLC hardware formats

to adapt to a Windows-based system.

“Many in the material handling and

distribution industries are still locked

in the PLC mindset,” King says. “Deliv-

ering an industrial, PC-based control-

ler that mounts on DIN rail inside the

electrical cabinet like a PLC provides a

robust solution.”

Pole-mounted controlFigure 7: The custom distribution solution that Fortna designed and implemented includes a pole-mounted multi-touch control panel.



Using EtherCAT as the industrial Ethernet �eldbus, Fortna

is able to leverage distributed I/O concepts. “EtherCAT was a

compelling technology for Fortna from the beginning due to its

wide acceptance in the logistics industry,” Schuchart says. “It

possesses the unique capability to support up to 65,000 devices

on a single network over vast ful�llment centers with �exible

topology and network speeds in the realm of microseconds.”

The compact EtherCAT terminals save cabinet space while

offering a higher level of performance, says King. In addition,

the open system facilitates communication among new equip-

ment and legacy systems, helping Fortna to remain �exible in

its equipment selection. “We bring much more to the table by

remaining hardware-agnostic in distribution systems design,”

King says. “Implementing robust automation solutions from

Beckhoff only sharpens our competitive edge.”

Distribution system optimized for e-commerce The Journeys distribution center expansion went live in April

2018. This project resulted in an increase in storage capac-

ity, an overall increase in carton throughput and the ability

to ef�ciently ful�ll e-commerce orders (Figure 9). “To enable

this transformation, Journeys called on Fortna to collabora-

tively de�ne the strategy and business case to justify the

project,” Davidson says. “In addition, Journeys and Fortna

developed an integrated design and implementation plan

to achieve the expected results and uphold great service to

their in-store and online customers.”

By implementing EtherCAT and PC-based control solutions,

Fortna has been able to speed up its commissioning times and

decrease downtime for new implementations. To minimize

downtime during the migration, Fortna installed an extra

CX2030 embedded PC near the main line controller. This en-

abled the operator to simply move the Ethernet cable and CFast

�ash memory card to the new unit as needed.

During the Journeys expansion project and many others

Fortna has completed for clients in the retail, apparel, auto-

motive and pharmaceuticals industries, Beckhoff has proven

to be an excellent �t for reasons beyond equipment quality

and reliability.

“The Beckhoff sales and support teams are exceedingly help-

ful, and it is reassuring for Fortna and its international custom-

ers to have a vendor with locations in the same regions around

the globe,” King says.

The unique direct sales approach and global reach of

Beckhoff strengthened the companies’ working relationship,

Schuchart explains. “This not only provided Fortna the sup-

port it required, but also boosted the company’s con�dence

System runFigure 8: A compact embedded PC runs FortnaWES warehouse execution sys-tem (WES) software while controlling conveyors, merges and other equipment



cover story

in Beckhoff as a full-service automation partner, not simply a

component manufacturer,” he says.

All of these factors help Fortna to provide greater value to re-

peat customers and attract new ones through its proven ability

to make modern e-commerce work with advanced distribution

solutions. “We are always looking for new and more innova-

tive solutions that allow our clients to successfully compete in

today’s demanding e-commerce world, decrease their risk, drive

ef�ciency and also drive down costs,” King says. “We are trying

to become even more competitive in our marketplace by �nding

new solutions that are more ef�cient, powerful and cost-effec-

tive. We have increased our abilities in all of those areas with

Beckhoff.”

Patti Satter�eld is vice president, global marketing & business

development, at Fortna. Contact her at pattisatter�[email protected].

Capacity, throughput and ful�llmentFigure 9: The project resulted in an increase in storage capacity, an overall increase in carton throughput and the ability to e�ciently fulfill e-commerce orders.



wireless

THE FIRST ELECTRIC overhead crane was invented in 1876 to lift

large weapons at a gun factory in England. While the design

concept of the crane has remained fundamentally the same,

the crane has evolved with technological advances that make it

stronger, faster and easier to use. Today, the overhead crane is

an essential tool for the manufacturing and transport of large

and heavy parts used in the automotive, construction and steel

industries, among others (Figure 1).

With so many cranes in the market, a customer may see all

cranes as identical, which opens the door to sales based solely

on price. To stand out in a crowded industry, OEMs are chal-

lenged to add unique value-added features that give customers

a reason to take notice.

by Tony Strobl, Cincinnati Crane & Hoist

Control in the palm of your handCincinnati Crane & Hoist uses state-of-the-art wireless remote to grow business, increase productivity and improve operator safety

Easy to use craneFigure 1: This Cincinnati Crane & Hoist overhead crane uses technological advances to make it stronger and to move large, heavy parts faster and easier than ever.

(Sou

rce:

Cin

cinn

ati C

rane

& H

oist

)

CD1904_41_43_Feature1.indd 41 3/25/19 12:29 PM

Overhead backgroundIn 2008, as owner of Cincinnati Crane

& Hoist (www.cincinnati-crane.com)

in Harrison, Ohio, I decided to make

cranes with a different philosophy than

other crane manufacturers. With a

background in construction manage-

ment and an eye for design, I saw the

opportunity to serve companies with

complex lifting needs that required ex-

tra design consideration to achieve the

right crane solution. Customers have

reacted positively to this approach, and

as a result, Cincinnati Crane & Hoist is

one of the fastest growing crane com-

panies in America.

When we go into a company, we

don’t just sell them a crane solution off

the shelf. We look at the entire factory

�oor to see how cranes can improve

and integrate multiple aspects of the

operation, and we consider that

company’s growth to an-

ticipate future needs. We

design the crane that

will deliver the best

results today and

tomorrow, and that often requires look-

ing for ways to be innovative and go

beyond the typical setup.

To avoid the assumption that it sells

just another commodity product, Cin-

cinnati Crane & Hoist is always looking

for ways to differentiate itself in the

marketplace by adopting cutting-edge

technology that adds value and unique

bene�ts for our customers.

A better crane experienceWhile continuing to develop new of-

ferings to support current and future

crane operator needs, Cincinnati Crane

& Hoist identi�ed a new ergonomic,

wireless remote that would have a huge

impact on operator productivity and

workplace safety. As the �rst crane

manufacturer to offer this technology,

we have a signi�cant competitive edge.

In seeking an innovative

new addition to our

offering, we chose

the Harmony

eXLhoist wireless

remote control-

ler from Schnei-

der Electric. The

eXLhoist remote has the

industry’s longest battery

life, a quick charging time of

just 15 minutes and an ergonom-

ic design that allows for one-hand

operation (Figure 2).

We believe the Schneider Electric

brand and the remote is a differentiator

for us. It’s a brand that our customers

value, and Schneider Electric product

designers are always thinking about

how to update and adapt in anticipation

of future customer needs.

Today’s younger work force was raised

on gaming, so they are most comfort-

able with a gaming-style control in the

workplace. They don’t want a standard

square remote with pushbuttons. They

want something comfortable and intui-

tive, and that is the real appeal of the

eXLhoist remote. When customers �rst

hold the remote, they feel the difference

and want it immediately.

The old-style remotes seem dated and

feel clumsy your hand. It feels feel like

something from a previous century, and

the eXLhoist is smooth and modern.

The buttons operate easily and without

the need to look at the box to choose a

directional button.

Risk mitigation is important to all

companies, and industrial accidents

can be devastating. To prevent colli-

sions and other dangerous situations,

the eXLhoist has an intuitive interface

and single-hand, pistol-grip control, so

operators don’t need to look down at the

remote and instead can keep their eyes

on the load. With one hand free to signal

crew members and the ability to monitor

the load during the entire process, op-

erators are better able to control the load

leading to a safer environment.

Crane operationThe remote enables intuitive operation

of the crane. There is no need to look

at the remote during operation. The

pistol grip that the operator holds is

unique, and the motion button is thumb

engaged. This eliminates the need to use

two hands to operate the remote. It also

eliminates the need to look away from

the load that the crane is moving. Ad-

ditionally, the trigger controls the speed

of the hoist, which makes for safer pick

and delivery of the load.


Game-changing remoteFigure 2: This wireless remote controller has the industry’s longest battery life, a 15-minute charging time and an innovative design for one-hand operation.

wireless

(Source: Cincinnati Crane & Hoist)


The remote communicates to the

crane controller through Bluetooth

technology. The controller has two

safety relay outputs and an external

antenna extending wireless operating

distance to a large area of control. It ac-

cepts multiple voltages and has up to 18

inputs that can be adapted for use with

a variety of devices and not just for use

with a crane.

Safety features are built in to the

remote related to communication and

control. The remote cannot engage with

more than one base station at a time;

therefore, no other crane operator can

access the control. Another feature is

the ability to wire the crane safety limit

switches to the base unit. The switches

are then monitored to signal the opera-

tor when they are near the safety zone.

A variety of information is displayed

on the eXLhoist remote. The display

can present the weight of the load being

picked ensuring the user is inside the

lift’s load limits. It shows which crane

the remote is operating, Crane 1 or

Crane 2, or if it’s in a tandem pick situ-

ation. The display also shows when an

accessory or a below-the-hook device is

attached and also has a wind indicator

detecting movement.

The ergonomic, intuitive design also

increases productivity. In Cincinnati

Crane & Hoist’s own plant, where opera-

tors use the eXLhoist remote, it’s com-

mon to move 65,000-lb beams that are

half the size of a football �eld and need

to be turned 180°. Watching the load,

instead of looking down at buttons on a

standard control station, gives operators

a better way to monitor the process and

make adjustments accordingly.

All of our customers want to maxi-

mize the productivity of their workers,

and they are leveraging new technology

to do it.

A battery that keeps going The new remote has unique battery

technology that extends the battery

life and signi�cantly shortens charging

time. Typically, the remote can run for

30 hours on a single 15-minute charge,

so there’s no need for extra batteries.

For customers running all day, using the

crane remote for an entire shift without

a battery change increases productiv-

ity and reduces downtime. Cincinnati

Crane & Hoist has tested the battery by

using it in its own manufacturing plant

for two shifts, 16 hours straight, and ap-

preciates the bene�t.

The remote has both a docking/charg-

ing station to hold the remote when not

in use or in need of a charge. The opera-

tor can also wear a cross-body strap to

carry the remote to free up hands for

other tasks when not actively moving

the crane.

We’ve had other wireless remotes be-

fore, and sometimes two were required

due to battery life, but the battery on the

eXLhoist far exceeds others in the mar-

ket. When we tell customers it can run

30 hours on one charge, they respond

with, “No way.” It really is revolutionary,

and our customers are blown away by

that. I just want my cell phone to be able

to hold a charge like that.

Design for the long termOver the years, Cincinnati Crane & Hoist

has developed a reputation as problem

solvers. We are not afraid to take on

challenging and complex crane projects

in both the public and private sectors.

Particularly in cases where a crane is ret-

ro�tted into an existing building, there

is the potential for a lot of problems that

require special design skills.

Case in point was an automotive

parts manufacturer with 19 small

cranes. During installation, our design-

ers inquired about some adjoining

open space. The customer mentioned

the desire to add another crane in that

area the following year. After careful

analysis, we found a way to extend

the current crane application so an

additional unit would not be necessary.

For a fraction of the cost, our customer

had a better solution right away without

adding an entirely new crane.

At Cincinnati Crane & Hoist we work

with engineering teams to incorporate

crane design into the entire program,

which is always the right route for our

customer. And it allows us to build a

long-term relationships instead of mak-

ing a one-off sale.

Tony Strobl is owner of Cincinnati Crane

& Hoist in Harrison, Ohio, a supplier of

overhead crane system solutions for

commercial, industrial and specialty

applications. He can be reached at tstrobl@

cincinnati-crane.com.


We design the crane that will deliver the best results today and tomorrow, and that often requires looking for ways to be innovative and go beyond the typical setup.


WHAT IS INSPECTION? Inspection in auto-

mation can be de�ned as the comparison

of a measurement to a desired baseline.

Inspection can be applied to incoming

materials, during the production process

or to �nished goods. Inspection can be

either qualitative—is there a component

missing from the assembly process?—or

quantitative—is the diameter of a pin

correct? It can be performed by a human

or by machines. The intent of inspection

is to either accept or reject the part being

examined, based on de�ned criteria.

There are two types of inspection pro-

cesses: sampling and 100% inspection.

Sampling takes into account a subset

of the entire lot being examined and

doesn’t measure the quality of the

whole. It’s used where the risk of reject-

ing good parts or accepting a bad part

doesn’t affect the end user or manu-

facturer catastrophically. The sampling

method is generally applied to low-cost

products such as bulbs or switches,

where precision has less importance. By

contrast, with 100% inspection, each in-

dividual unit or component is examined

to determine speci�cation and quality

compliance. It’s usually more expensive

and can become tricky when non-de-

structive testing isn’t possible. Another

issue with 100% inspection is that it

could add a part-touching step increas-

ing the probability of contamination or

cosmetic defects.

Market needsThe need for 100% inspection is driven

by the particular requirements of the

industry. It’s adopted more often when

human life could be jeopardized or safety

assurances are needed. This is the theme

prevalent in the medical and automotive

industries. Government regulation in

these two industries drives the major-

ity of the need for 100% inspection. In

the medical space, government regula-

tion maintains strict scrutiny of Class

III medical components. Any issues with

sterility can lead to product recalls and

sometimes even the loss of a trading

license. In the automotive market, the

Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE)

standards have driven manufacturers

to produce parts with tight tolerances.

Failure of these parts to conform to the

tolerances leads to recalls and warranty

costs, thereby affecting both the brand

name and the revenue.

Cosmetics is another common reason

why manufacturers in the automotive

and consumer electronics markets opt

for 100% inspection. Since consumers

often associate prestige with the type

of automobile they drive or phone they

carry, great importance is given to the

appearance of these items.

Yet another reason is rapid commoditi-

zation, particularly in the consumer elec-

tronics industry, which drives manufac-

turers to maximize yields. By measuring

part quality and passing the information

upstream, those upstream processes can

improve the product or the process yields

in real time. Another important factor in

the consumer electronics industry is the

by Bhaskar Ramakrishnan, DWFritz Automation

Why inspection is critical to automationRecalls and warranty costs, along with increased production demands, drive the need

for automated inspection


vision

TechnologyContinuous

Scan3D Auto Medical

Consumer Electronics

2D Area Camera Yes x x x

Laser Triangulation Yes x x x x

Structured Light No x x x

Stereo color line scan triangulation Yes x x

2D Chromatic Confocal Yes x x

White Light Interferometer No x x

1D Conoscopic Holography Yes x

2D Micrometer Yes x

Machine vision technology optionsTable 1: This is not an exhaustive list of all machine-vision technologies available.


drive for miniaturization. A 3-sq-in area

within a cell phone contains hundreds of

components. These components measure

just a few millimeters in dimension and

have to be placed within a few tens of mi-

crons relative to each other. Both missing

and con�rming placement accuracies are

also drivers for 100% inspection.

Inspection selectionThe 100% inspection-system selection

process starts with understanding the

application—knowledge of upstream and

downstream processes—and obtain-

ing the speci�cations (Figure 1). One of

the key factors for vision inspection is

understanding the surface treatment

of the part to be imaged. For example,

some parts may have cosmetic surface

�nishes or functional clean areas that

aren’t available for handling. This needs

to be understood during the part �xture

review. Reliably identifying the defect

or obtaining repeatable measurements

is important for selecting the appropri-

ate technology and hardware. Once the

technology and hardware are deter-

mined, the gage reliability and reproduc-

ibility (R&R) is decided. The error con-

tribution for imaging the subsystem is

estimated, and an appropriate mechani-

cal subsystem is designed to be within

the remainder of the gage measurement

variation error. After theoretical veri�ca-

tion is complete, an empirical test with

the actual part needs to be conducted to

validate the system.

There are several options for select-

ing the most appropriate inspection

technology for the particular applica-

tion at hand. While not an exhaustive

list of all machine vision technologies

available, a few of these technologies

are listed in Table 1. Alternate technolo-

gies to machine vision exist; however,

we do not discuss them here as they are

not as prevalent as vision. Column 2 in

Table 1 indicates whether the part needs

to be paused during the manufacturing

process to acquire the measurement

image or not. The third column indicates

whether it is a 3D technology or not.

The next three columns list whether the

technology is widely used in each of the

three industries. A high level summary

of the 3D inspection enabling technolo-

gies is discussed below.

The 2D area camera with directional

lighting technology provides a pseudo-

3D result. The directional lighting

method essentially takes four synchro-

nized images, while illuminating from

the four quadrant directions.

The shadow cast by dents and bulges

from each of the four directions is ana-

lyzed. Each of these pictures is taken

with strobe lighting without stopping

the part. Once the images are obtained,

image algorithms are applied to extract

the dents and bulges.

In stereo line-scan triangulation, a

white line is cast on the part and two

stereo cameras capture the image of the

part simultaneously (Figure 2).

The two images are pattern-matched

around the region of interest (ROI). Ap-

plying the resulting difference in the two

images, the triangulation method solves

for the height. This method is accurate

in lateral and height directions; however,

it requires that the part have texture


100% inspection-system selection processFigure 1: The 100% inspection-system selection process starts with understanding the application—knowledge of upstream and downstream processes—and obtaining the specifications.

Understand the applicationObtain the specifications, e.g.,

drawing, cost, throughput, constraints, environment, etc.

Review the material type and surface treatments

Part fixture review

Calculate the desired resolu-tion based on the desired

gage repeatability or smallest defect size

Determine suitable technology

Determine the hardware, e.g., lighting type based on material, optics, FOV, depth of field, mo-tion accuracy and constraints

Estimate error contribution from imagine and assign

remaining error to the mechanical system

Conduct empirical test and analysis to validate

Confirm that the mechanical system variation for part loca-tion is within the error alloca-tion (retrofits become tricky)


and sharp features. Transparent and

specular objects are not good candidates

for this technology.

Laser-triangulation instruments are

widely used in several industries. An

imager captures the laser line scanning

the part. Height information is extracted

based on the laser line deformed by part

geometry and features.

By stitching lateral and height infor-

mation of each line a 3D point cloud of

the object is obtained. The structured

light device has two laser light sources

and one camera.

The laser interference method

works with two wide planar laser

beam fronts. Resulting interference

between the two wide planar light

sources forms regular, equidistant line

patterns on the work piece, which is

then used to understand features in 3D

space. The structured light method ob-

tains good resolution images in lateral

and height measurements; however, it

doesn’t work well on transparent and

spectral objects. Traditional 2D vision

tools, such as count, area and aspect

ratio, can also be applied.

In Chromatic Confocal technology, an

optical probe spreads the focal length of

the polychromatic (white) light source

over a discrete number of points, creat-

ing a full spectrum of light. Based on

the wavelength and intensity of the

re�ected light collected via the special

�lter, a very precise distance measure-

ment can be taken several times per

second. With this technology, it’s pos-

sible to measure nearly all materials

such as glass, metal, leather, paper and

even liquid.

Technologies enable capturing 3D

information of the object for use in 100%

inspection. Depending on the application

challenges, there are several alternate

technologies that may be considered

such as an interferometer, acoustic, X-ray

or thermal, to name a few. As technolo-

gies improve over time, engineers should

keep track of alternative offerings to ma-

chine vision. Production volume, physical

size, cost and application of the compo-

nent or product drive the need for 100%

inspection. Before selecting the technol-

ogy to inspect 100% of the parts, other

than evaluating the gage repeatability,

engineers should also consider cost, cycle

time, reliability and other factors that

affect the business case.

Like the medical proverb about an

ounce of prevention being worth a

pound of cure, the 1:10:100 rule is a good

reminder why quality management dur-

ing manufacturing is vital. The 1:10:100

rule tells us that costs compound over

time, so it is actually cheaper to prevent

a problem at the development stage than

it is to correct it later on at the quality

control stage, or worse, once it has been

manufactured and sold. Inspection solu-

tions suited for every phase of manufac-

turing are available, yet the frequency

of medical-device product recalls and

automobile recalls has been increasing.

Enforcement reports for product

recalls more than doubled between 2012

and 2016, according to the U.S. Food &

Drug Administration.

And the number of vehicles recalled

between 2011 and 2014 more than tri-

pled, according to the National Highway

Traf�c Safety Administration.

Bhaskar Ramakrishnan is

senior business development

manager at DWFritz

Automation. Ramakrishnan

holds a DFLSS Black Belt from Xerox. He

received his MSME from the University of

Connecticut and an MBA from the

University of Kentucky. Contact him at

[email protected].


vision

Directional lighting principleFigure 2: In stereo line-scan triangulation, a white line is cast on the part and two stereo cameras capture the image of the part simultaneously.

Match the ROI from the stereo images to find dl and dr

Region of Interest (ROI)

From similar triangles:h/f = x/dl = (x-b)/drh = (f*b)/(dl-dr) = (f*b)/dd = dl-dr = disparity


Remote noti�cation for exceeded control limitsThe StrideLinx Cloud Notify License is an add-on service that

provides remote “alarm” emails and push noti�cations when

control limits are exceeded on

HMI/PLC devices connected to

the StrideLinx VPN router. The

service provides customized

alarm names, priority level and

instructions for each alarm

as well as customized alarm re-

cipients. Cloud Notify expands

StrideLinx data services by allowing customers to receive re-

mote noti�cation when a process variable in a plant or machine

is out of spec. The service provides secure, reliable access over

the industrial Internet to �eld devices for remote visibility.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

Wireless vibration sensor for condition monitoring and predictive maintenanceThe Q45VA wireless vibration sensor combines a vibration

sensor, wireless node and battery power supply in a wireless

device for condition monitoring and predictive maintenance.

The device can be used to identify equipment problems before

a failure occurs. The sensor has a compact, all-in-one design

that makes it easy to monitor any asset with rotating mo-

tion for a variety of vibration characteristics and send that

information to a wireless gateway. Using a

proprietary machine-learning algorithm,

condition monitoring solutions collect data

from the sensor to establish a machine’s vi-

bration baseline and set warning and alarm

thresholds automatically.

Banner Engineering / www.bannerengineering.com

Combined serial and Ethernet wireless network moduleThe WNM wireless network module has been redesigned and

incorporates both serial and Ethernet communications in one

model. It provides a wireless communications link between

�eld sites that are in rugged or impassable terrain, with a

single unit transmitting as far as 30 miles. It can act as a re-

peater for an almost unlimited transmission range. The

bidirectional unit uses spread spectrum frequency hop-

ping technology to avoid interference problems caused by

crowded radio spectrums. This technology allows

multiple radio networks to use the same band

while in proximity. Standard operating frequencies

are 902-928 MHz or 2.4-2.4835 GHz.

Moore Industries / www.miinet.com

Phoenix Contact NEMA 4X wireless I/O deviceThe RAD-900-DAIO6, a 900-MHz outdoor Radioline spread-

spectrum transceiver, facilitates retro�t and expansion

projects by eliminating or supplementing signal wiring for

conventional I/O signals. This device can monitor digital on/off

status, actuate relay outputs and transmit or receive 4–20 mA

signals over distances as far as 20 miles. The I/O signals can be

mirrored at other stations in the wireless network or

mapped to Modbus RTU for easy integra-

tion into a Modbus host system. A

single network can support as many

as 250 radios with any combination of

repeaters and slaves, and the transmit-

ter is completely interoperable with the

existing Radioline products.

Phoenix Contact / 800-322-3225 / www.phoenixcontact.com

Router with 4G cellular technologyThe C6 router M1 and M2 cellular versions can connect re-

motely using 4G GSM networks. These versions contain EDGE/

HSPA quad-band technology. The router has one SMAStecker

plug for an auxiliary diversity antenna and one push-push

type mini socket for a SIM card. It can be

used on any GSM network, in any country.

The cellular versions are reliable tools

for secure, remote PLC maintenance

and commissioning with data logging

capabilities, especially in hard-to-reach

locations. Logged data can be pushed to

cloud-based services.

KEB America / www.kebamerica.com

A world without wiresWireless technology equips the new breed of networking


product roundupCONTACT US [email protected]

CD1904_47_49_Roundup.indd 47 3/25/19 12:35 PM

Intelligent edge computing router for critical assetsThe Digi IX14 industrial LTE router uses advanced scripting

and customizable business logic via Open Source Python 3.6

to give it edge computing capabilities to execute operations

at the device level, while Digi Remote Manager and Bluetooth

capabilities enable quick, secure, reliable installations. Both an

Ethernet and serial port can link to a single essential IoT sensor

or connect to a network of sensors almost anywhere. Dual SIM

slots allow carrier �exibility and failover for reduced down-

time. The router has been hardened physically to withstand

extreme environmental conditions with

MIL-STD-810G certi�cation for shock,

vibration and temperature and an IP54

rating for dust and water resistance.

Digi International / 877-912-3444 / www.digi.com

Drive with wireless communication panel and appThe VLT AutomationDrive is available with the optional VLT

wireless communication panel LCP 103, which communicates

with the Danfoss MyDrive Connect app. The app offers full

access to the VLT drive, making it easier to perform commis-

sioning, operation, monitoring and maintenance tasks. Using

the active point-to-point wireless

connection, maintenance person-

nel can receive real-time error

messages via the app to ensure a

quick response to potential issues

and reduce downtime.

Danfoss Drives / www.danfossdrives.com

Master unit wireless switch controllerWireless switching using a sub-GHz band combines wireless

reliability and ease of use. Abilities include utilizing the sub-

GHz band for reduced interference and better signal

propagation to dif�cult-to-reach areas, visualization

of impedance to wireless transmission because of

damage or noise using master unit error output and

visualization of slave button reception status

using reception con�rmation LEDs. Self-pow-

er generation eliminates battery replacement

and enhances safety and energy-saving in

the slave button. Eight outputs focus on de-

centralized control.

Newark / www.newark.com

Wireless HART adapter for �exible connectionThe Bullet is a loop- or line-powered (7- to 32-V) wireless HART

adapter that enables new and existing wired 4-20 mA and HART

�eld devices to communicate wire-

lessly. It attaches to any �eld device

and can be supplied with either regular

or solar loop power. Built to withstand

harsh environmental conditions in

process plants, the adapter is available

in an explosion-proof/Zone 0 housing.

It is durable and suitable for use from

-40 to 85 °C. It supports as many as eight �eld devices in HART

multidrop mode and features StepVolt technology.

Pepperl+Fuchs / www.pepperl-fuchs.com

IIoT packages for remote wireless connectivityIIoT connectivity packages for the 4G LTE-capable Scalance

M876-4 industrial-strength modem and RUGGEDCOM product

line provide secure wireless connectivity for remote service

and machine control applications. Available for both public

access or private gateways, the turnkey packages include mul-

tiple tiers of data plans and service

length options, a single point of

contact and elimination of wireless

provider complexity. For remote

control applications, they estab-

lish a permanent data connection

between a remote location and one

or more central control systems. For

remote service applications, they

provide a permanent data connection between a remote loca-

tion and one or more central control systems.

Siemens / www.siemens.com

Enhanced WLAN access pointsThe Hirschmann BAT450-F industrial wireless LAN access

points include a 110-Vdc power supply. Features include in-

creased onboard ef�ciency

and resiliency with the di-

rect power supply, improved

connectivity and roaming

performance and simpli�ed

WiFi retro�tting with an

all-in-one offering of WLAN,


product roundup


LTE and 110-Vdc capabilities. The access points are industrially

hardened, yet compact, and can be customized to support a

variety of wireless and wired connections.

Belden / www.belden.com

HMI with wireless data monitoring optionsThe Monitouch HMI series is equipped with a variety of wireless

communication options for monitoring critical data, both virtual

network computing (VNC) service for onsite and remote locations

with the virtual private network (VPN) server. VNC allows users

to view and operate the HMI screen on the factory � oor via PC or

tablet devices without any license requirement. Using a VPN, more

methods of communicating

are available for centralized

control of multiple locations

and remote maintenance.

Fuji Electric / 732-560-9410 /

americas.fujielectric.com

Sensor and app for mobile machine monitoringSKF Pulse combines a handheld sensor with a mobile app,

allowing users to monitor rotating equipment and machine

health to predict issues and improve reliability before opera-

tions are impacted. For more advanced analysis, users can

request a check directly via

the app. The request goes to

a diagnostics center, where

experts analyze the machine

data remotely and respond

with recommended corrective

actions to improve equipment

performance, if required. The

device has an intuitive visual

interface that guides users

through the data collection process. Users enter asset informa-

tion that con� gures alarm thresholds automatically based on

ISO standards. Thresholds also can be customized.

SKF / www.skf.com/us


3-D camera for pallet fork positioningThis 3-D camera assures positioning of forks in pallet pockets,

helping to avoid accidents resulting from pallets that can’t be

seen and challenges such as shrink wrap, splinters and other

debris that lead to improper fork

pocket detection. The O3D Smart

Sensor detects the position and

con�rms the ability to make

an accurate pick in a snapshot,

reducing costs and risks associ-

ated with bad pallet picks.

IFM / www.ifm.com

Enclosures designed to withstand harsh conditionsGEOS enclosures incorporate a patented design and features

to withstand harsh indoor or outdoor industrial environments

and ultimately offer reliable protection for housed assemblies.

These robust enclosures have

been engineered to prevent

the ingress of harmful con-

taminants (whether moisture,

dust, dirt or others), resist cor-

rosion and withstand strong

shocks, even under especially

aggressive conditions. Manufactured from high-quality and

lightweight plastics, the enclosures are IP65-rated and in full

compliance with IEC 62208 and IEC 61349 requirements and

other relevant international standards. Five basic housing sizes

are available with the capability to allow for different internal

heights. Accessories enable customization for any application.

Altech / 908-806-9400 / www.altechcorp.com

MES for electronicsCamstar Electronics Suite software is a manufacturing ex-

ecution system (MES) for electronics. This con�gurable and

scalable MES solution enables printed circuit board (PCB) and

box assemblers to meet traceability requirements, improve

ef�ciency levels and control manufacturing operations through

direct Internet of Things (IoT)

connectivity with machines

and production lines. Real-time

data acquisition of mechatron-

ics manufacturing processes

helps provide continuous quality

improvement. By closing the loop between engineering and

the shop �oor and enabling quick reactions to design modi�ca-

tions, it helps manufacturers to shorten product life cycles and

increase production complexities.


Dimension measurement for QC, metrology and inspection applicationsThe MBB series of ultra-precision

dimensional gaging probes are

engineered for accurate and

repeatable measurement of

dimensional parameters in quality con-

trol, industrial metrology and inspection equip-

ment applications. These spring-loaded ac-LVDTs feature

a stainless steel probe assembly and 8-mm-diameter housing

protected to IP65. High-precision linear ball bearings provide for

smooth probe movement without stiction. Incorporating a linear

ball bearing assembly �tted to a nonrotating probe shaft results

in an output voltage linearly proportional to the probe’s shaft

position with minimal radial play. The use of an ac-operated

LVDT for probe shaft displacement reduces errors from friction,

resulting in precise measurement of a target surface’s position.

NewTek Sensor Solutions / www.newteksensors.com

Ease-of-use 22-mm push button legend platesThese easy-to-use metal and plastic legend plates require no

�ling to �t over 22-mm push button devices. Plastic legend

plates have white engraved text

on a black or red background.

Aluminum legend plates have

a black or red �eld with silver

background. Two sizes of legend

plates are available: standard is

30 mm wide x 45 mm high and

jumbo is 40 mm wide x 45 mm high. More than 50 text legends

are available in black, and Emerg. Stop and Stop are available in

red. Blank plates in red and black also are available.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

Pull-through RJ45 plugs and crimp toolRJ45 plugs and an accompanying crimp tool are designed to

simplify RJ45 plug terminations. The plugs are made for solid or


product showcase CONTACT US [email protected]

CD1904_50_53_Showcase.indd 50 3/25/19 12:39 PM

stranded conductors with an OD of 0.37 to 0.40 in in

the 24 to 26 AWG range. They are designed to make

termination easier by allowing for the conduc-

tors to be pulled completely through the con-

nector and out the front. The crimp tool then

cuts the wires, terminates the pins and crimps

the strain relief simultaneously. The tool also

includes a cable cutter and stripper for round cable and uses a

ratcheting function for an easy and consistent termination.

L-com Global Connectivity / www.l-com.com

Connector to simplify model-based machine developmentThe MapleSim connector makes it ef�cient for customers to

integrate the MapleSim tool from Maplesoft. MapleSim creates

an accurate, dynamic model of the machine based on CAD

data in STEP format. All forces and torques are modeled with

precision, allowing the model

to be used as a digital twin for

component sizing. The physical

model also is available as a func-

tional mock-up unit for virtual

commissioning of the machine

software in Automation Studio.

Simulation data can be exported to optimize the sizing of servo

drives, motors and gearboxes using tools such as ServoSoft or

exported as an FMI �le, including the CAD data.

B&R / www.br-automation.com

Safety interlock switchThe GS series safety interlock switch has a compact and robust

design and forgiving and stable alignment. It can be integrated

into any safety system. A redesigned actuator allows for easier

door closure and the ability to main-

tain door closure over time even

when doors or gates sag or machine

vibration occurs. This feature elimi-

nates unnecessary machine stop-

pages. Large LED status indicators

change colors depending on door

status, allowing personnel to check from a distance whether

the door is open or closed. A small footprint allows for direct

and �exible mounting, increasing location options.

Keyence of America / www.keyence.com

M12 positionable panel-mounted connectorThe positionable and lockable M12 male panel-mounted con-

nector has a separate contact body, allowing it to be positioned

exactly where users want the mating right-angle cable connec-

tor. This feature allows users to keep the

cable from obstructing other connections

or devices on the panel. Additionally, the

contact body is prewired with 24 AWG

wires for fast and easy assembly and is

available with four, �ve or eight contacts.

Binder USA / www.binder-connector.us

Inductive-technology position sensorsTF1 series of touchless position sensors are unaffected by

strong magnetic �elds and metal �akes or �lings present in

a user’s environment. The series consists of an inductively

coupled position marker attached to a moving rod or piece of

the user’s application that requires

a position measurement and the

sensor with operational and pro-

gramming status LEDs. While op-

erating, LEDs indicate whether the

sensor is operating and the marker

is within measuring range or out of range as well as indicating

results of internal diagnostics for valid output from the sensor.

The sensors are plug in-compatible with many existing sensors

including magnetostrictive and resistance track sensors.

Novotechnik U.S. / 508-485-2244 / www.novotechnik.com

Servo drives for high-dynamic applicationsThe Digitax HD servo drive series is optimized for high-dynam-

ic applications. It provides the �exibility of both standalone

and modular con�gurations. The drive offers full servo control

in addition to open-loop permanent magnet

motor and induction motor control across

four functionality levels: EtherCAT, MCi

machine control, Ethernet and the �exible

Base servo drive. It has a drive width of 1.6 in

(40 mm) and UltraFlow technology, which dis-

sipates heat directly outside of the cabinet. It

can be installed in a cabinet just 8 in (200 mm)

deep. It offers 300% peak current performance

pulse-duty overload and up to 16 kHz switching frequency.

Control Techniques / acim.nidec.com/en-us/drives/control-techniques



Extreme environment displacement sensors and systems These high-precision displacement sensors and systems are

designed for extreme environments. Three separate systems

are available, speci�cally designed for high-pressure, low-

temperature and high-temperature conditions. The sensors

and systems work in operating temperatures ranging from -320

°F to 1,000 °F (1,200 °F

short term). Displace-

ment systems with-

stand pressures up to 5,000 lb-force per square inch (psi). Their

dual-coil sensor design minimizes temperature effects. The

high-temperature transducers are made with hermetically

sealed, all laser-welded Inconel housings and use and Inconel-

jacketed, mineral-insulated cable. The sensors are unaffected

by environmental contaminants and can withstand corrosive

gas or liquid environments. The KD-1925, KD-1950 and KD-1975

sensors use KDM-8206EE signal conditioning electronics.

Kaman Precision Products / 800-552-6267 / www.kamansensors.com

Drive series for pump, fan and compressor applicationsWith a power range from 1 to 700 hp (0.75 to 630 kW), the Sin-

amics G120X is optimized for pump, fan and compressor appli-

cations. It can operate in a temperature range from -4 to 140 °F

(-20 to 60 °C) with any standard motor, including synchronous

reluctance motors (SRM). It has an integral dc choke to improve

harmonics and EMC performance. It meets

UL, NEMA and EN/IEC standards and offers

up to 10- kA short-circuit current rating

(SCCR) for enhanced product safety and

energy ef�ciency. It is designed

to integrate into existing

applications


Integrated stepper controller and drive packageThe dc-powered integrated stepper controller and drive pack-

age has multi-protocol Ethernet communication. The SD4840E2

product showcase


combines drive and motion control technology into a single product

to reduce stepper control system costs and simplify installation. The

integrated controller and drive package communicates with the host

PLC over the EtherNet/IP, Modbus-TCP or Pro�net network. Move com-

mands are programmed through the host PLC’s software. The design

and standard DIN-rail mounting make it suitable for new installations

or controls upgrades.

Advanced Micro Controls / 860-585-1254 / www.amci.com

Panel- or DIN rail-mountable dc current transducerThe DT-BB dc current transducer allows a split-core transducer to be installed over

existing bus bars or wire and to be mounted on a panel or DIN rail. It is rated

to measure dc current at working voltage to 1,500 Vdc. The power sup-

ply and output signal wires are connected to the sensor with a termi-

nal block, which plugs into the header on top of the sensor. The current

sensing components and the signal conditioning are housed in a single

case, reducing installation time and improving both accuracy and safety.

NK Technologies / 800-959-4014 / www.nktechnologies.com

Four-quadrant PWM regenerative driveUsing a 115- or 230-Vac power source, the PMB

series is designed to run brushed dc motors,

up to 180 Vdc. PWM technology creates a clean

output voltage, which allows the motor to run

at a cooler operating temperature at compara-

tively higher and lower speeds. The series is

microprocessor-based, so it can be custom-pro-

grammed for OEM applications, including the ability to follow quadrature encoder feedback

for speed or positioning control. These controls contain isolation and are UL-listed, with

testing done to the 61800-5-1 standard. The drive also is a regenerative control, meaning it can

reverse on the �y without any contacts on the motor armature.

American Control Electronics / www.americancontrolelectronics.com

Industrial-grade optical encoderQuantum Devices Model QDH20 is a feedback solution for applications typically using a stan-

dard size 20 package. It provides encoder feedback in standard industrial mounting con�gura-

tions. Outputs consist of a quadrature A and B with reference pulse Z as a standard feature.

The output can be con�gured with either the industrial standard 5- to 26-V OL7272 line driver

or open collector outputs. It features two heavy-duty bearing sets holding the output shaft

and two more bearings along with an integral �exible spring mount to isolate the encoder’s

working pieces from mechanical stresses.

Servo2Go / 877-378-0240 / www.servo2go.com


publishing teamgroup publisher & vp, content

Keith Larson [email protected]

vp, sales & publishing director

sales teamnortheastern and mid-atlantic regional manager

Dave Fisher [email protected]

508/543-5172 Fax: 508/543-3061

24 Cannon Forge Dr.

Foxboro, Massachusetts 02035

midwestern and southern regional manager

Greg Zamin [email protected]

704/256-5433 Fax: 704/256-5434

1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N

Schaumburg, Illinois 60173

western and mountain regional manager

Jeff Mylin [email protected]

847/516-5879 Fax: 630/625-1124

digital sales specialist

Jeanne Freedland

[email protected]

805/773-4299 Fax: 805/773-0451

classified manager

Lori Goldberg [email protected]

630/467-1300 Fax: 630/467-1124

executive staffpresident & ceo

John M. Cappelletti

cfo

Rick Kasper

vp, creative services, production

Steve Herner

reprintsFoster Reprints • www.fosterprinting.com

Jill Kaletha

[email protected]

866-879-9144 ext. 194

The only magazine exclusively

dedicated to the original equipment manufactur-

ing (OEM) market for

instrumentation and controls—the

largest market for industrial controls.

1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N

Schaumburg, Illinois 60173

630/467-1300

Fax: 630/467-1124


AUTOMATION CONTROLS MANY types of mechanical motion in

industrial machines. When motion control is discussed, many

designers think of servos, stepper motors and linear actua-

tors. However, the fact is, pneumatic systems provide many of

the simplest options to control motion. As long as the basics of

pneumatics are followed, these systems can be easily installed,

and there are many bene� ts.

First of all, what is a pneumatic system? A pneumatic system

uses compressed gasses, � uid power, to provide linear or rotary

mechanical motion in a cylinder,

actuator or motor, for example.

A constant supply of compressed

air, typically through a plantwide

distribution system, connects to a

machine-mounted air-preparation

unit that distributes the clean-dry

air—the energy—to operate the

motion-causing devices.

Starting from where the motion is doing work, at the part,

package or product being manufactured, there are many com-

mon machine-motion functions that are ideally suited for

pneumatic system operation.

The pneumatic system delivers and controls energy used to

clamp, crimp, press, raise, lower, open, close, extend, retract,

push, rotate, divert, nip and more. Just add one of these verbs

in front of the word part, package, tooling or device, and then

use this verb-noun description for a PLC output that energizes

a solenoid valve providing direction control of a cylinder or

actuator. It’s simple motion control.

The plant compressed air system includes devices that help

to distribute clean, dry air to each machine. Typical plant

systems include a compressor, cooler, separator and receiver

tank to compress, reduce compressed air temperature, remove

moisture from the air and store it. However, more needs to be

done at the machine level.

There are many opportunities in the compressed air distribu-

tion system for moisture and particles to enter into this closed

system. As an industry best practice and a robust design, the

compressed air delivered to a machine must connect to an air-

preparation system to ensure clean, dry air.

There are many parts to this air-preparation unit, which is of-

ten called an FRL because it contains a � lter and regulator, as well

as a lubricator that may be used in special circumstances, such as

when the pneumatic motor in an air tool needs lubricated air.

Other best-practice parts of the air-preparation unit include

a lockable manual shutoff valve and an electrically operated air

dump/soft-start valve, all included for machine safety.

Similar to an electrical disconnect switch, the manual shut-

off valve protects the operator during maintenance by dumping

and providing the ability of locking off the supply of com-

pressed air to a machine. The electrically operated air dump

removes motion causing pneumatic

energy during an emergency stop or

other similar machine safety events.

Almost all pneumatic control

devices that control the energy

or create the mechanical motion

are located downstream of the air

preparation and shutoff valves.

Solenoid valves are a � rst stop for much of the prepped air in a

pneumatic system.

There are many types of directional valves, and couple often

used are � ve-way, three-position, center exhaust or center

block valves. Each direction of air is controlled by a PLC output,

extend and retract, or open and close.

Center exhaust is often used to ensure that motion causing

air is dumped from the cylinder or actuator when an emer-

gency stop is pressed. Some motions may bene� t from a center

block con� guration to hold tooling up under an emergency stop

condition, but beware of the safety hazards of blocking air to a

cylinder when clearing jams.

Check valves also affect the � ow of air into and out of a cylin-

der or actuator. Instead of a center blocked valve, a pilot operated

check valve could be used to hold up a cylinder during an emer-

gency stop. Regardless of the method used, use caution when

trapping air in a cylinder, as unexpected motion is a possibility.

Flow controls also meter the air into or out of a cylinder. It

is an important pneumatic system component used to limit

the speed of a cylinder during operation by restricting air as it

leaves or, depending on the application, enters a cylinder.

The main reason a pneumatic system is popular in is its sim-

plicity. A variety of � ttings, � exible tubing and hoses and rigid

pipes connect the solenoid valves, check valves and � ow controls

to cylinders, actuators, motors, grippers and air nozzles.

How to ensure a robust pneumatic system


Dave Perkontechnical editor

[email protected]

automation basics

Solenoid valves are a � rst stop for much of the prepped air in a

pneumatic system.

CD1904_54_AutoBasics.indd 54 3/25/19 12:40 PM

Our new TF1 Series of touchless position sensors is based on Novotechnik’s advancedinductive technology.1 It provides several benefits to machine designers by overcomingissues encountered in legacy magnetostrictive and other inductive technologies.

Not Flakey—avoid errors from magnetized metal flakes or filings. TF1 Series’ technology does not incorporate a magnet in the moving position marker that can trap flakes between the marker and sensor.

EMI Immunity—our advanced inductive sensing is immune to spurious errors from electro-magnetic interference (EMI) generated by high-powered machinery.

Speed—with an update rate of 100 µsec, it is much faster than virtually any magnetostrictive sensor, and it maintains its full accuracy up to its 10 kHz cycle rate.

Robust—TF1 Series of sensors maintain critical specifications, including absolute linearity of ≤ ± 0.025%, while operating—even when subjected to their specified 20 g of vibration and 100 g shock. Many magnetostrictive sensors do not come close.

Plug-in compatible with most magnetostrictive sensors, contact one of our technical specialists to discuss your application.

Novotechnik U.S., Inc.Telephone: 508-485-2244Email: [email protected]

Video, more info and specs at:www.novotechnik.com/tf1

TF1 Series - Better Sensors,Better Machine Performance

1. Patents issued in the U.S. and other countries.

CD1904_FPA.indd 55 3/25/19 3:16 PM

190318_AutoC_CTRL_US.indd 1 3/18/19 2:51 PMCD1904_FPA.indd 56 3/25/19 3:17 PM

Documents

How consumer behavior and distribution channels are changing … · 2019. 4. 11. · APRIL 2019 INTELLIGENT DESIGN SOFTWARE SMARTS ON THE EDGE BETTER CODE THROUGH REUSE How consumer