by Gary Mintchell | May 21, 2021 | Embedded Control, Internet of Things, Operations Management
Important news about IoT enabling technologies development. Europe and China are first targeted markets. Seemingly US engineers just don’t jump on new technologies and initiatives as quickly as the rest of the world. Management problem? Note that the supporting quotes are from Germany and France.
Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. helps lead the IoT ecosystem forward by introducing the company’s first, purpose-built Internet of Things (IoT) modem solution equipped with 5G connectivity and optimized for Industrial IoT (IIoT) applications.
The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT Modem-RF System is a comprehensive modem-to-antenna solution designed to support the IoT ecosystem in building upgradeable LTE and 5G devices for IoT verticals, accelerate the adoption of 5G connectivity for IoT, and expand the overall opportunity for 5G in the IoT industry. 5G was conceived as a broad connectivity fabric and today the momentum is beginning to exemplify the promised impact and growth of 5G for emerging applications including IoT. Acting as a catalyst for digital transformation, Qualcomm Technologies is at the forefront enabling the ecosystem with the solutions to update existing IoT systems and make 5G for IoT a reality.
The needs of modern IoT include seamlessly transitioning wired factories to wireless with solutions capable of supporting both LTE and 5G connectivity. The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem was designed with industrial and enterprise applications in mind, built with premium gigabit class performance, low-power, and thermal-efficient capabilities to enable a new generation of fast, powerful and high-performing IoT solutions. The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem is intended to meet the needs of industry segments including: retail, energy, automation and manufacturing, precision agricultural, construction, mining, public venues, and more.
With the global expansion of 5G, the Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem is a new solution serving the high end of IoT broadband modems, complementing Qualcomm Technologies’ existing portfolio of LTE IoT modems with a path towards 5G proliferation. Additionally, due to its reduced footprint and highly integrated RF front-end, this solution expands the portfolio, purposely designed to provide a pin-to-pin compatible solution for current LTE legacy modules. This provides legacy modules with ability to upgrade their solutions with no changes needed to existing hardware, minimizing development efforts, costs and providing a seamless transition from LTE to 5G.
“Qualcomm Technologies is continuously optimizing and developing industry-leading technologies and modems ranging from the most power efficient NB-IoT solutions to new products like the Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem, purpose-built to bring 5G connectivity capabilities to IoT,” said Jeffery Torrance, senior vice president, product management, Qualcomm. “We are pleased to unveil our new 5G IoT solution which will help stimulate and scale the 5G IoT industry and enable the transitions needed for Industry 4.0. This solution will help create long-lasting devices and promote growth and expansion in the 5G IoT industry, allowing seamless integration for customers utilizing previous generations of connectivity.”
The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT Modem supports global 5G NR sub-6GHz bands and operates in stand-alone (SA) only mode, with the capability to switch to LTE as needed, and can be deployed over private or public 5G networks, leveraging network slicing or in isolation. This solution is optimal for IoT applications that can be seamlessly integrated with existing ethernet and wired technologies. The new modem comes with extended life software and hardware maintenance and support, prolonging IoT devices for the duration of their life span. This new solution will help accelerate the digital transformation of the 5G IIoT industry, proliferating 5G for IoT.
The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem is expected to be commercially available in the second half of 2021.
The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT Modem is a significant step for the IoT ecosystem:
Bosch:
“5G is an important standard for the factory of the future. We are therefore working intensively on integrating 5G into our products. The Qualcomm 315 5G IoT Modem enables interesting new functions specifically for industrial IoT applications and helps usto open up new applications with 5G,” summarizes Dr. Steffen Haack, Member of the Executive Board of Bosch Rexroth AG and responsible for development.
HMS:
“We recently released the first commercially available 5G router for industrial automation – _a solution that utilizes Qualcomm Technologies’ _5_G_ _solutions. The interest for 5G in industrial applications is steadily growing and we see many advantages with the announcement of the Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem, as it will enable a smaller formfactor for industrial devices and open up new use cases,” said Jens Jakobsen, Development Manager at HMS Labs, HMS Networks’ initiative for new innovation and technology.
Schneider Electric:
“We are excited by the launch of Qualcomm 315 5G IoT modem which addresses the specific needs for massive bandwidth, reliability, and performance across industries. This technology has the potential to become a catalyst of digitization, helping unlock unprecedented opportunities and efficiencies in innovative 5G industrial applications,” said Benoit Jacquemin, Innovation director Industry business, Schneider Electric.
Siemens:“Siemens and Qualcomm Technologies have a longstanding collaboration focused on technological cooperation in wireless communication technologies. With the release of products such as the Qualcomm 315 5G IoT Modem, Qualcomm Technologies shows its strong commitment to drive the digital transformation of industry and enables us to develop state-of-the-art Industrial 5G products,” said Sander Rotmensen, Director Industrial Wireless Communication, Siemens AG, Digital Industries.
by Gary Mintchell | May 20, 2021 | Automation, Manufacturing IT, Networking, Security, Technology
I received few news releases from Rockwell Automation for several years. Suddenly I gained a new friend, Jack, who sends something almost every week. It’s good to know that one of the largest control and automation suppliers in North America is still churning out updated products.
I’ve been saving these up for a bit. Included in this post:
- CIP Security Proxy Device
- Plant floor asset management
- Stack light
- Medium voltage drives
- Connected Components Software Workbench
- Managed Ethernet switch
- Network security threat detection
CIP Security Proxy Device
Industrial companies can now implement CIP Security expansively in their systems with the Allen-Bradley CIP Security Proxy. The CIP Security Proxy allows users to implement CIP Security on most devices on their network.
The CIP Security Proxy works with EtherNet/IP-compliant devices. CIP Security is part of the defense in depth strategy, which can help defend against attacks where threat actors can remotely access a network and act maliciously. With the ability to provide CIP Security for a single device, a layer of security is added that can help protect the system.
Configuration for the proxy device can be achieved through FactoryTalk Policy Manager software and FactoryTalk system services. In addition, this device supports motion for Kinetix drives and offers a web server for viewing diagnostics. It allows for secure event generation syslog support and includes rotary switches for 192.168.1.xyz IP addressing. The proxy device also contains three one-gigabit EtherNet/IP ports and can operate in temperatures from -25° to +70° Celsius adding to the ease of use.
Plant-Floor Asset Management with Enhanced Software
Industrial workers can now more easily manage their hundreds or thousands of automation assets using the enhanced FactoryTalk AssetCentre software from Rockwell Automation. The latest release provides firmware and software lifecycle information for all assets in one place. This saves time because workers no longer need to connect to control cabinets and manually record information for each device.
With the software’s enhanced asset inventory functionality, workers can quickly scan a network and see which devices are in a specific lifecycle state. Examples include devices running retired firmware or forecasted to be discontinued in the next six months. This helps identify products in the same lifecycle state and workers can better plan for replacements and upgrades.
The FactoryTalk AssetCentre software also has a new security feature called archive management of change, which automates the process of authorizing who can change files and what they can change. It requires workers to explain why files need to be changed and verifies that only necessary files are being checked out. It also locks a file until changes are approved and escalates approval requests when needed.
This helps enhance system security, which is particularly useful for some industries such as oil and gas, that require added levels of control over when changes are permitted. For example, one major food company reduced its downtime events from unknown or unauthorized changes by 7% using FactoryTalk AssetCentre software. It can also reduce downtime due to change management.
These updates add to the software’s existing ability to report discontinuation dates and the availability of replacement products. The enhanced software now also provides disaster-recovery support for more Rockwell Automation devices as well as third-party devices.
Stack Light
The new Allen-Bradley 856T Control Tower Stack Light system uses a modular design that incorporates brighter LED illumination and a broad offering of sound technologies. All signals in the system are 24V AC/DC powered, which means that just three power modules can cover the entire system. The latest additions to the 856T Control Tower Stack Light family are IO-Link enabled versions that provide diagnostic information and ease integration into a Connected Enterprise.
IO-Link enabled versions of Bulletin 856T Control Tower Stack Lights enable users to monitor tower light and machine status in real-time, while allowing for simple remote set-up and troubleshooting.
Medium Voltage Drives
Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 6000T medium voltage drives now include TotalFORCE technology from Rockwell Automation, which provides precise control of speed and torque, diagnostic information for tracking system health and automatic adjustments to keep operations running smoothly.
The PowerFlex 6000T drives follow speed or torque commands closely in both open- and closed-loop vector control modes to deliver the precise control required for high performance and large loads.
The drives also continuously monitor operations to track the health of electrical components in the drive and motor and provide real-time diagnostic information to the control system.
Additionally, adaptive control features within the PowerFlex 6000T drives help isolate potentially harmful vibration and resonances, and automatically compensate for variances to help keep applications running. With load-observer technology, they also effectively reject disturbances when loads change suddenly, helping to keep operations running smoothly and increasing output.
Connected Components Software Workbench
Industrial engineers can more efficiently design and configure stand-alone machines using the latest release of Connected Components Workbench software from Rockwell Automation. With several new and enhanced features, the software improves download and build performance to create more efficient, user-friendly design processes.
Highlights of what’s new in version 13 of Connected Components Workbench software include:
- A new Global and Local variable data grid that delivers capabilities to help engineers develop projects faster. For example, a quick declaration feature allows users to create multiple variables with the same prefix, suffix and data type in one click. An intuitive filter bar allows users to find tags quickly.
- An enhanced Run Mode Change (RMC) capability that enables users to make edits without downloading project source code. This can speed up online edits and create smoother, more seamless design experiences.
- A new Controller Organizer view that gives engineers the option to switch to a Logix Theme programming experience. This allows them to work in a more familiar environment and use copy-and-paste ladder logic from the Studio 5000 Logix Designer application.
- An enhanced Global Connection capability on existing system tags in the PanelView 800 DesignStation that gives users greater flexibility to configure remote system connections.
The Connected Components Workbench software helps simplify the development of stand-alone machines that are built with the Rockwell Automation Micro Control system. Engineers can configure, program and visualize the major control components of their stand-alone machines in a single software environment. They can also use tools like the Micro800 Simulator to validate their application code without the need for hardware.
Managed Ethernet Switch
Allen-Bradley Stratix 5800 managed industrial Ethernet switch supports layer 2 access switching and layer 3 routing for use in multiple layers of the architecture. Robust security capabilities and ISA/IEC 62443-4-2 certification help enhance network security.
The Stratix 5800 switch has fixed and modular designs, giving users flexibility to configure it based on application needs. It offers combinations of copper, fiber and Power over Ethernet (PoE) ports to support a wide range of architectures.
The switch helps ease integration by addressing the needs of both operations (OT) and IT teams. Studio 5000 Add-on Profiles enable premier integration into the Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture. And the Cisco IOS-XE operating system helps ease integration to the enterprise.
“Reducing the complexity of IT/OT convergence is a priority today as companies need to connect their operations while managing challenges like skills shortages and security threats,” said Mark Devonshire, product manager, Rockwell Automation. “The Stratix 5800 managed switch helps simplify the jobs of IT and OT teams, and helps improve security and high performance for industrial environments.”
Certification to ISA/IEC 62443-4-2 verifies that the switch meets the standard’s technical requirements to security level 2 for industrial automation and control systems. This continues the efforts of Rockwell Automation to help secure industrial operations through certifications, expertise, products and services.
Rockwell Automation Expands Threat Detection Services with Cisco Cyber Vision
The longstanding alliance between Rockwell Automation and Cisco continues to find new ways to provide customer value with the announcement that Rockwell Automation is adding Cisco’s Cyber Vision solution to its existing LifecycleIQ Services portfolio of cybersecurity threat detection offerings.
While convergence is essential to a digital transformation, it also presents challenges such as siloed networks, cybersecurity threats, skills shortages, and an abundance of production data and solutions. The leaders in their respective industries have worked together to offer jointly developed architectures, services and products to help companies address these challenges as they work toward building a Connected Enterprise.
As this deeper integration between IT, cloud and industrial networks creates security issues that become digitization obstacles, Cyber Vision provides full visibility into industrial control systems to build secure infrastructures and enforce security policies – achieving the continuity, resilience, and safety of industrial operations. The addition of Cyber Vision to the LifecycleIQ Services threat detection offerings provides a unique switch-based architecture for customers with existing Cisco solutions, greenfield networks or those updating their Cisco network infrastructure.
by Gary Mintchell | May 19, 2021 | Data Management, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management, Software
I have not talked with anyone from Rockwell Automation for months. So, it was time to catch up with Keith Higgins who joined the company within the past couple of years as VP of Digital Transformation leading the software group. As we might expect, digital transformation technologies and products include the analytics portfolio, MES, and the coordination with PTC’s products including ThingWorx, Kepware, and Vuforia.
Since I was fresh from a conversation with another supplier about the Edge, I brought that up in the context of analytics and ThingWorx. Higgins began to explain the power of using the PLC as an edge device. Rockwell has not talked to me for years about the PLC, but I remember that for years it has added compute and networking capability into that platform. Time for me to get an update there, too. My wild guess is that no sufficiently enticing partnership could be hacked out with Dell Technologies or HPE using their Edge compute. And, they already had a powerful Edge device that just needed IT-level bolstering. This will be interesting to watch.
Higgins brought up a tire plant example where having production data in context at the edge with the ability to perform predictive analytics combined for a powerful management tool.
One theme that recurs in this discussion in general is the necessity for solid context for data. Higgins having brought that up regarding the tire plant example, continued to a discussion of a technology/product developed in partnership with Microsoft called SmartObjects. This is a rich data model that adds deep context to data. My feeble way of thinking of this would be something like a modern data model like MQTT and OPC UA on steroids (no disparagement of either of those technologies meant).
I’ve been thinking deeply about productivity lately, so I asked about it. Rockwell views its contribution to its customers’ productivity in three buckets:
- Assets—building on predictive analytics, predictive maintenance, condition monitoring, and the like;
- Production line—improving utilization of the production assets;
- Human productivity—for example, the recent acquisition of CMMS supplier Fiix
I’m definitely interested in seeing where Rockwell’s new emphasis in software and edge goes. Many years ago, I asked then-CEO Keith Nosbusch about the software business. He said at that time it was an experiment. Higgins didn’t say that exact thing, but his remarks left no doubt that his area is primed to be a Rockwell growth vehicle.
by Gary Mintchell | May 19, 2021 | Data Management, Enterprise IT, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management
Our schedules finally converged. I caught up with Tom Bradicich, PhD, known within Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) as “Dr. Tom,” to learn the latest on the converged edge. Tom is one of the half-dozen or so people I know who can dump so much information on my brain that it takes some time to digest and organize it. He led development of the Edgeline device connecting with the Industrial Internet of Things. He is now VP and HPE Fellow leading HPE Labs developing software to come to grips with the complexities of the converged edge and “Converged Edge-as-a-Service”.
He likes to organize his thoughts in numerical groups. I’m going to discuss converged edge below with his groupings:
3 C’s
4 Stages of the Edge
7 Reasons for IoT and the Edge
3 Act Play
12 Challenges
The foundation of the converged edge is found in the 3 C’s:
- Perpetual Connectivity
- Pervasive Computing
- Precision Controls
I remember Tony Perkins following up the demise of Red Herring magazine (charting the hot startup and M&A craze of the 90s, the magazine grew so large it came in two volumes for a while) with an online group called AlwaysOn. Trouble is, back in the 90s, we weren’t “always on.” Persistent connectivity was beyond our technology back then. Now, however, things have changed. We have so much networking, with more to come, that perpetual connectivity is not only possible, but also mundane.
HPE didn’t take a personal computer and package it for the edge. It developed Edgeline with the power of its enterprise compute along with enterprise grade stacks. It is powerful.
Then we have the 4 Stages of the Edge:
- Things—sensors and actuators
- Data Capture & Controls
- Edge IT (networking, compute, storage)
- Remote Cloud or Data Center
This is where Internet of Things meets the Enterprise.
Why do we need edge compute and not just IoT-to-Cloud? 7 Reasons:
- Minimize Latency
- Reduce bandwidth
- Lower cost
- Reduce threats
- Avoid duplication
- Improve reliability
- Maintain compliance
The Converged Edge is a 3-Act Play:
- Edgeline systems & software; stack identicality
- Converged embedded PXI and OT Link
- Converged Edge-as-a-Service
At this point in time, we are faced with 12 challenges to implementation:
- Limited bandwidth
- Smaller footprint for control plane and container
- Limited to no IT skills at the edge
- Higher ratio of control systems for compute/storage nodes
- Provisioning & lifecycle management of OT systems and IoT devices
- OT applications are primarily “stateful”, cloud unfriendly
- Data from analog world & industrial protocols
- Unreliable connectivity—autonomous disconnect operation
- Higher security vulnerabilities
- Hostile and unfamiliar physical environments and locations
- Long-tail hardware and software revenue model—many sites, fewer systems
- Deep domain expertise needed for the many unique edges
Of course, we could go into each of these items. Dr. Tom does in one of his latest talks (I believe it was at Hannover). We should pause at number 12, though. This is an often-overlooked necessity by AI evangelists and other predictive maintenance would-be disrupters. When you begin messing with industrial, whether process or discrete manufacturing, it really pays to know the process deeply.
I can’t believe I summarized this in less than a 600-word essay (is that still the common university requirement?). It is just an outline, but it should reveal where HPE has been and where it is going. I think its power will be disruptive to industrial architectures.
by Gary Mintchell | May 17, 2021 | Manufacturing IT, Operations Management
Anyone reading this still curious about Microsoft appointing Satya Nadella CEO coming from the Web services division (Azure) or Amazon appointing Andy Jassy CEO coming from Amazon Web Services (AWS)? Those services continue to grow in importance to industrial software solutions. Case in point—this announcement from Seeq.
Seeq Corporation announced a new offering on Amazon Web Services (AWS) to accelerate access to manufacturing data for enabling AWS analytics on industrial data. The Seeq AWS Glue integration for Enterprise Historians, available on AWS Marketplace, simplifies industrial data discovery and migration to the AWS cloud using Seeq’s proven historian data access architecture.
Seeq also announced the completion of its SOC2 Type 1 certification. SOC 2 compliance is a critical consideration for companies evaluating SaaS applications to ensure vendors have the appropriate controls to protect data handled on their systems.
Seeq enables engineers and scientists in process manufacturing organizations to rapidly analyze, predict, collaborate, and share insights to improve production and business outcomes. Seeq customers include companies in the oil and gas, pharmaceutical, chemical, energy, mining, food and beverage, and other process industries.
AWS Glue is a serverless data integration service that makes it easy to discover, prepare, and combine data for analytics, machine learning, and application development. The integration of Seeq and AWS Glue creates a secure and virtualized connection to on premise historian databases, manages data discoverability, and enables data science teams to access this data for machine learning in AWS. The result is simplified access to machine data, process data, and contextual data stored in historian databases—including the OSIsoft PI system, OSIsoft PI Asset Framework (AF), AspenTech IP21—along with other data historians.
“Analytics software for manufacturing customers is an area long overdue for innovation,” says Megan Buntain, Director of Cloud Partnerships at Seeq. “By choosing Seeq SaaS to democratize innovations in big data, machine learning, and computer science, industrial organizations can easily access new capabilities to improve production and business success.”
In addition to Seeq integration with AWS, Seeq connects to an extensive set of data storage platforms from vendors including OSIsoft, Siemens, GE, Honeywell, Inductive Automation, AVEVA, AspenTech, Yokogawa, InfluxDB, Snowflake, and others. Seeq is available worldwide through a global partner network of system integrators, which provides training and resale support for Seeq in over 40 countries, in addition to its direct sales organization in North America and Europe.
