by Gary Mintchell | Oct 20, 2022 | Manufacturing IT, Networking, Operations Management, Standards
A few years ago I thought Time Sensitive Networking (TSN) had potential benefits for industrial networking. This IEEE standard would do the synchronizing that only custom chips do now. As a standard, commercially available chips should be plentiful and inexpensive. Technical snafus ensued. We are still waiting. There are advances.
- Avnu Alliance, the industry forum driving deterministic capabilities into open, standards-based networking, announced expansion of its time sensitive networking (TSN) Test Tool program by opening the test tool ecosystem to new vendors.
- 3rd party vendor test tools can be verified and validated through Avnu’s rigorous process, which is designed and maintained by experienced certification management professionals and TSN subject matter experts to ensure that it meets the interoperability standards of Avnu’s Global Certification Program.
- The Avnu Express Test Tool is a low-cost, entry-level evaluation test tool that allows members to internally verify if a device will pass certification tests before submitting to testing. The Avnu Express Test Tool provides valuable insights into the product that can be used to optimize and debug product development, increasing the probability of certification success.
by Gary Mintchell | Oct 6, 2022 | Automation, Networking, Standards
Technical standards are a good thing for users of technology and products built to the standard. However, we all have stories about some company or another’s “standard” perhaps not exactly being interoperable with other companies’ “standard” products. Conformance testing and registration give users some assurance that products will work together.
This test and registration from the FieldComm Group provides conformance testing and registration for industrial instrumentation technologies for the process automation sector for Ethernet-APL solutions — power switches and field switches.
- Pepperl+Fuchs Rail Field Switches are the First Ethernet-APL Products to Achieve Registration
- Ethernet-APL is an enhanced physical layer for single-pair Ethernet (SPE) based on 10BASET1L. This new physical layer provides end-users with a resilient, isolated and powered Ethernet network for process automation.
- FieldComm Group has worked closely with ODVA, OPC Foundation, and PROFIBUS & PROFINET International in a concerted collaboration in developing the test specifications and processes for Ethernet-APL products.
- FieldComm Group has developed a conformity assessment system to support Ethernet-APL switching hardware. FieldComm Group assesses products for overall conformity to the Ethernet-APL standards using a combination of test results from specialized laboratories and in-house testing services.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 29, 2022 | Automation, Networking
Advanced Physical Layer (APL) for Ethernet generated much hype for quite some time. Product may be coming your way before too long.
After almost 4 years of close and fruitful collaboration among the four leading standards development organizations, FieldComm Group, ODVA, OPC Foundation, and PROFIBUS & PROFINET International (PI), combined with significant support from 12 major industry project partners, the participants are pleased to announce a successful completion of the APL Project. The result is a completely available 10Mbit technology for a new two-wire, Intrinsically Safe Physical Layer called Ethernet-APL.
The main results of the APL Project are port profile specifications to create the Ethernet-APL solution for multiple power levels with and without explosion hazardous area protection, engineering guidelines and best practices for planning and installation, and conformance test specifications and test tools. As a single physical layer, Ethernet-APL supports EtherNet/IP, HART-IP, OPC UA, PROFINET, or any other higher-level network protocol.
The APL Project has also worked with semiconductor manufacturers to bring 10BASE-T1L Phy chipsets for Ethernet-APL to market.
BASF and Procter & Gamble have demonstrated that Ethernet-APL has very good suitability for use in process applications through their internal testing.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 22, 2022 | Automation, Cloud, Data Management, Motion Control, Networking, Robots, Technology
I didn’t have time to finish this about IMTS/Hannover Messe when I found myself in rainy Folsom, CA at the Inductive Automation’s Ignition Community Conference. More on that later.
Here is a quick recap of my tour around two of the four full halls that comprised the event. I heard that there were more than 100,000 people who also toured the trade show floors.
Robotics
OnRobot — OnRobot Previews D:PLOY for Machine Tending at IMTS. D:PLOY automatically discovers and configures all the components in a robotic cell – including any leading collaborative or light industrial robot arm and tools – while also integrating external I/O from sensors and machines. D:PLOY will be available for all common robotic applications, making deployment up to 80% faster. See more.
Universal Robots—The booth featured nine partners with vertical industry applications and a new 20 kg cobot.
The UR20, the first of next-generation high performance cobots, has been redesigned from the ground up to provide up to 30% more speed and torque, advanced motion control capabilities, and first-class user experience. Its 20 kg payload and 1750 mm reach make it a match for applications ranging from palletizing to machine loading.
These partners exhibited within the booth. Click for more information. Cobot Systems, Hirebotics, Kane Robotics, MidAtlantic Machinery, PCC Robotics, Robotiq, Schunk, Vectis Automation, VersaBuilt.
ABB—Highlights include versatile industrial and collaborative robots, software advancements that reduce programming complexity, and a selection of interactive robotic educational systems and training programs.
• ABB has developed over 30 new robot, software digital and educational products and educational tools in the last year, designed to help industrial manufacturers of all sizes increase their operational performance and gain better access to a well-trained workforce
• ABB helps businesses of all sizes embrace the flexibility afforded by robotics to efficiently adapt production to satisfy their customer’s most pressing needs, especially as reshoring becomes a prominent means to address ongoing supply chain backlogs
For more information.
CNC
Siemens—Accelerating the digital transformation of the machine tool industry with Siemens Xcelerator
• Siemens Xcelerator includes selected portfolio of IoT-enabled hardware, software and digital offerings for the machine tool industry
• Software applications for cloud, edge and customer servers with numerous innovations for the machine tool business
• First partner applications based upon Industrial Edge for Machine Tools, the open ecosystem for IoT
New technology functions for the SINUMERIK ONE CNC simplify operation and increase productivity
• Y-turning and Advanced Rapid Movement for greater machine tool productivity,
up to 10% faster machining
• Reduced Dynamic Mode reduces wear and increases availability
• End-to-end keyboard and machine control panel portfolio from 15 to 24 inches
The introduction of Mcenter, a new manufacturing and resource management platform, designed to enhance the preparation of tool scheduling, workflow supervision and NC program management — plus Mcenter will smartly and seamlessly network the machine tools with the company’s IT / OT landscape.
For more information.
Automation
MFA Alliance — You may have noticed several items about private 5G networks for manufacturing and industrial applications. Several companies have joined this private network alliance.
Find out which features you need to implement for your 5G private network device with Uni5G Technology Blueprints. Discover available spectrum options (locally licensed, shared, unlicensed) around the world for your private network. Gain access to MFA’s shared global PLMN-ID which can uniquely identify your private network.
GE Digital — Announced it has achieved Amazon Web Services (AWS) Industrial Software Competency status. GE Digital is also expanding its offerings in the AWS Marketplace with new cloud-based operational intelligence and Manufacturing Execution System (MES) software.
For more information.
Deacom (ECI Software)—With a deep awareness of the challenges faced by process manufacturers and distributors, Deacom has been developed as an ERP solution tailored to the needs of medium-sized enterprises within industries such as Food & Beverage, Chemical and Coatings, Cosmetics, Pharmaceuticals, and Nutraceuticals to name a few. Hyper-Tight Process Control enables you to easily identify issues within your supply chain, production, and order-to-cash processes early and fix – or eliminate – them before they turn into costly mistakes.
For more information.
HighByte — I talked with two of the founders of this DataOps company. It has a new release coming, teaser about future releases. My takeaway, DataOps has found customer footing. Watch for growth. For more information.
Artek 3D scanning — Perhaps the coolest demos of the show—handheld 3D scanning, built-in screen so that you don’t have to move it around and juggle a computer at the same time. Quickly transform your object into 3D graphics. For more information.
ATT — The takeaway from my conversation at the AT&T booth was that 5G private networks are really in use. Also, you can go to the AT&T Business LinkedIn page for a “chat” that I participated in about smart factory. For more information.
Beckhoff Automation—The XPlanar magnetic conveyor was the hot thing in this booth. The XPlanar planar motor system combines the advantages of conventional transport technologies with magnetic levitation. The levitating 2D product transport enables a wide range of new options for handling products within a machine and also between several machines.
Similar to automated guided vehicle systems, the user benefits from the freedom of movement of the object carriers: Individual goods can be transported to any location via any route. XPlanar combines this flexibility with the dynamics of conventional linear motors and offers added value through cycle-time-optimized linking of individual production steps. XPlanar significantly simplifies individual production steps because the degrees of freedom and accuracy familiar from robotics can be used for 6D product handling. The concept of product positioning during processing is applied to the transport system. The floating effect replaces all mechanical guide components and drastically reduces cleaning and maintenance costs.
For more information.
Syntax — As I walked through the AWS booth, a woman at one of the kiosks called out, want to learn about predictive maintenance? This enterprise software company touts a better UI difference—one dashboard, one interface, predict material usage. For more information.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 16, 2022 | Data Management, Edge, Enterprise IT, Manufacturing IT, Networking, Operations Management, Wireless
IMTS / Hannover Messe invaded Chicago this week. I drove down a couple of days. It was huge. Booths populated all four halls. I did not see everything. Or even half.
Hannover Messe (in Chicago) has co-located for the past three or four events. As in the past, the automation / Hannover Messe part encompassed a few aisles in the East hall.
I’ll have more news items in the next post.
Best of what I saw:
Nokia. What?! I was approached for an appointment. I said yes figuring on a 5G private network discussion. I was partly right.
Let me back up for context.
- Enterprises crave data to feed their information systems.
- Data from industrial / manufacturing operations were bottled in isolated, siloed systems
- Networking became robust
- Interoperable protocols grew
- The Internet of Things (IoT) became a thing
- Suddenly data could go where and when needed
Solutions.
- Automation vendors claimed connectivity to enterprise but that fell short
- IT suppliers, supporters of the enterprise, tried to enter the market with gateways, networking, partnerships and ecosystems to get the data.
- They couldn’t find the formula to sell to manufacturing (known as OT)
- We have gateways, databases, networking, but still no enterprise solution
Nokia.
- Builds off networking technology which has progressed to 5G Private Networks
- Has added edge compute devices
- Partnership with PTC (Kepware / Thingworx) for software connectivity
- Attacking this open market from a new perspective–both the enterprise IT side and the operations OT side
I am not predicting success. I never do. What I love about trade shows is finding this nugget of original thinking cloaked in the mundane. They have the foundation. Can they sell?
Check out this page on the Nokia site.
