by Gary Mintchell | Aug 19, 2024 | News, Organizations, Process Control, Sensors
Partnerships continue to form core strategy in this maturing industrial marketplace. This partnership allows each entity to focus resources on their core businesses forming a new entity with another focus.
Perhaps more technology companies should consider splitting out pieces of the business that could be focused and innovative. Then the core business could also be more focused and innovative. We’ve seen Emerson realign its portfolio over the past few years, for example.
German sensor company SICK and the Swiss measurement and automation technology specialist Endress+Hauser have agreed on a strategic partnership. Endress+Hauser will take over worldwide sales and service of SICK’s process analyzers and gas flowmeters, with a joint venture to be established for their production and further development. The aim of the partnership is to provide customers with even better support in increasing their efficiency and sustainability.
SICK and Endress+Hauser signed a joint memorandum of understanding for a strategic partnership in October 2023. Since then, the project has been examined and plans for implementing the cooperation have been drawn up. Following approval by the respective supervisory bodies, representatives of both companies have now signed a corresponding agreement. The closing of the transaction is planned for the turn of the year 2024/2025 and is subject to approval by antitrust authorities.
As a key aspect of the strategic partnership, Endress+Hauser will take over sales and service for process analysis and gas flow measurement technology completely. Around 800 specialized sales and service employees in 42 countries will transfer from SICK to Endress+Hauser. Customers will benefit by receiving more products from a single source. The global Endress+Hauser sales network will enable additional customers to be acquired, more industries to be reached and new applications to be developed.
From 2025, the production and further development of process analyzers and gas flowmeters will be the responsibility of a joint venture in which each partner will hold a 50 percent stake. It will employ about 730 people at several locations in Germany. The joint venture will work closely with Endress+Hauser’s competence centers to drive product innovations forward efficiently.
SICK is one of the world’s leading solution providers for sensor-based applications in the industrial sector. The core business of factory and logistics automation, which accounts for more than 80 percent of sales, will not be affected by the partnership.
by Gary Mintchell | Jul 10, 2024 | Automation, Process Control
Just when I realized there had been no news for quite a while from the major automation suppliers this news from Emerson came my way. The news concerns expanding DeltaV Automation Platform with the DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 2 update for its distributed control system (DCS). With so few new plants under construction, making upgrades easier becomes an important goal for developers. Especially so for transitioning from legacy competitive systems.
The release empowers users to transition to a DeltaV DCS from more third-party control systems, expands support for Ethernet device networks, and reduces the complexity of state-based control implementations.
“DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 2 provides users new functionality, capabilities and enhancements to further expand seamless data and I/O integration as well as applications to more easily modernize their operations, improve connectivity and collaboration, and lock in operational excellence,” said Claudio Fayad, vice president of technology for Emerson’s process systems and solutions business.
One of the most common barriers to control system modernization is the high cost and labor requirements of transitioning I/O. DeltaV IO.Connect, which lets users replace legacy control systems with modern DeltaV software and controllers while leaving legacy I/O infrastructure in place, now supports multiple third-party control systems.
Plants can now transition to a modern DeltaV control system from the most common third-party systems right away—immediately reaping the benefits of modern control—and transition their I/O infrastructure gradually, on their own schedule, to minimize downtime and risks.
Ethernet-based, high speed, data rich device networks continue to gain popularity across the automation landscape and will only accelerate as Advanced Physical Layer extends the application range in process and hybrid industries. With this latest release, the DeltaV control system has increased the types of data as well as the diagnostic capabilities of the wide range of supported Ethernet-based communication protocols including PROFINET, EtherNet/IP, OPC UA, and Modbus TCP. These enhancements advance the solid foundation of DeltaV automation to exchange increasing volume and variety of data from the next generation of field device networks.
State-based control is a key enabler as many plants drive toward autonomous and semi-autonomous operations to reduce downtime and minimize safety risk. With DeltaV Version 15 Feature Pack 2, engineering and operations teams now have more options for how state-based control sequences execute when operations dictate a change in logic. This optional behavior enables safe and reliable operations while improving the flexibility and maintainability of state-based logic. To improve operator situational awareness the watch area capability of DeltaV Live has also been enhanced to persist as operators navigate between displays.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 25, 2024 | Automation, News, Organizations, Process Control
This news holds relevance for those hoping for “open” process control technology.
The co-owners of Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM), including FieldComm Group, ISA 100 WCI, NAMUR, ODVA, OPC Foundation, PROFIBUS and PROFINET International, VDMA, and ZVEI, today announced the release of the PA-DIM Version 1.1 specification. This release, a testament to collective efforts, includes expanded device type support for process analyzers and an enhanced basic hierarchy structure with new extensions, benefiting the industrial user and vendor manufacturing community.
The PA-DIM specification aims to improve information standardization for process automation applications. All co-owners work together to support a unified information model that seamlessly integrates OT data exchange with IT systems and other higher-level applications. This model includes core parameters, capabilities, status, and diagnostic data based on the NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) initiative. It allows users to access and interpret device information consistently, regardless of the fieldbus protocol, device type, or manufacturer, enhancing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architectures.
Key highlights of the PA-DIM Version 1.1 specification include:
- Expanded device-type support for process analyzers, including Total Organic Carbon (TOC), Continuous Gas, and pH. This extension broadens the scope of the standard, enabling seamless integration and management of analytical instruments within process automation systems.
- Enhancement of the basic hierarchy structure to include new extensions such as device condition sets, signal condition sets, and signal calibration. These extensions give users greater flexibility and functionality in representing device information, including attributes such as type, timestamp, and calibrated values.
PA-DIM facilitates various applications, such as:
- Providing/receiving information to/from HMIs, information apps, and reporting apps.
- Supporting inventory management and remote monitoring applications.
- Enabling real-time control applications, such as reading process values and setting parameters.
- Device configuration and parameterization.
- Configuring device security and monitoring its current hardening status.
- Providing information for device dashboards.
by Gary Mintchell | Jun 20, 2024 | Automation, Manufacturing IT, Process Control, Software
I did not attend Honeywell User Group in Madrid this month. Searching for news from the event, I found a couple of press releases—one regarding Batch Processing, one regarding battery manufacturing, and also news that there will be an Americas HUG in Dallas October 1-3.
Brief information for the new products follows.
Batch Historian
Honeywell Batch Historian comprises a software digitalization solution designed to provide manufacturers with contextualized data history for reporting and analytics, leading to more efficient and cost-effective operations.
Manufacturers often encounter complications analyzing data with a lack of batch visualization, which makes it difficult to expand data usage to advanced applications. With Honeywell Batch Historian, manufacturers can now directly capture data with context from batch engines without complex configuration. The new solution leverages simple drag-and-drop tile configuration, eliminating the need for advanced programming skillsets or detailed historian database knowledge to develop reports.
The software is a standalone application that can be delivered as a module on the Manufacturing Excellence Platform (MXP), or made available as a standard part of every Experion Batch system.
Battery Manufacturing
Honeywell Battery Manufacturing Excellence Platform (Battery MXP) comprises an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered software solution designed to optimize the operation of gigafactories from day one by improving battery cell yields and expediting facility startups for manufacturers.
Battery MXP incorporates AI techniques in the manufacturing process, which enables the detection and remediation of quality issues before they result in scrapped material. The solution then utilizes machine learning to identify conditions that lead to quality issues and turns this data into action-oriented insights that manufacturers can use to improve efficiency and productivity.
by Gary Mintchell | May 31, 2024 | Automation, Process Control
While on the smaller, more flexible Process Control theme, let’s take a look at ABB. That company brought a new editor who came from industry up to the Cleveland suburbs to learn all about their newly designed process control system, the 800xA.
ABB says that as plants keep growing in complexity, the number of tags, and the diversity of field devices and instrumentation. The latest update, version 6.2, is said to reduce the complexity and cost of automation projects.
The design is said to enhance connectivity through improvements in OPC UA support, native Ethernet APL device integration, and the increased quantity of supported PROFINET devices to meet the growing number of network centric I/O and field devices.
Further, native, direct connectivity to PROFIsafe devices increases safety while reducing engineering, installation, and maintenance costs for SIS (Safety Instrumented System) installations.
The new Ethernet I/O marshalling tool makes it easier to distribute individual channels and modules between controllers for projects utilizing network I/O solutions such as Select I/O and S800 on Ethernet.
System 800xA 6.2 now supports the use of Microsoft Defender Antivirus to enhance cyber security while reducing the cost of automation system ownership.
by Gary Mintchell | May 31, 2024 | Automation, Process Control
We often imagine the customers of the large process control systems suppliers we probably think of large corporations who can (and sometimes do) acquire large and complex control systems. A vast part of the market consists of small to mid-sized companies. Sometimes it’s a large corporation but the various plants are small. A few of those were customers of mine back in the day.
Good to see Emerson addressing that market. They’ve introduced the DeltaV Flex System, a subscription service that combines the DeltaV PK Flex Controller, term-based software licensing, and product support in a packaged solution. The new solution provides more flexibility for original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and process manufacturers who create small standalone systems, such as research and development labs, pilot programs, or skids. Subscription features reduce up-front costs and engineering complexity, which helps teams get projects started more quickly.
The DeltaV Flex System leverages Emerson’s DeltaV PK Flex Controller, with base packages starting at 50, 100 or 250 Flex device signal tags (DST). Users can also add DeltaV functionality as needed at any time to customize the DeltaV Flex System to meet their unique application and operational needs.
The DeltaV Flex System provides access to all the functionality of the DeltaV Distributed Control System, including support for PROFINET, DeltaV Live, multiple operation stations, version control and audit trail, full batch functionality, safety and more.
Because DeltaV Flex is a subscription solution, it also includes product support through Emerson’s Guardian digital experience, which offers a secure portal for connecting to technical assistance, managing subscriptions, and interacting with additional software and services tailored to meet users’ specific operational needs.
