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Nvent at Automation Fair

A marketing person offered a meeting with Sanu Warrier, Software Product Director at nVent during the recent Automation Fair. I have not kept up with all mergers and acquisitions. NVent is the parent company of Hoffman enclosures and much more.

My last update from this company was several years ago. I was familiar with electrical enclosure layout CAD software. A customer actually bought one from me in the 90s. But why would there be a director of software and a meeting?

This software has progressed from my time. It provides digital twin technology. Manufacturers, machine builders, and OEMs find this helpful. The software provides information for wire routing, hydraulics and pneumatics information, schematics, panel layout for hole drilling, components library. They incorporate one of my favorite applications included is workflow for building the panel, provides information for cutting and putting connectors of each wire, then information for which wire to assemble next and where to connect it. And, of course, work instructions.

The application is called Assembly Task Manager, Connected Assembly.

Very interesting.

ODVA News from SPS

Through the wonders of modern digital networking, I attended the annual ODVA press conference from Nuremberg without the expense of travel. They had two announcements. Perhaps I can make the annual meeting in Florida next March.

EtherNet/IP Concurrent Connections for Critical Applications now Available with CIP Safety

CIP Safety on EtherNet/IP technology has been enhanced to allow for the use of Concurrent Connections for applications requiring both high availability and functional safety. Concurrent Connections allow for communication redundancy between multiple producing and consuming devices for the most critical automation processes. CIP Safety provides fail-safe communication between nodes such as safety I/O blocks, safety interlock switches, safety light curtains and safety controllers in both machine and process automation safety applications up to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 according to IEC 61508 standards. The use of Concurrent Connections with CIP Safety on EtherNet/IP allows for redundancy and functional safety to be integrated to ensure the best uptime and worker safety.

Concurrent Connections are CIP connections that support fault tolerance via redundant devices. Concurrent Connections enable many CIP connection paths, which allows data to be sent multiple times over multiple paths between the producing and consuming devices, independent of how the devices are physically interconnected. Originators, routers, and targets can all have multiple devices participating, and the Concurrent Connection and any of the duplicated device pairs can fulfill the role and the connection. This reduces time that would otherwise be needed to detect failures and eliminates the time that would have to be spent switching between paired devices. The redundant pair send and receive data continuously, so even if a failure is detected in one of the devices, the control process can continue uninterrupted.

CIP Safety mitigates common errors that can result in hazardous situations via various techniques as described in IEC 61784-3-2. Time stamps are used with time expectation to detect if packets are lost, delayed, repeated or transmitted out of order. Unique device identifiers are used to authenticate the communication between two safety devices. Additional diagnostics and checks are included to validate that the messages are not corrupted in transit and all these features are separate from standard communication methods.  When these mitigations are put together as CIP Safety, a single connection between two devices (wired or wireless) can be used for communications certified up to SIL 3 per IEC 61508 and up to Category 4/PLe per ISO 13849-1.

“The availability of Concurrent Connections for CIP Safety on EtherNet/IP creates a whole new level of assurance that industrial networks will be both resilient and safe in the face of device failure or communication errors,” according to Dr. Al Beydoun, President and Executive Director of ODVA. “Concurrent Connections for CIP Safety is a win-win that offers the highest availability and functional safety together to enable the toughest applications to be handled while reducing injuries and increasing output.”

CIP Safety and Concurrent Connections have been available separately to provide industrial network functional safety and redundancy in the case of device errors or failure. The purpose of Concurrent Connections for CIP Safety is to provide automation network designers with a way to leverage both the higher system availability advantages offered by standard Concurrent Connections while maintaining the safety integrity offered by CIP Safety connections. 

Process Device Profiles for EtherNet/IP Expanded to Include RTD and Thermocouple Temperature Sensors 

New process device profiles for temperature sensors are now available as a part of The EtherNet/IPTM Specification. Process device profiles help system integrators and end users to be able to efficiently commission new devices and to more easily replace devices for optimized plant operations. Process device profiles provide standardization for process variables and diagnostics for smoother vendor interoperability and easier controller data integration from EtherNet/IP network capable field devices. Device profiles are available for Coriolis flow, electromagnetic flow, vortex flow, standard pressure, scaled pressure, and now Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) and thermocouple temperature devices. The value of the standard formatting of process variables, data totals, and diagnostics that process device profiles provide is further enhanced with the new addition of temperature profiles.

The introduction of process device profiles for temperature, in addition to flow and pressure, supports more seamless integration for end users through a greater ecosystem of EtherNet/IP device interchangeability. The temperature device profile contains one instance of the process measurement value object to provide a temperature value and status.  The device profile also contains several process device diagnostics instances to provide diagnostic information. Temperature devices measure relative heat or cold using a thermocouple or RTD device. Thermocouples rely on two dissimilar metals joined at one end producing a voltage difference between the two materials to measure temperature. The voltage is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the two ends. RTDs operate based on the principle that the electrical resistance of a metal increases with temperature. RTDs tend to provide greater accuracy while thermocouples can offer a greater temperature sensing range.

“The addition of a new temperature process device profiles for EtherNet/IP provides end users with another valuable tool to enable more efficient device commissioning and replacement,” said Dr. Al Beydoun, President and Executive Director of ODVA. “All EtherNet/IP process device profiles are aligned with the Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) and NAMUR NE 107 diagnostics. This allows for easier movement of data from the factory floor to the cloud for analysis and action and quicker identification of maintenance issues through standardization.”

EtherNet/IP process device profiles allow for improved vendor interoperability through standardized access to process variables and critical diagnostics such as NAMUR NE 107 status signals as well as more seamless integration with PA-DIM. The addition of temperature devices to EtherNet/IP process device profiles enlarges the ecosystem available devices that offer simpler commissioning and enhanced asset monitoring and integration into higher level PLC, DCS, and cloud-based systems. ODVA is continuing to adapt EtherNet/IP to the full requirements of the process industries through support of technologies including Ethernet-APL, PA-DIM, NAMUR, FDI, and process device profiles. Visit odva.org to obtain the latest version of The EtherNet/IP Specification including temperature process devices profiles for EtherNet/IP.

Emerson Announces Actions to Complete Portfolio Transformation

I’ve written about the market I’ve covered for the past 25 years becoming mature. Symptoms of a mature market include portfolio restructuring to concentrate on a particular segment. We’ve seen this with several of the prominent automation companies. Emerson has also been shedding businesses. They have just announced three more strategic moves.

  • Emerson has made a proposal to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of AspenTech (“AspenTech”) not already owned by Emerson for $240 per share in cash. The proposed transaction follows Emerson’s 55% majority investment in AspenTech, which was completed in 2022. Emerson currently owns approximately 57% of AspenTech’s outstanding shares of common stock. Upon completion of the transaction, AspenTech would become a wholly owned subsidiary of Emerson.  
  • Emerson has commenced a process to explore strategic alternatives, including a cash sale, for the Safety & Productivity segment, which comprises the remaining businesses not related to automation in Emerson’s portfolio.
  • Emerson plans to repurchase approximately $2.0 billion of its common stock in fiscal year 2025, with approximately $1.0 billion of the repurchase expected to be completed in the first quarter of fiscal year 2025. 

Emerson believes bringing AspenTech fully into the company accelerates realization of software-defined control. Developments over the last 3 years have proven the value and feasibility of software-defined control.

Companies taking this sort of action always believe in “synergies.” As a single company leveraging the proven Emerson Management System, there will be opportunities for immediate additional cost efficiencies from the transaction. Commercially, the proposed transaction drives greater alignment, collaboration and integration, to allow Emerson and AspenTech to invest, innovate and cross-sell more effectively and drive further sales synergies over time. 

Exploring Strategic Alternatives for Safety & Productivity Segment

Emerson also announced today that it is exploring strategic alternatives for its Safety & Productivity segment, including a cash sale, to maximize shareholder value. The segment, which includes Emerson’s legacy tools businesses, contributed $1.4 billion of sales to Emerson in fiscal year 2024, with 24.5% Adjusted Segment EBITA2 margins. 

Increasing Return of Capital to Shareholders 

Emerson also announced today that it plans to repurchase approximately $2.0 billion of its common stock in fiscal year 2025 increasing its total capital returned to shareholders to approximately 100 percent of the guided free cash flow. Emerson expects to complete approximately $1.0 billion of the repurchase by the end of the first fiscal quarter.  

AVEVA Launches Managed Solution Provider Partner Program

Two pieces of news from AVEVA blessed my email client while I was vacationing the past couple of weeks. This one about their partner program. The next post reports on the customer conference held recently in Paris more specifically about the Connect platform.

Partners and Principals engage in a delicate dance. This dance sometimes works well for a while. Sometimes the partners dance to different beats. One partner doing hip-hop with the other the waltz ends miserably. I have seen a couple over the past 25 years that have successfully blended into an excellent Tango making beautiful art.

I wish this new Partner Ecosystem well. Time will tell what the beat is.

  • AVEVA’s Partner Ecosystem is launching a new Partner Program offering flexibility and choice for AVEVA partners, enabled via the CONNECT platform.
  • The new Program will focus on offering companies the ability to build new solutions utilizing AVEVA software components and the CONNECT industrial intelligence platform; as well as the opportunity to market the offer commercially to customers.
  • The Program will also offer the opportunity for partners to join the CONNECT Ecosystem and reach an expanded pool of customers across the industrial lifecycle.

AVEVA has launched its new Partner Program called the ‘Managed Solution Provider Partner Program’ (MSP Program).

The MSP Program will cater for companies who want to partner with AVEVA beyond its existing Partner Programs and monetize their digital expertise. As an MSP, AVEVA partners will be able to create their own solution as well as the chance to market this offer commercially to their customers and AVEVA’s install base, benefitting from further reach with a marketplace listing.

The MSP Program supports partners by providing a full development and commercial toolkit, ensuring they can go to market quickly, efficiently and securely with multiple features. These features include: a solution envisioning workshop with technical experts to develop the solution; a secure platform to collect, enhance and share data with customers, via CONNECT Data Services; and the ability for partners to scale their solution with marketing support and access to AVEVA’s install base and Industrial Operator ecosystem.

Seeq and AVEVA Partner to Provide Enterprise Data Management Services, Analytics and AI

As a student of corporate strategy, I love to follow these increasingly closer dances of complementary companies. This one involves analytics developer Seeq and leading industrial software developer AVEVA.

Seeq announced a strategic partnership with AVEVA. Core to the partnership is the native integration between the two companies’ platforms that will simplify access to operational data in context, enabling chemical, energy, metals, mining, and utility organizations to improve their operations and production outcomes.

With the CONNECT industrial intelligence platform as the central integration hub of a connected data ecosystem, this partnership enables Seeq users to rapidly access operational data in CONNECT, accelerating time to insights and business value. AVEVA customers can take advantage of the Seeq Industrial Analytics and AI Suite to power and scale a wide range of analytical and monitoring use cases across the enterprise as needs evolve. With the ability to securely share data and insights with trusted ecosystem partners through CONNECT data services, the partnership enables organizations to achieve insights beyond the walls of their enterprise, accelerating value across the entire value chain.

Siemens Closes Sale of Innomotics to KPS Capital Partners

I’ve written several times about how the automation market entered maturity some time ago. One sign of a maturing market becomes visible when companies begin divesting in order to focus on its core. This news isn’t exactly new, but it points to the trend.

  • KPS Capital Partners is Innomotics’ new owner
  • Siemens completes another step in focusing its portfolio

Siemens AG has successfully closed the sale of Innomotics to KPS Capital Partners, LP (“KPS”) for €3.5 billion (enterprise value). On May 16, 2024, Siemens had announced plans to sell this world-leading supplier of electric motors and large- drive systems to KPS.

“I am delighted that the sale of Innomotics to KPS has been successfully completed. This is another important step toward optimizing our portfolio, and it underlines our consistent focus on combining the real and digital worlds, ” said Ralf P. Thomas, Chief Financial Officer of Siemens AG.

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