by Gary Mintchell | Dec 10, 2024 | Business, Commentary, News
One of my trusted news sources is News Items from John Ellis. Today’s email contained an item—revolution in global manufacturing—that grabbed my immediate attention.
This regards China’s long term investment in electric vehicles that is now paying off. I remain convinced that one of the many reasons Elon Musk decided to throw whole-hearted support to Donald Trump was Trump’s belief in using tariffs to protect American industry. A significant one could be Tesla—the EV company under threat from China’s BYD.
Beyond Tesla lie many other American car companies that have been the foundation of our manufacturing health for a century. The other American car companies, bowing to short-term financial pressure, are scaling back on EV manufacturing just at the time China is poised to dominate the market.
Ellis quotes (requires subscription):
As (a) New York Times story makes clear, China now has an incredible—and I would argue unprecedented—capacity to supply over half the global market for cars, which is typically around 90 million cars a year.
China’s internal market is around 25 million cars, and not really growing—so rising domestic EV sales progressively frees up internal combustion engine capacity for export. Domestic demand for traditional cars is likely to be well under 10 million cars next year given the enormous shift toward EVs now underway inside China.
Put differently, China currently has the capacity to produce over two times its own domestic demand and is adding to that capacity quickly thanks to the rapid expansion of its electric vehicle sector. It thus has almost unlimited potential capacity to export.*
That sets the scale for a potential revolution in global manufacturing.
The story is partially derived from an article in The New York Times:
China is a leader in the transition to electric vehicles and it exports more of them than any other country. Chinese brands like BYD are becoming known worldwide for offering advanced electric cars at the most competitive prices. And as Chinese drivers have shifted rapidly to electric vehicles, demand for gasoline-powered cars in China has plunged and many are being exported instead.
Interesting that while waiting for the critical mass for the EV market, China is using its manufacturing capacity for internal combustion cars to export these.
But China’s trading partners say that China’s exports of both electric and gasoline-powered cars imperil millions of jobs and threaten major companies. Earlier this year, the United States and the European Union put significant new tariffs on electric cars from China. Governments are concerned because the auto industry plays a big role in national security, producing tanks, armored personnel carriers, freight trucks and other vehicles.
Two years of my undergraduate work was dominated by the study of international politics—how nations relate and interact with each other. I’m consistently amazed by the lack of understanding by US politicians elected to high office who do not seem to grasp the basics. For example, Trump seemed to think that the US could employ tariffs to bend other countries to our will. But other countries can employ the same tools back to us.
What’s more, China has used steep tariffs and other taxes as a barrier to car imports, so that practically all of the cars sold in China are made in China.
Relationships are complicated—both country-to-country as well as person-to-person.
by Gary Mintchell | Dec 4, 2024 | Automation, News, Organizations, Software
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.
by Gary Mintchell | Dec 3, 2024 | Commentary, News
I devoured newspapers from about age 12 until early middle age. I quit watching any TV news by 1990. It wasn’t a liberal/conservative thing. It was a reporting/hype thing. Too much idle speculation and opinion. Too little reporting.
My news for the past many years has been carefully curated RSS feeds plus two relatively new email sources—Axios and Morning Brew.
Last night, my evening edition of Axios entered my inbox. In it, Axios co-founder and publisher Jim VandeHei expanded upon remarks he had earlier made to the National Press Club. I support his point of view. I’ve occasionally written to him about a rare click-bait headline.
Read his entire essay here. I’ve included a snip to give you the flavor.
Trust in journalism fell far and fast. Elon Musk and millions more argue it is — and should be — buried forever, Jim writes.
They say anyone with unrestrained speech — anyone on X — can easily replace a discredited media. “You are the media now,” Musk repeatedly tells his 206 million followers.
Why it matters: My response, in a speech at the National Press Club that went shockingly viral, was: “Bullshit!” I argued that an America without clinical, fair, deep and fearless reporting will perish.
Absent reporting, which I define as the pursuit of fact-based truth without fear or favoritism, you’d have: more opioid deaths … more kids sexually abused in churches … more welfare fraud in Mississippi … more lawlessness in rural Alaska … more Harvey Weinsteins preying on young women … more corruption … more misinformation.
Reality check: You’re right to dunk on biased, sloppy, lazy coverage. I hate it, too: It undercuts the hard work of every on-the-level reporter working their beats — whether at the White House or in my hometown of Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
But we need to distinguish between “the media” and honest reporting. I try to avoid junk food — not all food. I’d starve.
📖 The backstory: Angry emails I received after the speech show how many lump all parts of “the media” together, sweeping in anyone who’s paid to talk or type or report. I read every one. To say a lot of people on X hate “the media” is a gross understatement. My inbox confirms this emphatically.
Axios is very much not the legacy media, which has done plenty to undermine its own credibility. I have helped build two media companies — Politico and Axios — based on my own frustrations with legacy media. Journalists too often write for each other or awards committees. They’re too slow to own up to mistakes, and too quick to pop off on social media in ways that betray bias or righteousness.
So 18 years ago, I left The Washington Post to help start Politico — aiming to build a more direct, authentic relationship between readers and reporters. Eight years ago, I left Politico to help start Axios, grounded in an “audience first” mentality. We’ll never have an opinion section. And our audience “Bill of Rights” promises: “We will go the extra mile to earn your trust. All employees are asked to refrain from taking/advocating for public positions on political topics.”
by Gary Mintchell | Dec 2, 2024 | Business, News
I’ve been reading M.G. Siegler for years. Ever since the early days of TechCrunch. I saw this morning in his Spyglass Digest that Pat Gelsinger is suddenly out at Intel. This from Business Wire.
Intel has missed several market movements. Mobile and AI to name two. Their manufacturing processes began to lag several years ago. Gelsinger was an Intel veteran who had done well at his last gig. It was hoped he could stir things up. This latest loss from the Biden Administration’s Chips Act probably was the proverbial straw.
Business Wire:
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC) today announced that CEO Pat Gelsinger retired from the company after a distinguished 40-plus-year career and has stepped down from the board of directors, effective Dec. 1, 2024.
Intel has named two senior leaders, David Zinsner and Michelle (MJ) Johnston Holthaus, as interim co-chief executive officers while the board of directors conducts a search for a new CEO. Zinsner is executive vice president and chief financial officer, and Holthaus has been appointed to the newly created position of CEO of Intel Products, a group that encompasses the company’s Client Computing Group (CCG), Data Center and AI Group (DCAI) and Network and Edge Group (NEX). Frank Yeary, independent chair of the board of Intel, will become interim executive chair during the period of transition. Intel Foundry leadership structure remains unchanged.
by Gary Mintchell | Nov 26, 2024 | Automation, Events, News
Blake Moret deserves credit for many reasons during his tenure as CEO of Rockwell Automation. He has not been afraid to try things. If they don’t work out, he just pivots and tries something else.
There was the interlude with PTC and ThingWorx. Rockwell gained some benefit, but in the end the benefits were less than spectacular. He sold the stake and acquired Plex (operations software) and Fiix (maintenance management software) gaining solid cloud-based performers.
He also brought in a diverse lineup of senior management including some from outside the company. Outsiders usually leave after a few years, and indeed, the senior level executive cadre consists primarily of people who came up through the ranks. This is not a criticism. Sort of just the way it is. But it helps bringing in fresh thinking. Senior management is also not limited to old white men. There is diversity at the top levels which should make for more interesting discussions.
These comments introduce the 2024 edition of Automation Fair. The format introduced last year makes the experience more like the previous TechEd events with a helping of the in-house trade show that was Automation Fair. All attendees pay a fee to get in. Distributors previously brought customers who had free admittance to the show. That was one reason for the high attendance numbers.
People wondered how it would work this year. It worked. Well, 11,000 people showed up. The show floor and technical sessions were packed. I’d say it was successful.
Moret’s key message during his talks can be summarized as simplification. He stated he was proud of the way the development teams have made things work together better. Rockwell has enhanced the edge-to-cloud experience. “Autonomous,” meaning AI and AMRs, add to existing workflows while lowering the risk of implementation. This topic also includes software-defined architecture and extensive use of digital twin. He finished mentioning Rockwell’s extensive consulting group which houses much domain expertise.
I have more notes than will fit even a long-form blog post. The following compilation takes you through a couple of days of keynotes and briefings.
Matheus Bulho, SVP of Software and Control, spoke on the machine layer. The Design software layer integrates devops into the design platform. It continuously updates the code base in the cloud during development meaning developers can easily visualize code conflict from different programmers.
Logix Echo and Emulate3D finally realize a vision I wrote about from Rockwell Automation perhaps 20 years ago. The technology has arrived to enable design and commission of an entire system in virtual space in partnership with Nvidia. Rockwell has also integrated Copilot into the platform. Software-defined automation has arrived at the platform, as well.
Tessa Myers, SVP Intelligent Devices discussed products targeted at line and plant layers. “We’re driving end-to-end performance with smart, connected machines. End-to-end orchestration includes production logistics, operations management software, material handling, production logistics, and consulting expertise reimagine how material moves through manufacturing lines.
Products include Plex software, OTTO AMR technology, data-ready equipment, Mosaics, industrial data ops, and EnergyManager.
Matt Fordenwalt, SVP Lifecycle Services, handled the Enterprise level of products during the Tuesday keynotes. He discussed security and data standards pointing to Fortinet system level thinking combined with OT and IT domain expertise. Adding Claroty software for visibility and intelligence plus RA company Verve. Other partners in the security chain include Dragos, Crowd Strike, Microsoft, and Cisco.
Some notes from a series of press briefings:
Emmanuel Guilhamon, Vice President, Sustainability, discussed how AI will be helping companies meet environmental goals. He emphasized the need to build business cases in order to sell sustainability to management.
Jordan Reynolds, Vice President of AI, (yes, RA has a VP of AI) told us AI should not be thought of as a separate product. Rather, AI is being built into many products to make them easier and simpler to use, as well as, more powerful.
Matt Rendell, Chief Executive Officer, Clearpath Robotics by Rockwell Automation and Ryan Gariepy, Chief Technology Officer, OTTO Motors by Rockwell Automation reported on advanced robotics and OTTO motors bringing connected factories to life. These recently acquired companies can now better integrate out of the box due to joining RA. These form an integral part of RA’s connected factory vision.
Tony Carrara, Business Manager, FactoryTalk Design Studio,
FactoryTalk DesignStudio, still targeted for discrete, introducing motion and process 18 months or so, Copilot, modernizing building automation system, hosting in Azure, project creation, product guidance, project guidance GenAI use cases; Copilot January 2025, also first release cloud to controller; Innovation Booth; (hmm, no AR/VR); testing guardrails for LLMs in Logix, future research voice interaction;
Michael Bayer, Director of Contracts Capabilities, and Rick Kaun, Vice President of Solutions, Verve Industrial, a Rockwell Automation Company brought Cybersecurity into focus as a business risk. From sensors to controllers, it’s all about data. And that is a risk. People in the factory are not cybersecurity experts, so help is needed. Insurance companies are pressuring the Board to meet the risk. Employees are asking for skills. They want to be security savvy. Kaun says the Verve platform helps clients find assets.
Kris Dornan, Commercial Marketing Manager, and Liz Bahl Prosak, Commercial Portfolio Manager, presented the LogixSIS (safety integrated system for process safety).
Key Capabilities of Logix SIS:
- Modern SIL 2 and SIL 3 solutions delivers comprehensive safety across a wide range of industrial applications.
- High availability safety delivers continuous operation for critical processes.
- Streamline implementation by leveraging familiar hardware and software.
- Reduce engineering time to maximize efficiency through simplified design and configuration.
- Upgrade the system without requiring planned downtime.
- Available through Rockwell Automation distribution channels that provide convenient access to customers worldwide.
Show Floor Tours
One item from the show floor tour piqued my interest—VisionAI. Touted as Rockwell Automation’s first vision system, it features AI-driven software with strong data capabilities and expected connectivity. Actually, this is the third RA vision system. I sold and installed a few in the mid-1990s. It was called the CVIM. A product called VIM preceded that one. The CVIM was powerful, had a huge footprint, and was prohibitively expensive by 1996. I became an editor in 1998 and witnessed the demise of the product.
It’s expensive for me to go to Automation Fair. I weigh the costs carefully. Information was abundant. Meeting old colleagues invigorates the week for one who works alone. I’m glad I made this trip. Next year in Chicago is a no-brainer.
by Gary Mintchell | Nov 25, 2024 | Automation, Networking, News, Organizations
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.
