by Gary Mintchell | Mar 3, 2017 | Automation, Technology
Despite the bad press that robots receive these days, I still have a soft spot in my heart for the technology. I first learned to program one in 1985. I’ve seen how robots remove humans from unsafe working conditions and improve product quality.
I have also liked what I’ve seen from Rethink Robotics. However, the press release I recently received was so filled with superlatives, that I was beginning to wonder if there was substance behind the hype. I’m betting there is. (And I removed most of the superlatives so that it reads better. Maybe I’ll see them at Automate and get a deeper dive.)
Rethink Robotics has announced Intera 5, a first-of-its-kind software platform that connects everything from a single robot controller, extending the smart, flexible power of Rethink Robotics’ Sawyer to the entire work cell and simplifying automation with ease of deployment.
Intera 5 fundamentally changes the need for integration, making it substantially easier and more affordable, allowing manufacturers to deploy full work cell automation in a matter of hours, not weeks, according to the press release.
Intera 5 is much more than the latest version of Rethink Robotics’ software; it’s a new way to approach automation that allows manufacturers to control the robots, orchestrate the work cell and collect data.
“With the introduction of Intera 5, we’ve created the world’s first smart robot that can orchestrate the entire work cell, removing areas of friction and opening up new and affordable automation possibilities for manufacturers around the world,” said Scott Eckert, president and CEO, Rethink Robotics. “Intera 5 is driving immediate value while helping customers work toward a smart factory, and providing a gateway to successful Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) for the first time.”
Rethink Robotics’ Intera 5 modernizes the traditional work cell by improving coordination, increasing flexibility and drastically reducing deployment times. Run through the robot’s controller, manufacturers can orchestrate conveyors, equipment and other machines from a central Intera 5-powered robot.
Tuthill Plastics Group, a full-service custom injection molding company, is using a Sawyer robot with Intera 5 to power improved product quality and more efficient production. Operating 24 hours a day, five days a week, Sawyer with Intera 5 is picking parts from a conveyor belt and communicating with a computer numeric control (CNC) machine to precisely place the part into the machine by using Intera 5’s unique force-sensing capabilities. By applying a precise level of force while placing the part, the Tuthill team has been able to improve part quality and consistency, reducing a length defect on the part by 98 percent since implementing Sawyer.
“Sawyer with Intera 5 is a major step forward in manufacturing automation,” said Richard Curtain, president, Tuthill Plastics Group. “Part placement is extremely critical to our machining process. Sawyer is able to effectively ensure product quality and consistency, handle the variability of the production line, and automatically re-register to the environment in the event that any parts move.”
German magnet manufacturer, MS Schramberg, is also leveraging Sawyer with Intera 5 and has substantially improved deployment time. With six robots operating on three machines, MS Schramberg has one robot selecting parts from a series of patterns and loading the part into the machine, while a second robot removes the part from the machine and loads the part into a tray.
With less than a day of training, an MS Schramberg engineer is able to deploy and train the robots in just more than an hour. The robots now run 24 hours per day, six days per week, and can easily configure complex logic tasks, minimizing the need for human interaction and freeing up employees for more complex tasks.
“We’ve cut our deployment times by hundreds of hours with Intera 5, and are able to easily deploy our Sawyer robots on an extremely complex task in just over an hour,” said Norman Wittke, general manager, MS Schramberg. “The ease and speed of deployment is extremely valuable for our company, and is helping make our manufacturing processes more efficient, while improving our ROI.”
With Intera 5, manufacturers will reap the benefits of:
- Industry-leading embedded vision, which will allow the robot to perform tasks just as humans do, reducing the need for expensive part presentation fixturing and additional integration costs.
- Adaptive force-sensing, allowing users to precisely set the amount of force required, or enable the robot to feel and respond to a specific force, so the robot can make adaptive decisions while performing a task.
- Intera Studio, an intuitive and powerful new tool to simply and effectively deploy automation like never before, providing a gateway to the factory of the future.
“Intera 5 is equipping industry leaders like Tuthill Plastics and MS Schramberg to achieve immediate bottom-line improvements in productivity, quality and efficiency on the factory floor,” said Eckert. “By implementing our robots equipped with Intera 5, manufacturers will have unprecedented work cell coordination, greatly reducing the need for complex, time-consuming and outdated automation options.”
Beginning in March, Intera 5 will be available for download on all existing Sawyer robots, and will come standard on all new robots.
by Gary Mintchell | Mar 2, 2017 | Automation, Internet of Things, Operations Management
Dell introduced the Dell Edge Gateway 3000 Series at Mobile World Congress. This new platform features a form factor for harsh environments and small spaces. The 3000 Series includes three unique models targeted specifically for use cases and embedded solutions in the industrial automation, energy, transportation, and digital signage markets. With these Edge Gateways, customers will be able to securely transfer and analyze important data at the edge of the network to glean real-time intelligence from the physical world. Ideal deployments include a vehicle, a refrigerated trailer, a remote oil pump in the desert, digital signs in an elevator or inside of the HVAC units on a rooftop of a casino.
Customers are looking for faster, real-time analysis of the massive amount of data produced by devices on their networks, to perform immediate, smart decision-making. For some, it’s too expensive to move all the data from the edge of the network near the devices to the data center. Computing at the edge helps determine which data sets are interesting, relevant and need to be sent back to the data center or the cloud for further analytics and longer term storage, saving bandwidth and reducing costs and security concerns. Dell offers a complete edge to core to cloud portfolio of infrastructure for Industrial IoT solutions that includes everything from Edge Gateways, security and manageability solutions, data center infrastructure and connectivity.
“As the number of connected devices becomes more ubiquitous, we know that intelligent computing at the edge of the network is critical. The IoT continues to enhance customer experience, drive business growth and improve lives, making it central to organizations’ digital transformation strategies,” said Andy Rhodes, Vice President and General Manager, Internet of Things, Dell. “The small and mighty 3000 Series opens up new opportunities for our customers and partners to get smarter with their data and make big things happen.”
The Gateway 3000 Series joins Dell’s award-winning line of IoT-enabling hardware including the Edge Gateway 5000 Series and Embedded Box PC 3000 and 5000 Series. It comes with the Dell Command Suite and an optional upgrade to remote manageability through Dell’s Edge Device Manager, allowing customers to manage all their Dell IoT devices through a single tool.
All solutions benefit from Dell’s end-to-end support services, including the base Limited Hardware Warranty, or optional Dell ProSupport for up to five years, and Dell Deployment services. ProSupport on the Gateway 3000 Series includes proactive, automated support, 24/7 access to ProSupport engineers and Advanced Exchange Service to minimize downtime with a quick unit replacement. There’s also pre-qualification with over 65 technology and service providers in the award-winning Dell IoT Solutions Partner Program; inclusion in more than 20 scalable, repeatable IoT blueprints; and financing options through Dell Financial Services.
The Gateway 3000 Series is designed by Dell’s expert team of rugged product engineers and put through a rigorous 10-step testing process. The product line was designed for scale per tens of thousands of hours of feedback through customer advisory councils, industry consortiums and market feedback.
The rugged 3000 Series is complementary to its big brother, the 5000 Series, which is designed to excel in fixed use cases that require modular expansion, large sensor networks and more advanced edge analytics. The 3000 Series is ideal for both fixed and mobile use cases requiring smaller sensor networks, tight spaces and more simple analytics.
“The new Dell Edge Gateway 3000 Series powered by Intel provides powerful edge analytics in a compact form factor. The series bridges the data needs of traditional operational technology with the manageability demands of IT,” Ken Caviasca, general manager, IoT Group (IOTG), Intel. “We’re excited to continue our collaboration with Dell to help our collective IoT customers connect what matters.”
All three models include:
- Intel Atom processor
- 2 GB RAM and 8 GB eMMC storage (32 GB and SD card for additional storage options)
- Ethernet, USB, certified for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth LE
- Integrated 3G or 4G LTE cellular options for select countries
- Support for hot or cold operating temperature extremes from -30°C to 70°C
- Integrated digital GPS, accelerometers, and atmospheric pressure sensors
- Support for a wide input power range from 12-57 VDC (with vehicle transient voltage protection)
- Ability to be powered via Power-over-Ethernet (PoE)
- An ignition pin for easy operation while connected to a battery powered device
- Dell factory support for Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSB 2016 and Ubuntu Core 16
Differentiating features between the three models include:
- Industrial Automation and Energy Management, Model 3001; Multi-function I/O port and programmable serial ports (RS-485/422/232).
- Transportation and Logistics, Model 3002; CAN bus for land/marine protocols, integrated ZigBee for mesh sensor networks.
- Digital Signage and Retail, Model 3003; Display Port output for video displays (2560×1600) and 3.5mm line in/line out for quality audio streaming.
The Dell Edge Gateway 3000 Series will be available in early summer 2017 in select countries, starting at $399 USD. For more information visit www.dell.com/Gateway3000 or contact a Dell EMC OEM Solutions representative.
“At Emerson, we need simple, scalable and secure connectivity solutions to help our customers collect data from their industrial equipment and make better business decisions based on that data,” said Mike Boudreaux, Director, Connected Services, Emerson. “Working with Dell, we can move faster to bring new reliability and performance services to market. Our work together has enhanced our capabilities, and is a perfect example of how OT and IT partners are critical to success for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) deployments. The Edge Gateway 3000 Series will enable Emerson to create new innovative solutions that deliver real outcomes to our customers’ operations.”
by Gary Mintchell | Feb 17, 2017 | Automation, Internet of Things, Operations Management, Process Control
Three major automation companies laid out new products and services based on exploiting all the connections found in today’s industrial world. Senior executives presented to a press conference and later I had a chance to talk a little with most of them.
Honeywell
Paul Bonner, Honeywell Connected Plant Vice President of Consulting and Data Analytics, introduced the company’s Honeywell Connected Plant (HCP) business, a holistic approach to addressing the challenges of industrial customers. HCP leverages the power of the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT), machine learning, and big data analytics; coupled with Honeywell’s first-principles and empirical modeling technologies and deep process domain expertise. This new business brings together HPS’ Advanced Solutions, Honeywell UOP’s Connected Performance Services (CPS), and Digital Transformation organizations. He will also highlight the Honeywell Sentience cloud platform and INspire partner ecosystem.
Bonner told me that the big thing is that customers are beginning to accept the cloud. Honeywell’s solution, like most of those found in industrial applications, is built on Microsoft Azure.
Another part of the initiative is a collaboration with Seeq, one of three such partnerships for it. This joint development agreement will help customers minimize unplanned shutdowns, maximize output, minimize safety risk and optimize supply chain strategies.
“Honeywell’s deep domain knowledge and capabilities in process optimization, data consolidation, storage and asset monitoring combined with Seeq’s technology help us to identify and solve previously unsolvable problems,” said Shree Dandekar, senior vice president and general manager, Honeywell Connected Plant. “Our goal is to create an effective solution that securely captures, aggregates and analyzes data, and then leverages a vast ecosystem to provide a higher level outcome for our customers. This ecosystem includes leading equipment vendors, process licensors, OEMs and other industry experts.”
“We see this collaboration between Honeywell and Seeq as beneficial to continuously improving how we serve our customers with the latest advanced software and analytics,” said Steve Sliwa, CEO and co-founder, Seeq Corporation. “Honeywell provides key infrastructure to collect and securely store data, while we embed decades of domain knowledge into advanced analytics for more business value, faster. This collaboration will help us provide our customers with new insight through transformative capabilities that lead to more rapid decision-making and process optimization.”
Yokogawa
Since announcing its mid-term business plan, Yokogawa has been accelerating its transformation, including developing new solutions to increase customers’ value. Satoru Kurosu, Director and Executive Vice President, Yokogawa Electric Corporation presented Yokogawa’s new vision to support customers’ best-in-class operating performance and its solution business roadmap to maximize the synergistic effects of strategic acquisitions. In addition, Andrew Howell, CEO, KBC Advanced Technologies announced a unique co-innovation solution designed to provide new perspectives that can help end users strengthen their asset value and overcome challenges.
KBC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Yokogawa Electric Corp., launched the KBC Co-Pilot Program (“Co-Pilot”). Just as the co-pilot of an aircraft is there to assist the pilot with additional knowledge and to step in and help at times of intense activity, the KBC Co-Pilot is there to remotely support the plant with expertise and insight supplementing the plant’s own capabilities and resources, thus assuring that it achieves its full potential.
The KBC Co-Pilot Program will assure asset owners and operators that their simulation and planning tools are always up to date, and that the actions taken by their operators result in best possible process performance and safe operation of equipment within recognized limits now and into the future.
KBC has recently integrated its operations with those of two other Yokogawa business units– Industrial Knowledge and Soteica Visual Mesa– to bring together all KBC Co-Pilot
Program capabilities under one organization. The first KBC Co-Pilot solution is for the
remote performance monitoring of oil refinery facilities such as crude distillation units, fluid catalytic crackers, and catalytic reformers.
Key elements of this solution are:
- Real-time data connection to the plant using Web*Technician data-as-a-service
- Automatic recalibration of Petro-SIM rigorous simulation model against actual plant
data
- Automatic LP vector updates from recalibrated model
- Regular health check of unit performance vs plan and vs potential
- Consulting and assistance to implement recommended changes
- Reset of baseline operating plan due to major changes in external impacts such as economics, demand, asset capabilities
Siemens
Jagannath Rao, Sr. Vice President, Data Services, Siemens U.S, presented the
company’s MindSphere industrial cloud infrastructure as an essential element on the path to the digital enterprise. Connectivity on the production floor and acquiring and analyzing data can provide significant opportunities for businesses.
But, how can a manufacturer store, manage, and gain value from the large data
that can be acquired from their machines and production lines? Without a proper infrastructure for data management, implementing the benefits of data-driven intelligence will have very limited possibilities.
This is a comprehensive platform that I saw previewed last year at Hannover in Germany. I have written about Mindsphere a couple of times before here and here.
by Gary Mintchell | Jan 31, 2017 | Automation, News, Operations Management, Software
HMI SCADA software builds the platform of the Industrial Internet of Things. Yet, many of the traditional companies apparently are not pursuing it as actively as in the past as they spend more time on somewhat “higher end” software—business intelligence and analytics.
So, is there money to be made in this business?
To that end, I have been watching the growth of Inductive Automation for more than ten years. It has introduced the Software as a Service, or cloud-based application, to the industrial space greatly lowering costs for customers. At the same time, everything it builds is IT-friendly. So the OT people can make friends with the IT people.
Well, business has been good enough that Inductive Automation has purchased a building for its corporate headquarters that’s 2½ times larger than its current space. The fast-growing company will remain in Folsom, and will move into its new location in July.
Inductive Automation makes industrial automation software that’s used in virtually every industry and in more than 100 countries. The company’s key product is Ignition by Inductive Automation. Ignition is an industrial application platform with fully integrated tools for building solutions in human-machine interface (HMI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
The company has grown rapidly since its inception in 2003. Since the launch of Ignition in 2010, Inductive Automation’s revenues have grown at an average annual rate of more than 60 percent. The company’s growth has been fueled by powerful software and an unlimited licensing model, which together remove economic and technological barriers for industrial organizations seeking more data from their operations and processes.
“We’re committed to Folsom,” said Steve Hechtman, president and CEO of Inductive Automation. “When we first moved here from Sacramento, we had 20 employees. Now we have more than 100, and we look forward to continuing our growth at our new site. The larger building will allow us to expand to about 300 team members, as we continue to serve the global marketplace in industrial automation.”
Folsom community leaders are very happy with the company’s decision to stay in Folsom. “We are pleased that Inductive Automation calls Folsom home,” said Evert W. Palmer, city manager for Folsom. “We celebrate their success, and we are thankful for their contributions to Folsom’s strong and growing ecosystem of industry-leading technology companies.”
“Inductive Automation is a shining example of strong leaders with a well-defined vision to grow their company strategically and profitably,” said Joe Gagliardi, CEO/president of the Greater Folsom Partnership. “Their commitment to stay in Folsom and build their business is adding energy to the already-strong job growth we are experiencing in 2017. All segments of the Folsom economy benefit from the success of Inductive Automation.”
by Gary Mintchell | Jan 13, 2017 | Automation, Internet of Things, News, Operations Management
NI has been active in participating in Internet of Things (IoT) consortiums and building interoperability test beds. It announced this week the opening of the new NI Industrial IoT Lab at its Austin headquarters.
The NI Industrial IoT Lab focuses on intelligent systems that connect operational technology, information technology, and the companies working on these systems. Designed with flexibility for the future, the lab’s operational focus includes areas such as microgrid control and communication, advanced control for manufacturing, and asset monitoring for heavy equipment.
Additionally, the NI Industrial IoT Lab fosters collaboration among different companies to improve interoperability. In this space, companies with expertise in communications protocols, controller hardware, I/O components, processing elements and software platforms come together to validate end-to-end solutions that can dramatically change the way businesses operate. Companies sponsoring the NI Industrial IoT Lab include: Analog Devices Inc, Avnu Alliance, Cisco Systems, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Industrial Internet Consortium, Intel, Kalypso, OPC Foundation, OSIsoft, PTC, Real-Time Innovations, SparkCognition, Semikron, Viewpoint Systems and Xilinx.
“We are excited to strengthen partnerships with other world-class technology companies. A working showcase for new technologies can help all companies involved drive breakthrough innovations for utility grids, manufacturing, asset health monitoring and several other industries,” said Jamie Smith, business and technology director at NI.
The lab is a working showcase for Industrial IoT technologies, solutions and systems architectures. Through demonstrators, such as the on-site Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) testbeds, participating companies can promote innovative solutions and drive discussions with the domain experts that see the real-world challenges.
