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The Growth Of Open Networks

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Market Outlook: Looking forward

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System 800xA Extended Automation The Power of Integration

Profitable collaboration. Operational excellence can only be achieved through collaboration between people and systems. ABB’s System 800xA Extended Automation platform provides the collaborative environment necessary for various organizations and departments to work as one. Utilizing System 800xA’s patented Aspect Object Technology, information is integrated from various plant systems, applications, and devices and presented as one plant-wide view enabling informed, real-time decision making. That’s the power of integration.

For more information visit www.abb.com/controlsystems

US_Adv_800xA.indd 1 2010-09-21 13.39

ENQUIRY NO. 173

ENQUIRY NO. 340

2 industrial automation asia | Dec 2011/Jan 2012

Case Study: Intelligent Building AutomationMore attention is paid to achieving a pleasant room

climate when planning and technically equipping buildings today. Contributed by David Chia, MD, Beckhoff Automation

Thermal Imaging Cameras In The Food IndustryIn the food industry, it is essential to carefully control

the temperature of perishable goods throughout production, transportation, storage, and sales. Thermal imaging cameras can aid this process. Contributed by Denise Cheng, marketing manager Asia Pacific, Flir Systems

Autodesk Gifting The Singapore Green IndustryIAA spoke with the global head of GreenTech for Autodesk, at

the 2011 Clean Energy Expo, about the company’s initiative to supply their software package, to entrepreneurial green technology companies together with Oliver Risse, the MD for Greenlot, a green technology startup focused on the electrification of vehicles. By Mark Johnston

Taking Control Of Open Process Control NetworksToday’s automation systems collectively impact plant safety,

economic throughput, environmental compliance, and equipment protection. As vendors have now moved to open platforms, plants face new challenges maintaining the reliability of automation systems, which arise from the management of an IT infrastructure that simply did not exist with the traditional proprietary automation systems. By Chris Lyden, president, PAS

The Possibilities Of TouchAn investigation into the range of uses of capacitive touch

sensors in the automation industry and how these intuitive gadgets work. By Shahnawaz Abdul Hamid

The Emergence Of A New Standard For Factory Automation

This article will look at the use of machine control hardware for automation and how the emergence of a Machine Automation Controller (MAC) meets the market needs more effectively than previous controller solutions. By Gabriel Tan, motion product manager & Serena Chan, corporate & marketing communications, Omron (Asia Pacific)

contentsDecember 2011/January 2012

ISSUES & INSIGHTS

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want to see the future?

For more information about our solutions for the gas industry visit www.honeywell.com/ps

©2011 Honeywell International Inc. All rights reserved.

Meet tomorrow’s challenges todayHoneywell gas solutions are engineered with your big-picture business objectives in mind. We offer a broad portfolio of solutions across the industry, bringing unmatched experience and know-how as a single-source partner in planning, design, service and local support. Plus, our solutions integrate comprehensive safety and security for reliability and peace of mind – today, and for decades to come. From the control room to the boardroom, our integrated, enterprise-wide solutions deliver reliable, real-time data for powerful, profitable agility. Suddenly, the future of your business is at your fingertips.

We’re bringing better ideas to the gas industry.

Production Processing Storage Pipelines Distribution

ENQUIRY NO. 296


The Importance Of Regulation

During IndoPower 2011, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, which Tüv Süd helped to sponsor, IAA spoke with Richard Hong, the senior VP, Industry Service, Real Estate & Certification, and the global ICM director, about ICM and the nature of regulation in today’s fast changing environment. By Mark Johnston

Market Outlook 2012As the year comes to a close

we look ahead to 2012. With great economic uncertainty in the world we must prepare and understand the risks but also the opportunities that lie ahead. By Mark Johnston

RegulaRs8 Industry News

18 Profibus

19 CaN in automation

20 etherCaT Technology

22 Fieldbus Foundation

68 Products & services

71 Calendar of events

72a Product enquiry Card

contents

Cover: Honeywell

IMPORTANT NOTICEThe circulation of this magazine is audited by bpa world wide. The advertisers’ association recommend that advertisers should place their advertisements only in audited publications.

INdusTRIAl AuTOMATION AsIA (IAA) is published 8 issues per year by Eastern Trade Media Pte ltd 1100 Lower Delta Road #02-05 EPL Building Singapore 169206 Tel: (65) 6379 2888 • Fax: (65) 6379 2805Website: www.iaasiaonline.com Email: [email protected]

subsCRIPTION RATEs:IAA is available to readers on subscription in Singapore at S$60.00 per annum. Subscription by airmail to readers in Malaysia is also at S$60.00 per annum; and Asia Pacific, America, Europe and other regions at S$100. Refer to the subscription card in each issue for further details.

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Copyright. Eastern Trade Media Pte Ltd. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication covered by the copyright herein may be reproduced in any form or means – graphic, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, taping, etc – without the written consent of the publisher. Opinions expressed by contributors and advertisers are not necessarily those of the publisher and editor.

Refer to pg

Advertisers’ for Enquiry Numbers

sIAF 2011

Honeywell’s HuG 2011

NI’s Graphical system design summit 2011

JEC 2011

sIEW 2011

Asia smart Grid 2011

singapore Investing In Green

The green industry is seeing huge investment at an increasing rate, and more companies than ever are capitalising on these new markets. Singapore in particular is investing heavily in green technology with initiatives, such as CleanTech Park. Contributed by Hilda Chang, senior officer, JTC Corporation

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CAd/CAM Partnership Continues To blosson

With Product launchSeaCAD and Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks release the 2012 version of the design software. By Shahnawaz Abdul Hamid

Green shipbuilding: benefiting The builders

& The EnvironmentThe green measures imposed on shipbuilders not only help in reducing harmful emissions but also act as a sustainable building measure, which results in the production of more reliable ships. By Amreet Singh

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EDITOR’s PAGE

Published by:

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MANAgINg DIREcToR

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Shahnawaz Abdul Hamid, Chris Lyden,

Denise Cheng, David Chia, Amreet Singh

EDIToRIAL coNSULTANTS

Jim Pinto Industry Analyst

Alastair Ross Director, Codexx Associates Ltd

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As we approach the end of 2011 and look beyond into 2012 we see an uncertain future in the form of economic hardship and political instability. Is there a point of no return, as so many European countries seem to be suggesting when referencing the potential collapse of some of Europe’s strongest economies? Is this a point of no return? Will it lead to the break-up of the Eurozone, and leave a global recession in its wake? These are questions we all should ponder, as we all should feel the effects, even here in Asia.

It is ironic that after the Asian economic crisis of the late 1990’s many countries in Asia began building up their gold reserves, and cut debt with the advice of the US. As such, it is now Asia that is growing strong. As the US and European countries look to Asia, and especially China to buy some debt and help them avoid collapse.

This is one of many examples of the shifting global power struggle, between East and West. It is important to be mindful of the time we live and the wider implications of what we do now, and how our actions play out in the future. Because although we may feel we have room to manoeuvre, at some point, if we are not careful and if businesses and governments behave irresponsibly then a point of no return will approach, and beyond will be nothing but uncertainty and hardship.

It is an easy ideal to state, but the role of governments and financial institutions should be an enabler for stability, not uncertainty. This however will take time and ultimately the nature of the finance industry will need to change where taking risk reaps high rewards.

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Industry news

Equinix Launches Marketplace

Singapore: Equinix, a provider of global data centre services, has introduced the Equinix Marketplace, a service that makes it possible for any company with a presence in any Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data centre to quickly find and directly connect to a global value-chain of more than 4,000 potential partners, customers and suppliers of digital services. With the system, companies can more effectively reach new customers, offer new services, and connect to members of their digital supply chain to improve application performance, reduce cost and generate revenue.

By creating a custom prof ile and storefront in the company’s marketplace, sellers of services, ranging from network connectivity to private clouds to alternative trading systems, can drive sales by promoting their services to other participants — thousands of potential customers or partners that are a simple cross-connect away in the company’s data centres. Today, the vertical ecosystems inside the company’s data centres include companies such as Bloomberg, Verizon, Syniverse, GoGrid, Abovenet, and more. These companies are already connecting and doing business with customers and partners that are also inside the company, and now the company’s marketplace makes it even easier to do so.

“Fo r many com pan ie s and industries, data centres are not just warehouses for storing large amounts of information — they have become high performance business-exchanges where organisations connect with their ecosystem of partners, suppliers and customers in the digital supply chain,”

said Jarrett Appleby, chief marketing officer for Equinix.

He continued: “Platform Equinix has long provided the foundation for vertical market communities to connect and interact. In 2010 interconnections among our customers grew 27 percent, demonstrating the importance of locating internet infrastructure in close proximity to your key ecosystem members. Now the marketplace makes it even easier for our customers to connect and do business with one another.”

Plat form Equinix is home to ecosystems containing thousands of digital-driven enterprises including more than 700 cloud and IT service providers, 675 high-performance backbone and mobile networks, 450 online media, content and advertising

destinations, and 600 electronic trading and financial market participants.

“AboveNet is excited about the opportunity to participate in the Equinix Marketplace. The Equinix Marketplace provides AboveNet an additional marketing channel to reach prospective customers to deliver our low latency High Bandwidth Connectivity solutions to Equinix facilities,” said Nick Ridolfi, senior VP of sales for AboveNet.

Buyers, on the other hand, can quickly locate the right services in the right data centre locations from the suppliers now available in the company’s marketplace. This reduces the time-to-market to integrate with new partners and deploy new services, to reduce costs and improve the performance and efficiency of their digital supply chain.

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Industry news

Singapore: Dassault Systèmes has announced that engineering managers from leading corporations are recognising the business benefits of managing their simulation processes, knowledge, and data as an integral part of their organisation’s overall PLM strategy.

Customers speaking at the company’s customer conferences in Las Vegas and Paris include Bell Helicopter, a Textron company, Dana Holding Corporation, Jaguar Land Rover, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Parker Hannifin. These companies are voicing common industry issues and requirements for managing design simulation as an essential part of the product development process. The increased use of simulation applications and processes during the development cycle has resulted in the need to implement an enterprise

solution — tied to their existing PLM system — for managing and securing their organisation’s simulation intellectual property.

At Parker Hannifin, the product development process relies heavily on engineering analysis to determine the performance of products during the design cycle. The increasing usage of simulation in the product development process produces large amounts of data that requires a solution for managing the associated processes, applications and intellectual property. Bob Deragisch, manager, Enterprise Systems at Parker Hannifin, speaking at the Dassault Systèmes Customer Conference in Las Vegas, will explain the company’s vision for leveraging SLM to improve simulation-related collaboration, traceability and knowledge capture as a strategic part of

the product development process.Andy R ichardson , Head o f

Simulation at Jaguar Land Rover Product Development, will present at the European Customer Forum in Paris. Richardson points out that engineers are often working with multiple analysis tools and processes that are complex and poorly integrated with other key business tools and processes. His presentation will describe the company’s approach to establishing a strategy for effective development of simulation process management in an engineering business.

“SIMULIA strives to deliver compelling solutions to our customers in order to provide a positive impact on engineering quality and business efficiency,” stated Ken Short, VP, Strategy and Marketing, SIMULIA, Dassault Systèmes.

Customers Improve Quality, Efficiency, And Productivity With Simulation Lifecycle Management

Singapore: ABB has s igned a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Institute of Technical Education (ITE), with an aim to focus on the training and development of green technology and increasing productivity in various engineering fields.

Under the five-year partnership, both parties endeavour to jointly set up technology and training centres, provide equipment, train ITE staff and students, as well as develop curricula for ITE courses.

The company has been a strategic partner of ITE since the first MOU collaboration with ITE College East in 2005. The latest MOU will extend across all three ITE colleges namely ITE College Central, ITE College East and ITE College West.

The company will develop both ITE staff and students on technological innovations like robotics, building

ABB And ITE Sign Skills Development MOU Worth S$1.7 Million

automation technologies, intelligent switchgear, and process control. Staff and students of ITE will also have the opportunity to receive training from the company’s local and overseas facilities. Over 800 students from 10 courses in the three ITE colleges are expected to benefit from this collaboration.

Mr James Foo, president and country manager, ABB (Singapore), said: “As a leading global power and automation company, we are always looking for collaboration opportunities to facilitate knowledge transfer to the next generation. ABB engineers who work with the staff and students of educational institutes also gain new perspectives. There is a two-way exchange of technical knowledge and ideas. We also hope that when the students graduate, they would have acquired skills that are highly relevant in a fast-moving marketplace.”

Mr Bruce Poh, director & CEO, ITE said: “Today’s MOU signing marks yet another milestone in our extensive partnership with ABB. On behalf of ITE, I would like to thank ABB for their strong commitment and support to investing in the future of our students and enhancing the quality of human capital for engineering. Through this collaboration, ITE lecturers will gain up-to-date training on the latest technology, while our students will benefit from industrial attachments. We hope that together with ABB, ITE will develop a new generation of hands-on, minds-on and hearts-on engineers.”

Industry news


Singapore: On October 12, 2011, ifm electronic officially opened its first production and development site in Asia.

Existing company products, along with new ranges specially tailored to the requirements of Asian customers, are to be developed and produced in Singapore. In the medium term, hundreds of jobs will be created in the country. Thanks to the qualified engineers and specialist workers, Singapore provides ifm with the perfect environment for recruiting the right staff.

"We are very pleased that ifm electronic has chosen Singapore for its first integrated manufacturing plant in Asia," said Mr Yeoh Keat Chuan, assistant MD of the Singapore Economic Development Board. "The availability of engineering talent, ease of doing business and proximity to growth markets in Asia make Singapore a strategic base for companies such as ifm electronic to grow their top line and create new value for customers," he added.

Kent Karlsson, project leader for the development of the new production

and development centre, concludes: "With the new location in Singapore we will continue to significantly extent our market position in the rapidly growing Asian market."

Many threads from the Asian continent meet in Singapore. The country is politically stable and neutral and is the contact point for investments by international companies. The posit ioning in Singapore also ensures development close to the market, which in turn makes it easier to accept specific technological aspects.

The technical special is t s at the company’s original location in Tettnang on Lake Constance are looking forward to a lively exchange with the new colleagues in Singapore. This way, the key strengths of the company inc luding know-how, quality, reliability and innovative strength transported internationally in the most are efficient way. "Local management, local production, development and dis t r ibut ion — Singapore is the perfect next step for ifm electronic", concludes Mr Karlsson.

IFM Electronic Invests In The Asian Market

Singapore: Experian, the global information services company, recently completed its move to a new office in Suntec Singapore.

Located at the heart of business and financial centre, the office offers a spacious environment, convenient transportation and other amenities which enable staff to better serve clients in and outside the office.

Mr Ken Sansom, president of Experian Asia Pacific, commented: "Singapore is the headquarters of Experian in the Asia Pacific. With the rapid growth of our business and operations over the last five years, we decided to move our office. We have doubled our footprint to allow for further growth and reinforce our commitment to invest strongly in Singapore to support clientele across all industry verticals."

Experian Moves Office

DKSH Is The New Distributor For Okamoto Singapore For Surface Grinders In Singapore

Singapore: DKSH’s Business Unit Technology has been appointed as one of the Authorised Distributors for Okamoto’s line of surface grinders. DKSH will be fully responsible for all sales, after sales service and spare parts activities.

The company has a clear long-term commitment to support the precision grinding machinery industry. It also has a team of sales and applications specialists to provide advice on machine selection and process optimisation as well as trained service engineers to help customers with equipment maintenance and troubleshooting needs.

Industry news


Singapore: An estimated US$590 million was spent on smart grid security technologies in 2010. By 2016 that number is projected to surpass US$2 billion. Smart grid security covers identity management and access controls, threat and theft defense, industrial control system security, smart grid cellular

communications, physical safety and security, and other security types.

Security spending on transmission upgrades made up the largest portion of smart grid spending, accounting for approximately 54 percent of the total in 2011. This segment is predicted to remain the largest for the next five

Spending On Smart Grid Security Technologies To Exceed US$2 Billion In 2016

years. Additionally, security spending on substation and distribution automation is forecast to be significant over the next few years as well.

Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations are projected to see the highest security growth rates out of all the smart grid segments, growing from US$6 million in 2011 to US$150 million by 2016. EV charging stations face similar security issues to smart meters, such as data protection and tampering with the charging stations. The biggest areas of development in the security arena will be EV authentication of vehicles and physical security features.

ABI Research's Senior analyst Josh Flood comments: “There has been an enormous focus on smart grid security, particularly over the last two to three years. As well as providing security protection against physical and cyber-attacks on the smart grid, utilities are spending significant amounts of money on closed-circuit television surveillance and security software.”

802.15.4-Based Chipsets For The Industrial Automation Market Will Hit US$8 Million In 2016

Singapore: In 2010, global spending on Wireless Sensor Networking (WSN) chipsets in industrial automation reached US$2 million, with the overall market expected to grow to US$8 million by 2016. Industrial automation consists of two market segments, process automation and factory automation, in which WSN in field devices has seen broader adoption in the former, particularly in the realm of monitoring. Key adoption is seen in monitoring applications such as oil refineries, petrochemical plants to facilitate plant operation efficiencies, safety prevention, and compliance, alongside asset management.

Two industrial WSN protocols that

are based on IEEE 802.15.4 silicon, WirelessHART and ISA100.11a, have been the driving force behind WSN adoption in process automation. WirelessHART, leveraging on an est imated instal led base of 30 mi l l ion HART dev ices, has the largest addressable market for WSN deployment. This is aided further with its ratification as IEC 62591 in 2010, reassuring end users contemplating the deployment of standardised devices.

Kelvin Chan, industry analyst, M2M and smart energy, comments: “After WirelessHART, a competing industrial WSN protocol, ISA100.11a, which is geared toward interoperability with a multitude of industrial protocols,

is next in line to see wide adoption, albeit with a higher growth potential. Honeywell’s ‘One Wireless’ solution runs ISA 100.11a on its field network, with the option to connect via Wi-Fi to a plant communication network.”

A third emerging protocol, WIA-PA, which is also based on IEEE 802.15.4 silicon, is undergoing standardisation and will become Chinese national the standard. Mr Chan adds: ”Considering China’s market size by sheer size, scope, and level of manufacturing, WIA-PA should see significant potential within China, but it is unlikely to extend its reach across the globe without broader standardisation efforts and support from manufacturers outside China.”

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Industry news


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, are now protected by Raymax Infra-Red illuminators by Raytec, a CCTV lighting company. The Towers were the tallest buildings in the world between 1998 and 2004 and remain the tallest twin buildings to this day. They were constructed as a monument to announce Kuala Lumpur’s prominence as a cultural and commercial capital and consequently require the highest levels of security.

The Raymax units have been installed to secure the busy entrance areas

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iaRaymax IR Protects Petronas Towersduring the hours of darkness, helping to deliver crisp and clear CCTV images of the towers 1,500 daily visitors. The RM100 illuminators chosen deliver up to 150 metres of illumination, allowing the cameras to monitor a large area without the need for multiple light fittings; increasing safety without increasing cost.

The company’s illuminators employ state of the art SMT LED technology to deliver premium performance with lower power consumption, lower running costs, longer life (minimum 10 years) and zero

maintenance, compared to alternative lighting technology. In addition, all the company’s units are extremely reliable, robust and fully vandal resistant.

The Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur

A*STAR Ups Collaborative R&D In Green Technologies

Singapore: The Singapore Institute of Manufacturing Technology (SIMTech), a research institute of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), is taking on the challenge of green manufacturing by spurring R&D collaborations on remanufacturing technologies with NTU and NUS as well as launching initiatives to grow eco-friendly industries.

Investing In 10 Projects In Remanufacturing TechnologiesSIMTech is engaging with NUS and NTU on 10 new projects to jointly develop competitive remanufacturing techno log ies fo r S ingapore ’s manufacturing companies. This is the first such instance of significant investment in remanufacturing projects by the Science and Engineering Research Council (SERC) of A*STAR. The projects were awarded by SERC in September 2011.

The projects address critical technologies for remanufacturing of combustion engines and automation equipment in the analysis of defective components, salvaging used components to functional requirements and enabling technologies that will ensure efficient remanufacturing operations — from planning and scheduling, component

inventory forecasting to in-process job tracking.

Three Joint Labs For Remanufacturing TechnologiesSIMTech is also collaborating with NTU to establish three joint research labs to develop remanufacturing-related technologies in refurbishing and reliability assessment. Refurbishing technologies include cleaning, cladding, welding, and surface treatment to recover the functionality of the parts to be remanufactured. Reliability assessment technologies evaluate the remanufacturability of the remanufactured parts and to assure their warranty.

In addition to delivering cutting edge technologies, the joint-labs will also serve as platforms to nurture R&D manpower for the remanufacturing industry, transforming into centres of excellence in the respective technical areas to benefit more industry sectors. The initial focus of the joint-labs will be in reliability, precision machining, and 3D additive manufacturing.

Remanufacturing & Green Packaging Initiatives For Eco-Friendly IndustriesThe Remanufacturing Initiative for industry, supported by SPRING Singapore, aims to enhance remanufacturers’

competitiveness, develop remanufacturing related capabilities in local companies and grow remanufacturers in Singapore. The initiative targeting at remanufacturers, precision engineering service providers, and companies interested in venturing into remanufacturing collaborates closely with Caterpillar Reman Singapore to help match and develop relevant capabilities to support its local operation. Ten companies from industry are members of this initiative. The potential value of outsourcing to local companies is estimated to be worth over US$100 million per year.

Dr Lim Ser Yong, executive director of SIMTech said: “In a time where environmental challenges have taken centre stage, companies are seeking the know-how and the tools to incorporate sustainable manufacturing into existing business operations to reduce cost and environmental impact. With the launch of the Remanufacturing and Green Packaging Initiatives, companies have an added avenue to create value-added products with manufacturing processes that are also more environmentally friendly.”

Industry news


Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: The world semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) market is expected to witness sustained growth, fueled by the demand for System-on-Chip (SoC) products in smart phones, wireless and wired communication devices, and consumer electronics. The success of tablets, PDAs, and handsets has created a boom in the consumer market, triggering the demand for greater functionality in terms of higher speeds, performance, and pin counts.

W i t h p r o d u c t s b e c o m i n g increasingly mobile, Radio Frequency (RF) connectivity is likely to assume greater importance. Greater device complexity will boost growth in the semiconductor ATE markets.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, World Semiconductor Automated Test Equipment (ATE) Markets, finds that the market earned revenues in the range of US$3.0 billion-US$3.2 billion in 2010 and is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.2 percent during 2010-2017. In 2010, the non-memory semiconductor ATE market segment accounted for the largest market share of 75.9 percent.

“As the demand for tablets, PDAs,

Frost & Sullivan: Futuristic Technologies To Drive Growth Of Semiconductor ATE Market

smartphones, and handsets continues to grow, increasingly rapid innovation is likely to be observed with the unceasing rollout of products with enhanced features and performance,” says Frost & Sullivan research analyst Susan Sahayan.

She continued: “It will be imperative for ATE market participants to up the ante to improve their testing capabilities to keep pace with the quickly evolving end-user requirements.”

With the increase in volumes in a consumer driven market, high functional integration in semiconductor devices, and huge pressures on the average selling price of these devices, there is a need for cost-effective test systems to test complex chips. Consumer demands have exerted pressure on test cost, requiring assembly and test costs to be driven down.

To cope with Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) reduction, manufacturers of low-end digital devices often conduct in-house testing, using self-made ATE or by developing self-testing methods that are less expensive. Although these self-made test solutions cannot compare with the more sophisticated test solutions available in the market, they do affect the lower cost ATE

market in general. Competition is currently intense, as

the market is consolidating, leaving very few key participants. This may hinder the performance of smaller companies and new entrants who wish to enter the fray with low-cost test equipment. Mergers and acquisition, will also limit the innovativeness of smaller companies to some extent, while the big market participants grow bigger.

In this scenario, the semiconductor ATE market participants need to continue to guarantee customer satisfaction by ensuring fast time-to-market deliveries for their customers, while enabling lower test costs and superior functionality in their product offerings.

“Establishing local presence for technical sales and support is vital for ATE market participants to strengthen customer relations,” says Ms Sahayan. She continued: “Having local presence is especially important in Asia, which has the largest installed base of testers.”

The drive to continuously innovate and enhance product offerings will enable ATE market participants to remain competitive in the highly saturated market.

New Logo For Hypertherm China

Shanghai, China: Hypertherm China refreshes its logo with a new name, ‘HaiBao’. When the company first entered the Chinese market over eight years ago, the entity was registered as ‘HaiBieDe’ (old logo), a literal translation from English to Chinese of ‘Hypertherm’. However, customers had since then

already referred to Hypertherm as ‘HaiBao’, and up until now, some industry contacts still recognise this name.

The adoption of the new name is a reflection of the company’s commitment to the domestic market, and is among several other measures that have been

implemented in recent years in order to meet the needs of end-users in China.

The company has officially registered the new logo in China and now owns the authorised trademark. The name ‘HaiBao’ will be reflected on all product and marketing collaterals across Greater China.

Industry news


Shanghai, China: Weidmuller, a provider of solutions for electrical connectivity, transmission and conditioning of power, signals and data in industrial environments, has opened a new centre for education and further training, for research and knowledge networking in Shanghai, China. In the ‘Weidmüller Academy Asia’ trainees will be taught, employees coached and technology research conducted in cooperation with universities, institutions and experts. The Academy at the headquarters of the Detmold based company was founded in 2003 and is a fixed size. The Asian offshoot has been built based on this successful model. "Academy Asia is the centre of training and knowledge networks with which we plan to build our expertise in China," said Weidmüller's CEO, Dr Peter Köhler. He continued: "The new competence and knowledge centre in Eastern Asia brings us closer to the local market – and to the people with the potential and motivation."

The head of the Weidmüller Academy is Dr Eberhard Niggemann. He has built up the Academy since its launch in 2003 and its ever growing team of coaches, trainers and engineers. University and

Shanghai, China: Omron Automation (China) officially opened its Automation Centre in Shanghai to serve the local automation growing business which is projected to expand at a rate of 20 percent till 2013.

To commemorate the event, the company invited a Shanghai City government official to officiate the opening together with the company’s president Shigeki Fujimoto, Automation System Division manager, Shinya Yamasaki and China Automation Centre GM, Hiroshi Ujimoto.

The aim of this centre is to provide

Weidmuller Opens Its Academy Asia For Training And Knowledge Networking In Shanghai

institution partnerships, including with the Ostwestfalen-Lippe and Paderborn Universities, promote the development of new technologies. "We have already won the support of renowned universities in China, for example the Shanghai Jiaotong University and the North China Electric Power University from Beijing," Dr Niggemann said. "With our local Academy we are closer to the regional trends and requirements, and also to the potential future employees. We also increase the know-how of our Chinese employees and train them in a targeted way," he added.

One of the targets in China, in conjunction with the chamber of commerce and other German companies, is to further strengthen the dual vocational training. "In Germany we have had a very positive experience with this model," Dr Niggemann summarised. "It is for this reason that we have already begun to expand it into Asia. Academy Asia will combine these efforts and further strengthen them." Other aspects are personnel development with comprehensive training programs, supporting students and young research scientists as well

as product and application training for Asian customers.

"Academy Asia is a further milestone in our East Asian activities," said Volpert Briel, chief marketing and sales officer. Weidmüller has been present in China since 1994. Initially the sales structures were established and located in Shanghai. Then, in 2003, the production facility in Suzhou was opened. Since then two Chinese research and development centres have been developing new technologies for electrical connection technology and electronics. "Many companies still have concerns about the loss of know-how. Our experience shows that strengthening partnerships and relationships as well as placing manufacturing facilities and research centres locally in Asia has strengthened our group," Dr Köhler explained.

Omron Opens Automation Centre In Shanghai, China

speed and reliability, shorter machine development time and to strengthen the company’s competitive advantage in the market. To achieve this objective, the company’s Automation Centre will serve as a hub to house a field application engineer to provide on-site application support and technical consultation. In addition, the centre has also set up a Tsunagi (Connectivity) Lab for conformance checking and testing to ensure every industrial component can connect with the company’s controller with ease and reliability.

The Tsunagi (Connectivity) Lab located at Omron’s recently opened Automation Centre in Shanghai, China. The Lab will be used for conformance checking and testing to ensure every industrial component can connect with the company’s controller with ease and reliability.

Industry news


Shenzhen, China: Tyco Security has been awarded the ‘Global Security Contribution Award’ by the world's largest professional security organisations - China Public Security Expo (CPSE) and Global Security Alliance.

Held in Shenzhen, the ‘Global Security Contribution Award’ ceremony was attended by more than 1,500 representatives from public security, banking and finance, construction, transportation and other industries from countries all over the world. In its second year, the award identified outstanding companies based on the following aspects: technological innovation, environmental protection, social responsibility, corporate influence, brand awareness, market share, personal charm, and the company's contribution to the progress of the global security industry.

"I want to thank the organisers for

Tyco Security Honoured With Global Security Contribution Award

recognising Tyco with this distinguished award. Our industry has been rapidly growing and innovation has become a key success factor for sustainable leadership. This award makes us proud and is a great reward for our employees' commitment to create customers for life through our services, products, relentless innovation and respect for the environment," said Naren Gursahaney, president of Tyco Security Solutions, who was unable to receive the award personally.

The company received the honour along with 11 other security companies. Prior to the award ceremony, the company has unveiled two latest security solutions platforms, SC720 and Surveillint at a press conference in Shenzhen. The company secured key infrastructures around the world, including 300 international airports and 80 percent of the top 100 retailers.

Ilkley, UK and Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Digi International has announced that Siemens AG is using Digi X-Grid Solutions to enhance its smart metering product with a web-based energy consumption and management platform for consumers. The Digi X-Grid is an ‘Extended Grid’ that enables real-time, IP-based monitoring and control of home energy devices beyond the electric meter.

Smart Siemens’ Automated Metering and Information System (AMIS) meters are now connected to the iDigi Device Cloud via the Digi ConnectPort X Wireless M-Bus gateway, creating an IP-based solution that will deliver precise energy usage information and meter visualisation to the end-user. This enhanced energy service offering for

Digi Enhances Siemens Smart Grid Metering Solution By Giving Customers Real-Time Utility Usage Information

utilities can be further augmented by the integration of ZigBee connectivity, which would support both remote customer monitoring and control of Smart Energy thermostats and other energy management devices.

Peter Hanak, project manager at Siemens said: “After Digi launched the ConnectPort X Wireless M-Bus gateway family in Europe last year, we approached them to work with us to integrate the Digi technology into our existing Smart Grid Metering in f ras t ruc ture. Prev ious ly, our communications link was designed purely as a conduit for delivering billing and grid information directly to utility company’s IT systems, not to consumers. Our collaboration with Digi has enhanced our energy service

offering by adding a second IP-based, real-time communication channel to our system designed to communicate directly with customers.”

Frederic Luu, VP Asia and EMEA sales and marketing, said: “Our partnership with Siemens further consolidates Digi’s position as a leader in Smart Energy innovation. Our focus is on providing utility providers and consumers with the technology they need to monitor and manage energy use - empowering them with consumption information.”

Existing Siemens AMIS installations can be upgraded with the energy management enhancement. The company’s X-Grid offer is fully scalable and ready for both pilots and large-scale roll-outs.

Industry news


Middle East: The oil rich nations of the Middle East will be the principal drivers for growth in the oil and gas equipment market through 2012. The market for intelligent oil and gas metering skids in the Middle East is still in early stage, but its potential for growth is brought to sight within future plans of development and investments. According to international market analysis, the improved tax incentives and the support of cash rich national oil companies have encouraged significant investment in the Middle East. The UAE alone will spend US$72 billion on oil and gas projects as the country moves forward with a major programme to expand its hydrocarbon output

Growth Of Middle East Oil And Gas Sector Drive Skids Applications

capability to meet growing demand.“The fiscal metering skids represent

a growing segment in Middle East as they have multiple employments, such as truck loading, tank farms, LPG factory, and crude oil tank farm. In the last six years, we have manufactured about 180 fiscal skids for many countries including Kazakhstan, Jordan, Iran, and Libya and we have seen that most of the skids were employed for truck or wagon loading facilities and integrate tank gauging system or DCS in a terminal automation system,” says Ion Andronache, the CEO of the Romanian company Syscom18, a process control and automation market company that provides integrated solutions and complex installations for the oil and gas industry.

Regardless of country of origin, the systems have to be designed and manufactured in accordance with international codes and standards and can be adapted to all requirements in the Middle East. The companies dealing with oil and gas processes in the region are generally looking for fully engineered, skid-mounted packages for fiscal metering (custody transfer) systems. The skids have to ensure high-integrity, accurate, reliable measurement of natural gas volume, quality, composition and calorific value. Accurate, reliable custody transfer measurement of natural gas is critical for fiscal accounting and taxation purposes.

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Kemppi Received An International Design Award

Finland: Kemppi has won the esteemed iF Product Design Award 2012 in the industrial product design category with its Kempact RA product family.

The competition, organised in Germany, is one of the oldest and best-known design competitions in the world. It brings together a jury of international design experts to test and evaluate the products entered.

SKF Wins Order For Passenger Coach In ChinaSweden: SKF will deliver 20M SEK (US$2.9 million) worth of bearings to the China Railway Materials Commercial Corp for installation in 160 km/h passenger coaches for use throughout China.

“Our customers are facing increasing pressure in railway in general and they need their passenger coaches to work more efficiently, safely and productively, while reducing costs,” says Rutger

Barrdahl, director for SKF Railway Business Unit, Industrial Division.

The company is a state-owned enterprise under the supervision of state-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council. It sources and supplies railway diesel oil, steel rails, materials for manufacturing/renovating locomotives and cars, as well as spare-parts for maintenance.

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The Middle East contains many of the world's oil reserves

Industry news


Come visit us

IAA has a facebook account!

Houston, US: PAS, a supplier of human reliability software and services to the power and processing industries worldwide, has announced that Qatargas, the world’s largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) producer, has chosen PAS’ PlantState Suite alarm management software and engineering services for an improvement project across all their units.

“We chose PAS to optimise our alarm systems. With this project, we expect to reduce operator loading

Qatargas Selects PAS For Site-wide Alarm System Improvement Project

and facilitate plant safety, all in service of continuity of customer shipments,” said Alae Sadic Al Hassan, acting COO, Engineering & Ventures, Qatargas.

PAS’ PlantState Suite, which is an alarm management and operations support software suite, will be utilised on the project to provide event analysis, documentation and rationalisation, auditing and enforcement, and dynamic alarm management. Post-project, the software will then be used to properly monitor and maintain the

Chicago, US: Neutral Tandem, a provider of global interconnection services, has announced its plans to introduce the first cloud-based collaboration service in the US specifically developed to be resold by Cisco’s Value-Added Reseller (VAR) community and System Integrators (SIs). The new cloud-based service is based on Cisco’s next-generation Unified Communications infrastructure and will leverage the company’s expertise in operating and managing IP networks. The company has entered into Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS) Trial agreements with select Cisco authorised VARs and is trialing the service with them.

The service, based on Cisco’s HCS, will enable VARs/SIs to deliver a full suite of unified communication and collaboration applications, including single number reach, integrated messaging and presence, video calling and WebEx integration. HCS provides support for single site, multi-site and hybrid premise-based implementations that allow significant flexibility to business customers. This solution will enable VARs/SIs to sell a monthly subscription based solution under their own brand. Additionally, VARs/SIs can provide

Neutral Tandem To Offer Cloud-Based Unified Communications Through Cisco Channel Partners

customised solutions to their client base by overlaying HCS with their own managed services. This will offer VARs/SIs the unique opportunity to differentiate themselves while growing their revenue predictably and without heavy front-end Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) costs for themselves or their customers.

The company’s service will provide a robust set of tools necessary for Cisco VARs/SIs to sell and manage the full suite of HCS services. This new service is designed to integrate with a VAR’s/SI’s existing unified communications and collaboration services provisioning and management processes. Furthermore, the company’s focus on providing solutions to the wholesale market will preserve the end-user customer relationships with the VAR/SI.

Cisco's research shows that the market for hosted unified communications and collaboration solutions is growing significantly. By 2013, hosted collaboration is projected to grow to US$8 billion, comprising 31 percent of the unified communications market. Reselling the company’s wholesale HCS offering will allow VARs/SIs to meet the growing demand for cloud solutions.

Nexus IS, a Cisco Gold Certified

P a r t n e r f o c u s e d o n o f f e r i n g collaboration, data centre, borderless networks, business video and managed services, is the first Cisco channel partner to trial the company’s new HCS offer.

“We are excited to develop this new hosted offer together with Cisco and expand our product portfolio to include cloud-based services that will help companies cost effectively meet the unified communication needs of the market,” said Surendra Saboo, President and COO of Neutral Tandem. He added: “This will be an ideal way for VARs and system integrators to be able to offer a Hosted Collaboration Solution to their enterprise customers while benefiting from a new stream of recurring revenue.”

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alarm system. “We are honoured that Qatargas

chose PAS for this important project to extend their leadership in process safety, reliability, and performance,” said PAS president, Chris Lyden. “We are proud to be their partner in this endeavor,” he added.

Industry updates

At The IATEX In Manila, Philippines

o n P r o f i b u s a n d Profinet technologies. Besides that other presentations from dif ferent sponsors were conducted.

T h e e v e n t w a s organised by PICS, a non-prof i t , non-stock organisation

of professionals in the field of instrumentation and control. Organised in February 25,1977, It now has four provincial chapters, 10 schools/student chapters, 14 company members, and has more than 5,400 individual members. In 1979, PICS initiated its instrumentation engineering and technician certified program and as of 2001 has 338 certified instrumentation and control engineers and 202 certif ied instrumentation and control technicians.

The Profibus/Profinet seminar ENQUIRY NO. 8101

was supported by Siemens, Pepperl + Fuchs, Phoenix Contact, Leoni, and Vipa. These companies provided live demonstrations to showcase innovative products and solutions at the Profibus booth during the exhibition.

The seminar was spread in three parts: news and market updates with the latest number on installed nodes with Profibus/Profinet technology; a Profibus block with presentations on Installations and best practices as well as process safety; and a Profinet block with presentations on innovative industrial Ethernet solutions as well as the new features available in the automation market such as redundancy, shared device and many more.

More locations will follow later this year such as Surabaya I n d o n e s i a a n d B a n g k o k , Thailand.

The Profibus/Profinet Association Southeast Asia successfully conducted its PI-seminar in Manila, Philippines. The seminar was conducted as part of the IATEX Exhibition. The event was organised by The Philippine Instrumentat ion & Control Society (PICS) in cooperation with Profibus Association and it took place at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Manila. A total of 500 participants joined in three days. One complete day was used for a Profibus/Profinet seminar to hear the latest news and updates

PI-Seminar

PI was honoured with a certificate of recognition.


ENQUIRY NO. 8102

The international CiA (CAN in Automation) users’ and manufacturers’ group has organised a first CANopen plug-fest in Milano (Italy). The participating CiA members (Celmi, Gefran, Givimisure, Lika, and Walvoil) have connected their CANopen devices (PLCs, sensors, and hydraulic actuators) to a network and have proved the devices interoperability. Besides minor inconsistencies in the Electronic Data Sheets (EDS), the device providers learnt, what might be improved in the next product generation.

The non-profit association schedules plug-fests in different countries. The objectives of these events are to improve existing products and to test prototypes on interoperability.

First CANopen Plug-Fest In Italy

ENQUIRY NO. 8103

French CiA Marketing Group

Some members of the CAN in Automation (CiA) international users’ and manufacturers’ group have re-established the French CiA Marketing Group. It is intended to jointly organise some marketing activities in France. The group chaired by Chistophe Duhoux (Sprinte) decided to organise a series of CANopen information events beginning in 2012 in Paris, Grenoble or Lyon, Nice, and Toulouse.

For May or June, 2012, it is planned to schedule in Lyon the CANopen Convergence Days 2012, a one-day conference plus a one-day workshop. The group also started an initiative to provide technical articles and application reports to French media (online and printed). Agilicom, B&R France, Cyberio, Faun Environment, Festo France, HMS France, ISIT, and Sprinte were the initial members of the French CiA group.

The CANopen application layer was originally developed in a European research project also participated by French engineers. “It is one of the strategic network technologies used by Schneider Electric for embedded control systems,” said Holger Zeltwanger, CiA’s MD. “There are also some other CANopen users in France,” added Christophe Duhoux.

“For example, we use CANopen in lift control systems, and Faun use it in its refuse collecting vehicles.”

Agilicom offers CANopen gateways and modules, B&R and Festo provide a broad range of industrial automation devices with CANopen connectivity. ISIT distributes the CANopen hardware and software from different German companies (Deutschmann, Ixxat, and RM Michaelides). HMS France offers the CANopen interface and gateway modules from its Swedish mother company. Cyberio is involved in research projects using CANopen technology in underwater applications.

The first CANopen plug-fest in Italy.

Italian CiA members already participated in some plug-fests in Germany, but it is more convenient for them to have the plug-fests in their country. Italy is the second largest CiA community with about 50 companies headquartered in Italy. Other CiA members have subsidiaries and sales or distribution channels in the boot-shaped country.

“The participating Italian companies demanded to organise additional CANopen plug-fests in Italy,” said Holger Zeltwanger, CiA’s MD. “We should also give the other Italian members a chance to benefit from such interoperability tests,” he added.


NewsdeskNewsdesk

The core competence of the Austrian STIWA Group is product and assembly automation. The organisation takes advantage of EtherCAT in many projects, as in the case of the high-performance laser-welding machine for manufacturing gearbox components used in the automotive industry.

T h e b a c k b o n e o f t h e plant is a fast , intel l igent transport system, which is a proprietary development by the organisation. It is tailor-made for high-performance assembly and uses all the advantages o f E therCAT components .

In conventional assembly plants, the work piece carriers are cycled through the plant by means of friction belts. The attainable speeds are usually insufficient for high-performance manufacturing.

In addition to the units that are necessary for stopping and positioning, a code reader must also be used to ensure that the correct work piece carrier is processed.

Added Value Integrated In The SystemThe organisation has successfully implemented the transport of parts in its assembly plant using

a servomotor and toothed belt as an NC axis, which allows very precise positioning of the work piece carriers.

Transport speeds of up to almost 3 m/s are possible with a total weight of up to 10 kg. Beyond that, the trick lies in the identification of the work piece carriers.

Using just a simple proximity switch, a laser-cut code plate on the underside of the carrier is scanned and recorded via high speed EtherCAT I/O from Beckhoff Automation. By means of the EtherCAT timestamp function, which works with resolutions in the

The ETG booth at the recent Industrial Automation Show in Shanghai was well attended: at the same time the fairground also hosted a machine tool show, where EtherCAT is making good progress, especially among the Chinese CNC vendors.

High-Performance Laser Welding Plant

EtherCAT Based

STIWA is one of the leading suppliers in high-performance

assembly automation: a new milestone has been

set with a flexible transport system based on EtherCAT.

20 industrial automation asia | Dec 2010/Jan 201120 industrial automation asia | Dec 2011/Jan 2012

ENQUIRY NO. 8104

ENQUIRY NO. 8105

nanosecond range, the work piece carrier can be identified as it drives past. Intelligent code algorithms tolerate up to three read errors.

Transport System“The transport system is one of the keys to flexible high-performance automation. In addition to the system used here, we also have another version that is designed for payloads of up to 100 kg. This enables us, for example, to transport complete engine blocks through manufacturing plants — with the same performance values regarding speed and safety,” says Peter Sticht, MD of STIWA Holding, outlining the in-house developments.

“Transport is not a necessary evil for us, but rather a part of the value creation chain, since we have full-value NC axes at our disposal with TwinCAT NC,” he added.

The individual components are clamped and welded in the laser welding modules. The centring platforms and the positioning units for the lasers form the heart of the plant. Each of the two cells contains two independent servo kinematics with five degrees of freedom each for the laser optics.

The centr ing p la t forms underneath each contain eight servo axes for the precise clamping of the parts. For process reliability, measurement systems are mounted on the exchangeable tool platforms.

All tools are parameterised as EtherCAT Hot Connect groups and are exchangeable during operation. This permits the most diverse assemblies to be welded in the flexible plant. The tools are also identified via EtherCAT, ensuring that the plant is always equipped with the correct tool kit.

A total of more than 260 EtherCAT I/O modules are installed in the plant. All 180 servo axes are controlled as full-value NC axes and require corresponding computing

power, which is provided by 14 Beckhoff Industrial PCs with Intel Core 2 Duo processors.

The plant’s has a sophisticated work piece carrier logistics concept, which is imaged by a data server. This ensures that each processing module always ‘knows’ precisely which recipe parameters are to be used for the current work piece.

Processing results such as measured values, processing status, quality criteria and process evaluation are always kept consistent.

Controlling The Integration Of TechnologyThe basis of the high-performance assembly machines from STIWA is the control and integration of the technologies. “We do not build the automation around a technology or a process; instead, we develop the process as part of the automation,” says Mr Sticht, describing the concept.

“This enables us not only to implement very complex assembly processes, but also to achieve cycle times of less than 0.7 s per gross finished part — despite quite demanding processes such

ETG Semi Technical Working Group Established

Ninety-six semiconductor industry

representatives from nine countries

— including South Korea and Japan

— attended the recent ETG Semi

Technical Working Group meeting.

At the meet ing, severa l major

semiconductor equipment vendors

presented their decisions for EtherCAT

as the new fieldbus standard for

this industry.

The group established 14 different

task groups that will elaborate device

profiles for semiconductor-industry

specif ic devices such as mass

flow controllers, RF generators or

vacuum gauges.

Furthermore, a task group defines

common implementation requirements

such as exception handling or labelling.

TWG chairman became Daniel R Judd

from Arlington Laboratory, the well-

known semiconductor industry expert

for communication technology and

standards that had already chaired the

ODVA Semi SIG that in the nineties had

successfully introduced the previous

de-facto standard for this industry.

as those in the manufacturing of fittings,” he added.

Mr Sticht is certain of one thing: “With this plant we have set a new milestone in flexible automation. We not only made high performance possible, but we also redefined it.”

The work piece carriers are identified as they drive past with the help of the digital EtherCAT I/O-Box. Up to 623 different part carriers can be detected on the transport system.

Dmitry Dzilno of Applied Materials explains his company’s EtherCAT decision to the newly formed ETG Semiconductor Technical Working Group.

Dec 2010/Jan 2011 | industrial automation asia 21Dec 2011/Jan 2012 | industrial automation asia 21

The Fieldbus Foundation has announced that the STC-Group has opened its newly renovated facilities at its premises in Brielle, near Rotterdam, the Netherlands. The improved process and maintenance industry training facilities at Brielle will enhance the training experiences of delegates attending the fieldbus training courses offered by STC-Group under the Foundation Certified Training Program (FCTP).

The opening ceremony of the improved process pilot plant on Friday October 7, 2011, was officiated by Erik Hietbrink, chairman of STC-Group, with guest speakers Ms Romp, site manager at Teijin Aramid BV, Delfzijl, and ‘Plant Manager of the Year 2011’; Van Scherpenzeel, general manager of Shell Pernis refinery, NL; and Van Sluis, chairman of Deltalinqs.

In 2009, STC-Group’s Brielle facility was one of the first educational institutions worldwide to offer fieldbus training courses certified under FCTP. This program establishes uniform standards for fieldbus educational curriculum around the globe, and defines acceptable levels of learning for students of the technology.

Earlier this year, the Fieldbus Foundation certified Dr Bindert Douma as a Foundation certified instructor on behalf of STC-Group. Dr Douma has an extensive process automation background at Shell Global Solutions, a global energy company.

Recognition under the FCTP means that Foundation fieldbus training courses are taught

at a certified training site, by a certified instructor, using certified curriculum. The core instructional content, developed by a team of qualified instructors from various institutions worldwide, is consistent across all the training facilities.

The FCTP currently offers three types of certification: Foundation Certified Professional, Foundation Certified Support Specialist, and Foundation Certified Technical Specialist. Additional certifications may be added in the future. Any certified trainer can teach all of these certifications.

For educational institutions, there are rigorous procedures for gaining FCTP status, and for certifying course instructors and curriculum. Certified training centres are required to maintain multiple hosts and devices onsite in order to demonstrate competence with fieldbus technology. They are also audited to ensure their course material adheres to set instructional standards covering fieldbus segment limits; device replacements; commands, icons, menus and screen designs of different software packages; and communication, scheduling and function block assignments enabling configuration.

In addition, certified instructors are audited to see if they have achieved specified Fieldbus Foundation training goals . Instructors must demonstrate expertise in areas such as Human-Machine Interface (HMI) tools, fieldbus troubleshooting, simple device configuration, and device

deployment and functionality across a fieldbus network

At its facility located in Brielle, the Netherlands, close to the Rotterdam-Europoort industrial areas, STC-Group has established a training centre for process control and automation. Dr Douma commented: “Certification is important for STC-Group because we are recognised by the foundation as a high-quality training centre. This gives our customers a guarantee that the content of our courses, the materials used, and the knowledge of our trainers are up to date. For most of our customers, it is essential to be certified because of the value in their professional environment.” He continued: “It is a rewarding experience to be making a significant contribution to the skilled industrial automation workforce of the future.”

As adoption of Foundation technology expands throughout the process industries, there is a corresponding need to train plant personnel on its use and implementation. Fieldbus Foundation-certified training courses and workshops are offered at certified centres located around the world and through certified trainers at other nominated locations. To ensure complete accessibility to certified training, the use of portable Foundation systems allows certified trainers to conduct training courses for mult iple students at a company’s own premises or appropriate venue.


ENQUIRY NO. 8106

STC-Group Enhances Foundation Fieldbus Training Opportunities

Anywhere in the world you need power, Schneider Electric is there.Power loss poses a threat to the equipment, people, and processes you rely on.

And with today’s stricter security and safety regulations, process automation,

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concerns into the mix, and it becomes essential to protect your power with solutions

that not only meet your availability demands, but are energy efficient, too.

Why Schneider Electric is the right power protection choice You may know us as the market leader in delivering IT power protection. But we also

offer a full range of reliable and highly efficient power protection solutions designed

to safeguard business-critical applications and environments outside the IT room.

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Guaranteed availability for business-critical systems No matter what industry you’re in, our unrivaled portfolio offers a solution that’s

guaranteed to suit your specific business needs and keep your power on. Thanks to

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ENQU

IRY

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341


issues & insights

During the past 50 years, there has been a dramatic development of controllers: Distributed Control Systems (DCS), Programmable Logic Controllers

(PLC), Industrial PCs (IPC), and Programmable Automation Controllers (PAC).

In Asia Pacific, the growing use of industrial applications continues to challenge the functionality of those controllers, f o s t e r i n g f u r t h e r innovation. Manufacturing demands performance in terms of throughput, yield, and uptime: the Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) model. Additionally, manufacturing is always pushing for greater accuracy and lower cost while maintaining quality and safety. These are the key drivers for machine builders.

Increasingly, manufacturing also requires moving products automatically during setup or production. This calls for a system that centres on motion and relies on it to be fast and accurate. If a controller

has not been designed around motion, it may have inherent architecture barriers to performance when used to increase OEE. Consequently, a series of highly-robust, high-speed, high-performance, next-generation controllers are being introduced which allow seamless connection of a variety of I/O devices, such as servo driver and vision sensors, that are capable of high performance motion control (which is difficult with conventional programmable logic controllers), and enable control of an entire system with one single device.

“Today a new type of controller called a Machine Automation Controller (MAC) has emerged where the most important attribute is motion performance,” says Colin Soh, product manager at Omron Asia Pacific. “A true MAC can handle applications that require a high level of synchronisation and determinism as it resolves the integration of multiple control technologies without compromising performance. This allows a perfect interplay of all integrated automation components such as motion, vision, logic and I/O and thus allows continuous manufacturing optimisation.”

A MAC features an advanced real-time scheduler that manages motion, network, and user application updates at the same time to ensure perfect synchronisation. System Synchronisation occurs when the user application programme coordinates

This article will look at the use of machine control hardware for automation and how the emergence of a Machine Automation Controller (MAC) meets the market needs more effectively than previous controller solutions. By Gabriel Tan, motion product manager & Serena Chan, corporate & marketing communications, Omron (Asia Pacific)

The Emergence

Factory AutomationOf A New Standard For

PAC

MAC

MotionController

PLCDiscrete

Multi DisciplineSystem Redundancy

Multi Discipline: Motion at the core

System Synchronization: < 1 microsecond network jitter

Single Controller: High axis count 32 axes < 1 millisecond

MAC can handle a large number of axes without degrading performance.

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with the motion scheduler, the network servo drives, and ultimately controls the motor shafts. With each motor shaft synchronised with each other, what is true for two axes is true for nine, 17, or even 64 axes.

“There are many 8-axis and 16-axis controllers in the market,” notes Mr Soh. If there is a need to expand the coordination of motion beyond that number of axes, another motion module is typically added. However, this is where many other controllers fall short, because the application requires synchronisation across expansion and scalability of motion, through to the network, and back to the application program

To best approximate the intended motion profile, the controller must be deterministic to accurately coordinate all axes in the system. All this points back to the main driver: to increase throughput, the system requires the axes to remain synchronised with great repeatability to guarantee higher performance of throughput, yield, and uptime.

“Lower yields will result and the system may require shutdown to make adjustments,” notes Mr Soh. “Uptime is not necessarily just a factor of the equipment itself. It is also a factor of the production process. If motion is not accurately controlled to match the process, when speeds are increased, the result is bad parts as the machine goes slightly out of control. This clearly impacts uptime because upstream and downstream processes need to be readjusted as well. For the next generation of platforms, machine builders need to be assured their architecture will allow them to expand throughput and yield without the platform becoming a bottleneck.”

Thus, the demand of modern machinery to produce faster in terms of performance and features has essentially created the need for the MAC. The MAC delivers seamless integration with one connection and one software application, taking the idea of integration to a new level.

ConvergenceThe MAC was specifically designed to integrate multiple, specialised controllers with exacting system synchronisation to deliver high performance throughput on a single controller. Logic, motion, vision, I/O, and functional safety are all coordinated with just one MAC. By using one real-time network to exchange data for all the system components, setup time is reduced from weeks to hours, and everything becomes easier by eliminating the need for integrating multiple protocols.

Consider the MAC advantages in a simple application such as a vision guided, Cartesian pick-and-place robot. There are two parts: the setup and

actual production. The coordinate system of the camera must match with the coordinate system of the Cartesian robot. To get the camera data to the controller in a coherent form, a lot of time is spent developing the protocol. Previously, this might have taken a combined effort of

an articulated arm robot manufacturer, a third party vision system engineer, and a PLC vendor. There could be three different systems, from three different companies, using three different technologies. At this point three engineers would be in a room, taking weeks to figure out how the systems can communicate with each other for commissioning. By design, a MAC allows these technologies to converge so protocol development can be completed in a matter of hours.

On the performance side, the use of a real-time network enables the passing of vision data to the motion system without losing a scan. This is only possible if vision and motion are on the same network.

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MAC allows different systems to converge so protocol

development can be completed in a matter of hours.

igus Singapore Pte [email protected]

15 Shaw Road #03-02Singapore 367953

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issues & insights

As another challenge, machine builders want to adjust servo parameters on the fly. This added functionality could create performance loss as the whole system gets overloaded with a high number of axes moving at high speed in full synchronisation. According to Don Teng, marketing manager at Omron Asia Pacific: “MAC is especially good for motion control because it has all the elements to do it without degrading performance. A lot of machine controllers encounter loss of speed when synchronised motion control is combined with a large number of axes, and there is a need for adjusting servo tuning at the same time.” He added: “Besides, additional CPUs are required to accomplish this.”

The New Performance BenchmarkToday’s benchmark to qualify for the MAC category is processing 32 axes and updating in one millisecond. “For many years, the challenge for automation manufacturers is to create a multidisciplinary controller,” says Mr Teng. He continued: “PACs were the most notable. PACs are most often used in industrial settings for process control, data acquisition, and machine control; but we all knew that the PAC had to have a heavy operating system. Moreover, for really high-speed motion control, that controller and configuration required many CPUs. The performance of motion control will drop as the number of axes increases.” In the wake of this scenario, the development of a highly targeted solution such as MAC seems inevitable and likely to find a very receptive market.

According to Mr Soh, the market for MAC is where the motion market, the vision market, and the PLC market have in commonality. In the packaging industry, machines for packing, wrapping, cartoning, and palletising use a certain amount of robot functionality combining vision and motion, and a great amount of axis synchronisation. These represent the successes where early MACs have been applied.

Further applications for MAC under development include intelligent controllers that can handle multi-axis synchronisation at the heart of machine operations. An example of this use is an application involving soft material cutting or 2D cutting — be it wood, plywood, glass, stone, or industrial textiles — where a certain amount of path or pattern execution functionality is needed, as well as handling and positioning. It is multi-axis control, but does not require the extremely high functionality of typical CNC controllers.

“These emerging machine applications will require the functionality and flexibility that MAC delivers,” concludes Mr Teng. Now that MACs have emerged as a revolutionary solution, further machine development incorporating their advances will continue to evolve, with motion at its core and the creation of value as its ultimate work.

“With MAC, you can do coordinated motion and vision at the fastest rate without having to add CPUs and what is more, performance remains uncompromised and that is really significant.” says Mr Soh.

ENQUIRY NO. 8201

Logic, motion, vision, I/O, and functional safety can all be coordinated with just one MAC

A successful precision machine shop is one that runs like clockwork. That’s why we don’t just sell you lubricants. Our team of engineers and sales representatives can work with you on an ongoing basis to provide the tiered support you need to help keep the machines you depend on running to their fullest potential. We don’t just make industry run, we make it y. Visit www.mobilindustrial.com for more.

©2011 Exxon Mobil Corporation. The Mobil logotype and the Pegasus design are registered trademarks of Exxon Mobil Corporation or one of its subsidiaries.

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The

PossibilitiesTouchOf

An investigation into the range of uses of capacitive touch sensors in the automation industry and how these intuitive gadgets work. By Shahnawaz Abdul Hamid


control point

We live in a world where having to operate machines and electrical appliances has become a regular feature of everyday life.

For several decades now this control has been achieved via the use of switches, sliders, knobs and push buttons. However, in recent years, the arrival of the touch sensor seems to indicate a new era in machine control.

Indeed, the novel use of touch sensors has been found to be so effective that it is perhaps no exaggeration to say it has become a ubiquitous feature in much of today’s automated environment, at home or in the factory. Besides endowing the product with a futuristic feel, touch sensors are seen as user-friendly, spontaneous and intelligent devices.

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Laptop touchpads have sensors fitted to receive tactile user input.

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Today, we use these sensors when we weigh ourselves on our digital bathroom scales, when we boil water for our morning cup of coffee or when we input information into our smartphones and tablets. At the factory, the touch sensor may be located in the gripper of a robot arm, or on the touchpad of a user interface.

A touch sensor is generally a transducer that actuates itself whenever it is subjected a pressure. Touch sensors typically use capacitive, piezoresistive or piezoelectric technologies to capture the user’s input.

Piezoelectric sensors use polymeric materials such as PVDF to generate a charge upon the application of pressure. Piezoresistive sensors, on the other hand, cause a change in electrical resistance with the application of pressure or mechanical stress.

Capacitive SensorsCapacitive sensors can directly or indirectly sense a wide variety of stimuli: motion, chemical composition, electric field strength, and pressure and fluid level.

These touch sensors are used in many electrical devices today, such as laptop trackpads, mobile devices, MP3 players and computer displays. Increasingly, capacitive touch sensors are being selected for use, given their versatility, reliability and robustness, unique human-device interface and cost reduction over mechanical switches. An oft-heard objection to the technology is its need for high impedance circuits. However, with proper circuit design and an accurate printed circuit board layout, this issue can be readily resolved.

In a typical capacitive touch sensor, conductive sensing electrodes are housed in a dielectric, with excitation voltages on the order of five volts. The design of the shape and layout of these electrodes are accorded a wide degree of flexibility, allowing for more appealing, intuitive interfaces with greater usability and a more contemporary look.

Given the placement of the electrodes inside the device, no openings are required, paving the way for a more robust product design ideally suited for most environments. This makes the use of capacitive touch sensors especially ideal for environments that require a high standard of cleanliness such as in semiconductor manufacturing, medical applications or the food processing industry.

Unlike conventional buttons and sliders, they have very few moving parts, reducing the amount of wear and tear over time and improving reliability. This reduces user cost in terms of maintenance and also compresses the logistical burden of suppliers and manufacturers.

It should be mentioned that a positive aspect of conventional buttons and sliders is the ability for the user to receive some form of tactile ‘feedback’. He or she feels the push button being pressed, an experience often absent in the use of touch sensors. Nevertheless, this can be compensated through the use of some form of optical or acoustical feedback.

The Hard TheoryAs its name suggests, the capacitive touch sensor operates on the principle of the capacitor, a fundamental cog of any electrical circuit. A capacitor is an electrical component used for the storage of energy, and has a basic setup of two electrical plates separated by a dielectric. The capacitance is determined by area of the plates, the distance between the plates as well as the dielectric constant, which is a material property.

In a touch sensor, the sensing electrode mentioned earlier in this article acts as one plate of the capacitor while the other plate is represented by the environment in combination with another conductive object, ie: the human finger. The capacitance of this entire setup is periodically measured through the use of a measurement circuit. When a finger touches the electrode, the measured capacitance increases, triggering a signal.

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igus Singapore Pte [email protected]

15 Shaw Road #03-02Singapore 367953

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control point

From the theory presented, it becomes clear that with a bigger touchpad and a thinner overlaying cover material, the sensitivity of a touch sensor can be enhanced. This provides opportunities for materials engineers to engage in R&D in this sector, coming up with glass composite materials with micro thicknesses.

When designing such touch sensors for use in touchpad applications, it is useful to note the effect the environment has on the effectiveness of the sensor. Water has been shown to affect the smooth functioning of the sensor, possibly due to the higher dielectric constant it has. As such, the screens of touchpads have to be designed in a manner that prevents the collection of water, especially when used for outdoor applications.

Other Common ApplicationsApart from the touchpads commonly found on mobile and computing devices, there are other common applications that currently see a r ising demand for capacit ive touch sensors. Two such innovative applications are liquid level sensing and proximity sensing.

ENQUIRY NO. 8301

In industries such as oil and gas, being able to accurately measure the level of a liquid, such as a chemical, is vital to the smooth operation of a plant. Liquid level sensing achieves this, through a relatively simple design involving the use of vertical electrode strips across a column of liquid, forming a vertical capacitor.

When the column is empty, a single capacitor is formed. However, upon introduction of the liquid, the capacitor is split in two, with one being filled with air, and the other being filled with a liquid, ie: water. The difference in dielectric constants between the liquid and air can then be used, through algorithm processing, to determine the height of the liquid.

Proximity sensing plays an important role in factory operations, detecting the presence of food contents in a cardboard box, for instance. In a typical application, a conductive electrode acts as one plate of the capacitor, while the intended object acts as the other. This application taps on the inverse relationship

between capacitance and distance between capacitor plates.

In summary, touch sensors, especia lly those which rely on capacitive sensing, will become increasingly popular, not only in consumer products, but industrial applications as well. The usability, reliability and cost-effectiveness of the technology will make it hard to ignore.

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Capacitive sensors will soon find their way to applications in the factory environment.

We live in a world where having to operate machines and electrical appliances has become a regular feature of everyday life.

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Oil and gas industries will find liquid level sensing a much-needed technology.

www.iaasiaonline.comVisit us on our website at


Ever y production faci l i ty today comprises a complex network of automation system

hardware, Windows operating systems, applications, and databases, which form their information and communication backbone. To ensure maximum reliability and security of these typically disparate systems, IT and automation organisations must overcome many challenges, including the fact that Process Control Networks (PCNs) are not typically visible to IT.

It is taken for granted that an

IT network will be managed and audited, but this is not always the case for PCNs. However, because automation systems directly control the process, every change to them carries the potential of tremendous negative impact upon the plant’s safety, environmental compliance, and productivity.

Cyber security in open systems is one area of particular concern — this was highlighted by the Stuxnet virus, that has the worrying ability to modify automation system databases to affect the interaction of control systems

Today’s automation systems collectively impact plant safety, economic throughput, environmental compliance, and equipment protection. As vendors have now moved to open platforms, plants face new challenges maintaining the reliability of automation systems which arise from the management of an IT infrastructure that simply did not exist with traditional proprietary automation systems. By Chris Lyden, president, PAS

Control Networks

Taking Control Of

Open Process

software & Networks

with the process. However, as any IT network manager would tell you, network auditing is as much about maintaining the reliability and compliance of systems — and therefore keeping the business operational — as defending against cyber-threats.

Software tools such as Integrity Recon from PAS can help plants with open automation systems to gather and display the software, services, hardware, system performance, and other essential information for the servers, work stations, and desktop computers


software & Networks

security, one of the most powerful functions of COE compliance auditing is to track configuration changes. Automation systems undergo significant configuration changes daily, which drives the need for rigorous management of change policies. The fact that these policies also apply to the automation system’s underlying computing infrastructure is often overlooked. Integrity Recon automatically tracks these changes for open automation systems and software applications, enabling users to check when and where a change took place on the PCN — and to help personnel to verify this against a management of change case.

Both man-made and natural disasters can threaten critical industrial infrastructure that includes both the automation sys tems and networks in production facilities.

These threats can range from cyber attacks and computer virus infections to damage caused by hurricanes and floods. While most facilities have rigorous security measures to intercept and defend against them, few do a good job of preparing for recovery if the threat is actually successful.

By effectively managing COE compliance, administrators can reduce downtime after disasters by validating system readiness for reload. Additionally, using a centralised auditing administration point means a system can be audited post-startup, which helps get the plant back to normal operating state faster.

Production facilities operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, the personnel who interact with the facility’s processes cannot always be on-site. When critical information often needs to be accessed from outside the facility, using a central administration tool

on the PCN. This provides the automation organisation with a mechanism to manage PCNs, while also allowing IT to securely view them.

Management StrategyA typical oil refinery could use more than 200 Windows nodes, so managing the configuration of each node individually is clearly impractical. This is invariably solved by standardising on Common Operating Environments (COEs), which are uniform configurations of hardware and software used on multiple nodes to enable security auditing and facilitate troubleshooting. To cater for different system requirements, automation system administrators can define the specifications of multiple COEs within the facility, each of which can be periodically audited for compliance.

For example, Integrity Recon provides COE compliance by reporting on:

• All software installed on each PC

• Whether specific hardware subsystems such as com ports and USB ports are enabled or disabled in compliance with established COE rules

• Device discovery and inventory information for servers, workstations, and desktop computers

• Hardware, firmware, and software revisions, as well as serial numbers for servers, workstations, and desktop computers

• Individual change histories for PC software and configuration

The software also assesses factors such as compliance to available drive capacity guidelines, disabled and stale user accounts

that are not covered by the COE and determines application and operating system services status (ok, failed), start mode (automatic, manual, disabled), and state (started, stopped, paused, resuming) from a single administration point.

Ensuring The Reliability Of PCNsSecurity of PCNs must be a very high priority at a production facility since it directly impacts safety, productivity, and reliability. Active Directories are employed to protect and maintain the integrity of critical production networks, and the network manager must monitor this and verify that this component is operating effectively on the PCN.

Network compliance auditing can also improve reliability by identifying system problems anywhere on the network. Having this overview enables the administrator quickly pinpoint the root cause to automation system issues, which also dramatically improves personnel productivity by reducing the hours spent troubleshooting and investigating problems. Software tools can be configured to provide email notifications to subscribed personnel as soon as an issue is identified — as such improving the response time when a problem is found.

When considering cyber

Tracking configuration changes will help improve cyber security.


can allow instant monitoring of any network device, system, or service remotely over a secure connection.

Software And Warranty Compliance For PCNsIndustry regulatory standards and guidelines may require equipment and/or software to be periodically replaced. This requires proper procedures and planning which can be time consuming and cumbersome without software assistance. Up-to-date network audits provide the means to plan for software and hardware upgrades by identifying existing components and ver i fy ing prerequisites. Audits also aid upgrade preparation by offering a simplified view of software and hardware versions, patches, firmware, and bios versions. ENQUIRY NO. 8401

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When an automation system is installed, like other products, they are often sold with warranties protecting against defects and malfunctions. However, some software insta l lat ions and updates can inadvertently void the manufacturer’s warranty. Network auditing can be used to verify that components meet vendor compliance by identifying unauthorised software, hardware, and configurations.

Another important aspect of compliance is to audit software licenses. In recent years, software licenses have been distributed with the understanding that companies would use only as many licenses as they have purchased. However, since installed licenses can be difficult to track, a company can inadvertently install more licenses than it originally bought.

Bringing It All TogetherBy recognising that PCNs have specific requirements, but taking advantage of the precedents set in IT, the underlying infrastructure of open automation systems can be made more secure and reliable. A strategy of regular network auditing based upon COEs ensures that this underlying infrastructure is manageable, saving time and money that would have been spent on identifying compl iance problems and planning deployment. Specialist automation software allows changes to systems, enabling administrators to track the configuration of PCNs and manage these open networks to protect against, and recover from, threats to critical infrastructure.

In the food industry, it is essential to carefully control the temperature of perishable goods throughout production, transportation, storage, and sales. Thermal imaging cameras can aid this process. Contributed by Denise Cheng, marketing manager Asia Pacific, Flir Systems


instrumentation & measurement

improve efficiency in other food processing operations.

The use of thermal imaging cameras in food processing is growing for applications such as:• Oven baked goods• Microwave cooked meats• Microwave drying of parboiled

rice and other grains• Inspecting ovens for proper

temperature• Proper filling of frozen meal

package compartments• Checking integrity of

cellophane seals over microwave meals

The main elements doing non-contact temperature measurements in the food

process ing industr y are a thermal imaging camera and the associated software. They act as ‘smart’ non-contact sensors to perform inspections, measuring the temperature of equipment, refr igerated products, and cooked foods as they exit the cooking process.

Thermal imaging cameras are easy to use, small, and can be positioned almost anywhere as needed. They can also be used to inspect package sealing, and

• Inspecting box flap glue of overwrap cartons

• Monitoring refrigerator and freezer compartments

Quality & Safety With ThermographyThermal imaging is first and foremost a Quality Assurance (QA) tool. Controlling the quality and safety of cooked meat products is an excellent use of this technology. A permanently mounted thermal imaging camera can record the temperature of, for example, chicken tenders as they exit a continuous conveyor oven.

Thermal ImagingCameras In The Food Industry

Dec2011/Jan2012 | industrial automation asia 35

The objective is to make sure they are done enough but not over-cooked and dried out. Reduced moisture content also represents yield loss on a weight basis. Thermal imaging cameras can also be used for inspection on microwave precooking lines. Besides improving product quality and safety, overall throughput can be increased. An additional benefit is reduced energy costs.

Equipment MonitoringIn addition to cooked food inspections, thermal imaging cameras can monitor conveyor ovens. They can even be part of a feedback loop to help control oven temperature.

Another use of thermal imaging cameras for conveyor ovens is monitoring temperature uniformity across the width of the conveyor oven cooking belt. If a heating element inside an electric oven fails, or you get uneven heating across an air impingement oven, one side of the product stream may be cooler. This can be quickly discovered with thermal imaging cameras.

Quality inspections of this sort are much more difficult with conventional contact type temperature sensors. Thus, thermal imaging cameras can help correct variability and improve quality before a lot of product is scrapped.

Packaging InspectionsSoftware is available that allows thermal imaging cameras to locate objects and patterns in the images. One application for pattern matching is in the production of frozen meals. Thermal machine vision can use pattern recognition software to check for proper filling of food tray compartments.

A related application is automated 100 percent inspection of the heat-sealed cellophane

cover over finished microwave meals. A thermal imaging camera can see heat radiating from the lip of the container where the cellophane heat-seal is formed.

The temperature along the entire perimeter of the package can be checked by using the thermal image with machine vision software. This type of program matches the

geometric pattern in the image and its temperatures against the temperatures in a pattern stored in a computer memory. An added function in such a system could be laser marking of a poorly sealed package so it can be removed at the inspection station.

An issue affecting product safety indirectly is the integrity

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Windows Embedded products are covered by on industry leading 10-year support program plus a product availability of 15 years.

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instrumentation & measurement

of cartons that overwrap and protect food containers. One of the most cost-effective ways of sealing overwrap cartons is to use heated glue spots on the carton flaps. In the past, the integrity of the spot gluing was determined by periodically doing destructive testing on several samples. This was time-consuming and costly.

Because the glue is heated, a thermal imaging camera can ‘see’ through the cardboard to check the pattern and size of the applied glue spots. The camera can be set up to look at predefined areas of the flaps where glue should be applied, and verify spot sizes and their temperatures.

The digital data collected is used for a pass/fail decision on each box, so bad boxes can be immediately removed from the production line. The data is automatically logged into the QA system for trend analysis, so a warning can be generated if an excessive number of boxes begin to fail.

Yet another appl icat ion for thermal imaging cameras is monitoring container filling operations. Although this is seldom a product safety issue, it does affect yield and compliance with regulations. Different areas

on the bottle can be defined and used to trigger an alarm and remove bottles that are over-or under-filled. Thermal imaging cameras are a better alternative to visible light cameras when a bottle or jar is made of dark coloured glass or plastic.

Automating MeasurementsApplication software currently available for thermal imaging cameras includes a wide variety of functions that support automated food processing applications. This software complements and works in conjunction with firmware built into thermal imaging cameras. The imaging tools and libraries in these packages are hardware and language-independent, making it easy for food processing engineers to quickly implement thermal monitoring and control systems.

Thermal imaging cameras themselves provide the user with different operating modes that support correct temperature measurements under various condit ions. Two funct ions commonly found in these cameras are a spotmeter and area measurements.

The spotmeter finds the temperature at a particular point. The area function isolates

a selected area of an object or scene and usually provides the maximum, minimum, and average temperatures inside that area. The temperature measurement range typically is selectable by the user. As an adjunct to the temperature range selection, most cameras allow a user to set up a colour scale or gray scale to optimise the camera image.

In conveyor oven applications, the area function is typically used because pieces of cooked product are often randomly located on the conveyor. The camera can be programmed to find and measure the minimum and maximum temperatures within the defined area. If one of those setpoint temperatures were to fall outside the user-defined limits, an application program running on a PC or PLC would instantly trigger an alarm, alerting the operator to check the thermal image on a video monitor or PC to find and remove the bad product, and/or adjust the cooking temperature.

In the case of local monitoring, an IR camera’s digital I/O can be used to directly trigger an alarm device without additional software. However, food processing often benefits from higher level analytics that are available in third-party software that runs on a PC. These out-of-the-box solutions do not require the writing of application source code. By adhering to commonly used machine vision interface standards such as GigE Vision and GenICam, a wide range of functionality is supported by this software.

A simplified block diagram of conveyor monitoring is shown. One thermal imaging camera is adequate for many applications, or a thermal imaging camera may be combined with a visible light camera to record other target object attributes, such as colour.

ENQUIRY NO. 8501

1 Computer or PLC2 CAT-6 Ethernet

cable with RJ45 connectors

3 Industrial Ethernet switches with fiber optic ports

4 Fiber optic cable5 FLIR A3106 Food process to

be monitored, eg, items on a conveyor belt

Typical Go/No-Go inspection system using thermal imaging cameras


energy

IAA spoke with the global head of GreenTech for Autodesk, at the 2011 Clean Energy Expo, about the company’s initiative to supply their software package to entrepreneurial green technology companies together with Oliver Risse, the MD for Greenlot, a green technology startup focused on the electrification of vehicles. By Mark Johnston

IAA: What are some of the applications available in your software?Susan Gladwin (SG): One of the tools we enable is the ability to look at a building’s footprint. Fourty percent of global energy use is in buildings. In the tools that are available, conceptual energy analysis allows optimisation in efficiency and performance before a building is built, which is really important.

We see ourselves as a living lab in our facilities because we are able to test and use our own software to optimise energy usage.

IAA: What are the important questions people need to ask in manufacturing concerning being green?SG: In manufactur ing, the important questions people need and want to answer are things like where are the materials I am using coming from, what is the impact of sourcing them, how efficient is the thing that I am making, how long will it last and if it is recyclable.

In addition to the tools we would do a lot of education p ro g r a m s t o h e l p p e o p l e understand the principles behind sustainability. One of the notable

AutodeskGifting The Singapore

Green Industry

(L-R) Oliver Risse, MD, Greenlots; Susan Gladwin, senior global clean tech program manager, Autodesk; Jake Layes, head of clean tech business development, APAC, Autodesk.


energy

ones is the Autodesk sustainability workshop. We have got some building information materials workshops, we are sponsoring sustainable design competition to inspire and support students.

IAA: Can you tell me more about the sustainability workshop?SG: The sustainability workshop is something we created earlier in 2011. It is a series of short videos that talk about system thinking, materials selection, followed by product analysis. The idea is that it complements the tools and a lot of today’s curriculum, which do not include concepts like these. As it is emerging, we created the curriculum so that people can embed that into their academic programs. We are targeting both facility and students, we also find that professionals are really interested in these too.

IAA: Please explain in detail the Autodesk CleanTech Partner Program?SG: We have a commitment to getting clean tech entrepreneurs

to get their products to market faster because we see these as really important solutions to environmental problems, ones that we ourselves are not in business of creating. Our CEO is even personally behind this, it was really to some degree his idea to create this program called the Autodesk CleanTech Partner Program.

The idea is that we are giving digital prototyping software to the cleantech innovators so that they can visualise, analyse and simulate their solutions virtually before they create a physical product.

IAA: What are the conditions for joining the Autodesk CeanTech Partner Program?SG: It is really simple. You go to the wedsite, fill out a short form that gives your contact information. We then contact you, understand your needs, qualify that you are in the business of cleantech and that you are making something that can actually benefit from this software.

IAA: Is the program only applicable to startups?SG: It is largely focused on emerging companies. It is not to say we would entirely discount more established companies, but they do not necessarily need this discount, but we do work with them. The main focus is entrepreneurs.

Some example are Tesla, which is not the smallest startup in the world, but still a company that we would want to support and so we are supporting them. Other examples are ATP Waters making water purifications treatments. USS solar who are making a helius tab that helps the solar panel adjust to where the sun is. Timber Tower is based in Germany, making very tall wind turbines using wood because they found that it flexes better at certain heights than steel.

We h a v e h u n d r e d s o f companies, we started the program in July 2009 in North America, Israel, Japan, and we are now launching in Singapore.

The idea is that the company receives up to US$250,000 worth of software for only US$50.

IAA: Why did you pick Singapore?SG: Singapore is a hub of cleantech incubation and testbed and given the investment and commitment Singapore is making to CleanTech it seemed like a great fit because it is nurturing the kind of companies we want to attract. Also, Singapore views itself as a living lab and really wants to grow the industry. There is plenty of innovation happening in Singapore and plenty of entrepreneurship that we want to support.

T h e o t h e r t h i n g a b o u t Singapore is that it is really a bridge for pan Asia-Pacif ic activity. So, by having a presence here we are able to make a lot of awareness in the region.

Electric vehicles, the future of transportation?


ENQUIRY NO. 8601

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Greenlots is our first Singapore GreenTech partner.

IAA: Tell me about your company, Greenlots?Oliver Risse (Greenlots): We started this business three years ago in Singapore with the help of the Economic Development Board and explain to them the opportunity of electrification of transportation. At that time there were not many electric cars available, so we brought in vehicles here and talked a lot initially about electrification but it was obviously very clear that it is not a car maker’s place here in Singapore, where its neighbours are doing much better. We looked at every car, truck, boat, bicycle in an intelligent charging infrastructure, we did this en masse. This is what we

developed in over a year and it took us literally one year to develop the proof of concept. We have hardware and software working in realtime and together, and since last year, 2010, we are commercialising this technology now internationally. It is literally a role model, locally developed internationally sold.

Obviously we would like to support the local market as well so we are helping them out with the EDB with EMA to make the roll out of electric charging infrastructure available. It is the government’s plan for the next five years to upgrade the platform here for electric cars to come. The first 22 cars are now here, and there is going to be a lot more in the future. All of our solutions have been developed here, in Singapore.

IAA: What impact has your partnership with Autodesk helped your business?OR: It has impacted the hardware and the software side of things. The partnership with Autodesk is a phenomenal opportunity for us to make all our processes much better and leaner.

Previously we have been depending on our suppliers to tell us the right things, now all our engineers can do this directly in-house, but of course we have not been able to buy a software package for US$250,000, so we are very happy to be a part of this program because it will help us immediately to boost up our business to make everything faster and much more economical.


sector spotlight

W i th the Etech Centre, t h e c o m p a n y ’ s n e w headquar ters , one o f

the most modern commercial buildings in Linz opened its doors in March 2010 — and not just for Etech itself, but also for several external tenants. Only 40 percent of the total 12,000 sq m of floor space are used by the building owner itself; the rest is divided between several other companies. As with human beings, it is the ‘inner values’ that count most with buildings. Much attention was paid to these, even during the planning phase. After all, Etech MD, Klaus Schmid’s vision was to construct an energy-efficient office building that respects the health, comfort and efficiency of its users.

Sustainability, Comfort And Cost-EfficiencyWith the Etech Centre, those responsible have successfully achieved the difficult balancing act between cost-efficiency and sustainable building automation.

The project was a joint effort between Etech, AMS Engineering and Beckhoff and was implemented after a few months. The driving force to a large extent was proxy holder Norbert Kaimberger, who said: “I want to create an energy-efficient building with a pleasant room climate that results in low maintenance costs and appropriate lifecycle costs.”

In implementing the required refinements from the Etech Centre, AMS Engineering demonstrated what is possible in a building in terms of software: Control of light and climate with precision down to a single workplace, but with as few sensors as possible (which could fail) and a software solution that speaks to each device in its ‘native language’. In the specific case of the centre, this meant that the company’s controller employed here had to understand or learn to understand seven bus systems: EIB, Modbus, MP-Bus, TCP/IP, DALI, M-Bus and RS485. The CX1020 Embedded PC from the company

More attention is paid to achieving a pleasant room climate when planning and technically equipping buildings today. To this end, building automation from Beckhoff optimally controls the climate in the Etech Centre located in Linz, Austria. Contributed by David Chia, MD, Beckhoff Automation

IntelligentAutomationBuilding

has proven itself as control due to its openness in particular.

Control Of Lighting And HVAC With Precision Down To The Single WorkplaceRegarding the energy supply, a dual system was ultimately conceived: There is a remote heating connection for consumers that require high temperatures and additionally for peak coverage, or a heat pump for consumers for whom low temperatures suffice. The controller for the climatic conditions in the individual rooms is well-thought-out down to the smallest detail.

Heating, cooling, dehumidification, ventilation, shading or lighting take place according to needs — but this is all absolutely clever and precise down to a single workplace. In order to implement this, a total of seven CX1020 controllers from the company were used. These coordinate, for example, the motion detectors installed in each room which, combined with the PC

Case Study:


mouse and keyboard recognition, are responsible for presence detection at each workplace.

Furthermore, there are special wall elements made of clay that assist in dehumidifying the rooms, escape balconies that act as fixed shading or three brightness sensors permanently mounted on the roof that precisely register the current position of the sun.

The advantage o f th is observation: “We can make 500 Lux available precisely for each workplace. Thanks to the motion detectors we know where and when someone is present and we can then calculate the optimum brightness on the basis of the position of the sun and shade and make it available,” explains project manager, Martin Schwarzenberger of AMS Engineering.

A p p r o x i m a t e l y 2 0 , 0 0 0 measured values are recorded in 10 ms or passed on accordingly in the Etech Centre in Linz. For example, the temperature is lowered automatically by one degree in winter or left warmer by one degree in summer if nobody is in the office. “A total of 50 to 60 parameters can be adjusted for each room, extending from the desired temperature setting and individually adjustable follow-on times through to various lighting scenarios,” describes Mr Schwarzenberger.

The primary advantage of sophisticated building automation is that everything is virtually self-regulating, therefore, light switches could be omitted. In the centre they have been retained although the lighting is controlled by motion detectors and the corresponding background technology. But since the employees should nevertheless be urged to switch off the light when leaving the office, the light switch has been converted to an energy saving button: “In truth, humans are still the best sensors. A person knows

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to the plant room, they are not given any opportunity to make changes themselves to a corresponding controller. The reason: the room temperature setting must be coordinated throughout the entire building with the heating system in order to harmonise comfort and energy efficiency.

whether they will be coming back or whether they are leaving the room for a longer period of time. In that respect you still have to allow him a certain amount of leeway,” says Mr Kaimberger.

However, the tenants have no direct ‘right to a say’ when it comes to the room temperature: Although they can announce possible wishes


sector spotlight

C leanTech Park (CTP) is designed to be Singapore’s first eco-business park and

is being aimed at companies with sustainability in mind and who have a corporate social responsibility to do so. It is one of the many steps Singapore is taking to foster ‘Green’ living and to enable new energy efficient technology to develop. The plans were initiated by JTC Corporation (JTC) and also the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB).

The park is part of the S$1 billion (US$774 million) Singapore Sustainable Blueprint. It is envisioned to position Singapore as a global test-bed and the preferred site for early adoption of clean technology products and solutions for urbanised settings in the tropics. This development is intended to push the boundaries of green sustainability, serving as a large-scale integrated ‘living laboratory’ for testbedding and demonstration of system-level clean technology solutions. The estimated cost is S$52 million for the infrastructure of the park.

Close To AcademiaJTC is developing CTP within a 50-hectare site next to Nanyang Technological University (NTU). The development of CTP at Nanyang Avenue will be carried out in three phases over 20 years, Phase one commenced

in July 2010, starting with the development of the infrastructure within CTP. When completed by end 2011, Phase one will provide approximately 14 ha of business park land for allocation to companies.

The close proximity to NTU will enhance the integration between the academia, research institutes and the business industry, providing synergies for a full value chain of the clean technology cluster, from R&D to downstream manufacturing. It is intended to be the nucleus for R&D and business activities in and supporting clean technologies, and sustainable urban solutions. NTU’s strengths in the areas of environment and water research will also lend an added advantage to CTP, which will house a business community that focuses on the research and development of clean/alternative energy.

SingaporeInvesting In

Green

The green industry is seeing huge investment at an increasing rate, and more companies than ever are capitalising on these new markets. Singapore in particular is investing heavily in green technology with initiatives, such as CleanTech Park. Contributed by Hilda Chang, senior officer, JTC Corporation


Significant MilestoneThe development of CTP will establish a significant milestone in the development of green technologies in the tropics. JTC will implement green systems in CTP, establishing it as the greenest and most sustainable eco-business park in Singapore.

CTP is located on a large contiguous greenfield site. It has a natural undulating terrain and matured lush greenery with natural streams running through it. The master plan was developed to optimise the natural environmental heritage to create a conducive eco-environment for the cleantech research community. CTP is developed around a central green core, a green lung to the park, which serves as a social node for the community of cleantech researchers and professionals. The emphasis rests on the efforts to maintain a long-term sustainable balance, between the commercial needs of CTP and its preservation of the site’s biodiversity.

A Strategic Growth AreaThe cleantech industry is a strategic growth area which is expected to contribute S$3.4 billion to Singapore’s GDP and create jobs for 18,000 by 2015. CTP will house a working population of 20,000 when it is fully built in 2030.

The master plan for CTP was unveiled in February 2010. The challenge for the master plan was to keep the existing ecology of the site instead of razing the site to the ground. The protection of the site topography is critical in ensuring that the existing greenery can be preserved. Environmental benefits of retaining existing matured trees include retaining soil stability, conserving ground water, providing shade, reducing Urban Heat Island effect, absorbing carbon dioxide, improving air quality, and harboring biodiversity.

The park will provide a variety

a business park, the usages would be typical business park uses as listed in URA’s Development Control guidebook.

CleanTech One has achieved energy savings of 50 percent through the adoption of green building designs. These include minimising East-West façade through careful orientation of

of space solutions for companies. Whether they would need to build their own facilities would depend on their space requirements. Apart from land parcels, JTC will be developing the first building, named CleanTech One. This will provide ready-built space requirement for offices and R&D laboratories. As CleanTech Park is

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JTC is developing CleanTech One (CTO), the first building in

CleanTech Park (CTP). The CTO will seed the growth of clean

technology R&D, corporate HQ activities and other supporting

industries in Singapore by clustering private companies alongside

public research institutes to build an epi-centre for innovation

through collaborations. In terms of the development, CTO aims

to demonstrate that green features can be achieved without the

high costs associated with being sustainable.

The name ‘CleanTech One’ not only gives immediate clarity

to the focus of the park, but more importantly, affirms Singapore’s

leadership aspirations in clean technologies and sustainable

development solutions in the tropics. CTO will be a living

laboratory to test-bed the next generation of eco-sustainable

technologies and urban solutions.

The 37,500 sq m multi-tenanted building, which will be built

on a 1.5 ha plot at CleanTech Park will:

• Anchor public research programmes which will provide

synergies which will draw other private research companies

at the forefront of CleanTech R&D and innovation to site their

facilities in CTP;

• Encourage the test-bedding of new innovations, both

for technologies undergoing research, as well as for first

implementer technologies.

The cost of constructing CTO is estimated to be S$87 million.

The building is expected to be completed in December 2011.

Key Design Features Of CleanTech OneCleanTech One epitomises the contribution of CleanTech Park to

Singapore’s position as a global leader in providing a world-class

environment for the cleantech industry.

Design Strategy‘Achieve More with Less’ captures the fundamental essence

of the design for CleanTech One – more productivity with less

energy, more energy with less carbon, more economic growth

with less impact.

Design PhilosophyHolistic, eco-sustainable approach that balances environmental,

economic and social aspects.

Design Concept CleanTech One is conceptualised as a living capsule, a two-

towered building that is compact and intense, both as an

exciting place for R&D as well as an object that communicates

the need for clean technology consciousness. Weaving its way

through CleanTech One and connecting it to the central green

core of CleanTech Park is the ‘green ribbon’. CleanTech One is

characterised by a ‘living atrium’ that brings natural light and visual

connections to the space within which interaction, networking and

exchanges of ideas take place.

CleanTech One

sector spotlight

ENQUIRY NO. 8702

ENQUIRY NO. 8703

the building, naturally ventilated perimeter corridors, sky gardens, sky trellises, and the usage of LED lighting which is more energy efficient. The usage of renewable energy also powers up to 30 percent of the common areas.

A novel technology which will be test-bedded in CleanTech Park is the integrated Central Dashboard. This district-level system shall be implemented to monitor efficiency of buildings and infrastructure. Data such as energy usage and potable water consumption can be captured to allow JTC to compare and analyse operating practices and building design features to provide feedback to building owners on their building performance standing in CleanTech Park.

ENQUIRY NO. 8802

ENQUIRY NO. 8801

SeaCAD Technologies, in association with Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks hosted the ‘SolidWorks 2012 Product Launch’ at the Megu Event Hall,

located at the Singapore Flyer on October 4, 2011.

SolidWorks 2012 To Help Companies Make Better Cost Decisions

Ms Toh told IAA: “Prior to

launching SolidWorks 2012,

we had a beta testing exercise. Previously, we told users to

download the beta version and test, and submit any issues they

had to us. But for this version, we did something different. We

actually organised a group-level test. Our R&D engineers went to

Pune, India to meet a group of SolidWorks users. The testing of the

2012 software was done in front of these engineers. This helped

the user directly communicate his concerns to the engineer.”

When asked which new features would be most exciting

to the design engineer, Ms Toh cited the Feature Freeze and

Costing Tool. The Feature Freeze increases the speed of

designing complex models where rebuilding specific features

is not needed while the Costing Tool allows designers to

make more informed cost-based decisions throughout the

design process.

“The process of engaging the customer has led us to

realise that design engineers make a lot of decisions. However,

they lack the tools to make good cost-related decisions. They

don’t see how their decisions impact the cost of the product.

Therefore, in this latest version, we have a costing module. This

allows the design engineer to accumulate the company’s costing

information when making design decisions,” she added.

The event gave approximately 300 design professionals from 115 companies in industries as diverse as aerospace and defence to office equipment a sneak preview of SolidWorks 2012.

The event began with the founder of SeaCAD Technologies, Conrad A Montgomery; recounting before the audience the early experiences he had trying to singlehandedly sell a virtually unheard of SolidWorks to the manufacturing industry.

Today, more than a decade later, the company, where he is president and CEO, boasts a 520 sq m office at the Enterprise Hub. It is ‘home’ to 31 specialists; all dedicated to selling the same product, albeit one that has grown more popular over the years. The company, Mr Montgomery is proud to add, has commercial licenses amounting to 3,000.

His opening address was followed by a speech by Kelvin Ang, the territory technical manager for Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks. Mr Ang spoke on the changing world of CAD. “Gone are the days when we only use CAD. We now use product design, together with design validation, together with product data management.”

Indeed, it appears SolidWorks 2012 aims to seamlessly integrate design data across all work functions. Initial reports indicate the 2012 version will continue to do well in the CAD/CAM industry. The product features over 200 customer-driven enhancements.

The event concluded with the SeaCAD technical team demonstrating to the audience the various features of the software.

In an exclusive interview with IAA, Sharon Toh, GM of Dassault Systèmes Singapore, shares how her company’s most recent offering will help design engineers make better decisions.

Conrad A Montgomery

Sharon Toh

CAD/CAM PartnershipContinues To Blossom WithProduct Launch

SeaCAD and Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks release the 2012 version of the design software. By Shahnawaz Abdul Hamid


features

The shipbuilding industry remains highly dynamic and competitive coming out of the

recent financial crisis. Both the European and Asian Shipbuilding powerhouses are constantly seeing an increase in demand in the number of ship orders and stakes are only getting higher. With improvements in technology and increase in ship demands, the industry looks set to bolster ahead amidst current fears of the global financial industry dipping into yet another recession.

Shipyards continue to remain an important and strategic asset in many shipbuilding countries and play a great role in their industrial infrastructures. Complex vessels such as ferries, cruise ships, dredgers as well as oil tankers continue to dominate alongside vessels such as those required for naval purposes.

Also, alongside the main chassis building of ships, internal equipment requirements as

such propulsion systems, diesel engines as well as systems to operate electronics and cargo handling push the demand for such shipyards. Annual turnovers run into the billions and this industry plays important roles in the countries they operate in by providing hundreds of thousands of jobs.

Emission Sanctions Being IntroducedThe future of the industry remains bright in Asia as there are forward-looking plans being announced to develop the shipbuilding arena. For example, the South Korean government is investing heavily in green technology due to sanctions on greenhouse gas emission values by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

A report by the IMO stated that global shipping industries carbon dioxide emission values have surpasses one billion tonnes, making it a contributor of 3.3

percent of total global emissions. IMO amended the MARPOL Annex VI Regulations, which prevents air pollution from ships and also added a new chapter to its regulation on ship energy efficiencies. This has made it mandatory to implement Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI), for new ships, and the Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP) for all ships.

These systems are being put in place so that SOx emissions can be reduced by 95 percent and NOx emissions by 85 percent. The South Korean government has responded by investing more than US$267 million over the next 10 years to ensure these measures are put into place.

Building A Sustainable ShipThe green measures not only help in reducing the emissions they produce but also act as a sustainable building measure which pushes for a more reliable ship as well. According to the Guangzhou Shipyard International Company, green ship building technology does more than reduce end product emissions. Emissions during the design, manufacturing and service processes also add to the overall level of harmful emissions. The idea of green shipbuilding is extended to having a green shipyard as well. By doing so, air, water and soil pollution is reduced and as a result, resources can be saved alongside improvements in economic and social benefits.

The idea of the green shipyard focuses of reducing consumption

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Benefiting Green Shipbuilding:

The green measures imposed on shipbuilders not only help in reducing harmful emissions but also act as a sustainable building measure, which results in the production of more reliable ships. By Amreet Singh


features

of materials and energy and environmental pollution in the ship manufacturing and service processes and also on the recycling of parts and accessories in ship maintenance, as well as the reusing of materials in the building process. Selection of marine equipment now holds a focus on low energy consumption, low pollution and high efficiency as to achieve the guidelines laid out above.

For example, there is a strong emphasis on the rationality of load factor of the main engine as well as the generator and air condition systems among others. These equipment selections also are driven based on the amount of vibration and noise that is produced as these are contributing factors to noise pollution and efficiency.

Technologies IntroducedElectric propulsion systems as opposed to conventional ones are also being introduced. These technologies bring about better manoeuvring, lower vibration and noise levels as mentioned above as well as produce a higher reliability rate. Their small volume and lightweight arrangement also means that these ships can be equipped with middle-high speed diesel generators with gear boxes and shafts that are of small volumes, which in turn makes it easier to increase loading capacities.

Efficiencies within the shipping industry are not capped at the shipyard itself. Other factors such as fuel choice are also shaping the current shipping climate. Examples include the choosing of vapourised natural gas instead. ENQUIRY NO. 8803

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This can bring about a savings of up to 35 percent. These savings goes to the price of fuel as well as the reduction of emissions.

Benefits For Builders Green shipbuilding is a viable option today for any shipbuilder and goes beyond fulfilling mandatory requirements set by the IMO. In reality, by embracing the new technologies presented, shipyards as well as clients can find themselves with a less costly and more reliable product in the long run.

Furthermore, with the ship’s more reliable nature, maintenance costs will also be reduced alongside costs factored in for downtime. All in all, the direction in which the shipbuilding climate is entering is one that is beneficial to all parties involved.


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The Importance Of

During IndoPower 2011, held in Jakarta, Indonesia, which Tüv Süd helped to sponsor, IAA spoke with Richard Hong, the senior VP, Industry Service, Real Estate & Certification, and the global ICM director, about ICM and the nature of regulation in today’s fast changing environment. By Mark Johnston

Regulations


features

IAA: As the global ICM director, what is ICM?Richard Hong (RH): ICM means I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o m p l i a n c e M a n a g e m e n t , w h i c h t h e companies is about market access. All manufacturers do not just create for one market. They want to increase their revenue and business. As such, they would want to export to different markets.

If a company sells a product, it would want to sell to as many people as possible. ICM is in the business of helping manufacturers gain entry to as many countries as possible. For a product to be exported to many countries, there are many technical barriers to overcome.

Every government in the world will impose technical barriers in the form of standards, regulations and testing requirements. When it comes to safety requirements, the government sets targets and the manufacturer has to comply.

Common requirements by governments would be safety requirements, so a lot of countries today rely on the IC standards.

In short, ICM services provide a total package solution to assist manufacturers in gaining internat iona l approva l . In addition, some countries have

even more requirements, like factory inspection. So, the factory that made the product must be preinspected before certification is issued. Because there are so many requirements, we provide this one stop solution. We do not just test and issue a report. We do the testing, issue a report, and go on further to help them get the final certification.

IAA: Launching products, what countries are the toughest?RH: Ever y countr y has its unique set of requirements. In the Singapore system, for products that are controlled by the government, in terms of safety requirements, they only need to be tested once, and then you prepare the documentation. There is no need for factory inspection.

As long as the manufacturer can produce a test report that is recognised by the government, the consumer would come to a certification body like us, we would review the report and make sure that all the testing that is required by the regulator has been covered in the report. We also ask for certain technical documentation and then review all the documentation, before finally

issuing a certificate. The Malaysia system is slightly different from Singapore’s. They require the factory to be inspected. Within ASEAN, countries are trying to harmonise the standards.

IAA: How has ICM evolved over the years?RH: In the past, ICM was just one solution to help our customers, but today it has evolved into a multiple solutions providers.

We have the necessar y accreditation, so that when we issue a certificate the mark is recognised in the company’s choosen country. Germany, for example, required the product safety GS Mark. Our certification body can issue the GS Mark in Germany. In Singapore, we are recognised by the government to issue the safety mark, which is required.

A second solution we employ is we try and sign a MOU with certain overseas regulators, so that our report is recognised by them, and vice versa. We are prepared to accept their report, as MOU’s are always two-way.

IAA: Wireless products, what is unique in getting them certified?RH: A lot of products are


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consumer based when it comes to telecommunication capability, whether it is Bluetooth, 3G or wifi, as long as it is emitting a radio signal. Every country has a requirement on wireless technology as they do not want such devices to interfare with each other.

In certain countries they still require in-country testing. They may have to send a sample product to get tested.

This is troublesome. If there is only one government, the queue will be very long, and if the queue is long then the time required to get the certification is also long. Today, this procedure still exists in some countries.

In other countries, which are more open, like Singapore, whose Infocomm Development Authority (IDA) accepts reports if they meet ENQUIRY NO. 8804

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certain criteria. Those countries do not specify that the customer has to send samples for testing. Though the lab based overseas must be recognised.

IAA: How do you see the next five years?RH: It is going to get increasingly more interesting because today the regulation in many countries is not just one regulation. Today, for the same product you have telecommunication and wireless, we also have an environmental regulation coming in.

The environmental regulation would look at the components used to manufacture the product and regulate if these components are considered harmful to the environment, also, how do you dispose of the product after its lifespan is up, these are

environmental considerations. You also have the energy efficient requirements coming in, which means if you are selling aircon, you do not just tell the consumer its function, but also how energy efficient the device is. The US recently imposed the energy star rating

So, you can imagine there is an increasing number of regulations coming out for the same product. In the future, therefore, I would imagine that product manufacturers will face increasing challenges in making the product function. They have to make sure the product looks good, so that consumers will buy, but also, they have to make sure the product complies with all the various regulations.


features

Market OutlookAs the year comes to a close we look ahead to 2012. With great economic uncertainty in the world we must prepare and understand the risks but also the opportunities that lie ahead. By Mark Johnston

Won-Joon Lee, managing partner for APAC Products at Accenture.

2012

IAA: What do you foresee the biggest growth sector to be in 2012, and why? Won Joon Lee (WJL): It can be difficult to make predictions in the face of softer demand globally and an uncertain, changing situation in Europe. In Singapore, manufacturing activity declined in recent months across the electronics and non-electronics sectors, following a sharp increase in the first quarter of 2011. Overall activity plateaued in the services sector, as trade-related services felt the pinch of the manufacturing decline.

IAA: What will be the biggest challenge for technology and/or automation organisations in 2012 and how can they prepare themselves for greater success during this period? WJL: The growing use of technology across all business sectors is leading to a skills shortage for qualified, experienced IT staff. Staying ahead of the competition requires a top-class workforce. As a result, attracting, retaining and training employees will be the biggest challenge facing technology organisations.

Expert staff is one of the three pillars that supports effective industrial automation and process optimisation; the other two are breakthrough technologies and a solid methodology. IT organisations will need to make careful and informed decisions about when and how to adapt to new technologies such as cloud computing and data analytics, which will affect their organisations’ mid- to long-term competitiveness.

IAA: For Singapore, what would be the strongest industry to invest in during 2012? WJL: Ongoing major public works such as the LNG terminal and the Aerospace Park make the construction industry an attractive target. This work will have flow-on effects to businesses that serve the construction sector such as engineering and transport firms.

The government is also placing increasing emphasis in the precision engineering industry. This sector saw a marked growth of machinery and equipment acquisitions during the second quarter of 2011, and will be poised to reap the benefits of these investments in 2012. While it is currently focused on workforce training, the next logical step is increasing automation to improve quality.

IAA: What are the key strengths in Southeast Asia that will contribute to success during 2012? WJL: Southeast Asian countries have a very high growth potential. The region has a high-quality workforce with high education levels and relatively low wages. It also has vast emerging markets including China, India and South Korea.

As traditional markets in Europe and North America are slowing down, investors around the world will be channelling their attention to Southeast Asia. The key for regional governments is to find a balance between accelerating growth through foreign investment, and maintaining a strong local presence in their domestic markets.

IAA: What trends in the technology and/or automation sector will transpire over the coming year? WJL: We expect to see a continuation of broad technology trends such as the growth of cloud computing and the increasing use of smart mobile devices. Organisations will also have to come to grips with the growing prevalence of social networks as a channel for consumers and businesses to have open conversations.

However, the trend that will most affect the industrial field will be the growing need to turn large volumes of data into knowledge, and using that knowledge to make better decisions that create value. Some businesses simply are not collecting the right data. Others have the data they need, but lack the analysis tools and necessary methodologies to make the most of it.

IAA: How can companies best capitalise on these trends? WJL: Using a process optimisation approach, industrial companies can combine advanced technology tools, skilled people and well-defined methodologies to conduct advanced data analysis. They can correlate and analyse multiple variables to extract knowledge that leads to improved performance.

This process starts with defining key performance indicators and gathering reliable data on what happened. Analysing this data can identify existing or potential problems, and point to solutions. This in turn leads to a cycle of continuous improvement and


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monitoring, with measurable benefits such as return on investment. Applying predictive analytics adds the final layer, giving businesses the ability to think about what might happen, and to optimise their strategy and operations accordingly.

IAA: What impact will the European debt crisis have on Southeast Asian economies in 2012?WJL: We are already seeing declines in private consumption in the core European economies of France and Germany, leading to lacklustre economic growth. It seems likely this will lead to decreased trade between Europe and China, Japan and South Korea. This would certainly reduce intermediary trade and port income for many Southeast Asian countries.

Local businesses will also face stiffer competition from foreign companies looking to diversify away from Europe. Southeast Asia’s strong economies will become much more attractive markets if the situation in Europe continues to weaken. The region should also be prepared for a drop in tourist numbers from Europe, although this may be counterbalanced by the growth in intra-regional tourism.

ENQUIRY NO. 8805

A View From The Industry

IAA: What major challenges do you foresee for your industry over the next 12 months?James Foo (JF): From an East Asia macro perspective, while 2011 will see a robust growth still, due to a strong first half performance, we are already seeing growth moderating as we go into 2012 due to weakening external demand. Supply side shock from Middle East’s geopolitical issues and the recent earthquakes in Japan, widespread flooding in some countries and the uncertainties over fiscal sustainability in the

James Foo is the regional business development manager with ABB for south Asia. He spoke to IAA about ABB’s outlook for the coming year.

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Didier Lacroix is the senior VP of International Sales & Services at Cognex. He gives IAA his personal take on what the next 12 months holds for Cognex and the industry.

features

IAA: What major challenges do you foresee for your industry over the next 12 months?Didier Lacroix (DL): The global business climate in 2012 is expected to be a challenging one. With uncertainty over the outcome of Europe’s debt crisis, companies are expected to enter the new year with caution. Despite this, World Bank analysts are predicting that East Asia will continue to experience strong growth despite weakening external demand, according to Voice Of America.

In a slower-moving global market, companies should take the opportunity to upgrade existing manufacturing capacity. This puts them in a much better position to meet the surge in market demand when the global economy recovers.

IAA: What countries in Southeast Asia show the most potential for your business?DL: Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand are among our most important markets in Southeast Asia. We have established a local presence via our system integrator partners in each of these countries. Our plans are to continue strengthening these areas so as to ensure that our existing clients in these countries continue to be closely supported.

IAA: What trends do you foresee in your industry over the next 12 months?DL: Our vision products find applications in almost every industry, ranging from electronics and automotives to the highly regulated food and pharmaceuticals sectors. With greater demands for better quality control and higher production output, vision systems for QC, traceability and guidance (for robotics) will continue to find increasing opportunities in nearly every sector.

For industries that need to ensure that stringent standards of product safety are adhered to — such as food and pharma — automated vision technology plays an important role in ensuring supply chain traceability/integrity as well as production quality.

US and the sovereign debt in the Eurozone has dampened business sentiment. SEA and East Asia economies, despite having a significant export component are expected to grow in the range of 4 to 5 percent (excluding China). However, one needs to be mindful of downside risk. As such, the major challenge for 2012 for both public and the private next year is to find the right balance to stimulate growth and tackling the various challenges from the uncertainties.

IAA: How do you plan to overcome them?JF: We will continue to drive growth leveraging on sectors that remains robust and keep improving our overall competitiveness such that we can support our customers as they strike a balance between growth and tackling the economic uncertainties.

IAA: What is the best business strategy to adopt during a troubled economy?JF: The fundamental strategies remain. As competition increases in all of our markets, one of our big challenges will be to stay competitive by improving our performance. This applies to the way we manage our talent, our operations, our customer relationships, our research and development activities, and much more.

IAA: Which countries in Southeast Asia show the most potential for your business?JF: The population in Southeast Asia is growing, and there are big opportunities in oil and gas, mining, energy efficiency, and alternative energy.

Singapore is second in the global competitive index, according to the World Economic Forum, and Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Thailand and Indonesia outranks other large emerging markets like India.

Vietnam also holds much potential for sourcing, and adds to our region’s competitiveness. Power shortages in Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines mean growth opportunities for ABB.

IAA: What trends do you foresee in your industry over the next 12 months?JF: We see many opportunities with urban growth, especially in emerging economies, which will have an impact on transport, resource and energy demands. Interest in renewable energy and energy efficiency will continue to grow. Digitisation of information and growing data use will also mean we can play a part in reducing energy use of datacenters.

ENQUIRY NO. 8806 ENQUIRY NO. 8807

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EVENT PREVIEW

To meet industry demand for leaner productivity protocols and advanced measuring methods, SPS – Industrial Automation Fair Guangzhou to be held March 7 - 9, 2012 at the China Import and Export Fair Complex, will include new trend areas for Machine Vision and Measurement and Instrument.

The show is expected to attract 350 exhibitors from 15 countries and once open, 20,000 visitors spanning nationalities from 40 countries are expected to attend.

Exhibitors will be showcasing their latest innovations in industr ia l automat ion and offering technological solutions for various industries in China, including power, electronics, c h e m i c a l , t r a n s p o r t a t i o n , automotive manufacturing, water treatment, logistics, information and communication and public infrastructure.

Louis Leung, Deputy GM of Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt, one of the show’s organisers said: “The fair will del iver more business and value by offering additional solutions in overall equipment

ef fect iveness and complex measuring processes.”

To provide buyers with automation innovations and solutions from sensors and controls to applications, the 2012 show will focus on the following key areas:• Industrial Automation• Machine Vision• Measurement and Instrument• Motion and Control• Robotics

Booming Market For Industrial AutomationFigures released by the China Statistics Bureau confirm the country’s industrial automation market is quickly evolving, with investment in fixed assets in the electrical machinery and equipment manufacturing industry, rising 55 percent in the first six months of 2011. Over the same period, production of communication, computer and other electronic equipment grew 48 percent and transportation equipment 35 percent.

Continued Strong Support From Industry AssociationsFor the third consecutive year,

the fair is receiving strong support from leading Asian and European trade associations which will organise pavilions and seminars at the fair. Supporting associations include:• Robotics Association of

Taiwan• Taiwan Electric and

Electronic Manufacturers’ Association

• AMA Association for Sensor Technology from Germany

The show is sponsored by the China Foreign Trade Centre and Messe Frankfurt Exhibition. It is organised by the China Fore ign Trade Guangzhou Exhibition General Corporation, Guangzhou Guangya Messe Frankfurt, Guangzhou Overseas Trade Fairs and Mesago Messe Frankfurt. The honorary sponsors are the Guangdong Automation Association and Guangzhou Automation Association.

March 7 - 9, 2012China Import and Export Fair ComplexGuangzhou, China

SPS- Industrial Automation Fair Guangzhou

ENQUIRY NO. 8901

25 – 27 April 2012Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre

THE regional exhibition and conference in Asia for the RFID industry

9th annual

2

Beyond tracking

1 It’s All About Track Record RFID World Asia has been providing an excellent avenue for industry players over the last 8

years to learn, network, discuss and do business with one another. The high-level exhibition and conference has evolved to be the must attend event for the industry!

2 Targeted Audience The conference is attended by your key buyer profi les such as Aviation, Healthcare, Manufacturing,

Travel & Hospitality and more! They attend RFID World Asia to learn and share knowledge for the growth of the technology; there is no better platform to share your solutions with them!

3 Establish Industry and Thought Leadership Like the jewel in the crown, the event presents a valuable platform for solution providers to articulate

industry leadership in RFID. It’s not about sales-pitches; it’s about industry leadership! There are limited speaking opportunities to engage your target audience in the conference – secure yours today!

4 Dedicated Platform To encourage the interaction on the exhibition fl oor and to provide more exposure for your products,

the In-Action Application Zones are for exhibitors to showcase and demonstrate their solutions and offerings.

5 Lead Generation Campaign Identify your wishlist of prospects from the region, and let us do the leg-work for you. Hand-pick the

invitee selection from our pre-registration database and let us arrange the on-site 1-to-1 meetings for you!

Contact Ms. Audrey Leong at

[email protected] / +65 6322 2786 for a customised exhibiting or sponsorship proposal now!

www.rfi dworldasia.com.sg | Blog: http://blogs.terrapinn.com/cards/

5

2nd annual

17th annual

6th annual

ASIA 2012

Media Partner:

Co-located with:

Produced by:

RFID 12 AD_IAA_210x275.indd 1 9/19/11 10:19:16 AM

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25 – 27 April 2012Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre

THE regional exhibition and conference in Asia for the RFID industry

9th annual

2

Beyond tracking

1 It’s All About Track Record RFID World Asia has been providing an excellent avenue for industry players over the last 8

years to learn, network, discuss and do business with one another. The high-level exhibition and conference has evolved to be the must attend event for the industry!

2 Targeted Audience The conference is attended by your key buyer profi les such as Aviation, Healthcare, Manufacturing,

Travel & Hospitality and more! They attend RFID World Asia to learn and share knowledge for the growth of the technology; there is no better platform to share your solutions with them!

3 Establish Industry and Thought Leadership Like the jewel in the crown, the event presents a valuable platform for solution providers to articulate

industry leadership in RFID. It’s not about sales-pitches; it’s about industry leadership! There are limited speaking opportunities to engage your target audience in the conference – secure yours today!

4 Dedicated Platform To encourage the interaction on the exhibition fl oor and to provide more exposure for your products,

the In-Action Application Zones are for exhibitors to showcase and demonstrate their solutions and offerings.

5 Lead Generation Campaign Identify your wishlist of prospects from the region, and let us do the leg-work for you. Hand-pick the

invitee selection from our pre-registration database and let us arrange the on-site 1-to-1 meetings for you!

Contact Ms. Audrey Leong at

[email protected] / +65 6322 2786 for a customised exhibiting or sponsorship proposal now!

www.rfi dworldasia.com.sg | Blog: http://blogs.terrapinn.com/cards/

5

2nd annual

17th annual

6th annual

ASIA 2012

Media Partner:

Co-located with:

Produced by:

RFID 12 AD_IAA_210x275.indd 1 9/19/11 10:19:16 AM

EVENT REVIEW


The 2011 Honeywell Users Group (HUG) Symposium for Asia Pacific was held at the Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Western Australia from August 21 - 25, 2011.

The theme for this year’s HUG was ‘Where Technology Shapes Solutions’ and included the company’s roadmap sessions, professional development sessions, presentations from its partners and third-parties, user presentations, a site visit, plus a demo room featuring the company’s and their partners latest solutions. The event attracted over 250 delegates from 11 countries across the Pacific region.

Emerging SolutionsVirtualisation support for the company’s Experion Process Knowledge System was announced at the 2011 edition of HUG, both for DCS and SCADA applications. These latest additions to its virtualisation portfolio establish Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) as the only process industry vendor to offer a comprehensive virtualisation solution.

A recent study by Gartner showed that over 40 percent of servers are virtualised today, with that figure increasing to 75 percent by 2015. Paul Hodge, Experion Infrastructure & HMI product manager, HPS, stated: “As the shift in the IT industry towards virtualisation extends to the industrial marketplace, it is becoming more and more common to see applications and infrastructure deployed virtually rather than physically.”

Mr Hodge added: “We see virtualisation as game- changing, and our offerings have been developed as strategic, long-term automation tools.”

The event also witnessed the launch of the company’s new remote collaboration, optimisation and operations solution. This solution is aimed at helping customers share their expertise across remote facilities, improving safety in hazardous environments, as well as optimising production and improving recovery.

“As organisations grow, it becomes more important for them to work efficiently across different locations to meet growing production demands,” said Ian Brown, VP and GM, Advanced Solutions, HPS.

As well as delivering advanced technology and implementation services, HPS solution uses a global network of partners to offer a host of services including change management consulting, business process management consulting, telecom support and collaboration facility design.

“This solution is made for companies who want to grow geographically while making sure they share knowledge so as to continue being as efficient as possible,” Mr Brown added.

The Demo RoomThe demo room hosted around 30 different product offerings with many of the company’s staff there to help and to speak with the delegates. Wireless solutions, asset management, alarm management, and many more offerings and solutions were available. One example is the company’s Asset Manager R400, which is part of the company’s reliability and asset management solutions, and released to the market in June 2011.

Honeywell’sHUG 2011


ENQUIRY NO. 8902

The company also stressed its commitment to existing customers, addressing those that may be concerned with the emergence of new equipment. It was made clear that support for existing systems will not stop and that they can expect it to continue well into the future.

Inaugural Pacific HUG Student CompetitionThis year (2011) sees the inaugural Pacific Honeywell

Users Group Student Competition, which was being held in conjunction with the main event. The winner was University of Sydney student Rajab Khalilpour for his project focusing on the simulation and optimisation of a coal-fired power plant using a solvent-based post-combustion carbon capture process. This process captures the emitted CO2 from coal power plants using reactive absorbents. The objective is to capture up to 90 percent of the CO2, which means less is released into the atmosphere and provides a carbon pollution reduction technology, which helps power plants reduce their carbon emissions.

“The HUG Competition presented our students with a tremendous opportunity to apply their doctoral research towards very real problems and needs,” said Ali Abbas, senior lecturer and director of the Laboratory for Multiscale Systems for the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Sydney.

August 21-25, 2011Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Western AustraliaAustralia

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(L-R) The University of Sydney’s Rajab Khalilpour and Ali Abbas with Garry Mahoney (Director Pacific Sales, Honeywell Process Solutions.

EVENT REVIEW


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IAA: How do companies view safety when looking for solutions?Jason Urso (JU): It is a missed opportunity when I see that (safety) is not taken up by many process control companies because other industries provide training in safety. For instance, airline pilots go through regular training, an athlete has to train before performing at peak operation. However, process operators are not going through regular training on abnormal situations, for example, alarm management, and automating procedures where there is a lot of human variation, and so on.

As I look at the industry and the amount of process incidents that happen day in and day out, it is very frustrating because Honeywell has probably the broadest portfolio of technology that can help address those process safety incidents, however there is not a significant uptake. It is something you would expect 100 percent of everyone running a safety critical facility would implement.

The reality is that only a select few progressive customers realise that process safety is something that is good for their business. It is not just avoiding a catastrophic incident; it is about taking the steps that they need to also improve the day-to-day operations within their plant as well as avoiding those catastrophic incidents. In a lot of cases something tragic has to happen before the customer believes they have the business justification to make an investment in this area.

IAA: How would you convince the industry that they would get their ROI for investing in process safety?JU: Understanding process safety is the fundamentals to improving process reliability. The solutions revolve around training and alarm management, and automated procedures, and so on; these are all the things you do to improve reliability. So, you will get your ROI. In addition, you can look to industry leaders who are achieving the best levels of profitability as they are the ones with the best safety record too.

As much as it seems counter-intuitive, the reality is that safety investments have helped improve their reliability, and in-turn increased their ROI.

IAA: Do you focus more on technology breakthroughs or technology improvement and upgrade?JU: There are places where we focus on technology breakthroughs and there are places where we focus on incremental improvements. Here is an example of something that is a combination of both, and that is the use of wireless technology in the process industry. The rest of us have been using wireless for a while, for example, our Blackberries, iPhones, and so on. It is pretty pervasive in the commercial world. However, in process control it is just not there. The reason being because of some conservatism and the need for extremely high levels on security. Lost profitability with people trying to steal intellectual property is a worry as well.

Honeywell led the charge in developing wireless for the process automation business and developing it in a way that has the characteristics that are

appropriate for process control, ie: the high levels of security, the high levels of robustness, the right amount of bandwidth for communication, and so on. This was a breakthrough for the process industries. Today, Honeywell is taking what is a known technology and making it available for process control in a way that is

acceptable and safe, and reliable.

A Matter Of Safety

“The reality is that only a select few progressive customers realise that process safety is something that is good for their business.” – Jason Urso

During this year’s Pacific HUG Symposium, IAA spoke with Jason Urso, VP Technology, HPS. Mr Urso addressed important issues concerning safety as a missed opportunity for many companies in the process automation industry. By Mark Johnston

Jason Urso


The Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training

(ACEPT) operated by the Challenger Institute, is

a provider of process operations training, offering

qualifications and training for the oil and gas, mineral and

chemical industries.

ACEPT have a facility near Perth, Western Australia,

training students for the process industry. At the time

this facility was being considered, the Western Australian

government was under tremendous pressure to consider

building a facility that could accommodate the oil and gas

and LNG industry. They then proceeded to develop a plan

in conjunction with the industry, which included Honeywell.

It was a joint venture between the Western Australian

government and the federal government.

In total the institute has graduated approximately 2,500

students since this training centre started at this location in

2007, and all of them are employed. The key to their success

seems to be their closeness to the industry they serve. The

board, consisting of Honeywell representatives and other

representatives from the industry ensure information is

formulated and acted upon by the school itself. The idea is

that the school produces graduates with an understanding

of the industry.

Safety As A PriorityThe industry as a whole is concerned about the behavioural

skills that students possess working in industries such as

oil and gas, and mining. The school therefore has strict

behavioural requirements before the students can go out

into the industry, as there are ramifications for the end

user, the operator or even the company when processes

and protocols are not followed in volatile and hazardous

working conditions.

The TrainingThe school offers a certificate II for the Australian market;

this is aimed at high-school students who have no prior

experience in the industry. This course takes 10 weeks

to complete, however the certificate is not awarded until the

student has practised and validated their skills in a real working

environment. There is also the certificate III, certificate IV,

diploma, and advanced diploma available.

The school also accepts international students,

20 per year, of which the diploma and advanced diploma

is available. These students are normally educated to

degree level and have been sponsored by companies

in their own country before attending, however some

students sponsor themselves.

ACEPT Process Training

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Singapore - Malaysia - Thailand - Indonesia - Philippines Vietnam - Cambodia - Myanmar

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ACEPT training facility

EVENT REVIEW


Over 1,000 engineers, scientists and educators attended NI’s biggest regional event in the region, with approximatly 250 attending in Singapore. The Graphical System Design (GSD) Summit 2011, National Instruments (NI) premier conference for engineers, scientists, educators and industry partners came to Singapore on October 7, 2011. Taking place in 11 cities across six countries, the event aims to ‘accelerate innovation’ across industries. After Singapore, the technology road show will run in Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia, through the end of December 2011.

T h e s u m m i t f e a t u re s d e m o n s t r a t i o n s highlighting uses of the graphical system design platform, hands-on workshops for users of all levels of expertise, and the latest version of LabVIEW 2011.

“The GSD Summit is National Instrument’s largest event in Southeast Asia, and we are anticipating yet another excellent turnout this year,” said Chandran Nair, NI MD for ASEAN. “Building capabilities is a core commitment for us. Our vision is to enable engineers and scientists not only to perform exceptionally well in their respective fields but to be innovators who contribute in a larger way to the growth of their organisations and to society at large,” he added.

The company’s growth strategy across markets is centred on empowering users to build user defined measurement and control systems. This helps engineers create local intellectual property and increase the contribution of local engineers to their respective organisations.

In Singapore, the summit showcased the

2011

NI’sGraphical System Design Summit


ENQUIRY NO. 8905

research applications and product prototypes of NI’s industry, R&D and academic partners including ST Kinetics, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Nanyang Technology University, National University of Singapore, Nanyang Polytechnic, Centronics, T2 Integrated Solutions, and WPG System.

Ray Almgren, NI’s VP of Marketing for Core Platforms, in his keynote address in Singapore underscored how graphical system design empowers innovation by inspiring future engineers: “The next generation of scientists and engineers is critical for addressing the world’s challenges. Today’s students must have education that brings them beyond mathematics and simulation, where they can do real engineering and innovate to solve real-world problems, and NI graphical system design is making that possible.”

More universities and institutes of higher learning in Southeast Asia are now looking to enhance their curriculum through integration of industry applications to mould their students into thinkers and innovators, and equip them with skills to solve the grand engineering challenges of tomorrow.

The demand for automated test and advanced control systems in Southeast Asia has also increased over the past few years owing to the rapid expansion of global technology giants that are setting up manufacturing, assembly, and test sites around the region.

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IAA spoke with Chandran Nair, MD ASEAN, for NI, and Ray Almgren, NI’s Vice President of Marketing for Core Platforms about their expanding footprint in Asia and the company’s future direction. By Mark Johnston

Asia is a very fast growing region, with many companies investing in R&D and expanding across its territories, with new manufacturing sites and closer partnerships with multinational companies and regional partners. As the US and Europe are experiencing slow growth and the worry of a recession is on the horizon, more companies are looking to Asia.

IAA: Why did you choose Penang (Malaysia) as the location to set up your factory?Chandran Nair (CN): We looked at countries in Asia, we looked at countries in Latin and Central America too. We needed a critical mass of engineers and technologists who can help us design and build our products.

Another thing is a strong supply chain, as Penang has a long history of electronics manufacturing. Our strong supply chain gives us confidence.

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IAA: What other education projects are you involved in?CN: We also work with the UN Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), where we are working on a program called the Science, Technology and Engineering Exchange Laboratory (STEEL), in which we train the teacher how to teach. A big problem we have is that kids are encouraged to study but they have no idea why and what it is they should be studying. A typical response is to get a job, but that is often not motivating enough for a young child, 10 to 12 years old. So, one of the things we do at UNESCO is show the impact of what they learn on their daily life’s, for example, when they learn about pollution we can show them how can measure the water pollution in the village next door. Once you are able to measure pollution then they can talk about cleaning up the system.

We have started on this program and we hope to expand on it, the main idea is to be able to get the teachers first of all to think about how they can introduce not just the theory, but also how it impacts the day-to-day life of the 10, 12, or 15-year-old, or the teacher. So, we are spending a lot of effort on that.

Multinational partners such as Intel, and other chip vendors have a strong presence in Penang.

As I said, there are many very strong companies located in Penang, such as Intel who have their embedded processor R&D group there. We also have our R&D group there, of which controller technology is a research area located there.

In terms of cost, for materials, almost everywhere is the same, with a small difference of about +/-2 percent. For labour cost, the percent is very small, so we are not primary driven to reduce labour cost because it is such a small percentage of our overall product cost.

In terms of expansion, we just opened an office in Vietnam, we are also going to open an office in Jarkarta in December, 2011. We think of expansion in two different ways, geography expansion, but also application areas expansion, to make sure that this concept of a graphical system design framework is first of all understood by a broad base of customers and that we have the expertise, and our partners have the expertise, to help our customers in different areas.

Another area of growth for us is in R&D, a lot of academics and universities work with us to meet the needs of the industry.

How much do you invest in education?ray Almgren (rA): It is important to note that the overall amount of revenue we get from our operations in the academic market is around 12 percent of the company’s business. Many of our products are well suited for research. We adapt a lot of our research projects, so they are well-suited for teaching. We take some of our standard products and make them suitable for electrical circuit labs, or mechatronics or control labs.

www.iaasiaonline.comVisit us on our website at

(L-R) Ray Almgren and Chandran Nair

EVENT REVIEW


JEC Asia 2011 reached new heights with a larger offer of new composite materials, a wider range of composites applications and a stronger international p re s e n c e . D e m o n s t r a t i n g the buoyant outlook for the composites industry in Asia, JEC Asia 2011 registered a 10 percent increase in exhibition space and the attendance of 7,000 visitors.

T h e A s i a n c o m p o s i t e s industry is currently valued at US$24.8 billion (S$31.5 billion). The three-day event provided a platform for business deals and announcements that reflected the dynamism of a growing market that is projected to make up 51 percent of the worldwide composites market by 2015.

Composites InnovationsOne of key application areas for composites end use is the construction and infrastructure

industry. With new innovations range from the applicat ion of f ibre reinforced pipes to improve water delivery systems to new road infrastructure concepts based on the use of high performance composite materials, composite materials bring great advantages because of its l ight weight and high strength characteristics.

At the show, the Japanese pavilion showcased an innovative use of composite materials to build a makeshift house that can be set up in 60 minutes by four people and used as emergency shelter in the occurrence of tsunami or flooding.

For its fifth edition next year, to be held in Singapore from June 26 - 28, 2012, JEC Asia aims to reinforce its status and build on past success by continuing to showcase emerging composites innovations.

Facts & Figures• 345 participating companies,

who accounted for a 10 percent increase in exhibition space

• 7,000 visitors and participation from 60 countries

• 800 delegates attending the JEC Asia Innovative Composites Summit, forums and conferences

• New participating countries: Indonesia, Iran, South Korea, Russia, and Turkey

ENQUIRY NO. 8907

JEC Asia 2011

EVENT REVIEW


nuclear safety and security. With oil prices expected to remain over US$100 a barrel, fears were raised that the burden of high energy costs would exacerbate the already uncertain global economic outlook.

The urgent need for a more holistic approach towards energy policies was also highlighted, given the growing link between energy, water and food.

Important AnnouncementsSeveral important announcements were made during the week. A micro-grid test bed incorporating clean and renewable energy will be designed, built, owned and operated by a consortium on Pulau Ubin, an island in the northeast of Singapore.

The consortium comprises Singapore-based Dai ly Li fe Renewable Energy and OKH Holdings. The test-bed will first establish the micro-grid infrastructure and provide electricity to users, followed by the integration of additional clean and renewable energy solutions. An existing Electric Vehicle (EV) test-bed, launched in in June 2011with

The annual Singapore International Energy Week (SIEW), now in its fourth year, has once again proven to be a platform for international and regional policy makers, industry players, and academics, to discuss pertinent energy issues, strategies and innovation. Organised by the Energy Market Authority (EMA), a statutory board under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the five day event ran under the theme of ‘Securing Our Energy Future’, and reflected the urgent need for a rethink of current energy policies in the face of rapidly rising demands to ensure a stable supply of energy for the future.

H e l d f r o m O c t o b e r 31 - November 4, 2011, SIEW 2011 was attended by more than 20,000 participants from over 60 countries, and featured 550 exhibitors. This year’s event was the largest and best-attended SIEW gathering to date, hosting some of the world’s top energy leaders.

Setting The ToneSetting the tone for the week, SIEW started the first morning with the

Singapore Energy Lecture. The keynote speaker, Nobuo Tanaka, former executive director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) called for Asia’s emerging economies to engage in more active collaborations for the future, noting that one country cannot enhance its energy security by risking the energy security of others. This will require a new framework on energy security.

A key highlight of the week was the Singapore Energy Summit (SES), a high-level strategic platform for the foremost political, business and thought leaders to discuss international energy trends and solutions needed for the region to balance its needs for energy security, environmental sustainability and economic competitiveness. Discussions at the SES surfaced some compelling perspectives and interesting ideas that were echoed throughout the week. Post-Fukushima, there was general consensus that nuclear power remained an important energy option for the future, but governments and the industry will need to work together to enhance

Singapore International 2011Energy Week


industry partners Mitsubishi, Daimler and Bosch, has also been expanded from five EVs and five charging stations to 14 EVs and 10 charging stations.

Singapore’s first f loating photovoltaic pilot project was also unveiled by the Singapore Economic Development Board. The S$11 million (US$8.5 million) pilot, located at Tengah Reservoir, is estimated at 2 MW and will be the first of its kind in the region.

New Events For 2011This year saw three new major events being hosted: PV Asia Pacific Expo, Asia Smart Grid and the EMART Asia, covering a range of issues including energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy trading.

Returning to SIEW this year were Clean Energy Expo Asia, Carbon Forum Asia, Downstream Asia, Singapore Electricity Roundtable, and the Platts Top 250 Global Energy Companies Asia Awards Dinner.

PV Asia Pacific ExpoThe first PV Asia Pacific Expo was held at the Sands Expo and Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands from November 1 - 4, 2011. Touted as Asia Pacific’s leading business platform for solar energy players from all the aspects of photovoltaic technology, including manufacturing and applications, the event included various programmes such as the Solar Leaders Summit, PV Asia Pacific Conference and exhibition covered key PV issues including government incentives, development trends, technical upgrading, conversion

ENQUIRY NO. 8908

efficiency, PV systems, smart grid connection, financing and risks, among others.

It gathered leading photovoltaic companies such as Suntech, REC, Yingli, GCL, JA Solar, Tokyo Electron, RENE, SCHMID, Centrotherm, Phoenix Solar, Conergy, Heraeus, Astronergy, and so on. The Expo was organised by the Asian Photovoltaic Industry Association (APVIA), whose foundation was also officially announced at the Opening Ceremony of the Expo.

Asia Smart GridAt As ia Smar t Gr id 2011 , international smart grid providers and suppliers were able to exchange and share knowledge w i t h A s i a n p o l i c y m a k e r s , regulators, utilities companies and system integrators.

The exhibition displayed home/building automation networks, infocomm technologies, energy storage, smart metering, amongst many other products and services.

EMART AsiaEMART Asia, a two-day energy trading Asian summit featured conferences, an exhibition, pre-summit seminars and an exclusive traders’ party.

EMART Asia covered key issues across underlyings (power, gas, oil) such as regulation, security of supply, LNG developments (eg: transportation, storage, trading, pricing), market/price modelling, risk management, data exchange, market transparency, cross-border trading, derivatives trading & structuring, clearing developments, and electronic trading.

Platts Top 250 Global Energy Companies Award DinnerAt the 6th Annual Platts Top 250 Global Energy companies Award dinner, Petrochina became the first Asian firm to join the world’s top five energy companies. Not only did PetroChina break into the Top five for the first time in the roster’s 10-year history, but the state-owned Chinese oil company retained its spot as the leading Asia-Pacific energy company. “Clearly, this year’s Platts Global Energy Company Rankings tell a decade-long growth story led in large part by Asia-Pacific energy companies,” said Larry Neal, Platts president. He continued: “Not only is the pace of Asia’s energy consumption outstripping other regions, but Asian companies are increasingly moving beyond their domestic roots to become critical global energy players.”

Closing Message And OnwardThe fourth annual SIEW closed with a clear message that ‘Securing our Energy Future’ will require greater leadership, global collaboration and innovation to meet the future demands of a rapidly evolving energy landscape.

The fifth SIEW will take place from November 5 – 9, 2012. New in next year’s line-up will be Gas Asia Summit, which reflects how gas has emerged as a potential game changer that can significantly reshape the global energy markets. The 2012 event will also feature Asia Future Energy Forum (AFEF), which will provide additional opportunities to the renewable energy community.

October 31 – November 4, 2011Suntec SingaporeSingapore

EVENT REVIEW


The inaugural Asia Smart Grid 2011 conference and exhibition opened on the November 2, 2011, at Singapore’s Suntec City Convention and Exhibition Centre. With the growing interest and adoption of smart grids around the world, the event saw many international smart grid providers and suppliers coming together to exchange and share knowledge w i t h A s i a n p o l i c y m a k e r s , regulators, utilities companies and system integrators.

The OpeningThe event opened with a keynote presentation delivered by the MD of KEMA’s Asia Pacific Operations, Willem Van Putten. In his speech, Mr Putten outlined three key challenges facing the energy sector today: reduction of energy use, efficient use of fossil fuels and the integration and increased use of

renewable energy sources. Mr Putten highlighted that

in the OECD/IEA 2009 report, it was projected that Renewable Energy Sources (RES) can supply up to 37 percent of the world’s electricity generation by 2030. It is this energy transition that will cause major changes in the power systems that we are familiar with today, which will be accompanied by some level of uncertainty and markets will therefore need to develop new mechanisms to manage these changes. The transformation of the grid will also bring about new opportunities for businesses and spur growth in the development and deployment of new technologies and related products.

The ThemeThe Asia Smart Grid 2011 conference, themed ‘Insights on Growth Opportunities and Best Practices for the Asian Smart Grid’, looked at the trends in smart grid industry, discussed implementation challenges and expectations, financing and investment outlook and shared best practices from Japan, Korea and Singapore, over the one-and-

a-half day conference.Participants were also able

to visit Singapore’s Experimental Power Grid Centre on Jurong Island. The Experimental Power Grid Centre is a programme within ICES/A*STAR, with the mission to undertake research and development activities in defined core areas for intelligent and decentralised power distribution, interconnection and utilisation, and to promote quick adoption and implementation of innovative technologies.

Strong ParticipationAlongside the conference is the exhibition organised by Reed Exhibitions. The first edition of the event saw strong participation from international players such as Accenture, eMeter, Panasonic, NEC, Sanyo and ST Electronics, and Singapore-based companies like Third Wave Power, and ST Kinetics, proving that local SME’s were also very much involved in smart grid.

At the Singapore Pavilion, these home-grown companies showcased systems to track energy efficiency, smart meters, testing equipment, fuel cell power generator, system integration and energy management software.

Ms Louise Chua, project director of Asia Smart Grid commented: “Together, the conference and exhibition provides a great learning and networking opportunity for the industry players to get to know each other. The sharing of case studies and best practices provided the participants with real issues and solutions, whilst the exhibition provides a face-to-face interaction and networking opportunity for the industry.”

November 2 – 4, 2011Suntec SingaporeSingapore

Smart Grid 2011Asia

ENQUIRY NO. 8909

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products & services

Enquiry no. 8913

Enquiry no. 8912

Enquiry no. 8911

Enquiry no. 8910

Adlink Technology: PXI Express Controller

Adlink Technology has launched its first PXI Express controller, the PXIe-3975, a 3U PXI Express controller with Intel Core i5-520E 2.4 GHz processor, for hybrid PXIe-based testing systems. With maximum system throughput of up to 2 GB/s, the controller finds itself in the field of mid-performance PXIe testing system solutions for general purpose and electronic functional testing applications. The controller also features up to 8 GB of 1066 MHz DDR3 memory, and a 160 GB, 7200 RPM SATA hard drive, for seamless execution in multi-tasking environments.

Element14: Development Kit

Element14 has announced the availability of the DK-LM3S9D96 development kit, a low cost, high performance platform for developing systems around the advanced capabilities of the 32-bit Stellaris ARM Cortex-M3-based microcontroller. The DK-LM3S9D96 development kit is provided by the company in collaboration with Texas Instruments, a developer of analogue, embedded processing and wireless technologies.

For development, the DK-LM3S9D96 board comes with features commonly used in networking, industrial controls and human machine interface designs. The board is CAN (Controller Area Network) enabled and also comes with an External Peripheral Interface (EPI) with Audio I2S (Integrated Interchip sound). For communications, the board supports USB, a host of serial IO and Ethernet features.

Delcam: Enhancements To Feature-Based Machining Software

Autodesk: Cloud Services

Delcam has launched the 2012 version of its FeatureCAM feature-based CAM system, with a range of enhancements to enable faster and easier programming, and produce more efficient toolpaths to give greater machine productivity.

A number of the improvements will make the program even easier to use. For example, a range of keyboard shortcuts has been added, including isometric view options that will allow faster programming. It has been made easier to select multiple items from the operations tree and to move all the features in a group, for example, a network of similar holes or all the operations on a particular spindle.

Autodesk has developed Autodesk Cloud, a collection of more than a dozen web-based capabilities, products and services. It enables customers to extend their desktops with greater mobility, new viewing and sharing capabilities, and more computing power, helping them better design, visualise and simulate their ideas.

Additional cloud services exclusive to subscription customers give designers, engineers and digital artists new capabilities, such as high-performance 3D visual communication, simulation and collaboration that were once limited to organisations with privileged access to expensive, high-end supercomputing centres.

products & services


products & servicesproducts & services

Fujitsu Semiconductor: NAGRA Certified Set-Top Box

Emerson: VBL Pneumatic Volume Booster

The Fisher VBL booster incorporates a fixed deadband, internal soft seats and an integral bypass restriction that combine to eliminate the positioner problems typically caused by boosters without these design features.

Adding to the VBL’s performance is its bypass restriction that enables fast actuator response. The restriction also allows tuning valve response to follow slow signal changes or provide on/off control. This fine-tuning capability does not impact booster deadband.

Fujitsu Semiconductor Asia has announced that its HDTV multi-decoder processor MB86H611 (a member of MB86H61 series) with advanced security architecture has been successfully certified by NAGRA, the world’s provider of advanced content protection and multi-screen user experience solutions. The announcement underscores a good fit for the company’s HDTV decoder family with today’s market where modern content security architectures are increasingly reliant on the video chipset.

The series is an integrated HD Multi-Standard Digital Television Decoder designed to meet the needs of the globally expanding HD set-top-box and IDTV market.

CAM2 Measure 10, the measuring software for the FaroArm, ScanArm and laser tracker has been developed by Faro. The software is built on the foundation of the previous CAM2 Q while also introducing key features like Live Colour Scan for point cloud inspection, Shortcuts and the Easy Move Wizard. These functionalities are designed to improve the measurement processes, whether tactile or scanning.

Designed to make tactile and scanning measurements easier, the software also features an interface that enables users to customise the layout window optimising the measurement workflow.

Enquiry no. 8917

Enquiry no. 8916

Enquiry no. 8915

Enquiry no. 8914

Faro: Measuring Software

Ifm electronic have release a Profinet gateway. Access to all input and output data with a smartphone gives users freedom to move.

With the gateway family the integrated web interface is designed to have access to all data of the gateway using a simple smartphone. Without the installation of Java plug-ins or the purchase of additional apps the user can enquire about every input and set every output even if he is somewhere far away in the plant. With a smartphone you are in complete control of the plant at any spot. AS-i configuration adjustment, parameter setting, Message-error counter reading, symmetry of the network, connection to the Profinet.

IFM: Profinet Gateway

products & services


products & services

Enquiry no. 8921

Enquiry no. 8920

Enquiry no. 8919

Enquiry no. 8918

Open Mind: CAM Software Program

Open Mind Technologies has released hyperMill 2011. Automated functions and technologies in the release helps to reduce machining costs and times. The features include intelligent macros, 64-bit support, application programming interfaces and customised process features. New strategies such as five-axis shape offset roughing and finishing allows for even more efficient programming.

The programming environment offers forward-looking solutions for 2D, 3D, HSC and five-axis simultaneous machining. Users can draw from a range of functions for optimised processes, time-saving, comfortable workflows and efficient machining.

Turck has announced its IP 67 Bayonet Style RJ45/Ethernet field wireable connector, an extension of the company’s RJ45 connector line. Offering robust housing, these connectors are designed to provide protection in washdown applications or in areas of high impact.

The bayonet style mating prevents over tightening, which can cause damage to the connector and pins, in addition to under tightening, which can lead to ingression. Furthermore, the bayonet style locking mechanism requires only a quarter turn to attach and lock — providing quick and easy installation.

Turck: Ethernet Field Wireable Connector

Schneider Electric: Pressure Transmitter

The SCADAPack 4012 M o d b u s P r e s s u r e

Tr a n s m i t t e r f r o m Schneider Electric is an

accurate and intelligent transmitter that offers precise

measurement of process absolute or gauge pressures in a small and

lightweight package. As a fully digital transmitter, the product is networked using

Modbus over Ethernet or a selectable RS485/232 serial line.Easy to install and operate, any Modbus master can

access and control a large number of these transmitters. The transmitter can be used for a wide variety of gas, water and industrial applications.

Mitsubishi Electric: Direct Digital Controller

The Me lsec-L ser ies Direct Digital Controller (DDC) from Mitsubishi E l ec t r i c i s des igned for controlling building automation systems. The DDC comes with a built-in CPU positioning control function that has a start time of 30 microseconds

and a maximum output speed of 200,000 pulses per second. Each unit is equipped with 24 built-in I/O points and has a

program capacity of 260,000 steps, along with a basic operation processing speed of 9.5 nanoseconds. Data can be logged and saved onto a SD memory card for operators to perform a detailed operational analysis and problem identification.

Error status is indicated on the built-in display, allowing troubleshooting to be conducted directly without the need for connection to a separate PC.

The image used for the Mitsubishi Electric product feature in Oct/Nov 2011 was an image of another product from a different company. The image included here is the correct image by Mitsubishi Electric.

Calendar Of EventsCalendar Of Events 2011/122011/1223 – 27 Hannover Messe 2012

Deutsche Messe HannoverGermanyDeutsche Messe AG HannoverEmail: [email protected]: http://www.hannovermesse.de/home

25 – 27 RFID World Asia 2012Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition CentreSingaporeTerrapinnEmail: [email protected]: www.rfidworldasia.com.sg

May

17 – 20 IA Robotics 2012Bangkok International Trade & Exhibiton Centre Bangkok, ThailandUBM Asia (Thailand) Co LtdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.intermachshow.com/

22 - 24 Industrial Automation Kuala LumpurKuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC)Facon Exhibitions Sdn BhdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.tradeshowz.net/trade-event-detail/industrial-automation-kuala-lumpur.html

June

06 – 09 Renewable Energy Thailand 2012Bangkok International Trade & Exhibiton Centre SingaporeBangkok, Thailand UBM Asia (Thailand) Co LtdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.renewableenergy-asia.com/

12 – 14 Green Energy Asia 2012Kuala Lumpur Convention Center (KLCC)AMB Exhibitions Sdn BhdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.biztradeshows.com/trade-events/green-energy-asia.html

13 – 16 Propak Asia 2012Bangkok International Trade & Exhibiton Centre SingaporeBangkok, Thailand Bangkok Exhibition Services LtdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.propakasia.com/

14 – 17 CIAACE 2012China International Exhibition Centre (CIEC)ChinaYasn International Exhibition Co., Ltd.Email: [email protected]: http://www.ciaacexpo.com/

21 – 23 Offshore Asia Kuala Lumpur Convention CentreMalaysiaPennwell Conference and ExhibitionsEmail: [email protected]: http://www.offshoreasiaevent.com/

29 – 2 Mar Propak Vietnam 2012Saigon Exhibiton & Convention Center (SECC)Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamBangkok Exhibition Services LtdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.propakvietnam.com/

March

07 – 09 SIAF Guangzhou 2012 China import and export fair complex Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.siaf-china.com/

14 – 16 Asia Pacific MaritimeMarina Bay Sands Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.apmaritime.com/

27 – 29 Asia Water 2012Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.asiawater.merebo.com/English/english.html

28 – 31 Inatronics 2012JIExpo Kemayoran Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.inatronics-exhibition.net/

april

3 – 6 Automation World 2012Coex Convention and Exhibition Center, SeoulKoreaCoexEmail: [email protected]: http://automationworld.co.kr/index.html?TPL=en_main.tpl

DeceMber

07 – 08 Bioenergy International Asia ExpoKuala Lumpur Convention CentreMalaysiaHorse Shoe Media LtdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.biofuelsinternationalexpo. com/asia/

07 – 09 Semicon Japan 2011Makuhari Messe – Chiba JapanJapanSemi North AmericaEmail: [email protected] Web: http://www.semiconjapan.org/en/

January

06 – 09 Engineering Expo Indore 2012Poddar Plaza,Near Gandhi Hall, M G Road, New Siyaganj, Indore 452007. Madhya Pradesh IndiaInfomedia 18 LtdEmail: [email protected]: http://www.engg-expo.com/

18 – 20 ICP - IC Packaging Technology Expo 2012

Tokyo International Exhibition Center (Tokyo Big Sight)JapanReed Exhibitions Japan LtdEmail: [email protected] Web: http://www.icp-expo.jp/en/Home/

February

08 – 11 Enertech World Expo 2012Bombay Exhibition Centre - NSE Exhibition ComplexIndiaChemtech FoundationEmail: [email protected] Web: http://www.chemtech-online.com/enertech/

09 – 10 Intermodal Asia 2012Intercontinental Melbourne The RialtoAustraliaTransport Events ManagementEmail: [email protected]: http://www.transportevents.com/

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How to build safely: with steel.

How to build intelligently: with automation components from Beckhoff.

How to build traditionally: with bricks.

How to build fl exibly: with concrete.

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Today’s essential building materials.Building Automation from Beckhoff.

www.beckhoff.com.sg/buildingUsing Beckhoff Building Automation, all technical systems can be integrated on the foundation of an integrated, universal PC- and Ethernet-based building automation concept. The effect: minimised investment costs, optimised maintenance and fl exibility, lowered engineering costs and all criteria for building automation according to energy effi ciency class A are fulfi lled. The modular Beckhoff control system permits the convenient connection of all data points and subsystems via Beckhoff Bus Terminals as well as fl exible operation for system users, from smart phone to touch panel interface.

Beckhoff Automation Pte. Ltd.Phone: + 65 6635 [email protected]

Beckhoff Automation Sdn. Bhd. (889044-H).Phone: + 60 (3) 7731 [email protected]

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