simplification driving industrial productivity · like the cheers that followed samuels-paige’s...

Simplification Driving Industrial Productivity

HIGHLIGHTS OF AUTOMATION FAIR 2019Industry Forums • Automation Perspectives • Process Solutions User Group

November 18-21, McCormick Place, Chicago, USA

A Special Report by the editors of Control

TABLE OF CONTENTSAutomation Perspectives Media Event

Rockwell Automation announces partnership with Accenture 3

Kids rise to ‘You Make It’ challenge 4

Advanced manufacturing helps nonprofit Edesia save lives 6

Rockwell Automation, Schlumberger partner on oil & gas solutions 7

Process Solutions User GroupPlantPAx V5 to feature new process controllers 9

GE Healthcare speeds biopharma production 10

Milwaukee Brewing taps human possibility 12

MQTT saves time and bandwidth, too 14

Lima upgrades treatment system with server, software 16

Excelsior turns to DCS for in situ copper extraction 18

Mondelēz improves agility with PlantPAx 20

Seamless integration solves oil & gas challenges 22

BioPhorum pursues life sciences plug and play 23

PlantPAx helps paper mill realize ‘a single pane of glass’ 25

On Display at Automation FairRockwell Automation investing in Lifecycle Services capabilities 27

Effective cybersecurity is a team sport 29

Virtual commissioning breaks through to control 31

Integrated Architecture makes for smarter machines 32

InnovationSuite partners pile on productivity 34

Teamwork needed to tackle transformation tasks 36

Industry ForumsFord, GM address global markets and transformations 37

Wastewater system upgrade benefits from integrated approach 39

Eli Lilly takes architectural approach to transformation 40

Chemical makers secure, automate and optimize 42

Mining company embraces the next-generation workforce 44

Overcoming gotchas in material-handling system design 46

Remote support capabilities differentiate OEM solutions 48

Standardized automation boosts productivity at Occidental 49

Highlights of Automation Fair 2019

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION ANNOUNCES PARTNERSHIP WITH ACCENTUREBy Mike Baciore

Now in its 27th year, Automation Fair has seen its share of significant announcements over the years. Blake Moret, chairman and CEO, Rock-

well Automation, wasted no time keeping the streak alive during the Perspectives media event this week in Chicago.

“This morning, we announced the signing of a new agreement with Accenture,” he said during his opening address. Rockwell Automation and Accenture’s Indus-try X.0 will team up to develop a digital offering to help industrial clients move beyond existing manufacturing solutions to transform their entire connected enterprises. The engagement is designed to capitalize on the expertise of both companies to deliver new capabilities for greater industrial supply-chain optimization.

“We love the open innovation approach,” explained Mike Sutcliff, group chief executive, Accenture Digital, who joined Moret on stage. “The collaboration will allow companies to look across supply chains in addition to in the plant. It enables optimization across the factory, the supply chain and the enterprise.”

The collaboration will enable clients to leverage the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and has already yielded, among other early-stage successes, a prototype for supply-chain management designed to deliver supplier cost optimization and an improved ability to track the exact movements of products.

Rockwell Automation will provide industrial automation technology and

domain expertise, including FactoryTalk InnovationSuite IIoT software, and analytics solutions. It will also bring network services and operational technology security, as well as application development, installation, integration and support. Accenture will provide enterprise business and technical capabilities, including consulting, analyt-ics, application development, systems integration, change management and support. “Our collaboration with Rock-well Automation will offer digital solutions and services that will go a long way in helping our clients achieve this enterprise transformation,” said Sutcliff.

Simplification drives productivity“By teaming up, we reduce complexity, reduce risk and achieve better results with comprehensive, enterprise-wide expertise,” explained Moret. “Our approach is to bring the Connected Enterprise to life by understanding our customers. We’re combining technology and domain expertise to deliver the best possible outcomes. We’re

“We reduce complexity, reduce risk and achieve better results with comprehensive, enterprise-wide expertise.” At Automation Fair, Rockwell Automation CEO Blake Moret (left) announced the company’s new partnership with Accenture, represented by Mike Sutcliff, group chief executive, Accenture Digital.


applying technology to save time and money in industrial company processes. Simplification drives productivity.”

In addition to the new partnership with Accenture, Rockwell Automation also capped off the first month of its joint venture with Schlumberger, called Sensia, combining process control and petro-technical expertise with digital transformation to drive more efficiency from operations.

“We’re investing in the future,” confirmed Moret. “We recently acquired MESTECH, an Indian integrator, which has been a partner for a long time. It just became a formal part of the Rockwell family to deliver software-based solu-tions around the world. And Emulate3D is a UK-based software firm focused on simulation, giving customers the ability to digitalize an operation throughout the value

chain with the simulation and improvement of processes without running the equipment.”

Rockwell Automation lives on innovation, unlocking the creative spirit in existing employees, new people and its partners, explained Moret. “At the heart of Automation Fair is the special, unmatched relationship we have with our partners,” he said.

Moret also acknowledged Rockwell’s partnerships with Microsoft and PTC. “We’re about to see an acceleration in the application of these technologies,” he said.

This year’s Automation Fair is expected to host almost 20,000 attendees from more than 40 countries, offering more than 150 exhibits and more than 95 technology ses-sions. “This is fundamentally a learning event,” said Moret.

KIDS RISE TO ‘YOU MAKE IT’ CHALLENGEBy Chris McNamara

One central thread to all of the presentations during the Perspectives media event at Automation Fair was this—developing new solutions to the world’s

greatest challenges. As such, it makes perfect sense to tap and celebrate the fresh ideas percolating in our youngest, sharpest minds.

Rockwell Automation’s You Make It Challenge invited young inventors to submit their big ideas to solve big prob-lems back in June. Three finalists were gathered here to present their projects.

“We can’t wait to see your imaginations at work,” said Christine Spella, director of global marketing and com-munications, who served as emcee for this fun presentation that provided encouragement to any in the audience who doubted the ingenuity of our next generation.

During the second half of the You Make It Challenge, finalists were partnered with Rockwell Automation mentors, who helped the kids refine their ideas and prepare their pre-sentations. It didn’t seem like these kids needed much help.

Judges were Tessa Myers, Rockwell Automation presi-dent, North America; Pam Murphy, COO of Infor and

a Rockwell Automation board member; and Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Blake Moret.

Our three finalistsLouisa Wood, Bayside, Wisconsin, mentored by Tracy Swartzendruber, manager of Rockwell Automation’s global website portfolio

After a series of heavy rains flooded her basement, Wood set to work developing a better system than the traditional sump pump. “Groundwater is unpredictable,” she lamented. So she developed a system that applies pre-dictive-maintenance concepts to realize the dry-basement dream. Her system employs machine-learning algorithms partnered with local weather data to enable the program to adapt to each installation and predict when a pump will overflow or when parts are likely to fail.

When asked by Judge Murphy what prompted her work in this field, Wood replied that she has long been passion-ate about STEM fields and computer science. The flooded basement merely prompted her to apply her passions to a hyperlocal solution.


The greatest indicator of the value in this solution developed by a bright 16-year-old? Wood explained that people routinely ask her if they can buy it.

Makai Samuels-Paige, Atlanta, mentored by Dave Vasko, Rockwell Automation direc-tor of advanced technology and strategic development

Like a lot of kids, Samuels-Paige gets bullied at school. Unlike a lot of kids, he developed a device to thwart his antagonists.

The inventor equipped his Anti-Bully Backpack with a pair of WiFi cameras to provide mobile, livestream mon-itoring of bullying behavior, a mobile hotspot to enable constant communication and a battery pack to ensure that cellphones are always charged.

The response? An administrator who oversaw the recent science fair in which Samuels-Paige entered his Anti-Bully Backpack “freaked out.” That was a positive reaction, just like the cheers that followed Samuels-Paige’s announcement that, just yesterday, a patent for the backpack was approved.

“I think this is going to make a big change in the world,” said the young inventor, who seems poised to do that himself.

Michael Wilborne, Roanoke, Virginia, mentored by Mike Pantaleano, director of business development architec-ture and software for Rockwell Automation

“I bet you didn’t think we’d be talking about toilets today,” said this 12-year-old inventor at the start of his presentation on an upgraded microflush toilet that can provide the benefits of modern sanitation with less reli-ance on the raw materials traditionally used to construct

them. In short, Wilborne’s toilet minimizes the need for concrete and simplifies the waste-processing steps.

His parents’ missionary work in third-world countries sparked Wilborne’s interest in this field. A scientific mind fuels his creativity. And a remarkable maturity informed his presentation.

“I feel really encouraged to do more in the world,” he said, echoing his fellow finalists.

And the winner isAfter the presentations, the kids gathered onstage while an actual drumroll played. They seemed nervous. They also seemed as proud as their parents in the crowd, who snapped pictures and fielded congratulations from those seated around them.

Wood and her smart sump-pump system was voted the You Make It Challenge winner, earning her a package of prizes that includes a grant to a FIRST robotics program, a 3D printer, a computer and a STEM workstation.

But, really, all three of these young innovators seem destined for great things. They embody the Expanding Human Possibility promise communicated by Rockwell Automation throughout this fun contest.

And, as with any true innovator in the modern world, should these kids’ visions become reality, all of us will reap the benefits.

Michael Wilborne (from left), Louisa Wood and Makai Samuels-Paige were finalists in Rockwell Automation’s “You Make It Challenge,” which invited young innovators to make a difference. Wood took the prize with her sump-pump monitoring solution.


ADVANCED MANUFACTURING HELPS NONPROFIT EDESIA SAVE LIVESBy Chris McNamara

Advanced manufacturing and not-for-profit are two terms you don’t often hear together.

“But that’s what we’re doing,” explained Maria Kasparian, executive director of Edesia, a Rhode Island-based nonprofit that combats malnutrition around the globe. And by approaching its altruistic mission like a manufacturer—a modern, smart, digitally enabled manu-facturer—it is optimizing its efforts.

The ROI? Millions of lives saved.During her presentation “Modernizing Technology to

Save More Lives,” delivered to a rapt audience at Rockwell Automation’s Perspectives media event at Automation Fair, Kasparian provided the backstory to Edesia—launched in 2010 and partnering with the likes of UNICEF and the U.S. government with the goal of eradicating starvation in the world’s most vulnerable cultures.

The approach is comprehensive—from engaging with domestic farmers for the ingredients to produce their nutrient-dense food products, to constant research-and-development efforts to quicken distribution, to educational efforts aimed at raising awareness and funds.

All noble stuff, but what really resonated with this audi-ence was the description of efforts Edesia launched four years ago to fully embrace digitalization and supercharge the good work.

In short, embracing a data-driven approach. Sound familiar, manufacturers?

Data and more specifically numbers are now central to Edesia’s operations. Kasparian delivered some sobering figures to highlight the problem—3 million preventable deaths each year as a result of malnutrition. But she also noted encouraging statistics—the one-box-of-food-saves- one-kid ratio, the 10 million children Edesia has saved since

launching less than a decade ago. And in the parlance of a profit-driven manufacturer, the executive director broke it all down to return on investment—dollars and cents.

“Improved nutrition has one of the best ROIs you will ever see,” she boasted. “Every dollar spent on basic nutri-tional needs has a return of $16 on the local economy.”

Great need, big winsAfter six years of success, albeit relying on less-than-fully efficient approaches, Edesia made “huge upgrades” in 2016, scaling production, expanding the size of its factory from 15,000 sq ft to 85,000, and aggressively automating processes that resulted in growth of annual output from 9,000 metric tons of food to 25,000.

“Improved nutrition has one of the best ROIs you will ever see.” Edesia’s Maria Kasparian explained how automation has transformed the nonprofit’s abilities at Rockwell Automation’s Perspectives media event in Chicago.


“We went from very manual processes to state-of-the-art, automated processes,” she explained. One example: while workers had previously dumped 50-lb bags into mixers, one-ton bags are now loaded into sophisticated dosing hoppers. “And with our new production equipment we started using Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx DCS for batch-process control.”

Efficiency increases were quickly realized in addition to side benefits. Edesia has enjoyed a further 20% increase in capacity in 2019 alone. That’s a huge win, particularly considering that success like that means more than just increased earnings for shareholders, but rather more chil-dren fed and more lives saved. Rather than replacing the 105 workers, many of whom are refugees from the coun-tries the nonprofit serves, this automation upgrade was, in Kasparian’s words, a game changer. Personnel embraced the new technologies. Workers learned new skills. Pay increased, along with job satisfaction.

The smart approach at the nonprofit continues to evolve. In the past 12 months Edesia has optimized new systems with data provided from machines. Employing donated software licenses from Rockwell Automation, real-time data is now displayed throughout the factory, enabling constant access by staff, which can make immediate, informed decisions on the fly.

Said Kasparian, “These innovations have helped us lower the cost of our humanitarian processes. This means reaching more children. We thank Rockwell Automation for its support and partnership. May we together continue to find ways to do more, to build a world where all chil-dren are well-nourished.”

Heart optimized by smartsOne of the misconceptions about automation is that it undermines the human element of manufacturing. It removes man and woman from the work. This is a fallacy, of course. Just look at the improved conditions for workers in the Edesia facility as an example.

But this case study presented today is a particularly human one, a particularly warm example of using advanced manufacturing to prompt true, positive change.

During his keynote presentation, Rockwell Automation Chairman and CEO Blake Moret celebrated the special relationship Rockwell Automation has with its partners. None is likely as inspirational as this union with Edesia, which Moret described as “a truly remarkable organization.”

The results surely are remarkable. So is the overarching strategy—a nonprofit driven by the progressive mindset of a digitally transformative manufacturer. Heart, optimized by smarts, filling bellies around the globe.

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, SCHLUMBERGER PARTNER ON OIL & GAS SOLUTIONSBy Mike Bacidore

A singular focus often brings clarity and simpli-fication to an otherwise complex issue. When Rockwell Automation and Schlumberger com-

bined forces to form Sensia, the two organizations easily could have run aground with added weight and a cumbersome merging of cultures. But the recipe for the partnership included 500 people with automation expertise and 500 people with field-operations expertise,

putting their minds to work exclusively on oil & gas industry optimization.

“We are the unification of sensing, intelligence and action,” explained Neil Enright, vice president, sales and marketing, at Sensia, which focuses solely on the oil & gas industry. “We’ve adopted a philosophy of simplicity. We provide a solution at its base form to release value for our customers.” Enright shared his organization’s vision


during the Perspectives media event at Automation Fair this week in Chicago.

Sensia has brought together about 1,000 oil & gas pro-fessionals, operating as 11 legal entities and a presence in more than 80 countries to combine competencies and create “irreducibly simple solutions.”

“In the oil & gas industry, automation has existed for a long time,” explained Enright. “We’ve been providing automation across the value chain for many years. We have installed many systems, but there remain islands of information. Sensia is able to connect those isolated sys-tems for productivity gains.”

The oil & gas market is facing a number of challenges, including price volatility, lack of available talent in geo-graphic areas and companies’ desires to increase capacity while decreasing the capital to do it, said Enright.

Sensia’s customers want to not only increase produc-tion with reduced costs, but also accelerate time to first oil, maximize use of existing assets and improve safety, he explained.

“Automation is critical to facilitating the journey of digi-tal transformation,” said Enright. “To enable that, we can provide data from disconnected systems to operators and help them to deploy the correct resources or improve the process. We have the capability to deliver process manu-facturing solutions.”

Insights become actionsAutomation solutions, measurement solutions, digital solutions and lift-control systems are the core of Sensia’s offerings, putting intelligence into action via a four-stage process: sense, think, control, optimize.

“We take sensor information and analyze it using domain expertise,” said Enright. “We manage the process, and we continually improve performance. To create an insight is one thing, but you must create an action from the insight.”

If you want to prevent a production interruption or criti-cal failure, the length of time from detection to action

needs to be in seconds or milliseconds, not hours or days, said Enright, who offered two use cases.

Real-time surveillance optimization was the first, monitoring potentially damaging events in real time and using augmented-reality technology to enhance operator visibility. The operator has the ability to pre-vent further deterioration of equipment or unplanned shutdowns and improve both equipment run-life and production uptime.

Another example was an integrated blending system. “Blending systems are a key to successful operation of mari-time terminals in the United States,” explained Enright. “Blending operations are usually manual, introducing delays and potential errors. An integrated, automatic blend-ing system improves speed and accuracy of transfers, resulting in increased operations profitability.”

Sensia turns sensing into intelligence, which then becomes action, specifically for the oil & gas industry. “It’s seamless, plug-and-play automation at any scale, any-where in the world,” said Enright. “Operations become simpler and safer, no matter where customers are in their digital journeys.”

“To create an insight is one thing, but you must create an action from the insight.” Sensia’s Neil Enright explains how the partnership leverages technology and domain expertise at Automation Fair in Chicago.


PLANTPAX V5 TO FEATURE NEW PROCESS CONTROLLERSBy Keith Larson

At this week’s Process Solutions User Group meet-ing in Chicago, Rockwell Automation showed an early trailer for what the company promises

will be this summer’s blockbuster release: PlantPAx V5.Timed to coincide with the 10th anniversary of PlantPAx

introduction, Version 5 will substantially advance Rock-well Automation’s ability to enable the process enterprise, simplify operations, optimize production and support its customers’ lifecycle needs, according to Jim Winter, director of Rockwell Automation’s global process business.

“Industry 4.0 is upon us, and things are really happen-ing,” Winter said, addressing the more than 1,000 PSUG attendees from 16 countries around the world. “But chal-lenges remain, many arising from how process control has been done in the past.”

Much process data remains segregated in silos, making it difficult, expensive and sometimes impossible to pull together, Winter said. “Standards are helping—founda-tional ones such as for communications—but also those at the system level, such as the efforts of NAMUR and the Open Process Automation Forum to modularize, open and standardize process automation.”

PlantPAx V5 continues Rockwell Automation’s drive to address these issues, and to reduce the lifecycle costs of automation, Winter said, ceding the dais to David Rapini, PlantPAx business manager, to fill in more details.

Still modern, 10 years onPlantPAx remains a uniquely modern distributed control system (DCS), Rapini reminded the PSUG audience. “The tenets of the modern DCS include plantwide control—a common technology stack from lowest level skid to DCS,” Rapini said. “With a unified stack, skids integrate seam-lessly and easily—it allows scalable and modular features, performance and price.”

“The modern DCS is also secure, open and informa-tion-enabled,” Rapini continued. “PlantPAx leverages industry standard Common Industrial Protocol (CIP)—from controllers to backplanes, all open. This means that a new device from anyone—as long as it complies with the ODVA specification—integrates cleanly.”

The modern DCS is also flexible in terms of delivery and support, Rapini added. “We can help, or you can use the local integrator down the road that knows your process best.”

Key features of Version 5, which is planned for release in the July 2020 time-frame, are native objects, reduced footprint, automatic diagnostics and integrated HART com-munications. The new system also comes analytics-enabled

“They’re part of the family, they preserve your investment in our tools and training.” Rockwell Automation’s Dave Rapini on the company’s new purpose-built process controllers scheduled to launch this summer in conjunction with PlantPAx V5.


and is increasingly cybersecure, Rapini said. Perhaps most significantly, PlantPAx V5 will be introduced concurrently with two new purpose-built process controllers: the Com-pactLogix 5380 for skid applications and theControlLogix 5585, for DCS applications.

New members of the familyThese two new “superset” process controllers are specifi-cally designed for process applications, but “they’re part of the family, they preserve your investment in our tools and training,” Rapini said. “You spend too much time on basic automation tasks. Our intent to offload a lot of that basic work and free up your time to realize greater possibilities.”

With the new controllers, process-specific objects are now embedded in the firmware. This enforces consistency from unit to unit and plant to plant as well as exposing more internal capabilities. Multiple languages, for example, are supported at the firmware level, freeing up memory and processor capabilities. A side benefit of these embedded data models is that analytics developed for one situation are more transportable from one application to another.

The new controllers also communicate more efficiently, reporting by exception rather than by scheduled polling. This can result in dramatic reductions in data traffic, free-ing up bandwidth for new data flows that promise only to increase in years to come. Rapini described one oil and gas application in which the need for redundant data servers was cut by 70% using the new communications method.

Another time-saving feature of the new controllers is automatic hardware diagnostics—no code required—for detecting connection faults, broken wires, short circuits, and motor over-temperature conditions.

Finally, V5 and the new controllers are in line with Rockwell Automation’s “all-in” support of the IEC 62443 cybersecurity standards. “We’ve been certified to the 4-1 part of the standard for our own development processes, and we’re the first to have a controller certified to the stan-dard’s 4-2 requirements,” Rapini said. “Also in the works for release this summer is a reference architecture in line with part 3-3 of the standard. With this reference archi-tecture, if installed as recommend, “it’ll be a very short putt” to your own 3-3 certification, Rapini said.

GE HEALTHCARE SPEEDS BIOPHARMA PRODUCTIONBy Jim Montague

It takes huge amounts of time and money to develop and produce life-saving biopharmaceutical medications, so anything that can make their production systems more

flexible, scalable and quicker to implement can save equally huge amounts of these valuable resources. This is why GE Healthcare Life Sciences has been partnering with Rockwell Automation to streamline the process controls and automation of its bioreactors, FlexFactory production lines, and shipping container-based, clean-room units it operates worldwide.

“Biotechnologies and biopharmaceutical processes affect all of our lives—from removing lactose from milk to improv-ing bread and cheese to creating flu vaccines, pregnancy tests and diabetic therapies. We’re also using them to develop a protein that can help fight lung cancer by making cancer

cells a target, which allows the body’s natural white cells to attack those cancer cells, while leaving regular lung tissue unharmed,” said Kevin Seaver, general manager, Bioprocess Automation and Bioprocess Digital, GE Healthcare. “It’s estimated that by 2022, biopharmaceuticals will make up about 30% of the prescription drug market.”

Seaver presented a keynote address at the Rockwell Auto-mation Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) meeting, held in the run-up to Automation Fair 2019 this week at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Time and market pressuresIn general, bioprocessing applications include large-mol-ecule and small-molecule processes. So, while traditional


medicines like Prozac are compounded from molecules with less than 60 atoms, biopharmaceuticals like insulin have molecules with hundreds of atoms, monoclonal antibodies have more than 10,000 atoms, and flu vac-cines have more than 100,000. This complexity makes development and upstream and downstream production of these newer biopharmaceuticals increasingly complex and costly.

“Because of these expenses, there are efforts to develop ‘bio-similar’ medicines that cost less. Plus, when pat-ents expire, other manufacturers start producing them,” explained Seaver. “Other drivers of change in the bio-pharmaceutical market include personalized medicine, localized manufacturing, and other new technologies.”

Seaver added that the industry is challenged by downward price pressures, time-to-market pressures, and adapting quickly to changing market demands. “For example, cel-lular therapies have only been available for four or five years, and now gene therapies are quickly emerging,” he explained. “However, because it can take seven years and $1.2 billion to $1.7 billion to develop a new drug, pharma-ceutical manufacturers need to build their plants four or five years ahead of time. Consequently, if we can imple-ment a single-use bioprocess facility in just one year or 18 months, it allows our biopharmaceutical manufacturers to put off decisions to go into production, which can save money and time, and avoid a lot of frustration.”

Speed = savingsSeaver reported that GE Healthcare’s 30-year partner-ship with Rockwell Automation has already yielded many benefits, but their latest collaboration on optimizing the bioreactors in its FlexFactory lines, which can be deployed in its KUBio prefabricated shipping-container clean rooms, have even more potential benefits.

“When we run a typical 2,000-liter bioreactor, there can be 300 pipes, lines and connection that must be made

every time we run a batch,” explained Seaver. “Develop-ing an application like this can start small with one type of process control, but it may need an entirely different, more expensive type of control when we scale up. We needed a better, more consistent way to scale up, and this is another reason why we’re partnering with Rock-well Automation.”

Seaver added the pharmaceutical industry wastes about $50 billion per year in inefficient manufacturing, and so biopharmaceutical players are trying to unlock isolated data that can’t be accessed, reduce the substantial time spend on gathering and cleaning data, and at the same time pro-tect against cybersecurity probes, intrusions and attacks.

“One FlexFactory generates about one terabyte of data per day,” said Seaver. “So we also need to waste less of that data, and do more with it.”

Augmented by automationGE Healthcare’s strategy for addressing these multiple challenges in its biopharmaceutical application is called “Figurate,” and it includes taking advantage of automa-tion, flexibility, efficiency and confidence. Seaver added that automation’s benefits for bioprocesses include:• Optimized uptime due to system redundancy;• Reduced maintenance and training by using a com-

mon framework;

“We’re able to deliver a FlexFactory inside a KUBio in one year to 18 months because we can do all testing, electronics, pre-verification and pre-validation, and have these units ready to go.” GE Healthcare’s Kevin Seaver discussed how through automation and process innovation the company is able to streamline deployment of biopharmaceutical production capacity on behalf of its clients.


• Yield optimization with centralized data trending and alarming; and,

• Reduced regulatory exposure with GAMP-proven and CFR-compliant designs.

“Whenever we heat, agitate, add air or otherwise process these $1-2 million batches, we need redundant servers and redundant power that can swap over if one system fails,” added Seaver. “These solutions also help with achieving common training and reducing our regulatory exposure.”

To develop and put its Figurate program in place, Seaver reported that GE Healthcare adopted Rockwell Auto-mation’s PlantPAx software and GE’s Unicorn software to automate its bioprocess equipment; made their data available by integrating it with applicable manufactur-ing execution system (MES) applications and electronic batch records (EBR); and also provided it to cloud-com-puting services.

GE Healthcare’s FlexFactory lines include its media and buffer preparation, cell culture production, harvest-ing, purification, viral clearance, sterile filtration and bulk formulation processes. All of these can be combined in

modular KUBio clean-room shipping containers, and GE Healthcare presently has 63 of these modular production facilities running worldwide.

“We’re able to deliver a FlexFactory inside a KUBio in one year to 18 months because we can do all testing, electronics, pre-verification and pre-validation, and have these units ready to go,” said Seaver. “This allows our manufacturers to adjust deployment as needed.”

Seaver added that benefits from its Figurate program also include 10-20% increases in production throughput, availability and production employee efficiency, as well as 5-30% decreases in energy use, scrap material, batch release time, maintenance, and downtime investigations.

To integrate these gains even more firmly, Seaver reported the GE Healthcare is also working with Rock-well Automation and PTC to create augmented reality (AR) versions of these tools. For example, its operators can use AR image capture, display and manipulate images that show pH, dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, control cabinet performance and other crucial parameters more quickly. PTC Chalk software even allows operators and supervisor to mark up images to point out details that need to be addressed.

MILWAUKEE BREWING TAPS HUMAN POSSIBILITYBy Paul Studebaker

From his start as a home brewer 22 years ago in an industrial beer town, through starting a successful brewpub to evolving a 75,000 bbl/year brewery into

a “boutique beverage producer,” Jim McCabe, founder, Milwaukee Brewing Co. (MKE) stayed in touch with his roots as a system integrator for Rockwell Automation.

“In Milwaukee, we have the agriculture, the ingredi-ents and the equipment, but also the human resources,” McCabe said at the Rockwell Automation Process Solu-tions User Group (PSUG) meeting, held this week in Chicago. “Expanding on those is my passion. It’s hard to call it work.”

McCabe founded Milwaukee Ale House restaurant in 1997 with 1,200 bbl/year capacity. In 2007, MKE, capac-ity 12,000 bbl/year, kegged its first brew. In 2017, MKE relocated and expanded to 75,000 bbl/year.

“Microbrew and craft beer aren’t the same thing,” McCabe said. “Micro is a government definition of size. Two kegs equal a 31-gallon barrel, and a microbrewery has a maximum capacity of 15,000 bbl/year.”

Craft is more about qualities that come from brewer knowledge, experience and supervision. “When I started craft brewing, I was a system integrator for Rockwell Auto-mation, integrating PLC-5s by day and brewing in my


basement at night,” McCabe said. “In the original pub/brewery, we didn’t use automation, but I stayed in touch with Rockwell Automation.” The MKE packaging facility was two blocks from the Rock-well Automation plant clock tower in Milwaukee.

The original MKE brewery used “a very manual process—little automation but a fair amount of instru-mentation,” McCabe said.

Human values and automation“We focus on human values with sustainability, consistency and efficiency,” McCabe said. “For sustainability, we have the world’s best fresh water resources right outside the building [Lake Michi-gan]. We try to buy everything locally and minimize our impact, though beer is heavy when it comes to shipping.”

“Beer production is a technical process, combining art, science and engineering, and consistency becomes a chal-lenge as you try to grow and add packaging and shipping. And efficiency is increasingly important as more people enter the industry.”

According to CraftBeer.com, there are currently 7,480 active small and independent brewing operations in the U.S., and about 3,000 in planning. The industry is expected to grow at 14.1% CAGR from 2019 to 2024, but has seen only 4% craft brewer production volume growth in the first half of 2019.

“People are still crazy enough to keep opening breweries and 4% growth is still healthy, but there will be winners and losers,” McCabe said.

Speed to market has become increasingly important. “The market has been growing quickly, but tastes change. We started with amber beer, and now no one talks about it,” McCabe said. “Now, you see seltzer made in breweries because now, all the alcohol isn’t legally required to be derived from malt. In just two years, the seltzer category is rivalling the craft brew market.”

So now, to sustainability, consistency and efficiency, MKE needed to add versatility. So, about four years ago, when MKE began running out of capacity, it decided to

build a new brewery on a larger site with a clean sheet of paper. “We could do what we want in a brand-new facil-ity,” McCabe said. “It was a chance to optimize for the future, to build my dream brewery.”

MKE involved Rockwell Automation “right out of the gate, and while we thought we knew what we wanted, we learned a lot,” McCabe said. The new brewery has increased capacity, sustainability and efficiency, and now, versatility, thanks to Rockwell Automation. “It still looks like a brewery and we do craft brewing, but it’s also a bou-tique beverage producer,” McCabe said.

FactoryTalk Craft BrewThe automation system runs Rockwell Automation Fac-toryTalk Craft Brew. It’s designed for beer, “but we can change anything we want, which gives us versatility,” McCabe said. “For example, we’ve modified the clean-in-place (CIP Skid) module to apply it on other pieces of equipment, such as filling and packing.”

Plantwide connectivity has been extended to a variety of supplied equipment including Sprinkman Brewing Systems and KHS filling system hardware. “All that stuff is now connected back to the control room and commu-nicates effectively,” said McCabe.

Today, the brewery is a lot larger, and, “You can’t yell all the way down to the guy at the filler,” McCabe said.

“Brewers can focus on the product, not running around turning valves off and on. Automation expands what people can do.” Milwaukee Brewing Co.’s Jim McCabe on the benefits of partnering with Rockwell Automation.


“We use iPads, and we can communicate just as if we ran all the way across the plant and were standing in front of that equipment.”

Everybody has access to data. “We are still a bunch of bearded brewing guys who like to sample the product, but we’re also FDA regulated,” McCabe said. “We need Homeland Security traceability for everything that comes into the plant.”

With FactoryTalk Craft Brew, “Brewers can focus on the product, not running around turning valves off and on. Automation expands what people can do. State-of-the-art automation gives them the ability to focus on the art.”

“We’re set up to multitask. We can run batches one right behind another, of the same or different product, in any sequence the equipment can handle.”

In numbers, the facility has reduced its average brew time from 6.5 to 2.5 hours. Malt consumption per batch, typically 3,000 to 5,000 lbs, has been reduced by as much as 500 lbs. And average yield has increased from 70% to more than 90%, McCabe said. “Lately, 93%, because you’re not flipping things by hand.”

“It’s changing the way we think about our facility,” McCabe said. “We’ve been running one shift, but we just booked seltzer business that will double our volume. We never ran seltzer before, but our equipment and system give both us and our partner confidence.

“We sleep better at night, knowing we’re making a consistent product that will be shipped all over, and when our customers drink it, it will be what it’s expected to be.”

MQTT SAVES TIME AND BANDWIDTH, TOOBy Paul Studebaker

In the Permian Basin, Chevron is commissioning facili-ties to separate and store oil and water, about one per year, each with three separators and six tanks. It’s also

doing property swaps with other companies in the basin to take advantage of common infrastructure. As a result, it’s integrating about one system per week, each with similar equipment but often, different control systems.

“There are at least five things to integrate—PLC, local touchscreen, control room graphics, PI historian, and deci-sion support center graphics—that must be done in series,” said Todd Anslinger, Industrial IoT Center of Excellence lead, Chevron. “Then, we have to verify every step to rule out human error. At the same time, human resources (HR) says we must double the number of facilities with just a 30% increase in head count.”

Anslinger spoke at Rockwell Automation Process Solu-tions User Group (PSUG) 2019, this week in Chicago.

Today, Chevron does separate integrations and secu-rity among those five things and maybe more, such as a flat file for production and a production database. “A

different person is responsible for each thing, and each connection is a separate 1:1 relationship,” Anslinger said. “This takes more than 30 days, often six weeks per facil-ity, not one week.”

Further, using a radio network with conventional poll-response, “We have to create and tear down connections for each communication with each device. With 16 remote sites, both analog and digital communications, it takes four minutes for a round robin. But with 50-100 devices per field office, it takes an hour, due to latency in the radio communications,” Anslinger said.

Publish/subscribe to the rescueInstead, Anslinger proposes to use the MQTT (Message Queueing Telemetry Transport) protocol to lower band-width and speed integration. “Today, using a SCADA host doesn’t look too daunting, but in 50 business units we have 2,500 applications, each with 1:1 relationships,” he said. “How to manage all these starts to look like a nightmare.”


So, Anslinger proposes adding a MQTT broker to the SCADA host—a single point of contact. “Now, we can poll disparate devices—Modbus, etc.—as well as Rockwell Automation devices with native MQTT. For example, a pump pushes data to the host. The host is looking for ‘dot pump.’ Instead of step-by-step serial, the pump publishes and upstream sys-tems get it.”

In the field, facilities might be 120 miles away, and across mountains. “It might take more than four hours to drive there—a big pain to go out there and physically manage the devices,” Anslinger said. “But with radio, it’s a big infrastructure cost to gain speed. The last mile is where we’re severely limited.” There’s a lack of bandwidth, and slow radios eat it up. If more frequent communication is needed for a critical measurement, say, to monitor a tank level, “You might have to shut down the SCADA to get bandwidth for that poll,” he said. “All the other information is lost.”

But how many variables change minute-to-minute? Some, but not all of them. Publish/subscribe (pub/sub) limits communications to just the parameters that change. “With Rockwell Automation PlantPAx objects, the initial poll might be 150 parameters, but then you only get the ones that change,” Anslinger said. “This frees up band-width, reducing it to about 15% of what it was before.”

It also reduces the time to integrate standard add-on instructions (AOIs). “If you make a change, everything is updated automatically,” Anslinger said. “A PLC change automatically filters up to the control room, all the way to PI historian. It just shows up.

“If all the producers used pub/sub, on a new or acquired facility, we could just change the IP address, point it to a new broker in the cloud, and have it up before lunchtime instead of in months, while we risk spills due to lack of information.”

Studies show speedy resultsAnslinger’s Center of Excellence researched three sce-narios comparing the time to propagate an AOI addition through the system: Competitor PLC/HMI (competitor PLC with a competitor touchscreen with a competitor HMI with OSI PI historian); Full vertical Rockwell (Rockwell CLX with ViewME with ViewSE with HistorianSE); and Sensia ConnectedProduction (CLX compute module, ViewSE running on VersaView, ViewSE in the control room, and a cloud instance of ConnectedProduction with VantagePoint).

“Before I show you the results, if you didn’t know anything about how poll/response worked, how would you want it to work?” Anslinger asked. “For example, consider an ordinary printer. You used to have to down-load a driver but now you just power it up, point it to your Wi-Fi, and it just works, you don’t have to inte-grate it. If you make a change, it just shows up. Pub/sub—MQTT—can do this.”

For each scenario, time measurements were taken to “add a tank object” to an existing system, and download to the controllers/computers:• Competitor PLC/HMI: 22 minutes• Full vertical Rockwell: 13 minutes• Sensia Connected/Production plus mobile: 4.5 minutes

“If all the producers used pub/sub, we could just change the IP address, point it to a new broker in the cloud, and have it up before lunchtime instead of in months.” Chevron’s Todd Anslinger on the use of MQTT to streamline radio communications.


“In practice, since you still have to check for human errors, commissioning takes one week instead of two weeks,” Anslinger said.

MQTT in practiceInstead of pure MQTT, Chevron focuses on SparkPlug B (SpB), which adds features including birth certificate and death certificate (session awareness). “When you add a new PLC or AOI, you get a birth certificate. You see that, and you can pull it in,” Anslinger said.

Without Session Awareness, you might not know if an instrument died. For example, at one point, “Lightning took out a level gauge, and we didn’t find out until a local driving by called Chevron about water running across the road,” Anslinger said.

“With standard MQTT, you only get so much, and you have to add to it to build a structure of tag names to know what you have,” Anslinger said. SpB accounts for the hierarchy of Chevron facilities, including a tagname

convention that helps with contextualization of data. This has been given to the Eclipse Foundation, which is somewhat like ODVA and is managing this “open standard” with other oil & gas companies, he said. “Other vendors have already implemented SpB, and Rockwell/Sensia has programmed a compute module that is SpB.”

In summary, pub/sub is good for adding similar facili-ties when you use standard objects and dashboards. “You can just add your standard object,” Anslinger said. “Addi-tions and changes can automatically show up through all levels of the process control network, and even busi-ness systems.”

Pub/sub pushes updates to the broker only when a value changes outside a set threshold. This uses about 15% of the bandwidth of poll/response, thus opening bandwidth for other technologies from condition monitoring to video.

Finally, Anslinger said, “Make sure you have session awareness so you are not running blind.”

LIMA UPGRADES TREATMENT SYSTEM WITH SERVER, SOFTWAREBy Jim Montague

When the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) asked the City of Lima, Ohio, to reduce its discharges to the local Ottawa

River to just five per year, the utility knew it needed to increase flow through its wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and modernize its old control system with help from Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx process con-trol platform.

“We service about 30,000 customers within our city limits, as well as other surrounding communities and sev-eral local businesses, including General Dynamics, Proctor & Gamble, Husky refinery, and many local hospitals and service industries,” said Matt Fiedler, IT programmer and process control specialist, City of Lima. “All our water

comes from four above-ground reservoirs with about 14.5 billion gallons of available water. In 1973, the plant was expanded to an average dry-weather flow capacity of 18.5 million gallons per day (MGD), with a peak flow of 53 MGD. Our latest project was upgrading the headworks at the front of the plant to support 70 MGD, as well as the DCS upgrade to achieve this flow.”

Fiedler presented “Wastewater treatment modernization and digital transformation” at the Rockwell Automation Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) meeting before the opening of Automation Fair 2019 this week at McCormick Place in Chicago. This upgrade project was achieved with help from system integrator Commerce Controls Inc. (CCI) and Stratus Technologies.


Requirements drive goalsFiedler reported that Lima’s wastewa-ter infrastructure also consists of 32 lift stations, three underground gate structures, five combined sewer over-flow (CSO) structures, and five radio repeater sites.

“Our mandated goals from the EPA included decreasing CSO discharge events into the river to five per year; increasing WWTP capacity from 55 MGD to 70 MGD during peak wet weather; adding wet weather maximiza-tion at the plant level to treat as much as possible during big rain events; and upgrading our storm sewer overflow (SSO) basins,” explained Fiedler. “Consequently, our process control goals were bringing our distributed con-trol system (DCS) up to industry standards by replacing old ‘spaghetti code’ and streamlining our HMI screens; upgrading our remote lift stations with new PLC panels and radio telemetry; separating WWTP and WTP radio communications; replacing aging and failing PLCs at the WWTP; and creating a control standard that all future projects could follow.”

In part due to his IT background, Fiedler reported that Lima also sought to upgrade its 20-year-old, fiber-optic network with a new ring, adopt a fault-tolerant server to maintain uptime, add new switches in its PLC cabinets, virtualize all new servers, add backup and recovery func-tions, and improve plant-level and network security. So far, the utility has implemented eight virtual machines (VM), nine Stratix switches, and an ftServer from Stratus, all for about $46,000.

On the infrastructure side, Lima is also building a 13-MG CSO basin, fixing underground CSO gates to regu-late maximum flow, and rebuilding the head of its plant to reach its 70-MGD goal. Because its plant is landlocked,

however, Fiedler added that the $46-million CSO basin and its three tanks are being built beneath an open field owned by the municipality. He reported this phase of the project is about three-quarters completed.

Radios, server aid softwareTo revamp its process control software and upgrade its communications, Fiedler added that, “We looked into our options, and settled on PlantPAx because it’s an industry-standard that would let us get outside support, if needed. Plus, having one go-to supplier would help eliminate any cross-platform incapability, and would speed up integrating our hardware and software. We also went with Rockwell Automation’s swing-arm conversions, which were quicker and saved on downtime.”

In addition to PlantPAx, Lima deployed Rockwell Automation Factorytalk Historian software, FactoryTalk AssetCentre software, and FactoryTalk VantagePoint soft-ware. “These solutions give us better data collection and display,” said Fiedler. “We didn’t have this luxury before. The old way took hours to extract data. Now, we can do it in minutes.”

Likewise, Fiedler added that Lima can collect and distribute data from its newly enabled wastewater system because it also upgraded its communications with GE MDS Orbit radios for telemetry. “They’re also allowing us

“These solutions give us better data collection and display. We didn’t have this luxury before. The old way took hours to extract data. Now, we can do it in minutes.” Matt Fiedler of the City of Lima, Ohio, discussed the city utility’s recent upgrade of its wastewater treatment system.


to run IP and serial communications with the old system until our conversion is complete, which makes getting the new stations coming online seamless,” said Fiedler. “The new radios also allow us to work at home more. Instead of driving 40 minutes, working for 10 minutes, and driv-ing 40 minutes back, we can now do many tasks in just 10 minutes.”

Fiedler added that the foundation for all these upgrades is the reliable ftServer from Status that was adopted as part of the overall upgrade. “We’d looked at building a multi-server setup, but this wasn’t the best route because it could have been three times as costly,” he explained. “We found

that Stratus servers were a no-brainer because they had a smaller footprint, as well as better fault tolerance support. We went with the ftServer FT4710 after using the sizing tool, and it’s allowed us to house our eight VMs, which include our domain controller and historian server.

“In the two and a half years since we installed them, we’ve had zero issues, plus they give us an added layer of backup and recovery. We’ve increased security with the help of FactoryTalk’s administration console. We’re also adding security cameras and access control soon, and during rain events, the cameras will allow operators to monitor tanks without having to leave their station.”

EXCELSIOR TURNS TO DCS FOR IN SITU COPPER EXTRACTIONBy Paul Studebaker

Excelsior Mining’s Gunnison Project near Tucson, Arizona, began in 2018 and is projected to produce more than 2 billion lb of copper over its 24-year

life using an unusual in situ leaching process.Rockwell Automation Solution Partner ECN Auto-

mation designed a complete solution for the Gunnison Project’s process-control platform. PlantPAx DCS was selected due to availability of local support, industry ref-erences and a standardized programming environment that the local community of system integrators could sup-port. It was also important to be able to integrate smart instrumentation to gather intelligence from the process field operations.

“In 2017, I was part of the project with ECN,” said José Carlos Palazuelos Spence, regional sales representa-tive, Endress+Hauser (E+H), who presented with Sergio Alzate, project manager, ECN Automation, at the Rock-well Automation Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) meeting this week in Chicago. “In late 2017, an engineer-ing/procurement/construction (EPC) company came to us needing help from a system integrator (SI) for a new type of process. It had been used for uranium, but they wanted to use it for copper.”

Instead of mining in a traditional way, in situ recovery (ISR) is done by drilling wells, pumping weak sulfuric acid into the ore, extracting the leachate and taking out the copper in an electrowinning facility. The first stage involved 41 wells to inject and extract the acid with water, to produce a total of 2 billion lb of copper at a rate of 125 million lb/year. The initial cost would be $49 million, and the project would pay back in 4.6 years—an internal rate of return (IRR) of 48%—with a production cost of $0.66/lb compared to a typical $1.80-$2.10/lb by conventional mining and extraction.

“The EPC wanted an SI with local expertise who could provide continued support,” Palazuelos Spence said. “They needed HART, Modbus and Ethernet to cover the required equipment and instrumentation. The site had some exist-ing infrastructure from a previous, unfinished planned facility, but we were to recreate from scrap except for an existing filter.”

Development time was short, and the budget was limited, “as this is a publicly traded company,” Palazuelos Spence said. “They needed flexibility as the process definition was still changing, and the resulting system needed to be easy to operate and maintain.


“They wanted an SI that understands the mining per-spective and could deploy a full mine from scratch that is safe and conserves water, as the mine is in Arizona, near Tucson, where water is a limited resource,” he said.

The proposed methodology was the standard approach—get all the client requirements and specifications, do the detailed engineering, program the DCS, build the panels, install and commission “in four months,” said Alzate.

Why PlantPAx?Along with valves, variable-speed drives, pumps, pres-sure instrumentation and flowmeters—more than 300 instruments—the architecture uses HART, Ethernet, and Modbus for the leaching process sensors. It has PanelViews and redundant ControlLogix controllers for each area, thin-client engineer and operator stations and a redundant HMI server, all in a virtualized system for easier devel-opment, with a Cisco firewall to the enterprise network.

“We chose PlantPAx because it would save a lot of time, as engineers could focus on the process, connections and high-end programming,” Alzate said. “We also needed scal-ability, as this is the first phase, and later there will be more equipment and controllers. We needed redundant HMIs and control and standard programming for local support.”

Stage 2 is to be 75,000 tons per year (tpy), and Stage 3 will be 125,000 tpy. There are 41 wells now, but the EPA license allows 1,000.

The benefits of using smart instruments from the beginning include native connectivity between E+H and Rockwell Automation, availability of any measure-ment-device technology and predesigned faceplates. “You can see device faults on the DCS HMI, for example, a coated electrode,” said Palazuelos Spence. “Documenta-tion is automatically gathered for EPA compliance, which is reported every day. Instrument condition is validated through E+H Heartbeat, and you can right-click and check devices right through the DCS HMI, with no need for other systems or web browsers.”

An Ethernet magmeter may have 600 tags in it. “Direct connectivity saves real time,” said Palazuelos Spence.

“You can access its serial number, have traceability on the quality of the readings and see its warranty status. One meter out of spec can shut down the plant—these can help avoid that.

“Take advantage of multiple variables,” recommended Palazuelos Spence. “A smart instrument might cost $10,000. If you’re only using one tag, you’re wasting a lot of money,”

PlantPAx offers integrated faceplates for HART instru-ments, for multiple variables and diagnostics. Laboratory assay data is also integrated, so operators can see it imme-diately through FactoryTalk Transaction Manager, and FactoryTalk VantagePoint gives customized reports for management. “We also have in-depth digital training and user manuals,” said Alzate.

With a project development time of four months, the major success factors were “integrator knowledge and experience, equipment delivery time, and PlantPAx development benefits,” said Alcate. For meeting the instrumentation and control (I&C) budget of $2 million, Alzate credits good specifications, engineering, project planning and management. Longer-term operability and maintenance goals are being met by PlantPAx, cus-tomized applications, and E+H instrumentation, which Alzate said is “completely integrated with all the poten-tial of PlantPAx.”

“We chose PlantPAx because it would save a lot of time, as engineers could focus on the process, connections and high-end programming.” ECN Automation’s Sergio Alzate on the choice of the Rockwell Automation DCS platform for Excelsior’s innovative copper mining operation.


MONDELĒZ IMPROVES AGILITY WITH PLANTPAXBy Jim Montague

Keeping up with dozens of raw materials and juice drink recipes, and producing consistent product is plenty challenging to begin with. However,

responding fast enough to today’s rapid and even brand-threatening shifts in consumer tastes and trends is even harder.

To meet and overcome these challenges, Mondelez Argentina recently worked with system integrator LC Tech in Buenos Aires on an eight-month project to automate its formerly manual powder blending and juice plant in Villa Mercedes, Argentina. This project included a new PlantPAx process control system, several varieties of Fac-toryTalk software and related tools, and even integrating stationary vessels and automated guided vehicles (AGV) carrying 2,000-kg loads of materials.

“This plant focuses on making drinks like Royal, Tang and Clight, and as it does with its other well-known brands, a key Mondelez goal is ‘snacking made right,’” said Pedro Ollier, account manager, LC Tech Group, which consists of more than 20 engineers, has completed more than 920 projects in seven countries, and is a Rockwell Automation Recognized System Integrator.

“Mondelez uses three strategic principles to achieve this goal: accelerating consumer-centric growth, execution by driving operational excellence, and building a win-ning growth culture. However, consumer and consumer packaged goods (CPG) models have been changing dra-matically due to rapidly evolving channels, the digital revolution, emerging insurgent brands, well-being initia-tives, local product relevance, and speed of production and delivery.”

Ollier presented “How Mondelez achieved flexible man-ufacturing with PlantPAx and FactoryTalk” on the second

day of Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) before the opening of Rockwell Automation Fair 2019 this week at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Migration motivationOllier reported that the juice plant’s essential processes are: dry powder blending; raw ingredients management; macro, medium and micro dosing; mixing with lab-based quality control; packing; and end-to-end traceability.

“All of these functions used to be fully manual and docu-mented on paper,” said Ollier. “However, these processes also have some special features because we’re dealing with 100 different raw materials, recipes and dosing vari-abilities. The challenge is sorting them all out to achieve

“The juice plant’s production lines are more flexible and adaptable than ever, while keeping their regulatory records automatically. We were even able to reduce production’s footprint in the plant, reduce power consumption, and increase some batch sizes by 50%.” Pedro Ollier of LC Tech Group discussed a recent project for Mondelēz to upgrade automation using PlantPAx and FactoryTalk software from Rockwell Automation.


and maintain product consistency, especially in the face of threats to the CPG model, cost optimization, flexibility and traceability.

“The plant’s process should be adaptable to the modern market’s speed of change, so Mondelez had several deci-sions to make, such as using the CFR 21, Part 11 standard for batching and traceability,” explained Ollier. “It’s also started migrating from batch units using 12 fixed bins or vessels to mix powders to coordinating with six moving AGVs that can carry 2,000 kg of materials to there they’re needed. Mondelez has some experience with AGVs and wanted to do more.”

Adapt and adopt automationWith help from LC Tech, Mondelez balanced all of its production requirements and responsibilities by imple-menting a PlantPAx DCS solution to enable operators to make correct decisions, better manage recipes without requiring users to have programming skills, help maintain material traceability records, and provide more accurate and timely data and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Additionally, the use of ThinManager and VersaView thin-client software allows users to access production over-views on many platforms and devices.

“We also installed a ControlLogix controller to serve as an orchestra conductor that could integrate all these devices and software, and used Stratix switches with EtherNet/IP networking to create a data highway for sharing all their data,” added Ollier. “These solutions allowed Mondelez to reduce dosing variability by better matching dosing

devices based on quantities to be dispensed. ControlLogix, FactoryTalk Batch and ThinManager minimized required operator activities. FactoryTalk Batch and FactoryTalk Material Manager increased flexibility for new recipes and products. Implementing software-based templates improved reporting flexibility for batches, ingredients, recipes and production dates. Finally, virtualization and PlantPAx library templates accelerated engineering and deployment.”

New and future gainsOllier added that Rockwell Automation’s platforms and software also enabled it to optimize its recipes, relocate its raw materials, adjust its dosing sequence, automate reporting, and implement CFR 21, Part 11 traceability with quality assurance protocols, even to use digital signatures.

“The plant’s production lines are more flexible and adaptable than ever, while keeping their regulatory records automatically,” he said. “We were even able to reduce pro-duction’s footprint in the plant, reduce power consumption, and increase some batch sizes by 50%.”

In the future, Ollier reported that Mondelez plans to use automation and its various software solutions to fur-ther improve with sustainable dosing and production line optimization; enhance quality with enterprise resource planning (ERP) and near infrared (NIR) spectrometry for homogeneity measurement; and enable its analytics and manufacturing executing system (MES) with better production planning, predictive ingredients management and automated raw materials supply.

“The plant’s process should be adaptable to the modern market’s speed of change, so Mondelez had several decisions to make, such as using the CFR 21,

Part 11 standard for batching and traceability.”

—Pedro Ollier of LC Tech Group


SEAMLESS INTEGRATION SOLVES OIL & GAS CHALLENGESBy Paul Studebaker

Whether they’re greenfield installations or existing plants, oil & gas facilities can take advantage of new approaches for system

design, engineering, testing, installation and commission-ing being made possible by PlantPAx and virtualization, according to Alexander Kebaili, business development manager, Wood.

Kebali co-presented “Solving oil & gas challenges, pro-viding seamless integration, efficiency, reliability” with Alejandro Lupanez, vice president, operations, Mexico, Wood, and Humberto Sanchez, technology consultant, Rockwell Automation. The potential savings in costs and time were illustrated using an ongoing greenfield project in Mexico at the Rockwell Automation 2019 Process Solu-tions User Group (PSUG) meeting this week in Chicago.

The terminal project is for a large independent pro-ducer and includes one marine and two inland terminals, with five more coming. “We just had a successful field acceptance test (FAT) of the three facilities last month, and expect commercial start-ups in the first half of 2020,” Kebaili said.

These are the client’s first liquid terminal projects, and they were looking for an experienced system integrator with customer references in North America and particularly, Mexico. The technology and quality were very important, and delivery times are always critical. “They also want post-sale service and a maintenance warranty through the asset lifetime, so we had to demonstrate that we’d be around,” Kebaili said. “There was a complex environment of stakeholders to manage—vendor, integrator, EPC, client and end user—and the requirement to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership, with safety.” The project integrated well over 10,000 signals.

Wood is a global leader in technical engineering and project services with 60,000 people in 60 countries, includ-ing 1,500-2,000 engineers dedicated to automation and control. The company focuses on infrastructure, industrial, mining, power and oil & gas, “with over half its revenues from oil & gas,” Kebaili said.

Wood projects cover from conceptual design to commis-sioning and post-startup support, and include “everything that is process control, telecommunications, cybersecurity and physical security,” said Kebaili. “Projects include and integrate third-party equipment—we are services, not prod-uct, oriented, and offer an integrated, turnkey solutions.

“Mexico’s market is number five in the world, with a lot of room to grow and a lot of competition as well. Security

“On a typical greenfield project with greater than $85 million spend on automation, it saves about $10 million.” Wood’s Alexander Kebaili on the savings created through the use of integrated solutions based on Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx DCS and AAdvance SIS platform.


is key, including infrastructure access, security and safety. Changing requirements led to scope creep and a lot of change orders on the three sites, which required Rock-well Automation and Wood to be flexible, to be a partner with the client and to manage shareholder expectations.”

Technology enables innovationThe solution chosen is based on Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx DCS with virtualization for higher safety and cost-efficiency, and AADvance SIS for fire and gas (F&G) detection and emergency shutdown (ESD) systems. “In PlantPAx, virtualization is enabled through detailed sizing and architecture rules, virtual templates for easy deployment of servers preloaded with necessary oper-ating systems and Rockwell Automation software, and an industrial data center that fully supports the virtual infrastructure hardware supported by Rockwell Automa-tion,” said Sanchez.

PlantPAx virtual image templates include FactoryTalk AssetCentre for asset management, Studio 5000 for

engineering workstations, FactoryTalk View for operator workstations, and FactoryTalk VantagePoint, FactoryTalk Historian and SQL Server information servers.

“The system includes one hot server and one for standby,” Unberto said. “Virtualization reduces system cost, extends the system lifecycle, enhances availability, and eases life-cycle management.” Using AADvance for F&G and ESD systems with ControlLogix gives all systems the same look and feel for operator familiarity.

Based on the results to date and the completed FAT, the approach is “resulting in customer satisfaction and schedule improvement,” Kebaili said. Compared to a conventional approach, Wood sees 10-20% lower capex costs due to reduced project management/project architecture (PM/PA), lower commissioning and hardware costs, and fewer change orders during commissioning. It’s also resulting in faster startup, “a one- to two-week improvement on a greenfield plant,” Kebaili said. “And on a typical greenfield project with greater than $85 million spend on automa-tion, it saves about $10 million.”

BIOPHORUM PURSUES LIFE SCIENCES PLUG AND PLAYBy Jim Montague

Is plug-and-play process automation possible in the life sciences industries? Maybe, but everyone involved has to agree on a few things first.

The ongoing takeover of microprocessors, software, Eth-ernet networking, the Industrial Internet of things (IIoT), big data, cloud computing and other forms of digitaliza-tion make all kinds of efficiencies and performance gains possible, but getting all their disparate parts to communi-cate and hopefully interoperate remains difficult and often impossible. What’s needed are standardized communica-tions, software and data models on compatible devices—but those have been elusive, too. Until now.

One of the main plug-and-play efforts in the life sciences industry is being carried out by the BioPhorum Opera-tions Group (BPOG) and its technology road-mapping

forum, according to members Bruce Kane, PE, global life science technical consultant, Rockwell Automation, and Jason Doherty, systems architect, GE Healthcare-Life Sciences. They presented “BioPhorum Plug and Play” at Rockwell Automation’s Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) meeting this week in the run up to Automation Fair 2019.

BPOG consists of more than 82 member companies, more than 2,800 active participants, and seven “phorums” including those focused on cell and gene therapy, drug and substance, development, fill and finish, supply partner, information technology and technology road-mapping.

“Life sciences manufacturing environments were tradi-tionally stick built with static, purpose-built installations, low flexibility and high costs,” said Kane. “We’ve been


moving to single-use technology for batches, but now users want more flexibility and the ability to change out components and systems. Once a production line is put together, and there’s a problem or users want to exchange a 500-liter bioreactor for a 1,000-liter bioreactor, they should be able to do it easily.

“Users just want bioreactors from different manufactur-ers to behave the same, but it’s a challenge to get there because they’ve lacked standardization and been costly to rebuild. This is why our road-mapping group has been working on a plug-and-play model.”

Define and standardizeKane reported the plug-and-play project has been pursuing three primary ways to implement standardization across requirements and functional components of equipment operations. These include:• BioPhorum Plug and Play, which has developed

common definitions of profiles and respective func-tions for biopharmaceutical equipment, such as bio-reactors, chromatographs and normal flow filtration (NFF) devices.

• International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Plug and Produce, which brings in good manu-facturing practices (GMP) for data storage and integ-rity, time synchronization and user management.

• The NAMUR user association of automation tech-nology in the process industries, and its Model Type Package (MTP) framework, covering data structures such as interfaces, state models, and services to interact with modules.

“NAMUR defines a distributed control system (DCS) as a supervisory process orchestration layer (POL) with drives and services running on process equipment assemblies (PEA) like skids or other equipment,” explained Kane.

“Next, NAMUR looks at integration points between those POLs and PEAs. These points can include ISA-88 (batch) integration, visualization, alarming or reporting functions.”

Meanwhile, MTP is based on modular automation principles, which allow process modules and functions to be expressed as software objects. These MTPs are ven-dor-neutral, contain functional information, and can be imported and exported using Automation Markup Lan-guage (AML). “For example, vendors can download skid configurations, export them to MTP file formats, and the POL of the host system can run the equipment.”

Joining the batch?Kane reported that NAMUR and MTP can jibe with the well-known ANSI/ISA-88 batch process control standard and its established methods because all of S88’s proce-dural elements can be mapped as MTP services. “In a system where one thing is controlling another thing, plug-and-play is based on standardized interfaces,” he said. “It helps to think of OPC-UA communications as the road, NAMUR as the car, and our data model as what’s inside the car. That model has to be at both the device and supervisory level, so the common definitions can allow the services to interact. As long as they follow the rules, a DCS or manufacturing execution systems (MES) could drive these services.”

“In a system where one thing is controlling another thing, plug and play is based on standardized interfaces. It helps to think of OPC-UA communications as the road, NAMUR as the car, and our data model as what’s inside the car.” Rockwell Automation’s Bruce Kane explained the life science industry movement to develop process automation system components that readily plug-and-play, or interoperate, with one another.


Kane added BioPhorum’s Plug and Play project has been evaluating the basic requirement for using MTP-based devices and services, but hasn’t yet examined NAMUR’s orchestration layer—although it may prove suitable for allowing process units to talk to each other.

Finding, capturing valueDoherty reported GE Healthcare has developed a proof-of-concept to identify the benefits and value that standardized, plug-and-play process automation could generate for it and other BioPhorum members, and has already decided to adopt NAMUR’s principles.

“Plug and play can enable faster automation system development reconfigurations; eliminate development costs for custom interfaces; give users the flexibility to easily switch between unit operations; provide better

contextualization from standardized report data; and improve quality by reducing the need for testing and validation,” said Doherty. “The value of flexibility and standardization is that equipment can be simply config-ured—rather than programmed—for a specific application.”

Doherty added that plug-and-play can also streamline validation by allowing users to perform formerly sequential activities concurrently. “Implementing standards can let us do the full design and development on a skid before it’s built, and that would be a big savings,” he said.

“Standardized communications also cuts costs,” Doherty said. “We’re planning to complete our case study this year, and we’ll be able to show some potential savings after that. However, we’ve already estimated that plug and play could save six months of scheduling on a typical project and save $60,000 just on developing its interfaces.”

PLANTPAX HELPS PAPER MILL REALIZE ‘A SINGLE PANE OF GLASS’By Paul Studebaker

Plants dream of having a single view into all their systems, with the ability to not only operate every-thing from one dashboard, but to drill down and

see what’s happening on individual equipment, instru-ments and networks, and built-in diagnostics so operators can identify and solve problems quickly and easily. Even in the middle of the night.

That dream seemed especially remote at Ahlstrom-Munksjo’s Thilmany paper mill in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, where a hodge-podge of systems acquired over decades needed plenty of attention just to keep the plant running. But a project completed in October, 2019 with Rockwell Automation to move the digester from a dated Foxboro I/A system to Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx DCS has opened a path to “a single pane of glass.”

The Thilmany mill is an integrated pulp and paper facil-ity producing a full line of products from paper to tape

and medical devices. It was equipped with a number of systems and various degrees of automation in its wood-yard, power house, water treatment, wastewater and five paper machines.

“We wanted to move from islands of automation to a single pane of glass—a single graphical interface to show status and control the entire facility,” said Taylor Hermes, electrical engineer, Ahlstrom-Munksjo, who presented with David Vukosich, electrical engineer, Ahlstrom-Munksjo at Rockwell Automation’s Process Solution User Group (PSUG) event this week in Chicago.

“Our HMIs [human-machine interfaces] are for opera-tors only, not maintenance and engineering, who also need information. We have multiple systems passing data back and forth. There are separate systems for drives, control-lers and proprietary I/O networks, with a separate network,


computer and software for each,” said Vukisich. “We want a single view for everyone.”

Why PlantPAx?“When you’ve been around a while, you’ve seen a lot of stuff and do a lot of stuff,” Vukosich said. “Over time, everybody ends up with a set of favorite tools, a war chest of goodies, adding some and discarding the ones that aren’t as good. We’re constantly retool-ing, cutting and pasting, and redeploying.”

But they were tired of one-off solutions. “We wanted a single place we could call and ask ques-tions, a manual and training support, not tribal knowledge and reliance on tech support,” Vukosich said. “In PlantPAX, the tools are free, we didn’t have to purchase anything extra. We have add-on instructions (AOIs) and add-on profiles (AOPs) to bring in a wealth of diagnostic data—a wave of information coming at you. And it has faceplates for maintenance and engineering.”

They had tried PlantPAx functionality on a compressor that was overheating, and were able to look at the tempera-tures. It was low-cost solution—not the full DCS—but they identified the problems, rolled it out to other compressors, and built a library with a small PanelView.

“Then we used it on a larger application on a brown stock washer, where it started out as controls for chemical additions, and now runs the whole thing,” Hermes said. “Being able to play with it this way made us amenable to using it as a solution for the whole facility, and it was already familiar to many of our people.”

Young engineers “are able to sit down and grab the tools, they don’t have to go to school for two weeks just to get started,” Vukisich said. “And OEMs are starting to use it, so it’s coming in with the equipment.”

They found that on individual equipment, with a single pane of glass, they could network variable fre-quency drives and controllers, add produce/consume tags to downstream processes, and perform hardware

triage from an operator screen. Operators could now participate in troubleshooting via the advanced diag-nostics available on their HMI.

Over time, they added PlantPAx to many separate pieces of equipment and in 2018, they used it on the digester in partnership with Orion Group as a system integrator. And they replaced a Foxboro I/A system from the 1980s with PlantPAx. The result is I/O cabi-nets that are clean and neat, using the same hardware deployed elsewhere in the plant so spares are already stocked. It uses the same software tools that the elec-trical engineers and technicians already use, with the same Rockwell Automation support tools (TechConnect and Knowledgebase) and the same Werner Electric technical support.

“The I/A system had been through a lot, and we were having scheduling problems due to reliability,” Hermes said. “We wanted a complete upgrade. We went from steam packing to liquor packing—I think we were one of the last paper mills on Earth to do that.”

The digester with Orion was their opportunity to make a real change, not just new hardware and the same system. “We told everyone this was done in 1986, now it’s 2018 so ‘bring out your dead,’” Vukosich said. “Not every project needs a redesign, but it’s the time to consider it.”

“We wanted to move from islands of automation to a ‘single pane of glass’—a single graphical interface to show status and control the entire facility.” Taylor Hermes of Ahlstrom-Munksjö discussed the Wisconsin paper mill’s control system modernization project.


Enable the single paneThe Internet of Things (IoT) unlocks the single pane, and it starts with a robust network design. “We standardized on Cat 6 copper and OM3 fiber,” Vukosich said. “We put in a lot more fiber optics, and Ethernet everywhere—Ethernet is the driving force of integration.” The switches must be managed, and best practices must be followed.

“Everybody wants to sell you an Ethernet product or service, or both. Hook it up and it works,” Vukosich said. “Topology is important—redundant star, device ring—and you need to decide the best way, which can be different in different areas. That’s OK. But do pick a way, and stick to it.”

For cybersecurity, “we’re doing defense in depth, with unused ports plugged and connectors locked,” Vukosich said. “And, in our plant, the Ethernet wiring is color-coded. IT doesn’t use white, so I do.”

Now, from their single pane of glass, they can inter-rogate I/O, get network status and do diagnostics from a scalable, low-cost solution, configurable from the HMI. It has similar code structure for the maintenance HMI, and similar look and feel for operators as they move across the facility.

“We already had PlantPAx on the washer,” said Hermes. “Our new operators start at the washer, that’s our line of pro-gression, so most of the operators are already familiar with it.” Much of the hardware is the same used elsewhere in the plant, and is already stocked as spares. It uses the same software tools the engineers and technicians already have.

Now they can build out from the digester, integrating more systems using the same tools. “We no longer feel we’re stuck,” Hermes said. “We can really build out and grow from this project.”

ROCKWELL AUTOMATION INVESTING IN LIFECYCLE SERVICES CAPABILITIESBy Mike Bacidore

“Lifecycle Services are not just about your industrial automation assets,” said Rockwell Automation’s Rob Ninker. “We think about

the lifecycle of the plant or the project, which encompass much more than just the automation aspects.”

Ninker is business director, North America, customer support & maintenance, and guided your author on a tour of the Lifecycle Services booth at Automation Fair, held this week at McCormick Place in Chicago.

Whether a company needs to design, build, sustain or improve operations, the Lifecycle Services group at Rock-well Automation provides support every step of the way, Ninker said, enumerating the variety of ways it can help.

For example, since companies need to modernize systems to remain sustainable, automation contractors can turn to the Lifecycle Services group for project management services needed to help lead a digital

transformation. Additionally, retirement and attrition have created a workforce skills gap that can be quelled by the group’s e-learning courses, augmented-reality-based remote support and installed base evaluations. And because the need for analytics and related support can come at any time, the group can also help to make equipment more productive and secure through a digi-tally enabled lifecycle.

One of the key strengths of Rockwell Automation’s lifecycle services portfolio is its scalability, whether the customer is a mom-and-pop production facility or a global, multimillion-dollar enterprise. “We have different types of consulting services that can help when designing a new plant or working through a digital transformation,” said Ninker.

“There are professional services we provide to help pack-age and modernize equipment when we act as a main


automation contractor,” Ninker said. “We have Connected Services focused on the OT [operational technology] space to help a customer sustain growth, whether managing a single network or a full OT cybersecurity program rollout across the globe. We also offer traditional services such as on-site maintenance and support or remote technical support and training. All of these services are driven by data and analytics.”

Equipment assessmentA foundational element in increasing productivity and reducing risk is understanding what assets you have in your facility or across your enterprise.

“We’ve had a service offering, Installed Base Evalu-ation, for years,” said Ninker. “This involves collecting detailed information on Rockwell Automation and third-party hardware to provide recommendations that help you to better manage your assets and reduce obso-lescence risk.

“Further, My Equipment is the first of many digitally enabled offerings,” Ninker said. Some key benefits of My Equipment include accessibility, convenience, reduced costs and reduced obsolescence risk. “Our goal is to know our customers’ plants even better than they do and provide the right information at the right place and right time,” explained Ninker. “This platform is the foundational ele-ment to enable that level of service.”

Network and visualizationA robust, secure and scalable network infrastructure can help increase productivity and, more importantly, reduce risk. “We provide services that meet you where you are: managed services that help you to monitor, administer and maintain your network and virtualization infrastruc-ture,” said Ninker.

Global managed services are executed in a follow-the-sun model that ensures 24-hour support. “This year we’re introducing a new addition to our Industrial Data Center (IDC), the Versa Virtual, which comes fully configured with remote monitoring and administration attached,” explained Ninker. “It doesn’t require special IT or OT skills to set up, and it’s a perfect platform for applications such as InnovationSuite and PlantPAx.”

Versa Virtual and the family of IDCs allow Rockwell Automation to proactively support and manage all phases of the lifecycle.

Cybersecurity addressedIT and OT bring different cybersecurity challenges that continue to converge and migrate, requiring a strategy that is both technology-enabled and scalable.

“Many of our customers don’t even know where to start when it comes to cyber hygiene,” said Ninker. “So we’ve launched our Security Posture Survey, which provides detailed information to assess and prioritize security risks through asset inventory, baseline network traffic and detec-tion abnormalities.”

The next stage includes Threat Detection Services, which Rockwell Automation formally launched to provide ongoing visibility of cyber risks in plants or across enterprises.

“Many of our customers don’t even know where to start when it comes to cyber hygiene.” Rockwell Automation’s Rob Ninker explained the company’s Lifecycle Services offerings at Automation Fair.


“In partnership with Claroty, we created a world-class service that combines our global domain expertise around OT, networks and cybersecurity with Claroty’s technology to ensure you can successfully deploy and manage your threat-detection platform,” said Ninker.

Analytics in the spotlight“Our partnership with PTC has provided some exciting ways to modernize support and help improve operations through

professional services,” added Ninker. “We’re innovating and modernizing the way we provide technical support to our customers by leveraging PTC’s Vuforia augmented-reality (AR) platform. Our cloud-based AR library already brings a modern approach to repairing and maintaining Allen-Brad-ley hardware.” And with a TechConnect Support contract, a mobile device and the Vuforia View application, custom-ers can readily launch an AR experience related to the task they’re performing and be walked through the proper steps.

EFFECTIVE CYBERSECURITY IS A TEAM SPORTBy Jim Montague

Because cybersecurity is a continuous journey with many hurdles and tasks, it’s always good to get some help from friends along the way.

“There’s no way to buy one product and be done with cybersecurity,” said Steven Ludwig, program manager, Safety and Security, Rockwell Automation. “Establishing and maintaining effective cybersecurity is an incredibly collaborative affair. This means continuous cooperation between us, our customers, and partners like Cisco, Pan-duit, Stratus and others. All these players are jointly focused on the layers of achieving defense in depth, including physical, network, computing, applications and devices.”

Ludwig and several colleagues reported on and demon-strated several major cybersecurity initiatives and solutions on display in Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architec-ture booth at this week’s Automation Fair 2019 in Chicago. They reported that collaboration can help users establish policies, procedures and cybersecurity awareness at the physical and network layers, as well as combine the newly released CIP Security standard, FactoryTalk View Secu-rity software and ThinManager visualization platform.

The exhibit also used a ControlLogix controller and Stratix 5700 switch to show how an unprotected Ether-Net/IP protocol connection could be exploited by an unauthorized software script to reverse the direction of a motor. However, a link using EtherNet/IP and CIP

Security and its transport layer security (TLS) remained unaffected by the malware.

“Attack surface protection is a much bigger topic than is commonly understood,” said Roger Hill, portfolio man-ager, cybersecurity, Control & Visualization, Rockwell Automation. “Fortunately, ThinManager serves between many of these elements. It can handle security tasks and reduce attack surfaces.”

Three-phase security strategy; a risk-based approachTo coordinate and deploy its cybersecurity solutions and services, Rockwell Automation’s services strategy is based upon the NIST cybersecurity framework using the before, during and after methodology as it collaborates with customers and partners to mitigate cyber risk across the attack continuum:

“Before” focuses on establishing the current state of cybersecurity hygiene starting with asset inventory iden-tification of a customer’s install base, both hardware, software, and network; leveraging operational expertise, Rockwell Automation conducts risk assessments to find vulnerabilities in order to help customers prioritize and baseline improvement areas and then develop a risk man-agement strategy; to begin implementing protections such


as segmenting networks, physical to virtual migrations, and patch management

“During” concentrates on real time threat detection, and carrying out elements of the risk-based cybersecurity strategy identified earlier. This includes performing con-tinuous monitoring, anomaly detection and other active measures where Rockwell Automation can deploy, con-figure, and monitor, in real time, 24x7.

“After” involves incident response planning, disaster recovery and reevaluation in accordance with the indi-vidual needs of each customer to minimize the impact of downtown to accelerate the speed of returning to normal operations.

To execute this three-phase framework, Rockwell Auto-mation provides not only consulting based offerings but also a new suite of OT Managed Services that combine critical support components like domain expertise, technology, remote connectivity and monitoring. Furthermore, their threat detection services combined with Claroty’s threat detection software provides continuous threat detection and the ability to scale globally.

Serious assist from standardsBeyond implementing risk-based cybersecurity, Ludwig added that Rockwell Automation is enhancing its cyber-security efforts by aligning and integrating them with the ISA/IEC 62443 series of cybersecurity standards.

“Cybersecurity standards are important because they can help developers and users build systems with secu-rity in mind from the beginning,” explained Ludwig. “In addition, Rockwell Automation is a founding member of the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance, so we’re dedicated the standards-based cybersecurity. In fact, during the past year, we achieved IEC 62443-4-1 certification, while our L8 ControlLogix processor just got IEC 62448-4-2 certified.”

Rockwell Automation reported earlier this year that Allen-Bradley ControlLogix 5580 controller is now the world’s first programmable automation controller to be

certified compliant with the IEC 62443-4-2 security stan-dard by third party TÜV Rheinland.

“The NIST cybersecurity framework is better for CEOs and others at the enterprise level to determine what they need, but IEC 62443 is a comprehensive set of standards that can help users undertake a compliance effort that will provide practical protection,” added Hill. “These standards also enable us to provide some assurance to the customers that we’re developing products in a secure way, which they can use to measure their own cybersecurity.”

“IEC 62443 and the NIST framework are crucial because they can help drive governance of cybersecurity at the operations technology (OT) level,” added Kamil Karmali, Commercial Lead, Global Services Portfolio Team, Cus-tomer Support & Maintenance, Rockwell Automation. “Standards, ,policies and procedures are important to enable executive and customers teams to shift organiza-tional behaviors and practices towards an overall better risk posture. It’s important to understand that there isn’t one point solution to Cybersecurity in manufacturing. It’s a multi-step pragmatic approach based on a customer’s overall risk tolerance and commitment to financial capital while combining technology, people, and processes with standards to quickly assess vulnerabilities and risk, identify, implement and scale solutions quickly, and solve workforce skills gaps with remote managed services.”

“IEC 62443 and other standards are crucial because they can help drive governance of cybersecurity at the operations technology level.” Rockwell Automation’s Kamil Karmali on the important role that industry standards play in promulgating consistent cybersecurity practices.


VIRTUAL COMMISSIONING BREAKS THROUGH TO CONTROLBy Jim Montague

Once “virtual” and “reality” got together, it was only a matter of time before their models and digital twins began to make changes in the real

world—and do it faster and easier, too. One of the chief innovations in this VR-fueled realm follows Rockwell Automation’s acquisition of Emulate3D this past January, along with its dynamic simulation software environment that recreates physical systems, and allows users to perform virtual testing and commissioning.

“Users can take 3D CAD renderings of machines or equipment, and mark them up with functions like sen-sors and motors, and connect to their tags in the controller that’s managing them. This allows the model of a produc-tion line to be automated, just as if it was a real, physical system,” said John Pritchard, global portfolio man-agement team, Rockwell Automation.

“For instance, a Logix controller that might nor-mally control our iTrak intelligent track system can work with this simulation software, and give and receive the outputs and inputs it usually expects with physical equipment, but now interacts in the same way with a digital model. In short, the controller connects to and runs the model of the machine. This has powerful implications because it can change how our customers work.”

Pritchard highlighted these groundbreaking advances in virtual commissioning during a tour of Rockwell Automation’s Innovations exhibit this week at Automation Fair 2019 in Chicago.

Cut-and-reuse functionsOf course, once this virtual-physical link is estab-lished, the virtual model and physical controller can use the 3D software to extend their rela-tionship. Users can access a growing catalog of

predefined software objects, such as iTrak controller, iTrak straight section, iTrak curve section, iTrak 50-mm mover and others—and do it without having to write or program any code.

“Users can quickly and easily ‘snap together’ these soft-ware devices in the model to create functional designs, and give them speed, position, move and other commands,” explained Pritchard. “They can run their design in the model, interact with it, determine if they need more car-riages, or if they’re running too many, play around with the system, and see what combination works best. This can all be done without assembling and testing physical devices, which can save huge amounts of time and money.”

This Automation Fair attendee is immersed in a running 3D model of a soda production and packaging line. His avatar can interact with the simulated processes as well as other attendees’ avatars.


Downloading to controlOnce virtual testing and commissioning is completed, Pritchard added, there’s even more good news.

“After the experiments are done, the optimal system is designed and tested, and when programming needs to be added to the real-world controls, users can apply scripting and our Application Code Manager library to ‘automagically’ generate from the model all the control code for each physical mover in the iTrak system, and download it to the physical Logix controller,” added Pritchard. “They can also add I/O, conveyors and other devices as needed.

“This is true virtual commissioning, sequencing, collision avoidance, and continuous and flexible inde-pendent-cart technology. However, it’s happening in a digital design environment that allows model-based code generation, out-of-the-box collision avoidance and PLC code generation.”

Prichard added that Rockwell Automation is also work-ing with FANUC and its RoboGuide software that teaches fixed-arm and other robots how to move and sequence actions. “RoboGuide can connect to our 3D software, so users can drop its functions into our models for a virtual manufacturing environment,” he said. “This is the same digital twin capability we’re doing with iTrak, but now

we can add robots and potentially many other types of equipment.”

Step into the screenFinally, and most astonishingly, for designers and other users that want to move their design and commissioning process beyond the usual flat-screen, Prichard reported that the 3D modeling and commissioning software has a virtual reality (VR) button that can deliver its models to a VR headset—allowing a user to “walk around in” and interact with the models they’ve created.

“This is what’s really groundbreaking about our 3D soft-ware. It can literally change the life of design engineers by bringing together design, commissioning and control func-tions that used to be disconnected,” concluded Pritchard. “Rockwell Automation has always maintained a reputation of taming complex technologies and making them easy to use, and this is a shining example of it.”

Pritchard added this immersive-experience feature also allows multiple users to enter, inhabit and interact within a single model. “Once users put on a VR headset, they’re represented in the model by digital avatars,” said Prich-ard. “They can communicate with other users and their avatars by gazing, nodding and shaking their heads, and by pointing and waving.”

INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE MAKES FOR SMARTER MACHINESBy Mike Bacidore

Digital tools are available to enhance the design and operation of machinery and equipment lines in manufacturing facilities. These technologies are

available to help OEMs and end users to ramp up produc-tion quickly and sustain it with the barest of downtime and unplanned interruptions.

With so many options, the challenge comes in cobbling these tools together to create a singular solution that fits the needs of the OEM and its customer. But at Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Architecture booth on display at

Automation Fair 2019 this week in Chicago, a piece of equipment from Trinks, a 100-year-old OEM from Wis-consin, offers an example of how the technologies work in unison to create a real-world solution.

“We wanted to showcase our end-to-end solutions—simulation, selection, design, configuration—and how our customers can incorporate the technologies of the portfolio and deliver them through smart machines to get to production faster and operate longer because they’re getting actionable information for faster decisions,” said


Stephanie Winterhalter, global portfolio marketing man-ager, Rockwell Automation.

“Our OEMs are trying to figure out how to help their customers,” she explained. “We start with our digital-twin software, Emulate3D. You can prove out your machine before you build it, and you can test out your control system, too.”

Application Code Manager and Machine Builder librar-ies give OEMs reusable code to design the machines without starting from scratch.

“A lot of times OEMs will build and configure 80% of the equipment and then finish the final 20% onsite,” explained William Martin, program manager, networked components, Rockwell Automation. “Even the graphics for our HMIs [human-machine interfaces] are copy-and-paste faceplates.”

That plug-and-play technology starts with design and build, but carries on to modifications and changeovers, as well.

“With automatic device configuration, if something fails, maintenance can swap it out in six minutes or less,” said Winterhalter. “The data transfer is automatic. As a company, we’re trying to enable such changeovers with the touch of a button. From a configuration perspective, they shouldn’t require any manual intervention any more.”

Machine smartsThe exodus of baby boomers and widespread skills shortages have put a strain on manufacturers’ abilities to monitor equipment and remediate issues. “The end users of the machines are losing tribal knowledge,” said Martin. “They need to bring in a smarter machine. Ideally they want to automatically identify a troublesome device and swap it out quickly.”

Motor control, sensing and safety are among the key deliverables of Rockwell Automation’s Integrated Archi-tecture—and the company is making all of them smarter.

“For intelligent motor control, instead of on/off com-mands, we can provide more information on the motor,” said Martin, who cited the ability to measure the load on the motor as a means to measure the fill level that turns off a pump, for example.

“We can also do some proactive diagnostics,” explained Martin. “For example, at 950,000 operations, you might reach a limit. In the past, they didn’t count operations; they just waited until the device failed.” With smart tech-nology, a user can measure how much of a device’s useful life remains.

Similar to intelligent motor controls, smart sensing can eliminate a variety of manual remediations. “Our smart sensors are on IO-Link,” said Martin. “We can do diag-nostics and the PLC can house the configuration data. You can change out a faulty sensor on the fly, and the PLC automatically senses the presence of a new sensor and configures it.”

Finally, smart safety entails the expected functional safety, but GuardLink technology, the safety-based commu-nications protocol, hooks them all up together. GuardLink allows the delivery of device information and diagnostics, advanced functionality and flexibility.

“As a company, we’re trying to enable such changeovers with the touch of a button. From a configuration perspective, they shouldn’t require any manual intervention.” Rockwell Automation’s Stephanie Wilterhalter explains how digital technology and smarter devices and systems are helping machine builders to differentiate their offerings.


Intelligent operationsThe Trinks machinery in the Integrated Architecture booth offers a look into the application of tools, capabili-ties and technologies.

While larger, multibillion-dollar enterprises can imple-ment this automation and standardize on it to realize benefits in global operations, smaller OEMs and end users can also reap the benefits and value.

“It demonstrates the scalability,” said Winterhalter. “We’re partnering with other digital companies and tech-nologies, and we’re giving OEMs more options. They can create more value for themselves. Trinks recognized

it needed to do something more efficient. Trinks’ indus-try is mature. New technologies give them a competitive advantage.”

Finally, operation begets maintenance and repair at some point. “You get some notification, and then you use tools such as augmented reality (AR) to look at it and see what’s going on,” explained Winterhalter.

“For augmented reality, one can use a tablet or Holo-Lens,” said Martin. “The information pops up. For example, you see that there’s an overload trip and you don’t know which one, but the AR can help with that, too.”

INNOVATIONSUITE PARTNERS PILE ON PRODUCTIVITYBy Jim Montague

The old adage “greater than the sum of its parts” rule applies to the best partnerships, and is usu-ally demonstrated by their productivity. One of the

latest and best examples of this is the year-old collaboration between Rockwell Automation and PTC. It’s already gen-erated a variety of useful digital tools, which are gathered in the FactoryTalk InnovationSuite, powered by PTC, and deliver improved data preparation, more automated data discovery, and functions that are more tightly integrated.

“For instance, FactoryTalk Historian can now push data right into process application models or to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) or cloud computing services,” said Paula Puess, global market development manager, Rockwell Automation. “We’re working with manufac-turing execution system (MES) platforms and installing application program interfaces (APIs). All these efforts are being done with the purpose of making the user experi-ence with these tools easier for our customers, so they can in turn delight their clients and customers.”

Puess conducted a tour of the FactoryTalk Innovation-Suite exhibit at Automation Fair 2019 this week in Chicago.

In general, FactoryTalk InnovationSuite improves con-nectivity to operational technology (OT) devices on the

plant floor while natively supporting rapid, scalable and secure connection of most industrial equipment. Com-bined with data from IT applications and systems, decision makers can gain a complete digital representation of their industrial equipment, lines and facilities from anywhere in their enterprise. Utilizing advanced innovations in machine learning, IIoT and augmented reality (AR), the suite conceptualizes and connects data to make it acces-sible and insightful for operations personnel.

Discover and deliverPuess reported that solutions stemming from the Rockwell Automation and PTC partnership can more efficiently and thoroughly collect information from OT and IT sources, automate these discovery functions, and populate and run models to aid actual operations.

“For example, FactoryTalk Analytics is using machine learning (ML) methods to execute models across appli-cations and systems, and this is enabling users to better normalize their data so that more meaningful conclu-sions can be drawn,” explained Puess. “This allows them to compare apples to apples and oranges to oranges, so


they can make better decisions, optimize performance, and achieve the greatest pos-sible performance gains.”

Likewise, Puess added that ThingWorx IoT is an MES platform that can combine its industrial connectivity with FactoryTalk Analytics software, ML, AR, artificial intel-ligence (AI) and edge-computing devices to further extend the gains already achieve by FactoryTalk InnovationSuite. “However, all of these new capabilities depend on and run on top of a vast ecosystem of edge devices that are found in any industrial environment,” added Puess. “It’s estimated that 75% of all manufacturing data is going to run on the edge, which is also more efficient than trying to send it all up to the cloud or enterprise.”

Fruitful year, rapid growthPuess added that the PTC and Rockwell Automation collaboration has already resulted in the partners signing up more than 100 new customers. Overall, the partners reported their collaboration and joint digital transforma-tion solutions are experiencing strong market momentum.

“In the past year, Rockwell Automation and PTC teams worked closely to integrate and optimize FactoryTalk Inno-vationSuite to the needs of a very fast growing, dynamic market,” said John Genovesi, senior vice president, Enter-prise Accounts and Software, Rockwell Automation. “We’re very pleased to see the results in terms of the rapid growth of new customers and the significant industry recognition of our solution as highly innovative and a leader in modu-lar and integrated capabilities spanning MES, analytics, IIoT and AR.”

Catherine Kniker, divisional vice president, Strategic Alliances and Technology Partnerships, PTC, added that, “We’re delighted with the progress in our partnership, but more importantly about the help that we’ve provided to so many new customers with their digital transformation initiatives. We’ll continue investing significantly in this

strategic relationship with Rockwell Automation, and look forward to continuing to drive customer success.”

Since the partnership’s 2018 inception, FactoryTalk InnovationSuite has experienced:• Rapid customer adoption and global growth. Customer

engagements for FactoryTalk InnovationSuite have grown in 21 countries, including some of the world’s largest automotive, consumer packaged goods, health-care, oil and gas, and pharmaceutical companies. Leading use cases include digital workforce productiv-ity, enterprise operational intelligence, intelligent asset optimization, and scalable production management.

• OT and IT integration. OT/IT integration is the key to accelerating innovation, and achieving productiv-ity gains at digital transformation scale. The partners added their joint offering delivers the industry’s most advanced OT/IT integration capabilities including as-set and system auto-discovery, data model sharing and reuse, integrated analytics, and AR empowerment.

• Broad industry recognition. Rockwell Automation, PTC, and the combined software suite have been widely acknowledged in many analyst research re-ports over the past year, including reports from Gart-ner, Forrester, IDC and ABI Research. Most recently, the companies’ FactoryTalk InnovationSuite was rec-ognized as a leader in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for MES for the second consecutive year, and received the IoT Innovator Award: Manufacturing & Factory from Compass Intelligence.

FactoryTalk InnovationSuite, powered by PTC, integrates the industry-leading analytics, IIoT connectivity, augmented reality and analytics solutions of both Rockwell Automation and PTC.


TEAMWORK NEEDED TO TACKLE TRANSFORMATION TASKSBy Chris McNamara

“Achieve successful digital transformation with a trusted, integrated ecosystem of experts to enable productivity and agility in your industrial opera-

tions.” That’s how Rockwell Automation touted its Digital Partner Program in the exhibit hall at Automation Fair 2019 this week, complete with a booth hosted by some of those experts from both Rockwell Automation and part-ner companies.

“We know that Rockwell Automation can’t satisfy every aspect of what our customers need for their digital transformations,” explained Mike Pantaleano, Rockwell Automation director of business development, architecture & software. “So we have a rich ecosystem of partners to help them with all the different aspects.”

Additionally, he noted, customers oftentimes are already working with the Rockwell Automation partners in different capacities—perhaps on the operations or IT side—which further eases adoption.

Just as there are plenty of aspects to digital transforma-tion, Rockwell Automation has plenty of partners, which they categorize into four groups: advisors, technology pro-viders, content providers and system integrators.

Advisors — Rockwell’s focus is on industrial transforma-tion, but they partner with strategic advisory firms such as Accenture to bolster the ability to guide customers on business elements. “They were a great partner to start with,” said Pantaleano. “They came to us and said ‘Our customers want us to go deeper. Go further.’ This partner-ship enables us to do that.”

Technology providers — Think enterprises like Micro-soft, ANSYS or OSIsoft, which have different functions than Rockwell in digital engineering and analytics and can offer those unique perspectives to clients.

Pantaleano used this example: when a customer asks if Rockwell Automation can deploy to the cloud, he explains

that they rely on a partnership with Microsoft to do so. “Microsoft is best in breed. The customer trusts that name. And it makes sense because they are doing cloud at scale across the globe.”

Content Providers — These are partners who build on Rockwell platforms, and can come from either of the first two categories. “Consider a hardware partner like FANUC, which develops subsystems that goes into our customers’ finished products,” said Pantaleano. “They can develop content for our FactoryTalk InnovationSuite or FactoryTalk DesignSuite tools and make that available to customers.”

System Integrators — These are the partners who actually do the heavy lifting of deployment. Rockwell Automation has long employed regional integrators, and

“This is taking partnership and extending it into the digital transformation era.” Rockwell Automation’s Mike Pantaleano discussed the ecosystem of digital partners it works with to fulfill customers’ digital transformation initiatives.


is now expanding that program to develop a network of partnerships with larger, global players in the integration services space.

“We have excellent capabilities within our own Analyt-ics Service Group; they are our ninjas. But when we want to do scope and scale, being able to reach customers all across the globe, this strong network of system integrators can get to work locally.”

Teamwork tackling transformationsIndustry (manufacturing in particular) is growing more complex by the day. The size, time-commitment and cost of digital-transformation projects—“once in a life-time” programs, as the Rockwell Automation team labels them—are factors that warrant solution-provider partner-ships like these.

“It is very important to our customers that they build scalable solutions that can span multiple years, that are sus-tainable for multiple programs and projects,” said Chirayu Shah, Rockwell Automation manager of IIoT & software partnering, global business development. “Customers are looking for a partnership approach as opposed to just a single vendor. They’re not just looking for us to sell them a specific product or solution, they are looking for us to build a joint vision together.”

“Digital transformation can be hard for companies,” added Pantaleano. “We’re at an interesting inflection point. Brain drain. The deskilling of an aging workforce. Aging infrastructure with old DCSs and pre-Ethernet systems. This simplifies the discussion. Partnering has been in our DNA since the start of the company. This is taking partner-ship and extending it into the digital transformation era.”

AUTOMOTIVE & TIRE FORUM

FORD, GM ADDRESS GLOBAL MARKETS AND TRANSFORMATIONSBy Mike Bacidore

The automotive sector has seen as much change as any industry in recent years. Global markets and digital transformations have affected automo-

tive manufacturing in ways that are as disruptive as they are productive.

Individuals from two U.S.-based manufacturers, General Motors and Ford Motor Company, shared their thoughts on how technology has moved the industry forward during the Automotive & Tire Forum at Automation Fair 2019, Rock-well Automation’s annual user event this week in Chicago.

Jim Hall, Director, GPS-ME Assembly, Controls & Test, General Motors, and Scott King, Manager, Advanced Manufacturing IT, Ford Motor Company, described

their organizations’ transformations for a standing-room-only crowd.

Global standardization at GM“2018 brought the largest launch of engines and transmis-sions in GM history. It was done in conjunction with a major change in control specifications,” explained Hall. “We took the GM Common Control Standard, which had been used for decades in vehicle assembly, and built it into the global standard for powertrain applications in 2018.”

The Global Common Controls Standard specifies every-thing from processors to cords, explained Hall. “It’s very, very integrated,” he said. “It allows our organization to uti-lize engineering from shop to shop, and makes the skills


of our people more portable. When a person walks up to a robot cell anywhere, that person can quickly understand an issue and begin solving problems. Another benefit is that safety systems and HMIs across the organization all look and feel the same.”

This change in standards had substantial effects on GM Global Propulsion Systems (GPS-ME), their OEMs and Rockwell Automation.

The OEM base spanned Germany, Sweden, France, the United States, Canada, Spain, Japan and Korea. “We needed to shift our organization to enable more technical capabilities,” explained Hall. “This took a couple forms. We engaged the technical capability of our people; we brought in new engineers and interns, and those people became key to our technical capabilities.”

The company learned that improvements and changes were needed to optimize the global common standard for engine and transmission applications, Hall said. Differ-ences in pitch, integration, and layout meant that hardware configurations needed to be modified. “Importantly,” explained Hall, “we also learned that business models are as important as technical models, and we needed to accommodate these in our standard as well.”

“In the end the change was successful,” Hall concluded. “It was a huge job, but we all made it happen.”

Ford’s IIoT approachThe exponential growth of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is reshaping business and industry. New products are increasingly interconnected to the rest of the world and interfacing with one another.

The amount of data spilling from Ford’s systems is stag-gering. If a kilobyte of data were a gallon of water, it could fill Lake Michigan every 48 hours. That’s a quadrillion gallons of water every two days. That’s 15 zeroes, which is quite a large data lake.

In the past, Ford had not been able to get at all that data—to extract it, bring it forward and peer into operations. But to meet its goals, there are key capabilities it needs to enable, primarily to differentiate customer experiences.

Most remarkably, Ford manages seven digital twins: as designed, as supplied, as built, as operated, as well as of the manufacturing process, of the facility and the one the customer experiences.

The digital twins help Ford to understand how the product is changing and how it’s being used. The company sees that digital thread as one of its most important capabilities, and uses it to harness disruptive technologies across the value chain and impact products, processes and business models.

Disruptive technologies are enabling new capabili-ties across the value chain at Ford, creating new ways to engage stakeholders throughout the ecosystem and deliver customer experiences.

With 84 facilities worldwide, Ford uses equipment from a variety of sources, which could easily lead to fragmented solutions. Its first goal is to get the data up and off the plant floor into the platform and add context to it. A relentless focus on standardization allows its IIoT platform to enable the development of use cases by using a common, stan-dardized platform, allowing it to speed development and quickly scale.

It strove to think big, start small and move fast. By estab-lishing the foundation, then broadening the capabilities in the plant and finally scaling across the enterprise network, all 84 plants are on the docket to be linked and become part of Ford’s IIoT.

“We learned that business models are as important as technical models, and we needed to accommodate these in our standard as well.” GM’s Jim Hall described his division’s global controls standardization effort at Automation Fair this week in Chicago.


WATER/WASTEWATER FORUM

WASTEWATER SYSTEM UPGRADE BENEFITS FROM INTEGRATED APPROACHBy Paul Studebaker

When the City of Fort Myers, Fla., determined it needed upgrades of the controls and electri-cal equipment of its two wastewater treatment

plants, it discovered novel approaches to project manage-ment and system architecture that resulted in cost and time savings, and significantly increased capabilities compared to other modern, but more conventional, approaches.

The Fort Myers Central wastewater plant is rated for 11 million gallons per day (MGD) with 2 MGD non-potable reclaim water and irrigation facilities. The South plant is wastewater-only, rated 12 MGD without reclaim. Together, they serve the City of Fort Myers and much of Lee County, and are staffed 24/7 with a total of 20-25 certified, trained operators, and an annual budget of $4.5-5 million.

The project goal was to upgrade or replace obsolete and aging electrical infrastructure as well as the PLCs, which were variations of SLC 500s and PLC-5s. “There was no documentation—schematics were drawn on the inner walls of the cabinets,” said Jeff Krawczyk, water infrastructure group sales manager, Commerce Controls, Novi, Michigan, which served as system integrator for the upgrades. Krawczyk co-presented at the Water and Waste-water Industry Forum, part of Automation Fair 2019 this week in Chicago.

The project contract was awarded by competitive bid. It was based on an alternate delivery method called construction manager at risk (CMAR), and included a re-electrification project to upgrade or replace motor control centers (MCCs) and variable-frequency drives (VFDs). “Using a construction manager eased owner management

and minimized cost,” Krawczyk said. “By showing the client the advantages, we were able to pull the MCCs and VFDs into the system integrator work.”

Rockwell Automation was engaged early on, in the pre-bid stage. “In meetings with the CMAR team and the owner, we were able to introduce them to the advantages of PlantPAx—full functionality, objects and faceplates—and the smart water plant,” said Terry Sages, water/wastewater team lead, Rockwell Automation. “In system architecture

“We were able to introduce them to the advantages of PlantPAx—full functionality, objects and faceplates—and the smart water plant.” Rockwell Automation’s Terry Sages explained why the City of Fort Myers, Fla., went with the company’s control systems and motor control centers for a recent wastewater system upgrade.


discussions, we provided a full and detailed description of the abilities of connected motor control. IT and OT [opera-tional technology] teams were both involved, with CISCO and the staff consulting engineers. Together, they decided to network the centers and drives. The network was tested and operational before we brought it to the plant, and the result was an excellent factory acceptance test (FAT).”

The team also decided on an all Rockwell Automation system due to ease of programming and deployment. Commerce Controls procured the software, PLCs, MCCs and VFDs, and worked with the owners on the graphical presentations. Throughout the course of the graphical workshops, they used PlantPAx graphics that were modi-fied with color as needed to meet the users’ preferences.

The FAT was done at Commerce Controls in Novi, Michigan, where the panels were assembled, the drives were connected and a fiber optic ring was installed. “It involved 140 vertical sections for the two facilities,” Kraw-czyk said. “Between the two facilities, we built 15 control panels, with one in each facility used for redundancy. There are 21 client SCADA workstations, and a total of about 225 analog points, and 500 digital points.” On the SCADA HMI, users can click on a server to bring up system health, I/O memory in use, primary server status, and which controllers are connected. Dual redundant fiber

optic Ethernet rings run through the plants, as “network segmentation and communication response time are very important,” he added.

While the project is still in the commissioning phase due to an equipment delay on a previous project, Krawczyk was able to identify benefits to the approach, methodol-ogy and technology. “We’re still in commissioning, but the benefits so far include the integrated architecture approach—rather than using Excel spreadsheets, where misplacing one bit can throw you off.

“They’re making some changes on the fly to the 65 MCCs and 25 VFDs, with Rockwell Automation’s help, and we see 30% savings in commissioning time. The FATs reduced risk in the field—the plants are one-half to a mile long, and it’s hard to get around to test in the field.”

The lessons Commerce Controls learned from the project are that “MCCs can have extended lead times, and they’re shipped on pallets that are about 18 inches wider than they are, so our cables were 18 inches short. Rockwell Automation was able to quickly ship us longer cables,” Krawczyk said. “Specifications called for operat-ing systems on the thin clients, but we were able to pull what we needed directly from the server. And we originally went with Studio 5000 v24, but decided to upgrade before the FAT to get higher levels of cybersecurity.”

LIFE SCIENCES FORUM

ELI LILLY TAKES ARCHITECTURAL APPROACH TO TRANSFORMATIONBy Chris McNamara

The 140-year legacy of innovation at Eli Lilly is impressive. Big, life-saving advances get brought up—insulin, the polio vaccine, penicillin.

That history makes Eli Lilly’s current, transformative mindset particularly laudable. And within an enterprise as massive as this, comprehensive transformation can be tricky. “There is complexity when implementing any solution here,”

admitted Wilfred Mascarenhas, data & analytics advisor for quality information and digital solutions with the global phar-maceutical giant, who spoke during today’s Life Sciences Forum at Automation Fair 2019 on the topic of “Facility of the Future: Transforming Manufacturing in Life Sciences.”

Rockwell Automation’s Dave Sharp, who hosted the forum, touched on that changing pharma landscape


during his introduction. He explained how the industry is moving to personalized treatment, per-sonalized medical devices, even personalized tissue. In this modern medical world, lot-size-one means one person, one patient, one life. “The users are driving change in the industry,” noted Sharp. And that disruption is creating opportunities for manu-facturers, especially connected, flexible enterprises that can develop systems to create smaller batches and get products to market faster.

Connected, flexible enterprises like Eli Lilly.With the increased complexity of the supply chain, explained Mascarenhas at the start of his talk, the old model of business is simply not sustainable. At the heart of this new model at Lilly is an evolved architecture that was strategically developed over the past half-decade.

Mascarenhas described how, in 2004, Lilly executives prioritized harmonization throughout all IT systems. “We wanted common systems across the Eli Lilly architecture. The same product-manufacturing processes across mul-tiple sites. Common reference architectures. A centralized data lake that contains trusted information that could be applied across applications around the globe.”

At the start of the process, they contracted the Boston Consulting Group to identify key elements needed to prop-erly develop and implement the strategy. BCG delivered nine. Mascarenhas highlighted two during the forum: data analytics, which drive the digital plant, and autonomous robots capable of delivering real-time data from the edge.

The Lilly team developed a new type of reference archi-tecture that addresses key elements related to data analytics:• Batch analytics with a strategy for proper organization;• A stream-processing zone to enable real-time analytics

emanating from smart machines;• “Right-time”pulling of data from systems, as opposed

to constant steaming of data; and,

• A sandbox in which scientists could develop models and deploy learnings back into systems.

Mascarenhas shared with the audience some best prac-tices that emerged throughout this initiative:• Develop and maintain good partnerships - The Lilly

advisor noted that partnerships with vendors such as Rockwell Automation are critical to minimize the complexity of architectures to enable them to deliver faster results to market.

• Consider the people with the data and install proper governance - “Bringing data together only goes so far,” he said. “You must bring your people together and up-skill them to make sure they can take advantage of this data-first approach.” Make sure you have the right stakeholders to take these efforts to the next level.

• Consider the users of the strategy - Develop a holistic, people-strategy to manage information and drive ana-lytics efforts.

Heads nodded in the audience, surely from some pro-fessionals at global pharmaceutical companies like Lilly and some from much smaller enterprises.

“We wanted common systems across the Eli Lilly architecture.” Eli Lilly’s Wilfred Mascarenhas explained how a 15-year-old IT harmonization effort is now paying transformative dividends for the life sciences leader.


The architecture at workIn the second half of the presentation, Matthew Laing, automation manager in Eli Lilly’s corporate engineering group, provided real-world examples of the concepts his colleague had just detailed.

During a recent energy-monitoring project, Laing’s team needed to use data analytics to find and remedy energy inefficiencies. As he described, the team prepped the data, identified knowledge gaps, then selected the proper tech-nology to provide remedies. After early successes validated the approach, they templatized their efforts.

“We made a standard data model for energy moni-toring,” he explained. “So whether you’re talking about energy efficiency with a boiler or a chiller, it should all look the same.”

The next step? Global rollout, of course. Because as nimble and open-to-change as this pharmaceutical behe-moth may be, the beneficiaries of their work exist in 140-year-old relationships with partners and millions of customers that span the planet.

“The past looks great,” surmised Mascarenhas, “But we’re keenly looking at the future.”

CHEMICAL FORUM

CHEMICAL MAKERS SECURE, AUTOMATE AND OPTIMIZEBy Jim Montague

As always, process control and automation can enable game-changing efficiencies and perfor-mance gains. The extra task now is making sure

those systems and their software are running securely—even though many business leaders don’t understand the danger.

“Cyber intrusions and attacks are increasing, but there’s still a disconnect between those in the field who know the threats they face and the executives who are still unaware,” said Jason Hunt, senior manager, Advisory Risk and Resil-ience, Deloitte.

Hunt previewed the results of a new survey, “Secur-ing operational technology (OT) environments,” which polled 600 manufacturing executives, and will be released shortly by Deloitte and the Manufacturing Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI). Almost half of the respondents said operational risk was the top issue they need to address. Meanwhile, 55% said they were aware and involved with their OT security program, another 15% said they were aware but not involved, 20% were unaware of it, and 9% didn’t know. Meanwhile, less than

40% reported having internal capabilities to detect and respond to cyber incidents.

“We’ve spent the past several years helping big organiza-tions break down what’s working for them on cybersecurity and what isn’t, but now we’re all learning that everyone must be brought to the table on cybersecurity. This isn’t about one group doing a land grab on another. It’s about everyone joining and collaborating, so no one ends up on the front page of the Wall Street Journal as the latest company to have a major cyber incident.”

Hunt was joined by three end users, who detailed the progress of their upgrade projects during the Chemi-cal Industry Forum this week at Automation Fair 2019 in Chicago

Securing the OT sideHunt added that Deloitte’s report identifies six initiatives that should be undertaken to secure OT technology. They include:• Aligning business, IT and OT to get management to

buy into a defense-in-depth approach, conduct se-


curity risk assessments, and roll out consistent cybersecurity policies, re-quirements and best practices.

• Improving visibility into OT systems, so everyone know what assets they have, and what security capabilities they’re likely to need.

• Performing extended network seg-mentation to map data flows, and determine which systems have the highest risk profiles then mitigating them through techniques such as training, patching and malware protection.

• Improving management of IDs and vendor access, in-cluding how they’re accessing the user’s environment.

• Integrating IT and OT security, and threat manage-ment programs and platforms to allow a unified view of threats on one common interface.

• Enhancing response and recovery plan, including playbooks, exercises and scheduled drills.

Standardize and optimizeLeading off for the Chemical Forum’s end users, Matt Boudjouk, senior engineering program leader at Ecolab, reported that his company operates more than 130 plants worldwide that until recently had no standardized auto-mation or shared knowledge.

“We had lots of one-off projects with basically every plant operating as its own company. The question was, why be a big company if we weren’t sharing knowledge?” said Boud-jouk. “In our search for a global partner, we conducted a worldwide survey about automation system options, identi-fied Rockwell Automation as the clear choice, and created an internal automation specification group to decide on common PLCs, HMIs, etc.”

Thanks to its standardization efforts, Boudjouk reported that EcoLab has:• Saved 20% on procurement,• Saved 30% on controls in plant projects,• Now trains on one hardware/software platform,• Easily connects to shared data and analyses,• Keeps global implement in mind for every project, and• Consolidated technical support calls.

Similarly, Netherlands-based resins manufacturer Synres recently worked with local system integrator Industrial Automation Partners (IAP) to update its process control system to reduce unplanned downtime, mitigate risk, improve plant performance, reduce time to market, and gain production visibility. With IAP’s assistance, Synres investigated available options, developed a three-year migration plan, selected Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx process control system, and implemented without imped-ing ongoing operations.

“We needed to execute this project onsite, switch out controls, implement the new design, test it, rip out the old systems, and add the rest of the new components while our processes were running,” said Rob Struijs, operations director at Synres. “Fortunately, we’ve already replaced the

“Cyber intrusions and attacks are increasing, but there’s still a disconnect between those in the field who know they threats they face and the executives who are still unaware,” said Jason Hunt, senior manager, Advisory Risk and Resilience, Deloitte.


first half of our controls, and did it in about seven days. In 2020, we’ll replace the second half.”

Likewise, Luis Favaro, senior automation engineer at CPKelco in Brazil, reported that his company recently built a greenfield plant in Matão, Sao Paulo state, which is drying orange peels into a raw material that pectin manufacturers in Europe can use in the off season. To optimize its many Powerflex 750 variable frequency drives (VFDs), Favaro

reported that he and his colleagues deployed PlantPAx, which enabled them to create and use HMI faceplates for managing the VFDs more easily.

“Having standard, usable faceplates and global objects makes it easier for operators to change specifications and show trend information,” added Favaro. “Our maintenance people love PlantPAx, too, because they can readily see instructions, faults, alerts and alarms.”

METALS & MINING FORUM

MINING COMPANY EMBRACES THE NEXT-GENERATION WORKFORCEBy Paul Studebaker

Management consultants at Bain & Co. list mining and industries such as oil & gas and utilities as having no cohesive strategy, just pockets of invest-

ment and experimentation around the edges.“We’re behind in digital transformation, but working

hard to catch up,” said Bill MacGowan, executive vice president of human resources (HR), Newmont Goldcorp, at the Metals & Mining Forum at Automation Fair 2019 this week in Chicago. Newmont Goldcorp is a 98-year-old gold and copper mining company based in Denver, Colorado, with annual revenue of about $10 billion, $31 billion market capitalization and a workforce of 34,500 employees and contractors.

By contrast, according to Bain, in industries such as manufacturing, consumer products, healthcare and airlines, digital is emerging as a key differentiator. Meanwhile, in industries like banking, retail, telco and media, digital is table stakes: digital strategy is embed-ded and there’s an inherent willingness to disrupt the core business.

Instead, Newmont Goldcorp “is disciplined, operations-focused, say what we’ll do and do what we say, and relies on continuous improvement,” MacGowan said.

An evolving strategy“We brought in a consulting company, and they iden-tified six areas where we could benefit by focusing our efforts,” MacGowan said: an autonomous fleet of mine vehicles, advanced process control, operations support hubs, connected workers (wearable technology for safety and operational efficiency), advanced analytics, and the smart mine (maximum use of production data to optimally mine and process ore).

The company has since been rocked with a hostile takeover and eventual spinout, but during the next year, it consolidated its IT and operational technology (OT) departments, and MacGowan’s HR department has begun initiatives to:• Minimize employee losses through training, upskill-

ing and development;• Demographically model to understand its manage-

ment and workforce requirements through 2030;• Prepare leadership and management for a digital fu-

ture; and,• Brief the executive leadership team (ELT) and board

of directors for long-term evolution of the com-pany culture.


“Every year, a human capital strategy is defined, discussed and approved by the board, and distributed throughout the company. It describes our shortages and needs, and what we’ll do about them,” McGowan said.

It’s an incremental approach, not a big bang. “When you want to build a billion-dollar mine in a remote location, a big incentive for local stakeholders is the jobs,” MacGowan said. “When we build a new mine, part of the value proposition we pro-vide to communities is jobs, that we’ve committed to upskilling and training to minimize job losses so as not to create problems with communities or unions.”

At the same time, “it’s expensive to fly people to mine sites, house them in camps and feed them, and it’s also hard on employees and families, so moving work where possible from the mine site is a good thing for the employ-ees and the company,” MacGowan said.

Concrete movesIn part as a strategy to attract talent, the company’s North America regional headquarters was moved from Elko, Nevada to Vancouver, and its South American headquarters from Lima to Miami, Florida. “To prepare for our CEO transition, we defined the current talents and skills, and what we’ll need five and 10 years out—a future profile,” MacGowan said. “We used that to select what turned out to be an internal candidate, and to develop them for two years before their succession.”

The company also developed more capable defini-tions for other higher-level positions, including the chief information officer (CIO) and ELT. “The board can be a great ally, with members from industries outside of

mining—utilities, healthcare—with more experiences in digitalization,” MacGowan said.

“We’re working on a cultural evolution to attract the next-generation workforce and female workers,” MacGowan said, changing from male and macho to diversified and inclusive. “The majority of today’s university graduates are female, and they have choices about where they’ll work. For us, it starts at the top, with five female board members and a female chair,” he added. “But we have a long way to go.

“We want employees to see us as a fair meritocracy,” McGowan said, where they can excel on their merit and still be themselves. “Our standards and policies must rein-force inclusiveness.”

Two years ago, the company added leave policy for moth-ers, fathers and care of the elderly, “which differentiates us from traditional mining companies,” MacGowan said. “We added transgender benefits, which helped our brand, and two miners chose to stay with us through their transitions.”

Research on Millennial and X, Y and Z generations shows they don’t like hierarchies, they want a team approach. “We’re still hierarchical, but we’re adjusting

“We’re working on a cultural evolution to attract the next-generation workforce and female workers. The majority of today’s university graduates are female, and they have choices about where they’ll work.” Newmont Goldcorp’s Bill MacGowan discussed the steps the mining company is taking to attract next-generation talent.


our procedures,” MacGowan said. “Younger employees want a company with a purpose, not just a job, money and security, like I did. When mining comes to a country, it can bring cultural change as people are empowered.”

The only movie that has a positive view of mining is “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves,” MacGowan said. “We want to change that.”

Consider your workforce as a whole, and don’t separate employees and contractors. “When issues arise, the public

doesn’t see contractors as separate, they’re part of New-mont Goldcorp,” MacGowan said. “We’ll be tarred with the results, so we keep them safe.”

People realize digital revolution is occurring. Mining must move from the tail to the middle of the pack. “We’ll never be Google, but we need to stay abreast of improve-ments, and adopt them,” MacGowan said. “Managers must view inclusion positively. Otherwise, they’ll have attrition, and union issues.”

MATERIAL HANDLING FORUM

OVERCOMING GOTCHAS IN MATERIAL-HANDLING SYSTEM DESIGNBy Mike Bacidore

Intellimodus knows material-handling systems. For nearly 30 years, the Kentucky-based system integrator has designed airport handling equipment and indus-

trial sortation machinery, specializing in controls, software and panel fabrication.

Hosted by Rockwell Automation, the Material Han-dling Forum at Automation Fair 2019 provided a venue for David Cahoe, Intellimodus’ senior technical advisor, to warn audience members of the five most common got-chas in material-handling implementations—and how to overcome them.

Gotcha #1: system design“When we bid a project, we have to worry about the specs, customer expectations and what we need to make it work,” said Cahoe. “Sometimes hardware design choices are open, but planning and preparation are key. To integrate the system to the upper level, we need graphics and reporting.”

In the past, everything about the system was physical. “But more and more, servers and workstations are being vir-tualized,” he said. “There’s a decision to be made between

physical PCs and virtual workstations. And, when it comes to virtual servers, who sets up and configures them? Some-times it’s the user, and sometimes it’s us.

“Network switches are a big item these days, too,” said Cahoe. “With cybersecurity issues, switches tend to be managed now. If we’re installing switches, we have to have the IT knowledge. We have to have people who know that.”

Gotcha #2: system accessHow is the system supported remotely, and who configures or sets it up? “We used to have dial-up modems,” Cahoe reminisced. “VPN access is the most common now. Who configures that? For IT, it’s done locally. For operational technology, or OT, it’s usually us. The key is to get IT involved early in the project and continually throughout to avoid costly redesigns and other roadblocks. If we can get them involved early, things run much more smoothly.”

Gotcha #3: data retrieval“Everything is web-based these days,” said Cahoe. ”Cus-tomers want to make reports and alerts accessible anywhere.


We can send production reports. People want data at their fingertips. Dashboards and widgets are becoming popular, too. Have a conversa-tion on data retrieval and determine what their needs are. Quite often these come late in the game, so don’t let them catch you off guard.”

Gotcha #4: corporate connectivityEnterprise software will want to retrieve all the important information, so how is it com-municated, and how do you talk between systems to get the information back and forth?

Is it a direct interface, or is it database-driven? Each com-pany’s interface requirements are unique. “Sometimes an interface gets reused, but there’s no standard interface,” said Cahoe. “Everyone’s shipping interface is different, unless it’s multiple interfaces with the same customer. Be prepared to work together, and be ready to compromise.”

Gotcha #5: devicesInterfacing with different devices and brands has become a larger issue of late. “In the past it was barcode scanners or RFID,” said Cahoe. “Changing technology and new equipment have created the need for constant innovation and learning to keep things integrated properly. Keep communication open. Keep talking with IT. And keep evolving and changing with technology.”

“Changing technology and new equipment have created the need for constant innovation and learning to keep things integrated properly.” Intellimodus’ David Cahoe shared advice on the most common gotchas in material-handling system design and how to overcome them.

“Everyone’s shipping interface is different, unless it’s multiple interfaces with the same customer. Be prepared

to work together, and be ready to compromise.”

—David Cahoe, senior technical advisor of Intellimodus


OEM FORUM

REMOTE SUPPORT CAPABILITIES DIFFERENTIATE OEM SOLUTIONSBy Mike Bacidore

As manufacturers continue to see their human resources diminish due to retiring employees and a shallow pool of trained candidates, OEMs

look for ways to provide their customers with equipment solutions designed to alleviate the strain caused by this shortage of skilled workers.

Kraft Heinz, for example, is a $2.6 billion company, fifth largest in the food and beverage world, and operates more than 40 facilities in North America with 42,000 employ-ees. Yet the company is challenged to fill open positions in maintenance and engineering, according to Mano-chehr Sadri, associate director, engineering, Kraft Heinz, who spoke at the OEM Forum during Automation Fair 2019 this week in Chicago.

“We convert raw materials to finished product in our facilities,” explained Sadri. “It’s com-plex manufacturing.

Ownership and meritocracy help us to meet the challenge of a shortage of skilled workers. Most of our facilities are in the middle of nowhere. It’s challenging to bring and maintain talent to our facilities. To address those challenges, we’ve been working closely with Rockwell Automa-tion to bring remote support to our facilities.” For Sadri and Kraft Heinz, the differentiator for OEMs—the reason to choose one manufacturer’s equipment over a competitor’s—is their ability to support assets remotely.

“We have put our strategies into our standards, not to tell you how to build equipment,” said Sadri.

”It’s about the KPIs we need, and it’s about real-time per-formance measures. How does your machine fit in our manufacturing lines? If yesterday was about outcomes, in tomorrow’s world, it’s about being able to validate that we have the right ingredients. You need to build those features into your equipment.”

At a large consumer packaged goods manufacturer like Kraft Heinz, expenditures are measured over the long haul, too. “Initial cost of ownership is important, but we’re look-ing at total cost over 10 or 15 years,” added Sadri. “We’re looking at energy usage and carbon footprint, too.”

“Most of our facilities are in the middle of nowhere. It’s challenging to bring and maintain talent.” Kraft Heinz’s Manochehr Sadri explained how remote support enabled by Rockwell Automation and its OEM suppliers have enabled his company to operate in less-populated geographic areas.


The OEM perspectiveAt Paper Converting Machine Company (PCMC) in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the 100-year-old OEM builds equipment for a variety of customers, from mom-and-pop shops to Fortune 100 organizations.

“We are working with a lot of different customers out there,” said Jill Thiede, director, smart & connected tech-nologies, PCMC. “The challenge we see is a struggle to find good operators and maintenance people. How can we better support our end customers through the use of Industry 4.0 tools?”

New disruptive technologies are coming too rapidly to allow for a look five or 10 years into the future, so PCMC

has developed a “do, learn, do” approach to implementing new digital tools. “We pilot digital tools to see how they work on our machines and then onsite with a customer’s machine,” said Thiede. “If you wait for the perfect plan, you’ll never get there.”

The data and insights that new technologies allow are important, Thiede stressed, but the action taken because of those insights is the real differentiator. “You have to do something and enable the customer to make a difference,” she explained. “Our unique value is the ability to bring smart features and connected services. Throwing data on a dashboard is not enough to improve productivity. Close the loop on the data, take action.”

OIL & GAS FORUM

STANDARDIZED AUTOMATION BOOSTS PRODUCTIVITY AT OCCIDENTALBy Paul Studebaker

An ever increasing quantity of legacy equipment with disparate and aging controls might not be the ideal starting place for standardization, but it

sure makes you want it. In 2000, Occidental Petroleum’s Permian Basin operations expanded with acquisitions of existing wells from Shell, Amoco and others, including their existing systems.

“We had probably one of everything ever made, and a lot of different SCADA systems,” said Alan Bryant, senior automation engineering advisor, Occidental, who presented with colleague Mauricio Castillo, industrial control sys-tems advisor, in the Oil & Gas Forum at Automation Fair 2019 this week in Chicago.

Occidental is in the upstream business. “We pump it out of the ground, separate the oil, water and gas, and sell it,” Bryant said. Its Permian basin is 75,000 square miles over west Texas and New Mexico. “The field we’re talking

about is 90 square miles, a wide area to cover with SCADA, with thousands of wells,” he said.

Bryant joined the company in 2003, and his first job was to develop an open automation SCADA system to join those wells together. In 2005, his group standardized on an approved vendor list, “but having legacy hardware also meant we had legacy people, and we could only get it down to three PLC vendors,” he said. Still, they standardized hardware, protocols and programming at the upper levels.

“In 2011, we settled on Rockwell Automation, as Con-trolLogix 5000 could support everything in one platform. That allowed us to standardize programming at the lower levels,” Bryant said. “It helped that at that point, we con-solidated the automation function, with 45 technicians under one manager. That manager wanted a single system to support.”


About that time, the company reorganized the automation into two groups—one for supporting existing oil rigs (EOR), another for exploration, drilling and unusual applications called BU. Bryant became part of EOR, Castillo is in BU. “EOR had a small annual budget for some proactive replace-ments, but mostly replacement at failure,” Bryant said. “We had standard panels made that we could quickly deploy for upgrades and at new wells on skids.

“We have a standard CPU box, power supply box, and remote I/O boxes for wells, separators and test. Today, we have Rockwell Automation send us complete, factory-built panels. We can deploy standard programming to standard CPUs and we’re ready to go.”

New and unusual applicationsIn 2017, the BU group wanted to develop a standard approach to new and unusual applications. “We also do a good amount of drilling and new wells with flow lines and facilities, that have their own requirements,” said Cas-tillo. “Time is money in this business—one or two days delay costs far more than small parts of field systems. We need systems to be easy to deploy, and flexible, as standard automation does not mean standard facilities.”

The group was doing too much customization of specific panels. It needed shorter lead times and the ability to make quick late changes. “We’re concerned about total cost of ownership (TCO), not just low initial cost,” Castillo said. “We need the ability to maintain, and to add equipment, upgrades and I/O later on. And a dependable supply chain.”

A typical well train will have the wells plus separators, a heater treater, oil tanks, water tanks, a water transfer sta-tion, gas scrubber, flare and gas and oil metering, with the associated pumps, valves and instrumentation.

BU’s standardized approach identifies automation requirements by equipment (PLC or Remote I/O); enclo-sure size—tiny, small, or medium; type (CPU and module setup); base/expansion (module quantity); version; and

inventory name (description). The result is seven equip-ment types that can be matched to the requirements. “You can put them together to get what you need,” Castillo said. “You can go with a base version or provide room for expansion or to customize or add equipment.”

They also standardized on 11 versions of wire harnesses. “It takes minutes to wire versus hours for point-to-point, with better quality control and serviceability,” Castillo said, “And if there’s a wiring problem, you can just change the cable.”

Once they design a train, if a second train comes on, they can just duplicate the system. “We can have standard, pre-built boxes in inventory instead of building custom panels,” Castillo said. “And over time, as new versions and proces-sors come out, we can migrate to them so when an old one goes obsolete, we already know what to replace it with.”

They have optimized designs with better documentation and streamlined procurement. “I can call the vendor and say I want 20 of these over the next six months,” Castillo said. “We have the equipment on-hand to deploy on a construction site so the crews can make the connections and test everything, fast.”

Having the same equipment everywhere makes it easier to train people. And, if they find out in the field that there’s a problem with a component, like a terminal block, they can re-specify it and correct the inventory.

“Standardization can work in any industry, not just oil & gas,” Castillo said. “But, if you have 13 ways to do things and decide to standardize, don’t end up with 14 standards.”

“We need systems to be easy to deploy, and flexible, as standard automation does not mean standard facilities.” Occidental’s Alan Bryant discussed the company’s drive to standardize its Permian Basin automation platforms on a handful of factory-assembled Rockwell Automation cabinets.


Automation Fair Coming to SoCal in 2020!

Plan to join us at the Anaheim Convention Center,

Anaheim, California , USAAutomation Fair is November 18-19

Process Solutions User Group is November 16-17


simplification driving industrial productivity · like the cheers that followed samuels-paige’s...

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