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Machine builders, users and integrators raise their voices in our20th annual Readers’ Choice Awards

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FEATURES

cover story

Power to the readersMachine builders, users and

integrators raise their voices in our

20th annual Readers’ Choice Awards

Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

26

product roundup

Human-machine interfaces expand horizonsManage and control what you see

36CONTROL DESIGN, (ISSN: 1094-3366) is published 12 times a year by Putman Media, 1501 E. Woodfield Rd., Suite 400N, Schaumburg, Illinois 60173. (Phone 630/467-1300; Fax 630/467-1124.) Periodical postage paid at Schaumburg, IL, and at additional mailing offices. Address all correspondence to Editorial and Executive Offices, same address. Printed in the United States. ©Putman Media 2020. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication should not be reproduced in whole or part without consent of the copyright owner. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to Putman Media, PO Box 1888, Cedar Rapids IA 52406-1888; SUBSCRIPTIONS: To change or cancel a subscription, email [email protected] or call 1-800-553-8878 ext. 5020. To non-qualified subscribers in the United States and its possessions, subscriptions are $96.00 per year. Single copies are $15. International subscriptions are accepted at $200 (Airmail only.) Putman Media also publishes CHEMICAL PROCESSING, CONTROL, FOOD PROCESSING, PHARMA MANUFACTURING, PLANT SERVICES, SMART INDUSTRY and THE JOURNAL. CONTROL DESIGN assumes no responsibility for validity of claims in items reported. Canada Post International Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No. 40028661. Canadian Mail Distributor information: World Distribution Services, Inc., Station A, PO Box 54, Windsor, Ontario, Canada N9A 6J5. Printed in the United States.

table of contentsVolume 24, No. 6

ControlDesign.com / June 2020 / 5

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9 editor’s page

Does CIP motion need TSN?Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

11 embedded intelligence

Where’s the logic in the PLC?Jeremy Pollard, CET

12 technology trends

What’s driving your application?Rick Rice, contributing editor

16 indiscrete

Festo, MassRobotics partner to develop next generation of robotics

41 real answers

What should be included in a FAT?

49 product showcase

50 automation basics

How to tell if distributed I/O is a good fitDave Perkon, technical editor

COLUMNS

Advantech Automation Corp. ......................................37

AutomationDirect................................................................2

Ballu� ...................................................................................39

Banner Engineering Corp. .............................................33

Beckho� Automation .........................................4, 24,25

Bihl+Wiedemann ..............................................................47

Digi-Key Corporation .......................................................52

Dinkle Corporation ...........................................................23

Emerson Automation Solutions .................................51

Emerson Rosemount ......................................................19

Endress + Hauser ................................................................6

HMS Networks...................................................................45

KEB America .......................................................................13

Meltric Corporation ..........................................................34

Murr Elektronik .....................................................................7

Newark .................................................................................10

Novotechnik .......................................................................22

Pepperl+Fuchs ..................................................................35

Phoenix Contact ...............................................................31

Saginaw Control & Engineering .................................43

SEW-Eurodrive ......................................................................3

SICK .......................................................................................14

SMC Corporation of America ........................................17

Telemecanique Sensors ................................................15

Vega Americas ..................................................................21

Wago Corporation ............................................................29

Wieland Electric ................................................................44

Yaskawa America ................................................................8

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table of contentsVolume 24, No. 6

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WHAT IS THE impact of time-sensitive networking (TSN) on a common-industrial-protocol

(CIP) motion system?

“CIP motion can be modi�ed to support the TSN network,” explained Paul Brooks, man-

ager, technology business development, at Rockwell Automation, who spoke at ODVA’s

20th annual meeting of members in Palm Harbor, Florida. “We set out to establish the

viability, bene�t and legacy of TSN in CIP motion.”

In terms of viability, CIP motion can be adapted to support TSN networks without

structural changes to either timing models or communication patterns. A bene�t is there

are foreseeable applications where motion control will not be reliable without use of a

TSN network. And, in well-engineered networks, performance of CIP motion without TSN

matches or exceeds that with TSN.

“There’s a signi�cant installed

base of CIP motion, which is work-

ing,” said Brooks. “There’s no reason

for that installed base to migrate

to TSN because they don’t have the

problems that TSN corrects.”

Four test cases were looked at:

• overloaded system without TSN

• well-engineered system with TSN

• well-engineered system without TSN: “This was the baseline against which we tested

other use cases, characteristic of every CIP motion running today,” explained Brooks.

• overloaded system with TSN: “When we turned on TSN, it stopped being broken,”

said Brooks.

All test cases use an IEEE 801.1AS clock. TSN requires the use of this clock. “In the test

con�guration we did not make the �rmware changes in the endpoints,” explained Brooks.

“In a TSN, the network clock, not the controller, is isochronous. In a CIP motion system,

the controller is the isochronous.”

For example, in a CIP motion system, the drive synchronizes to the controller. This is

true in TSN, but the controller synchs to the network, explained Brooks. “TSN is a sched-

uled Ethernet network,” he said. “In a CIP system that is not overloaded, TSN offers no

bene�ts, based on the testbed results.”

CIP motion does not need TSN, but there are other applications that do need TSN—for

example, video streaming for inspection, which might run on the same network as CIP

motion, explained Brooks.

“This is why it’s important to implement TSN, whether the application needs it or not,”

said Brooks.

Does CIP motion need TSN?editorial teameditor in chief

Mike [email protected]

digital managing editor

Christopher [email protected]

contributing editor

Rick [email protected]

contributing editor

Dave [email protected]

editorial assistant

Lori [email protected]

columnist

Jeremy [email protected]

design/productionsenior production manager

Anetta Gauthier

senior art director

Derek Chamberlain

subscriptions1-800-553-8878 ext 5020

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circulation Industrial machinery manufacturing 17,856

• Machine tools & metalworking 4,662

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• Power generatino & transmission 938

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Discrete & hybrid manufacturing 5,591

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In Memory of Julie Cappelletti-Lange, Vice President 1984-2012

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editor’s page

All test cases use an IEEE 801.1AS clock.

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Jeremy [email protected]

embedded intelligence

WAY BACK WHEN, I declared that PC-based control would take

up over 40% of the market from the standard �rmware-based

PLC. The operating systems were varied, from Windows to Vx-

Works real-time OS. Various OS kernels were developed to pro-

vide a more real-time response to occurrences in the �eld due

to the interrupt-based systems, typically, the IBM PC platform.

A problem arose, however, since basic hardware con�gurations

were used. These included things such as a CD drive and more

interrupt-driven resources that were placed on the system.

We take so much for granted in a

PLC environment because our inter-

face to it is a slick programming envi-

ronment—an integrated development

environment (IDE)—which provides

all the commands and instructions

needed to create, download and

monitor the process software.

With PC-based control it was no different. You would never

really know the difference by looking at the screen where you

would create and monitor your application software.

Windows CE was a common platform for embedded OS-based

systems. The IBM PC board design and chipsets were copied

into different form factors, such as PC104, VME bus and PCI.

This allowed the control software to reside in an embedded

system and allowed for better control methodologies.

One of the very �rst PC-based control systems was a product

called FloPro which was developed by Ron Lavallee in the mid-

1980s. It was based on �owcharts, which constitutes a decision-

by-decision method of creating a process �ow.

However his �rst go-round was a post processor that took

�owchart symbols and converted them to ladder logic using

code that was generated on an HP-85, which is another story.

In fact he demonstrated his development to Gould Modicon,

which made overtures about buying the technology but moved

away from it for some unknown reason.

FloPro moved over to the IBM platform, and, with the ad-

dition of a communication card to connect to Allen-Bradley

remote IO system, FloPro made it into the development world at

General Motors, and a new paradigm was born.

Sequential function chart (SFC) was alternative-state-based

control software that was used in PLC �rmware. It is now avail-

able in many hardware formats, and has replaced �owcharting

as a control software state-based system.

Mike Klein started a �owcharting company called Steeple-

chase, which had early success in the world of computer-based

control. It was Windows-based and provided a much better

interface than FloPro by all accounts. Steeplechase formed alli-

ances with various companies and in fact spawned additional

�owcharting companies such as Think & Do.

Another company that was formed because of FloPro was

FlexIS process control. It was a post processor that took SFC

programming of the control

algorithms and converted that to

Allen-Bradley’s PLC-5 subroutines

in ladder logic. It was really slick

and very well done, but there was

some pushback from the industry

regarding these graphical languages

because the development minds re-

ally didn’t think in the way that was needed. Their minds were

geared for ladder-logic development, and most of the develop-

ment occurred one rung at a time.

It is all well and good to have a novel idea and a new way of

creating a controlled process program, but you have to have the

resources to create, as well maintain, the end result.

IEC 61131 has been around for almost 30 years and is now just

becoming accepted as a control software platform. Beckhoff

Automation uses a PC-based hardware platform and runs IEC

61131 control software on the machine, which also includes the

HMI. This emulates the original perceived bene�t of the original

reason for PC-based control.

Control software has morphed over the past 40 years, but

interestingly enough most processes are still PLC-based and

mainly created with ladder-logic implementations.

Almost every survey done in the past 10 years has ladder

logic being the leader in how processes are controlled.

The PLC is far from dead, but PC-based control is nowhere

near the potential it could have risen to. It’s interesting that

Rockwell Automation’s new ControlLogix platform has the op-

portunity to run Windows-based software.

Where’s the logic in the PLC?

IEC 61131 has been around for almost 30 years, and compliance with it is now becoming accepted.

JEREMY POLLARD, CET, has been writing about technology and

software issues for many years. Pollard has been involved in control

system programming and training for more than 25 years.

CD2006_11_EmbedIntel.indd 11 5/26/20 10:47 AM

12 / June 2020 / ControlDesign.com

technology trends

Rick Ricecontributing editor

[email protected]

WITHOUT NIKOLA TESLA, the concept of producing motion by

varying the frequency of multi-phase, alternating current

wouldn’t even exist.

Tesla was born in what is now Croatia in 1856. One of �ve

children, the young Nikola was inspired to do great things by

his mother, who invented small household appliances in her

spare time. His father, a priest and writer, wanted his son to

follow in his footsteps, but the priesthood was not to be Tesla’s

future for his desires were clearly on the sciences. After studies

in Germany, Austria and the Czech

Republic, Tesla moved to Budapest,

Hungary, where he worked for a time

at the telephone exchange while he

dabbled with ideas for an induction

motor. After trying for several years to

garner interest in his concepts, Tesla

decided to move to the United States.

Arriving in 1884 with few possessions and a letter of intro-

duction, Nikola gained employment with the famous inventor,

Thomas Edison. The two men worked side by side on various

inventions that were revolutionizing the American electric

industry. After several months together, the two parted ways.

Some would say that Edison was more about marketing and

gaining �nancial success, while Tesla was �rmly embedded

in the science of electricity, and the two personalities simply

couldn’t �nd common ground for a continued relationship.

In 1885, Tesla formed the Tesla Electric Light Company with

the support of investors who challenged him with improving

arc lighting. Having done so, he was forced out of the company

and had to resort to manual labor to support himself for a time.

Two years later, he received funding for a new Tesla Electric

Company, and his �rst invention was the development of the

alternating current (ac) electric system. His development of ac

power soon caught the attention of George Westinghouse, who

was interested in long-distance power distribution. Their col-

laboration gained popular interest in direct competition with

Tesla’s former boss, Thomas Edison, and his dc-based power

system. Despite Edison’s best efforts, and a well-publicized

smear campaign, ac-based systems quickly became the pre-

eminent power system in the world. Westinghouse purchased

Tesla’s patents in 1888 in exchange for $60,000 and stock in

Westinghouse Corporation.

Tesla was a scientist �rst and, to his own detriment, found

many of his greatest inventions patented by other people, but

it is his invention of the rotating magnetic �eld that made the

electric motor even possible. Pioneering work in the �eld of

multiphasic, alternating current has left an indelible mark on

the world we know today. Persistent campaigns by writers and

publishers of the day resulted in Nikola Tesla and his accom-

plishments fading into a sentence of mediocrity until recent

years when his achievements have been revealed to a new

group of admirers. The infamous

Tesla coil and the concept of wire-

less power distribution are once

more subjects of much interest and

inspiration to a new generation.

It is the foundation of three-

phase alternating current that

forms the base function of a

variable-frequency, or variable-speed, drive. By varying the

voltage and frequency, the speed and torque of an ac motor

can be varied in a direct, predictable relationship. Since the

original patent �led by Tesla in 1888 for the worlds �rst three-

phase induction motor, many have tried to accurately control

the speed of an induction motor. The cost of doing so was

expensive and, for a long time, restricted to heavy industry. In

the early 1980s, power electronics had advanced to the stage

where an economical means of controlling an induction motor

was possible. The variable-frequency drive (VFD) has changed

in form and function over the years since it was �rst invented.

In addition to the development and re�nement of semi-con-

ductor technology, drive topology and ever-improving control

and simulation techniques have �nely honed the algorithms

that provide control to induction motors.

The VFD consists of three main sections—a recti�er bridge

convertor, a direct current (dc) link and an inverter. The recti�er

bridge converts the incoming voltage to dc. The dc link uses a

capacitor to smooth out the converted voltage, and the invertor

changes that dc power into a quasi-sinusoidal ac voltage. These

voltage-source inverters (VSIs) are the most common form of

VFD in use today. Most drives are ac-ac, meaning they convert

ac line voltage into ac inverter voltage output, but some drives

are dc-ac, where dc incoming voltage is converted to ac inverter

output. Some drives can also convert single-phase input voltage

What’s driving your application?

Voltage-source inverters (VSIs) are the most common form of VFD in

use today.

CD2006_12_15_TechTrends.indd 12 5/26/20 10:48 AM

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technology trends

to three-phase inverter voltage output.

A few drive platforms of note include V/Hz, vector control

and direct torque control. V/Hz method is best suitable for

variable torque applications where the ac motor characteristics

dictate that the amplitude of the inverter output be adjusted to

match the load torque in a linear relationship between voltage

and frequency. The vector control method represents the stator

currents of a three-phase induction motor as two vector compo-

nents, the magnetic �ux and torque of the motor. The algorithm

then calculates the corresponding current component using the

�ux and torque components. These drives were designed for

use with high-performance applications where smooth control

is desired over the whole spectrum of operation. The objective

is full torque at zero speed and fast acceleration and decelera-

tion. Direct torque control (DTC) calculates the �ux and torque

of the motor using the voltage and current values. DTC is an

early development of VFDs.

Various control components have been added to VFD tech-

nology over the years to enhance the three basic subsystems.

Condition the incoming voltage, enhance or assist the dc link

and post-condition the inverter output. The incoming voltage

can be conditioned further using EMC �lter or line reactor.

The dc link can be assisted through the use of a brake resistor

to shunt excess energy that is back-fed into the drive when a

motor is rapidly decelerated. This action is to resist the mo-

tor turning into a generator during this deceleration. Finally,

�lters can be applied to the inverter output in the form of dV/

dt or sine wave �lter or an output reactor.

Some of the greatest advancements in the use of variable

frequency drives are the methods of programming and means

by which to trigger functions. Earlier VFDs were very manual

in nature. The drive was programming via an operator inter-

face, such as a keypad. The user would go through a series of

parameters to tell the drive how to respond to the commands

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and what settings to use for the components of the control

algorithm. Digital signals would then be used to tell the drive

to start or stop, accelerate or decelerate. Other digital signals

could be used to determine speed and direction.

The next major advancement was the use of network protocols

to provide both a means to con�gure and control a VFD. Early

versions would exchange a pre-determined block of information

to and from the drive. These would usually include status and

feedback registers from the drive and command and frequency

registries to the drive. As network topology has improved, the

use of more and more command and status registers has opened

up the ability of using the software (PLC program) to not only

control the drive and receive feedback but actually con�gure the

parameters in the drive, as well. Using a basic entry keypad to

con�gure parameters would take minutes or hours to complete

in the past. The use of software running on a laptop and a net-

work cable has reduced this to mere seconds in many cases.

The package containing the drive continues to get smaller.

A 460-Vac, 5-hp drive, for example, used to be mounted

externally to a control cabinet due the enormous size of

the drive and the large heat dissipated by the drive during

operation. The drive would have a footprint of about 12-by-10

inches and weigh about 30 lb. A modern version of that same

drive occupies a space of about 5.5 by 4 inches and weighs no

more than 1 lb.

One interesting trend is the use of a variable frequency drive

on a motion-capable logic controller. These VFDs can use en-

coder feedback to create closed-loop control and operate using

motion commands, just like a servo drive. As time goes on, the

gap between open-loop VFD control and closed-loop stepper/

servo control gets smaller and smaller.

Automation is all about perspective. Signi�cant technology

enhancements have happened, but the objects we’re controlling

are those same items invented by the wizards of the past.

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FESTO AND MASSROBOTICS have entered into a strategic

partnership that aims to further global market growth and

innovation initiatives dedicated to the development of the next

generation of robotics.

MassRobotics, the independent, nonpro�t group serving as

an innovation hub for robotics and smart connected devices,

aims to foster a collaborative space in which to inspire the next

generation of robotics and automation innovators and builders.

The organization’s escalator model allows startups to establish,

grow, offer employment and provide value for MassRobotics’

partner organizations.

According to Festo, MassRobotics creates a supportive learn-

ing environment to engage youth and future engineers and

entrepreneurs by offering STEM workshops, competitions and

technical internships. MassRobotics supports the Ventilator

Project, which aims to solve the ventilator shortage crisis with

an low-cost ventilator designed by members; the team is cur-

rently seeking FDA approval for the device.

“Combining Festo’s in-depth know-how in manufacturing

applications and automation technology with the MassRobotics

community will enable Festo to engage with robotics and auto-

mation startups,” said Alfons Riek, vice president technology

and innovation at Festo. “We will collaborate with entrepre-

neurs and academia alike in bringing innovative new automa-

tion and robotic concepts and solutions to market.”

“Festo and the MassRobotics community will explore the

evolution of automated manufacturing solutions to autonomous

ones,” said Carlos Miranda, CEO, Festo North America. “Through

technology challenge engagements, members will co-develop

and commercialize advanced products and systems.”

“MassRobotics and Festo share a vision to develop robotic

solutions dedicated to the emerging needs of the manufacturing

sector,” said Fady Saad, cofounder and vice president of strategic

partnerships, MassRobotics. “Having an automation company

with the expertise, resources, and leading-edge development

capabilities of Festo will further the mission of MassRobotics

and create excitement about our collaborative efforts.”

Festo, MassRobotics partner to develop next generation of robotics

Shake on itFady Saad (left), MassRobotics co-founder, receives the Festo delivery of a Rize 3D printer for the MassRobotics Shared Labs from Festo senior product manager Nuzha Yakoob.


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ing, Plant Services and Smart Industry magazines,

have announced the 2020 class of In�uential Women in

Manufacturing.

The 20 women who were selected this year are recognized

for their leadership in manufacturing. Each honoree has

helped move the needle not only for their respective organiza-

tions, but for women and manufacturing everywhere.

The honorees were selected from 88 nominations that came

in between January 1-April 10, 2020. A team of 12 judges—

comprised of seven Putman editors and �ve IWIM alumni—re-

viewed and voted on this year’s entries.

“We’re honored to welcome these 20 women into the third

annual class of In�uential Women in Manufacturing. Their

nominations—and the people who nominated them—remind

us that with determination and passion for progress, anything

is possible,” said John Cappelletti, CEO of Putman Media.

The 2020 In�uential Women in Manufacturing honorees

will be pro�led in a dedicated e-book to be released by Putman

Media this summer. They will also be recognized during an

event taking place at the end of September.

(Sou

rce:

Fes

to)

CD2006_16_23_Indiscrete.indd 16 5/26/20 11:29 AM

CD2006_FPA.indd 17 5/26/20 11:20 AM

Congratulations to the 2020 IWIM Honorees:

• Helen Kane, Engineering Manager,

Advanced Energy Industries

• Amy Grace, Applied Data Science Fellow,

Collins Aerospace

• Dafni Bika, Global Head Pharmaceutical

Technology and Development, Astrazeneca

• Haleyanne Freedman, Market Manager

and Engineering Consultant, M Holland

• JoAnna Sohovich, CEO, Chamberlain Group

• Emily Martin, Industrial Engineering Manager,

Endress+Hauser

• Jennifer Blanchette, Director of Manufacturing,

Baxter Healthcare

• JoyL Silva, General Manager, P�zer CentreOne

• Cindy Jaudon, President, IFS Americas

• Lisa Zasada, Global Reliability Engineering Director,

General Mills

• Christy Thompson, Principal Engineer,

Global Engineering, General Mills

• Mary Beth Seasholtz, Technology Leader

for the Data Services Capability, Dow

• Jesika Young, CEO, Cimtech

• Taylor Claiborne, Operations Specialist –

Perfect Execution, Emerson

• Julie Camardo, CEO, Zweigles, Inc.

• Cindy Tomei, Vice President, Membership Growth &

Engagement, Illinois Manufacturers’ Association

• Colleen Herczak, Vice President, Quality,

Grand River Aseptic Manufacturing (GRAM)

• Meghan West, President, CNC Software

• Barbara Juncosa, Department Chair, MiraCosta College

• Sascha Harrell, Director of Education and Workforce,

Purdue University Indiana Next Generation

Manufacturing Competitiveness Center

Founded in 2017, In�uential Women in Manufacturing

seeks to recognize women who are effecting change in

manufacturing and industrial production and engaging

the next generation of manufacturing leaders.


indiscrete

Northrop Grumman earns top diversity accoladeNORTHROP GRUMMAN HAS been ranked 15th on DiversityInc’s an-

nual list for the Top 50 Companies for Diversity, moving up two spots

from last year’s ranking. In the DiversityInc specialty lists rankings,

Northrop Grumman was ranked 2nd for people with disabilities, and

4th for both veterans and employee resource groups (ERG). The com-

pany was also recognized as a top company for LGBT employees.

“Diversity and inclusion is rooted in our culture and our values,

and we want our employees to know they can be their true selves at

work,” said Kathy Warden, chairman, CEO and president, Northrop

Grumman. “I truly believe that diversity and inclusion drive per-

formance. Great ideas come from diversity of thought, background,

perspective, culture, gender, race, age and many other factors. We

continue to make great strides in ensuring our employees feel re-

spected and know their voices matter.”

Last year, Northrop Grumman received the highest ranking

for the �fth year in a row on the Disability Equality Index (DEI),

an annual benchmarking tool for companies to self-report their

disability policies and practices. The company was also named a

“Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” recipient. The award

recognized the company for its exemplary policies, strategies and

initiatives that have resulted in measureable outcomes in disabil-

ity inclusiveness in the workplace.

In addition to its other initiatives, Northrop Grumman has a

number of programs to support veterans, including a Veteran

Inclusion Committee whose mission is to support veteran engage-

ment, inclusion and retention; Operation IMPACT (Injured Military

Pursuing Assisted Career Transition), an award-winning diversity

program within Northrop Grumman focused on assisting severely

wounded service members as they transition from the military to a

private-sector career.

Northrop Grumman has 13 ERGs that provide bene�ts for both

members and the company. Across more than 270 chapters,

these groups include those supporting African Americans, Asian

Paci�c Islanders, Hispanics, Native Americans, women, people

with disabilities, veterans, LGBT employees, young professionals,

parents and families, multiple generation, virtual employees and

environmentalists.

The DiversityInc Top 50 list, issued yearly since 2001, rec-

ognizes companies for diversity and inclusion management.

These companies excel in areas such as hiring and retaining and

promoting women, minorities, people with disabilities, LGBT

individuals and veterans.


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ELEMENT14 ANNOUNCED THE launch of

the “Fighting Germs” Project14 design

challenge. The challenge is engaging ele-

ment14’s problem-solving designers and

engineers to �nd innovative solutions to

�ghting germs, one of the most ef�cient

ways to slow the spread of COVID-19.

The goal of this challenge is for mem-

bers of the element14 Community to

create an affordable project that uses re-

sources and components that are readily

available so others can easily replicate

their designs. The hope is that people

around the world will be able to help

slow and prevent the spread of COVID-19

in their communities with these innova-

tive approaches.

“Everyone has the opportunity to do

their part to help slow the spread of this

disease, and that is especially true of

our amazing community of engineers,

makers and hobbyists,” said Dianne

Kibbey, global head of community and

social media for the element14 Com-

munity. “Our members came to us just

as the lock-downs started and asked us

to launch a challenge for new innova-

tions in this area. We encourage our

more than 730,000 members to put their

unique design skills to work and create

solutions to help prevent the spread of

this pandemic.”

Unlike other design challenges,

there are no speci�c requirements to

participate. element14 says solutions

could include face protection, body

temperature monitor/access controls,

contactless disinfection of frequently

touched surfaces and automated dis-

ease testing.

The grand prize winner of the “Fight-

ing Germs” design challenge will win

a $200 shopping cart to Newark, a $200

donation to their preferred COVID-19

charitable cause and a Flir thermal im-

aging camera. An additional 3 winners

will each receive $100 shopping carts

to Newark to help bring their designs

to life along with a UV sanitizing lamp.

Members can work on tackling this chal-

lenge solo or in teams, as long as they

collaborate remotely.

The “Fighting Germs” Project 14

design challenge is open now through

June 15. Winners will be announced by

June 29.


indiscrete

Element14 launches design challenge to help fight COVID-19

WITNESSING GROWTH IN the recent

past, smart factory projects have per-

formed well on the back of rising adop-

tion of analytics and cyber security

tools. The global smart factory market

value surpassed $95 billion in 2019, and

a new study from Future Market In-

sights (FMI) projects solid double-digit

growth for the market during forecast

period of 2020-2030.

The worldwide coronavirus (COVID-19)

pandemic triggered considerable down-

turn across industries, particularly smart

factory market, FMI reports. Deploy-

ment of smart technologies could be

bene�cial in breaking the pattern of the

virus. However, massive slowdown in the

manufacturing sector, especially in Asia,

is straining economic activities across

various industrial domains. These factors

are constantly putting pressure on smart

factory market and would adversely af-

fect the market supply chain, it adds.

For the forecast period 2020-2030, the

new report highlights the following:

• Software demand will grow at a

signi�cant CAGR throughout the

forecast period.

• Among software components, distrib-

uted control systems hold a leading

market share as they are widely used

in factories for monitoring and control-

ling various processes.

• Discrete industry remains key revenue

generator in smart factory market and

would maintain the trend through 2030.

• Business partnerships help increase

revenue, and new innovations in IT

domain are enabling smart factory

solution providers reach new potential

customers, globally.

To sustain extreme competition, FMI

reports that a majority of companies

are adopting data-driven technologies

such as big data analytics, intelligent

automation, arti�cial intelligence (AI)

and sensor technologies. Data-driven

technologies offer an opportunity in

transformation of existing manufactur-

ing paradigm to smart manufacturing.

Further, they empower companies to

craft new strategies to gain leading edge.

Smart factory market surpasses $95 billion in 2019


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CD2006_FPA.indd 21 5/26/20 11:20 AM

ARC ADVISORY GROUP research on the

global Operator Training Simulators

(OTS) market shows that as the cur-

rent generation of experienced workers

retires from the industrial workforce,

high-� delity operator training simulator

(OTS) technology will play an increas-

ingly important role in getting the new

generation of operators and mainte-

nance technicians up to speed. As a re-

sult, the ARC market research indicates

that the overall market for OTS solu-

tions should recoup slowly with modest

growth over the forecast period despite

the global pandemic. This includes both

OTS software and services.

“A trend we’re seeing is for power

generation plants, pipeline operators,

re� neries, and petrochemical plants

to increasingly outsource the develop-

ment and maintenance of high-� delity,

unit-speci� c training simulators to their

OTS suppliers, such as Honeywell, GSE

Systems, Yokogawa, Emerson, and Yok-

ogawa,” said Rick Rys, senior consultant

at ARC Advisory and key author of ARC’s

Operator Training Simulators Global

Market Research report. “This generates

incremental revenue for the suppliers

and enables the end users to focus on

their core competencies.”

This ARC research explores current

and historical market performance and

related technology and business trends,

identi� es leading technology suppliers

and provides � ve-year global forecasts for

the Operator Training Simulators market.

Conveyorsystem market to see only 2.9% growthTHE GLOBAL CONVEYOR system market is

anticipated to witness only a growth of

2.9% according to a recent Fact.MR report.

With that growth it would create an

absolute dollar opportunity of more than

$3.1 billion. It is projected to be valued at

more than $12.9 billion by the end of the

forecast period of 2020 to 2030. According

to the data research organization, indus-

trial automation solutions among end-

users has paved way for novel conveyor

system designs to enhance productivity.

Fact.MR also says that the coronavi-

rus pandemic is distorting many supply

chains, especially for e-commerce compa-

nies. A dramatic spike in orders followed

by a reduction in manufacturing and

shipping, along with products running

out of stocks has brought on an abrupt

change in consumer buying behavior. This

is creating high demand for warehouse

space, which is expected to boost demand

for a material handling equipment such as

conveyor and storage systems.

Due to COVID-19 lockdown, the manu-

facturing industry is facing dormancy

due to complete shutdown of business

indiscrete

ARC: Retiring workforce drives operator training simulator growth


operations. Those companies who have

been able to restart their manufacturing

facilities are facing abruptly scaled down

production for conveyor belt material due

to a greatly affected supply chain. This

will hinder adoption of conveyor belts.

The segment is expected to lose value of

$5.0 billion by the end of forecast period.

CLPA global strategic advisor to increase reach of CC-Link IE TSNCC-LINK PARTNER ASSOCIATION (CLPA),

which promotes the widespread usage

of the CC-Link open industrial network

family, announced the creation of a

global strategic advisor role for which it

recruited Thomas J. Burke to � ll.

Burke is the past president, executive

director and founding leader of the OPC

Foundation, which is focused on deliver-

ing the best speci� cations, technology,

process and certi� cation necessary to

achieve multi-vendor, multi-platform,

secure reliable information integration

across disparate devices and applications

from the factory � oor to the enterprise.

CC-Link IE TSN combines the gigabit

bandwidth of CC-Link IE with Time-

Sensitive Networking (TSN) to meet fu-

ture automation market demands, such

as Industry 4.0. This provides � exible

integration of Operational Technology

(OT) and IT while further strengthen-

ing performance and functionality.

A comprehensive portfolio of device

development options also ensures that

any vendor can easily add this technol-

ogy to their product line-up. The aim is

to improve ef� ciency and reduce time

to market for Smart Factories utiliz-

ing the IIoT and the products they

manufacture. A year and a half after the

announcement of the CC-Link IE TSN

speci� cations, more than 100 partner

products have been released or are un-

der development.

Highly Efficient Wiring Solution


Machine safety technology has come a long way

from the basic safety relays of the past. Today, ma-

chine designers have more advanced safety tools at

their disposal, including highly integrated program-

mable safety solutions. The best offerings in this

category include safety solutions that can leverage

standard hardware, software and networking infra-

structure to implement high levels of safety up to SIL

3 according to IEC 61508 and ISO 13849.

In practice, this means that users can install

I/O with built-in safety logic right alongside stan-

dard I/O in the same segment, whether that’s on

a DIN rail or mounted on a machine. Other au-

tomation hardware comes with integrated safety

functionality, such as servo drives and distributed

drive systems. In terms of networking, the safety

data can be transmitted over a standard industrial

Ethernet or fieldbus using a “black channel” ap-

proach. With the proliferation of safety func-

tionality to many more hardware types, machine

builders can distribute more safety in more places

while increasing performance and reducing over-

all equipment and cabling costs.

Q: How has the ever-expanding availability and use

of programmable I/O impacted the spread of inte-

grated safety and programmable safety logic?

A: More people are using programmable safety I/O

because of its many advantages, such as the wide

range of form factors. These include standard DIN-

rail-mountable terminals in the same segment as

standard I/O and machine-mountable I/O modules,

which reduce cabling to the control panel. Integrated

safety devices have really made it easy for machine

builders to offer more safety in more places.

Because of integrated safety’s programmability

in standard automation software, you can config-

ure complicated logic inside a simple input device

to make it safer for the people who are operating

the machine. This enables machine builders to

use safety as a competitive advantage and deliver

many different safety features rather than just

hardwiring an e-stop to certify the machine accord-

ing to minimal safety requirements.

Programmable safety with safety I/O is easier to

implement and less expensive – during commis-

sioning and in the long term. It reduces the num-

ber of components and, as a result, the control

cabinet footprint. Machines are safer, and they

have less downtime because of easier restarts

from a safe stop to a running state. These are ma-

jor reasons why more machine builders are imple-

menting integrated programmable safety, rather

than the traditional approach.

Q: What are the benefits of programmable safety

over older ways of implementing machine safety,

such as safety relays?

A: Traditional safety relays are still the most common

method, but they just cut the power to stop ma-

chines. Integrated programmable safety does much

more. First, the safety is totally integrated into the

machine control system, so you have a wealth of di-

agnostic information available. That’s really important.

When a machine stops, it’s crucial to understand

why. With simple safety relays, you have to open the

control cabinet just to know which relay tripped and,

usually, trace the wiring back to the field device.

With integrated safety logic, you have access to

much more diagnostic data. EtherCAT and Twin-

SAFE, especially, provide information down to the ter-

minal level to localize where a signal tripped and why.

Another challenge with safety relays is that specific

relays only offer specific functionalities. There are

separate devices for e-stops, door switches, safety

mats and other devices. Adding another e-stop us-

ing traditional safety relays involves significant wiring

effort. Therefore, the component list gets bigger and

bigger when commissioning a safety system.

When using integrated safety, this functionality is

mostly handled in software, so the hardware side is

simpler. The safety I/O is either an input or an out-

SPONSORED CONTENT

A case for integrated safety systems

SREE SWARNA GUTTA I/O Product Manager,

Beckhoff Automation


CD2005_24_25_Beckhoff_QA.indd 24 5/26/20 11:01 AM

put, and what it does is up to the program. Changes require little to

no rewiring, since safety logic updates take place in software. But

the system retains the necessary redundancy using the TÜV-certi-

fied Safety over EtherCAT (FSoE) protocol.

Having access to the safety program in code benefits serial

machine production. Transferring code from one machine to an-

other machine is easy. All you need to do is wire the I/O as you

normally would.

In addition, analog safety is available in programmable systems.

Purely digital safety relays can only be on or off. Analog safety al-

lows machines to constantly check the pressure or the tempera-

ture on a module, for example, and safely turn it off before it fails.

That reduces machine downtime and helps with maintenance.

Q: What opportunities exist for technology convergence in

safety systems?

A: When we speak about integrated safety, we’re talking about

one system. On the hardware side, standard I/O and certi-

fied safety I/O integrate easily into the same segment. On the

software and programming side, Beckhoff provides TwinCAT 3

software as a universal engineering and runtime platform for all

machine automation needs. It’s all one system.

What advantages does it give? All the information is immedi-

ately accessible, including the diagnostic data. Because it’s all in

one system, you can put that diagnostic information on an HMI

alongside other machine performance stats. If something hap-

pens, operators or maintenance can easily troubleshoot it, for

example. Also, machine builders talk a lot about IoT and remote

monitoring. Uploading the safety data to the cloud, a database

or HMI is possible and easier to accomplish in one system. For

many years, TwinCAT has been driving the convergence of all of

these industrial automation technologies.

Q: Some machines used in discrete manufacturing require intrin-

sically safe I/O hardware and explosion protection. What advice

do you give to these OEMs?

A: When we talk about safety in a standard machine, people

think about e-stops and safety switches. When we talk about

intrinsic safety, people immediately think of the oil and gas indus-

try. The perception is that intrinsically safe devices only belong

in those industries, but that’s not true. Intrinsic safety is used

in other industries, such as processing sugar and flour, where

there’s significant dust, or cosmetics, alcohol and many others

with vapors that are prone to explosion.

Typically, engineers use intrinsically safe barriers with standard

I/Os, rather than intrinsically safe modules. This adds up to more

parts, bigger control panels and higher costs. It’s better to use

an intrinsically safe module that slides right next to standard I/O

or safety I/O. Intrinsically safe I/O terminals provide reliable, low-

voltage communication directly to sensors and devices in hazard-

ous areas, even in Zone 1 or Zone 0 where dust or other particles

could act as an ignition source. They simplify safety architectures

and are equally important to machine builder OEMs.

Q: What technologies or best practices are being used to ensure

the security of safety data?

A: Many people worry about whether their data is secure and

what might happen if it’s not. With EtherCAT, the functional prin-

ciples make data automatically secure. EtherCAT establishes

secure networking because it’s set up without any IP addresses,

and the EtherCAT master knows exactly what kind of data to ex-

pect from the slave devices. Through EtherCAT’s default mode of

operating, your data is already secure.

For safety data, it’s actually more protected. FSoE uses a

“black channel” approach, so standard devices can’t read the

safety data when it passes through. Only the safety terminals

recognize the data. They read and process that data, then send

commands in response. Using TwinSAFE, customers don’t have

to worry about data security, especially when using EtherCAT.

For more information about Beckhoff Automation integrated

safety, please visit www.beckhoff.com/twinsafe.

SPONSORED CONTENT

SAFETY, INCORPORATEDIntegrated safety systems, such as TwinSAFE, incorporate safety program engineering into the universal TwinCAT 3 automation platform used for PLC, motion control and more.


CD2005_24_25_Beckhoff_QA.indd 25 5/26/20 11:02 AM

by Mike Bacidore, editor in chief


cover story

CD2006_26_35_CoverStory.indd 26 5/26/20 11:32 AM


THIS YEAR MARKS the 20th anniver-

sary of the Control Design Readers’

Choice Awards. The past two decades

have been as liberating as they’ve been

innovative. Remote

capabilities and

software-driven

enhancements have pushed technology

forward so fast there seems to be no

limit to what can’t be automated or up-

graded. The impossible has become the

standard, and industry has shaken off

technological restrictions

without looking back.

When is the last time you even heard

someone utter the word, “bandwidth”?

The future is here, and, while many

of the technologies and products are

new, the majority of the suppliers have

gone the distance, innovating new solu-

tions or acquiring them to complement

an existing portfolio. Once again, the

readers of Control Design have delivered

on identifying their favorite component

and system suppliers.

by Mike Bacidore, editor in chief

MethodologyFor the 2020 Control Design Read-

ers’ Choice Awards, more than

15,000 individuals who identify

themselves as having buying in� u-

ence or authority were invited to ac-

cess our con� dential ballot. All of the

voting is unaided, meaning that no list

of supplier choices is provided for guid-

ance or assistance in the ballot. It is cre-

ated entirely by the participants, who may

vote for � rst, second and third preferences

in each category. The results are grouped

by Control, Hardware, Motion, Networking,

Safety, Sensing and Software categories.

The results do not knowingly include votes

from any suppliers in the � nal tally.


CONTROL

CNC Controller1. Fanuc

2. Siemens

Loop Controller1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens

3. Yokogawa

Motion Controller1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens

3. Schneider Electric

Programmable Automation Controller (PAC)

1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens


4. Omron

Programmable Logic Controller (PLC)


2. Siemens

3. AutomationDirect

4. Omron


Embedded Computer System


2. Siemens

3. Beckhoff Automation

4. Advantech

Industrial-Grade Computer



4. Siemens

5. Advantech

5. Phoenix Contact

HARDWARE

Circuit Protection

1. Eaton

2. Siemens



5. ABB

Industrial Electrical Connector/Cordset

1. Turck

2. Murrelektronik

3. Banner Engineering


5. Phoenix Contact

Industrial Enclosure

1. nVent

2. Rittal

3. Saginaw Control & Engineering

4. Hammond Manufacturing

Industrial Enclosure Thermal Product

1. nVent

2. Rittal

Operator Interface1. Rockwell Automation


3. Siemens

4. AutomationDirect

5. Red LIon

Panel Meter1. Red Lion

2. AutomationDirect

3. Omron

Power Supply1. Rockwell Automation

2. Emerson

3. Phoenix Contact

4. Puls

5. Siemens

Relay1. Rockwell Automation

2. Phoenix Contact


4. Omron

5. IDEC

6. Siemens

Stack Light Tower1. Rockwell Automation


3. Patlite


5. Siemens

6. Werma


cover story


Learn more about our HMI family: www.wago.us/touchpanel

OPERATE. CONTROL. VISUALIZE.TOUCH PANEL 600: PLC + HMI ALL-IN-ONE

• High resolution graphics and glass panels• Support of all six IEC PLC programming languages• Multiple fieldbuses: Ethernet/IP, MODBUS TCP/UDP, CANopen, EtherCAT• IIoT-Ready: Sparkplug, native MQTT with built-in Firewall and VPN• Linux OS with Docker Container capabilities

RS 232485

PLC +

HMI

CD_Updated Touch Panel Ad.indd 1 5/22/20 2:26 PMCD2006_FPA.indd 29 5/26/20 11:21 AM

Terminal Block1. Phoenix Contact

2. Wago


4. Weidmuller

5. AutomationDirect

Wire & Cabling1. Belden

2. Lapp

3. Southwire

4. Alpha

MOTION

Gear Reducer1. Altra Industrial Motion

2. SEW-Eurodrive

3. Timken

4. Wittenstein

5. ABB

Hydraulic System Controls/ Components

1. Parker

2. Eaton

3. Bosch Rexroth

4. Festo

Industrial Electric Motor1. ABB

2. Regal-Beloit

3. Siemens

4. Weg

Industrial Electric Motor Drive1. Rockwell Automation

2. ABB

3. Siemens

4. Eaton

5. Yaskawa

Linear Motion Actuator/ Slide/Guide

1. Altra Industrial Motion

2. Tolomatic

3. Festo

4. SMC


Servo Motor1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens

3. Yaskawa

4. Bosch Rexroth

5. Altra Industrial Motion


Stepper Motor1. Oriental Motor

2. AutomationDirect


4. Parker

Motor Starter1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens


4. Eaton

Pneumatic Cylinder/Actuator1. SMC

2. Festo

3. Bimba

4. Parker

Pneumatic Systems Controls/Components

1. SMC

2. Festo

3. Emerson

4. Parker

Robots

1. Fanuc

2. ABB

3. Kuka Robotics

4. Yaskawa

NETWORKING

Data Acquisition System

1. National Instruments



Data Recorder

1. Yokogawa


3. Omega

Wired Network Components

1. Cisco


3. Red Lion

4. Moxa

5. Phoenix Contact

Wireless Network Components

1. Cisco

2. Siemens

3. Moxa

4. Phoenix Contact

Network Protocol Converters/Bridges/Adapters

1. HMS Industrial Networks


3. Moxa

4. Red Lion

5. Cisco


cover story


www.phoenixcontact.com/warranty

© PHOENIX CONTACT 2019

Extending a lifetime of peace of mindOur Limited Lifetime Warranty is our promise to you that the products you install in your control cabinets are built to last. Free your mind with a variety of warranted products that will last for a lifetime. All you need to do is register, and then relax. Isn’t it time you trusted Phoenix Contact to build your cabinet confidence?

IMC-001905_ADVNewLLWAd_PeaceofMindwarranty.indd 1 7/11/2019 2:08:04 PMCD2006_FPA.indd 31 5/26/20 11:21 AM

Network Router/Switch1. Cisco


3. Red Lion

4. Siemens

5. Moxa

6. Phoenix Contact

Input/Output System1. Rockwell Automation

2. Phoenix Contact

3. Siemens

4. Wago

5. Turck

Machine-Mount Input/Output1. Rockwell Automation

2. Turck

3. Balluff

4. Siemens

Remote Machine Access1. HMS Industrial Networks

2. Phoenix Contact


SAFETY

Industrial Enclosure Purge System1. Pepperl+Fuchs

2. nVent

3. Rittal

Intrinsic Safety Components 1. Pepperl+Fuchs


3. Eaton

4. Pilz


6. Phoenix Contact

Machine Safety Components1. Rockwell Automation

2. Omron


Programmable Safety Controller1. Rockwell Automation

2. Sick

3. Siemens

4. Pilz

5. Beckhoff

Safety Network Components1. Rockwell Automation

2. Cisco

3. Siemens

Safety Relay1. Rockwell Automation


3. Phoenix Contact

4. Omron

5. Pilz

SENSING

Linear Position Sensor1. Balluff

2. Turck

3. Keyence

4. MTS

5. Pepperl_Fuchs

6. Heidenhain

Machine Vision System1. Cognex

2. Keyence

3. Omron


Encoder/Resolver Measurement1. Rockwell Automation

2. Encoder Products Co.

3. BEI

4. Dynapar

5. Heidenhain

6. Turck

Flow Measurement1. Emerson

2. Endress+Hauser

3. Ifm efector

4. Keyence

5. Siemens

Level Measurement1. Endress+Hauser

2. Emerson

3. Vega

4. Pepperl+Fuchs

5. Siemens

Load Cell/Weighing Measurement1. Mettler Toledo

2. Rice Lake

3. Hardy

4. Omega

Pressure Measurement1. Emerson

2. Endress+Hauser

3. Siemens

4. Omega

5. Keyence

Temperature Measurement1. Emerson

2. Omega

3. Endress+Hauser

4. Pyromation

5. Ifm efector


cover story


Smart Sensors for Every Challenge

Built Rugged and Reliable for the Real World

Smart laser measurement sensors from Banner Engineering reliably solve the most challenging measurement and inspection applications. From clear object detection to ultra-precise measurements, our laser sensors solve complex challenges with fewer, more powerful devices.

Detect or measure any target:• Clear and reflective targets • Very dark targets, even against a dark background• Multicolored targets with many color transitions • Extremely small targets

Learn more at : bannerengineering.com/smartsensors

CD2006_FPA.indd 33 5/26/20 11:21 AM

Vibration Measurement1. GE


3. Emerson

4. Keyence

Photoelectric Sensing


2. Keyence

3. Pepperl+Fuchs


5. Omron

Proximity Switch

1. Turck

2. Pepperl+Fuchs


4. Ifm efector

Ultrasonic Sensor


2. Pepperl+Fuchs


4. Siemens

5. ifm efector

RFID/Barcode Reader

1. Cognex

2. Keyence


4. Siemens

5. Sick

SOFTWARE

Data Acquisition Software


2. Data q

3. Kepware


5. National instruments

5. Inductive Automation

cover story

• UL/CSA listed for motor and branch circuit disconnect switching

• 20-200 A, .75-100 HP, up to IP69K

• Plug and play connections with integral LOTO provisions cut changeout downtime by 50%

• Motor mounted, inline, and wallbox configurations allow installation in a convenient location

©2020 MELTRIC Corporation AD2009

BEFO

RE YOU

BUY

meltric.com/sampleRestrictions apply.

MELTRIC Simplifies Motor ConnectionsMELTRIC Switch-Rated devices meet NEC requirements for ‘line of sight’ motor disconnects.

Learn more at meltric.com

UL/CSA listed for motor and branch circuit disconnect switching

configurations



ECAD Software1. Autodesk

2. Dassault Systems

3. Eplan

Integrated Development Platform Software


2. Siemens


HMI Software1. Rockwell Automation


3. Siemens

Motion Control Software1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens



PC-Based Machine Control Software



PLC Programming Software1. Rockwell Automation

2. Siemens


Network Management Software1. Rockwell Automation

2. Cisco

� Globally certified Type Z / Ex pzc system for Div. 2 and Zone 2/22 applications � Fully automatic control and pressure compensation in a low-cost, compact housing� Touch screen display and preset purge programs for easy system setup

www.pepperl-fuchs.com/purge7500

Bebco EPS® 7500 Series Purge and Pressurization System

Trusting in experience.Relying on expertise.Revolutionizing protection.

What did we miss?Each year, we poll the readers of Control Design to determine which suppliers you’re using to provide the solutions you need, but the technology sometimes changes. We can use your help in identifying the automation and controls you are using to build machines. Suggest new categories by emailing [email protected].


HMI panels with multitouch technologyThese 7- to 22-in HMI Uni�ed Comfort Panels offer visualization

improvements over the predecessor devices. A capacitive glass

front with multitouch technology makes them as convenient to

use as a smartphone or tablet. The sharp colors and contrast im-

prove readability and ease of use. Visualization on the devices is

based on the Simatic WinCC Uni�ed visualization system in TIA

Portal and is suitable for scalable solutions, from machine-level

applications to distributed SCADA solutions. The Simatic HMI

product portfolio also has the option to expand functions with

apps. HMI panels previously were used exclusively for visualiza-

tion software. The integration of Siemens Industrial Edge

enables users to run other programs

simultaneously alongside this

standard device functionality.

Siemens / www.siemens.com

Headless remote HMI without attached displayIntended for users who don’t require a built-in HMI display, need

a larger display or would rather use a mobile app, the C-more

EA9 series remote HMI unit provides the functionality of a touch

panel without touchscreen interface. The headless unit sup-

ports an HD 1280x720 pixel screen

resolution with an HDMI output that

supplies both video and audio out. The

EA9-RHMI has an 800-MHz CPU and

82 MB of project memory, includes

two serial ports—USB 2.0 Types A and

B—a built-in SD memory card slot and one Ethernet port. The

Ethernet 10/100 Base-T port supports program download, remote

Internet access and communications to PLCs and PCs.

AutomationDirect / 800-633-0405 / www.automationdirect.com

Modular industrial displaysRXi industrial displays are designed to work with Emerson PLCs,

PAC solutions and third-party control systems. They feature

standardized physical designs to minimize the variety of enclo-

sure cutouts required for OEM applications, making each display

easily replaceable and upgradeable in the �eld with no need to

modify existing or install new cabinets. Three display types

provide options for a variety of

applications: Panel PC includes a

high-performance and rugged in-

dustrial PC for powerful comput-

ing capabilities, Industrial Monitor

works with most industrial or

commercial PCs for plant �oor visualization, and Web Panel sup-

ports Web-hosted applications. Displays are available in sizes

ranging from 7 to 24 in.

Emerson / emerson.com

Industrial thin client for virtualized HMI systemsThe BTC12 and BTC14 thin clients feature VisuNet RM Shell

5 �rmware, the latest generation of thin client �rmware for

industrial-grade security and stability. Designed for use in harsh

industrial environments, their Intel Apollo Lake and AMD Ryzen

processors support operator workstation setups with as many

as four monitors. The BTC12

has two DisplayPort connec-

tions for dual video output,

supporting 4K (Ultra HD) resolution at 60 Hz. The BTC14 has four

DisplayPort connections for quad video applications. Both thin

clients also support D++ (allows connectivity to an HDMI moni-

tor via a passive DP-to-HDMI cable) and Multi-Stream Transport

protocol (daisy chaining multiple monitors to one display port).

Pepperl+Fuchs / www.pepperl-fuchs.com

UL Type 4X HMI seriesThe Harmony GTUX HMI series for ex-

treme conditions combines the 7-, 12- or

15-in-wide sunlight-readable display—

made with an aluminum die-cast, stain-

less steel bezel—with the HMIG3X box

unit. This combination offers operating temperatures ranging

from -30 to 70 °C, a high brightness liquid crystal panel display-

ing screens at 1,000 nits and a UL 50E Type 4X Outdoor use rat-

ing. The series is suitable for multiple applications under harsh

environmental conditions. The display also features UV protec-

tion, conformal coating and vibration and shock resistance.

Schneider Electric / www.se.com

Human-machine interfaces expand horizonsManage and control what you see


product roundup CONTACT US [email protected]

CD2006_36_40_Roundup.indd 36 5/26/20 10:52 AM

Compact EtherCAT Controller and Slice I/OA Scalable Control Platform Especially Made for System Integration

DIN-Rail Control IPC with EtherCAT Slice IO Expansion

AMAX-5000 is a revolutionary compact size controller, featuring high-speed processing, flexible expansion, and a high

degree of integration. This series offers an impressive array of features: AMAX-5580 embedded controller, EtherCAT I/O

module—AMAX-50xx series, and PCIe module—AMAX-54xx series. The combination of our latest AMAX-5580 IIoT

embedded controller with an EtherCAT I/O module and PCIe module provides a powerful tool for realizing smart

industrial 4.0 applications. AMAX-5000 series can integrate with third-party software, making it easier for industrial

equipment manufacturers to develop smart IIoT applications. So for example, when developing machine vision and

machine control applications, integrators can install image recognition software on AMAX-5580, connect USB 3.0 or PoE

modules and attach industrial cameras, paired with an EtherCAT I/O module to control a robotic arm. For predictive

equipment maintenance applications, acquisition and analysis software on AMAX-5580, along with an EtherCAT I/O

module, allows operators to remotely collect data, obtain equipment status, perform equipment diagnostics, and

schedule maintenance tasks.

• Intel 6th Gen Core i7/ i5/ Celeron CPU

• 2 x LAN, 4 x USB 3.0, 2 x Serial,

VGA+HDMI Dual Display

• Compact and fanless design

• BIOS/ OS optimized for CODESYS/

EtherCAT environment

DIN-Rail Control IPC

• 2 x PoE/2xGbE expansion module

• PCIe-mini card with SIM card slot

• 2 x Isolated RS-232/422/485

• 4 x USB 3.0 with full bandwidth

PCIe Expansion Module

• EtherCAT coupler module

• DI/ DO/ AI/ AO module

• RTD module/ Thermocouple

• Encoder/ counter module

EtherCAT I/O ModuleCAT I/O Me Exp MN R il C t l

www.advantech.com

CD2006_FPA.indd 37 5/26/20 11:21 AM

One-click dashboard for engineering ef�ciencyWith the TwinCAT Analytics One-Click Dashboard, all it takes

for users is a simple mouse click to generate an entire HTML5-

enabled analytics dashboard based on the PLC code that then

is loaded into a selected Analyt-

ics Runtime container. When the

process completes, users receive

a network address to access the

dashboard in a Web browser. This

ability to generate dashboards

without the need to design graph-

ics or write a single line of code saves time in engineering

processes. Based on the TwinCAT 3 HMI, this functionality

provides at least one HMI Control for every TwinCAT Analytics

algorithm, each with an up-to-date tile design that follows the

latest Web development standards.

Beckhoff Automation / 877-twincat / www.beckho�automation.com

Moisture- and water-resistant stainless steel panelThe C6 is a moisture- and water-resistant stainless steel HMI.

The IP69K-certi�ed panel uses 316L stainless steel and is

offered as a standalone HMI or

HMI+PLC combo. It offers protec-

tion in environments in which

high-pressure water or steam is

used to sanitize or clean equip-

ment. The HMI supports more than

40 different communication drivers, including EtherNet/IP, Pro-

�net and Modbus, so it can be paired with almost every PLC. It

includes a micro UPS to protect nonvolatile data and a software

tool that permits backup, restoration and transfer of programs.

Integrated remote maintenance capability comes standard and

allows monitoring and maintenance of remote installations us-

ing a secure VPN connection.

KEB America / www.kebamerica.com

Panel with onboard securityTouch Panel 600 offers high-tech screens and high-quality

visualizations as well as advanced features. The engine has a

Cortex A9 multicore processor providing fast operating speeds.

Onboard security includes a built-in �rewall and VPN to help

users address cyberattacks. All panels are equipped with the

future-ready Linux operating system and support HTML5

technology. They include three versions-—Control, Visu and

Web Panel—so users can select

the technology that suits their

applications. All of the devices

include features such as an

energy-saving standby func-

tion, integrated sensors for

automatic brightness adjustment and an easy-to-mount design

to make installation and operation simple.

Wago / www.wago.us

Industry 4.0-ready built-in all-in-one controllerThe UniStream built-in all-in-one controller brings advanced

communication capabilities for Industry 4.0, complete con-

trol functionality and the ability to

support the UniStream remote I/O

modules over Ethernet. The compact

controller is available in two series:

UniStream 7” Built-in and UniStream

7” Built-in Pro. Both series support

MQTT, SNMP, VNC, FTP, SMS, email

and communications via GSM/GPRS modem. The Pro version

also offers a built-in Webserver, audio jack and video support,

as well as SQL, a plus for system integrators and OEMs facing

Industry 4.0. The line comprises an Ethernet-based remote I/O

adapter and a range of remote I/O modules, each offering a dif-

ferent con�guration of analog and digital I/O.

Unitronics / 617-657-6596 / www.unitronics.com

HMI upgrade with no PLC code changesWith Change Your View, machine builders can upgrade to the

latest HTML5-based, high-de�nition HMI technology with-

out having to change their existing PLC code. It works with a

variety of PLC brands and is operating system-independent, so

it can run on smart phones, tablets or any Web-enabled device.

It delivers contemporary, easy-to-navigate, connected HMI

software. Easy to develop from the mapp View drag-and-drop

HMI software tool and featuring an extensive widget library,

Change Your View can accom-

modate 3-D models, HD videos,

animations and PDF �les. The

hardware includes wide aspect

ratio, high de�nition, touch and

multi-touch panels.

B&R / www.br-automation.com


product roundup


I/O for IIoT connectionThe groov RIO family of intelligent, distributed I/O for IIoT

and automation applications connects traditional wired

switches and sensors directly to Ethernet networks, software

applications and cloud platforms without intermediary con-

trol or communication hardware, such as PLCs, PACs or PCs.

GRV-R7-MM1001-10 is a standalone, 10-channel, multisignal,

multifunction I/O unit for signals includ-

ing thermocouples (TCs), integrated circuit

temperature devices (ICTDs), voltage inputs,

current inputs, millivolt inputs, discrete dc

inputs, self-wetting discrete inputs, discrete

dc sinking outputs and Form C mechani-

cal relays. Two channels provide special

features such as pulse counting, on- and

off-time totalization, software latching and

frequency measurement.

Opto 22 / 951-695-3000 / www.opto22.com

Excel add-in for SCADA historical dataPut SCADA historical data across an organization using

Microsoft Excel. In addition to VTScada’s standard reporting

options, version 12 allows users

to export data from VTScada’s

Enterprise Historian to Excel

spreadsheets on PCs or iOS

devices. After the add-in has

been downloaded from the

Microsoft Of� ce Store or App

Source, users choose a server,

set VTScada as the data source

and select I/O using the built-in query builder. No coding or SQL

is required. Data is imported as desired. Queries and connec-

tions are saved with Excel documents and can be emailed and

refreshed as required. To keep historical data secure, SSL/TLS

is required when using this add-in.

Trihedral / www.trihedral.com


Scalable HMI with protocol conversionRed Lion CR3000 HMIs provide proto-

col conversion and connectivity choic-

es along with visual display features

to deliver operator interface devices

that scale and adapt as requirements

change. The automation HMI combines a list of more than 300

industrial drivers with the Crimson 3.1 development platform.

It includes real-time data logging and a built-in Web server.

Newark / www.newark.com

Hazardous conditions HMIThe SP5000X extreme HMI series can be used in extreme

or hazardous conditions, including outdoor applications. It

combines the SP5000X 7- or 12-in-wide

sunlight-readable display made with

an aluminum die-cast stainless steel

bezel with the SP5B90X box unit. This

combination offers operating tem-

peratures ranging from -30 to 70 °C, a

high brightness liquid crystal panel

displaying screens at 1,000 nits and a UL 50E Type 4X outdoor

use rating. The series is suitable for multiple applications under

harsh environmental conditions (3C3).

Pro-face America / www.profaceamerica.com

HMI with VNC or VPN compatibilityThe Monitouch HMI series is designed to provide critical data

on the shop �oor with a virtual network computing (VNC)

service or remote locations with a virtual private network

(VPN) server. The VNC allows users to view and operate

HMI screen on the factory �oor via PC or

tablet devices without any license re-

quirement. Using a VPN, more methods

of communicating are available for cen-

tralized control of multiple locations

and remote maintenance.

Fuji Electric / www.americas.fujielectric.com

Arm-based industrial panel PC for IoT applicationsThe TPC-71W line of industrial panel PCs is aimed at machine

automation and Web-terminal applications. This Arm-based

machine features a 7-in true-�at display with P-CAP multitouch

control, high resolution and an NXP Arm Cortex-A9 i.MX 6 dual/

quad-core processor to deliver high-performance computing.

The system also features a serial port with a 120Ω termination

resistor that supports the CAN 2.0B protocol and offers a pro-

grammable bit rate of up to 1 Mb/sec. It

is equipped with the Google Chro-

mium embedded Web browser and

support for various operating systems,

including Android, Linux Yocto and

Linux Ubuntu with QT GUI toolkits.

Advantech / www.advantech.com

Scalable HMI productsThis intuitive and �exible HMI technology offers clear func-

tionality and a library of premade

objects for key applications.

Scalable with a va-

riety of widescreen

sizes, the Sysmac NA

series HMI facilitates

the quick implementation of dynamic user interfaces that help

to boost productivity and minimize downtime. The design

is based on real applications and customer requirements, a

future-proofed, scalable platform that will evolve with ever-

changing needs, allowing real-time reaction to events.

Omron / automation.omron.com

Machine-mounted HMIsThe machine-mounted Allen-

Bradley ArmorView Plus 7 graph-

ic terminal is fully enclosed.

The prepackaged solution can

be ordered with integrated I/O

and push buttons. Whether an

on-machine, cabinet-free HMI is being deployed to save space

on the shop �oor or to help operators work better by having line

of sight from the HMI to the machine, the terminal provides

mounting options to meet users’ needs. It can be attached in a

range of orientations to a swing arm, pedestal or �xed surface

and uses Ethernet I/O communication to minimize wiring. It

has an IP66 rating, providing ingress protection against dust

and high-volume pressurized water.

Rockwell Automation / www.rockwellautomation.com


product roundup



real answersCONTACT US [email protected]

A CONTROL DESIGN reader writes: As an automation engineer at a

large discrete part manufacturer, I need to create a factory-accep-

tance-test (FAT) plan for a $2 million high-speed, automated sys-

tem. It has multiple stations with several robots, motion control,

vision inspections and many �eldbus digital and analog I/O. The

question is what should I include in a FAT? I don’t know where to

start. Also, are there diagnostic tools or software to make perform-

ing the de�ned tests easier to complete? What do you suggest?

Answers

Built-in diagnosticsMany automation technology manufacturers include test-

ing and validation processes in their integrated development

environments. The embedded processes guide users through a

step-by-step process to validate different operations and com-

ponents to ensure that they work as expected.

TODD MASON-DARNELL

marketing manager, services & safety / Omron Automation Americas /

automation.omron.com

FAT the specsYou will want to attempt as much testing as physically and eco-

nomically possible at the location of testing. The main goal of

the FAT is to certify that what has been built is able to perform

the functions that are possible to test and is the milestone that

will determine whether to ship the system to site. If the FAT is

thorough and no changes occur other than installation, you can

isolate the factory-acceptance-tested (FATed) system as an area

that is highly unlikely to cause an issue during commission.

In essence, the problem should be how the FATed system was

electrically/mechanically connected at the plant site. The FATed

system is not always going to be a part to avoid blaming issues

during commission but should be one of the last areas to check,

unless the conditions presented lead back to it.

To start, begin with the various design documents. Func-

tional speci�cation and other design specs along with mechani-

cal and electrical drawings are what should determine the tests

to be performed. For example, electrical drawings for a panel

should be checked for each wire to be correct from the hard-

ware in the panel to the terminals where the �eld wires will

be terminated. This is often done by the shop that builds the

panel, and, depending on who the system is developed for, one

may need to witness this test or redo the testing in front of the

customer. The speci�cations will detail how hardware should

be utilized and programmed. This will need to be tested to as-

sure the speci�cations have been followed. This portion of the

test is where the physical and economic judgment of feasibility

comes in. If you are staging this in your of�ce, you will likely be

short on space, power and quite a few other things. Here you as-

sess what can be tested. Some of this testing could be handled

with simulation. Simulation can be done with software or using

potentiometers, switches, dials and meters to simulate or read

signals. If you system-assemble items and you have enough

space to only partially test, and it is physically possible, you will

want to demonstrate that in the FAT.

So, what do you gain from completing a thorough FAT?

1. Prior to going to the �eld, you likely catch a high majority of

issues in all areas of the design and may have some unfore-

seen issues as per what the end user wanted remedied.

2. Commissioning should be considerably shorter if a thorough

FAT wasn’t completed, as most problems are arise during �eld

installation.

3. Most importantly, changes and corrections that occur in the

�eld are considerably more expensive, so the savings in money

and �eld time will lead to a happier end user and �eld team.

DEAN DEGRAZIA

operations manager / Applied Control Engineering (ACE) / www.ace-net.com / Society for

Maintenance and Reliability Professionals (SMRP, www.smrp.org) member

No two FATs are the sameA FAT is a “factory debug” to assure that when the system ar-

rives on site, it should be able to be installed and get up and

running quickly and smoothly.

While there are standard tests that are routinely conducted,

there is no set checklist during a FAT; it can consist of a variety

of inspection points and tests per the request of the customer,

based on your requirements and unique equipment speci�ca-

tions. In general, the following things are covered during a FAT:

• comprehensive inspection—this is typically customized based

on the equipment and the requests of the customer, but can

include a range of conformity checks and veri�cations, such

as whether the actual equipment matches up to the drawings

and name plate data

What should be included in a FAT?

CD2006_41_48_RealAnswers.indd 41 5/26/20 10:58 AM

• contract audit—this consists of a review of the original agree-

ment to make sure all contractual obligations are met

• function test—this procedure simulates the system in opera-

tion to provide proof of functionality; these tests usually

include veri�cation of relevant documents, including user

manuals, P&IDs and any type of instructions that come with

the equipment to make sure they are accurate.

It’s important to note here that there are varying levels of a

FAT. They can be performed at a very basic level, such as setting

up the main pieces of the system with temporary wiring and

making sure everything moves as it is supposed to; or a more

complete FAT can be conducted where the manufacturer physi-

cally builds the whole system in the shop to test it fully. In the

latter example, the system is then taken apart moved to the

customer’s site and put back together again.

FATs are bene�cial not just for the buyer and end users but

for the manufacturer, as well. Both parties can be assured that

the equipment meets all the contractual speci�cations and any

issues can be addressed before arriving at the customer’s site.

Rectifying issues while the system is still in the possession of

the manufacturer helps to keep the project on track and within

budget. FATs almost always save time and money over �xing

issues in the �eld.

The safety of your employees is always a top concern, so the

quality assurance gives you the peace of mind that all compo-

nents of your system are functioning the way they should and

within the full range of operating speci�cations.

Additionally, FATs help to determine who is responsible

for the problems that are identi�ed. Sometimes the issues

are the manufacturer’s responsibility, for example, when an

instrument doesn’t work properly. Other times they are the

customer’s responsibility. For example, if a customer decides,

after seeing the physical layout, that it wants to recon�gure

the design, the manufacturer can move things around prior to

shipping it to site.

All inspections and testing are done at the vendor’s location,

usually on the shop �oor so that when/if issues arise, they are

in an area that is convenient for modi�cations to be made to the

equipment. Since the purpose of a FAT is to qualify the equip-

ment prior to shipment, it should never be conducted at the

customer’s facility.

The manufacturer and customer can choose whomever

they would like from their companies to be present during the

factory acceptance test. It’s a good idea to have any/all of the

following on location:

• project managers

• operators

• plant engineers

• maintenance personnel.

The more valuable input that is received from both parties,

the more successful the test will be, which will help to facilitate

a fast-track startup.

As we’ve mentioned, it’s hard to outline exactly what a fac-

tory acceptance test consists of because each one is unique to

the equipment it involves and the specialized requirements of

the customer. While keeping in mind that no two are alike, here

is an example to give you a better idea of the inspection points

and tests that are used to validate the equipment. This example

is for an automated reactor system:

• scope—the tests to be performed by the manufacturer to

establish acceptability of the equipment and the conformance

with the applicable drawings and speci�cations

• applicable standards and speci�cations—a list of any relevant

safety guidelines published by National Electrical Manufacturers

Association (NEMA) or National Electric Code (NEC), for example

• reference documents—a complete set of all relevant docu-

ments to be available during the execution of the FAT and

marked up as required; these drawings are usually located in

an appendix at the back of the protocol

• testing equipment—a list of the equipment and instrumentation,

such as vacuum gauge or tachometer, used during this test

• system skid has its own list:

a. Verify all lines and components are present and installed

as per the plan. Check that components are new, anchored

suf�ciently to frame and built in accordance with the

speci�cations outlined in the applicable list.

b. Verify equipment is fabricated as per drawings and manu-

facturing quality meets expectations.

c. Verify pressure, temperature and material information on


real answers

The manufacturer and customer can choose whomever they would like from their companies to be present during the factory acceptance test. It’s a good idea to have any/all of the following on location:

project managers

operators

plant engineers

maintenance personnel


the National Board nameplate to be

consistent with speci�cations.

d. Verify motor manufacturer, model

and serial number. Also con�rm

motor classi�cation meets speci�ed

class and division standards.

e. Verify lines hold pressure when fully

assembled; record pressure at start

and stop. This test is generally con-

ducted for 60 minutes to ensure the

system meets the acceptance criteria.

f. Verify lines hold vacuum when fully

assembled; record pressure at start

and stop. This test is also conducted

for 60 minutes to ensure the system

meets the acceptance criteria.

g. Verify that system documentation is

complete.

Each test should yield an acceptable

result with no issues. Corrective steps will

be taken if a test fails and any retesting

will be performed if required. Some tests

may require additional testing or clari�ca-

tion of the testing methods. Under these

conditions, additional comments will

be documented in the deviation section

of the FAT. Deviations are redlined to be

captured in �nal as-built drawings.

A list of remaining follow-up items

should be put together to note any

modi�cations/adjustments or addi-

tional tests that need to be made prior

to delivery. Make sure to verify panel

component checks, auto mode controls

(agitator), manual mode controls (reactor

on-off valves, modulating valves), analog

displays, sequences (system purge, pres-

sure/vacuum control, system leak test,

charge liquids, re�ux/solvent strip, exo-

thermic additions interlocks) and reactor

light operations.

By systematically carrying out all

items on the checklist, all FAT partici-

pants from both sides can gain the assur-

ance needed to feel prepared and ready

for start-up.

There are numerous advantages to

having a FAT, for both parties involved.

The seller can ensure that the system is

operational and the project is optimized

to stay on track to be delivered on time.

The buyer can qualify the equipment

against the contractual agreement as per

the order speci�cations.

It is important to note that it is not

uncommon for there to be minor glitches

the �rst time new systems are powered

up. The bene�t of conducting a FAT is

that the manufacturer can take care of

typical �rst-run issues.

There are numerous additional bene�ts:

• Customers can “touch and feel” the

equipment while it is in operational

mode before it ships.

• The manufacturer can provide some

initial hands-on training to the cus-

tomer, giving operating personnel more

con�dence when running the machinery

for the �rst time in real-world settings.

• Key project people from both sides

are together, making it an ideal time

to review the bill of materials, discuss

required and recommended spare parts

(for start-up and �rst year of operation)

and review maintenance procedures

and equipment limitations.

• The thorough FAT documentation can

be used as a template for the Installa-

tion Quali�cation portion of the vali-

dated process/installation.

• Based on the results of the FAT, both

parties can create a punch list of addi-

tional items that need to be addressed

prior to shipment.

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Times can vary depending on the

complexity of the system and the cor-

responding FAT, but they are typically

scheduled 2-4 weeks prior to the ship

date to help maintain on-time delivery.

The duration of the FAT can be anywhere

from one day up to a couple of weeks.

There is no extra cost for the cus-

tomer to have a FAT performed on the

system as it is generally included in

the scope of the project. That being

said, the expense that is factored into

the project for FAT is dependent on

the customer’s requirements. It is very

important for you to communicate early

in the project exactly what your testing

needs are so the criteria can be outlined

and agreed upon by both parties. This

helps to set your expectations to the

manufacturer, and the manufacturer

will be sure to include the relevant tests

in your checklist.

While FATs can be costly for the

manufacturer with respect to the time

and labor involved in performing them,

it’s more time and cost effective to do a

FAT and do it right to mitigate any issues

prior to delivery.

A FAT gives manufacturers and you,

the customer, an opportunity to do

a trial run and see the equipment in

operation before it is installed in your

facility. This makes any modi� cations

and adjustments much easier to make

and ensures the equipment will run

with full operational ef� ciency. It is

proven that when verifying, inspecting,

and testing is performed prior to ship-

ment, it greatly reduces start-up issues

once the equipment arrives at your site.

With a thorough factory acceptance test

performed, you can be con� dent in the

system you are receiving and be ready to

put it into production.

DANIEL WEISS

senior product manager / Newark / www.newark.com

FAT—from start to � nishThe factory acceptance test (FAT) is

a document, whether maintained in

electronic format or printed on paper,

designed to enumerate performance re-

quirements and record the achievement

of those requirements. Completion of

the FAT provides the system integrator

clearance to deliver the control system

to the customer site—thus, delivery

from the factory to the customer. This

document explains the need for the FAT

and its minimal requirements for con-

tractual obligation.

Automation system integrators, PLC/

PAC programmers, robotics designers,

process engineers and custom coders all

face a challenge when creating. The pro-

grammer writes code with the purpose

of ful� lling a need. Those needs may

have been scratched on a napkin; they

may have been delivered in a 300-page

governmental boilerplate speci� cation;

or most likely they’re conveyed some-

where in between. The programmer’s

task is to create action out of need; the

code ful� lls a requirement that marries

sensors, actuators, databases, images

and reports. Eventually, the program-

mer will step back and admire the work,

only to wonder if it has fully satis� ed the

speci� cations. Not only does it need to

answer the question, “Is this what you

wanted?” It must also provide proof to

the same one who handed the speci� ca-

tion in the � rst place. Perhaps ful� lling

the speci� cation also means signi� cant

ful� llment of contractual obligation,

leading to remuneration.

The above scenarios have played out

time after time in varying degrees ever

since the advent of the electrical switch.

So what is the manner in which one proves

contractual satisfaction? This is where the

factory acceptance test � gures prominent-

ly in the integrator’s deliverables.

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What is the factory acceptance test,

and what is it not? The FAT should be

a document serving as a platform of

proof for moving from the programmer’s

shop—the factory—to the end user’s

site. In its simplest form, the FAT should

be a document that is a near-perfect

recount of the speci�cation given the

programmer. While this may seem overly

simplistic, this is how the programmer

conveys their understanding of what was

expected. If there is any misunderstand-

ing between programmer and customer,

it will come out in the words of the FAT.

It should also be noted that sometimes

the manufacturing systems are so large

they can and must be broken down into

subsystems. If there is a way to subdivide

a manufacturing line to smaller stand-

alone portions, then this could warrant

the generation of a FAT for each portion.

Robotics stations, standalone skids, sub-

assemblies from other manufacturers:

All can be described and tested in their

own FATs. The decision to subdivide FATs

is at the discretion of the system integra-

tor, in agreement with the customer.

The FAT is not the �rst document of

proof. It should never be the �rst docu-

ment. Instead, the FAT is usually second-

to-last in a long line of deliverables.

To put it in perspective, many system

integrators will employ a near facsimile

of the following list of deliverables:

1. functional requirement speci�ca-

tion—system integrator expresses

the understanding of the system

desired by the customer, expressed in

general terms

2. scope of work—system integrator

expresses their understanding of who

does what during the execution of

the contract

3. proposal—system integrator then

produces a price associated with

ful�lling that functional requirement

speci�cation, within the guidelines of

the scope of work

4. detailed design speci�cation—system

integrator then creates documentation

to support the work required, including

equipment drawings, such as architec-

tural drawings, schematics, enclo-

sures, pipe schedules, I/O lists, HMI

screen prints and report formats, and

guiding the customer and subcontrac-

tors toward complete installation

5. factory acceptance test—test of the

programmed system prior to delivery

6. site acceptance test—FAT performed

after delivery, at the end user’s location.

Granted, there are deviations from

this, based on the industry supported.

Pharmaceuticals, food and chemical

industries all follow different testing

standards, per the U.S. Code of Federal

Regulations (CFR), but the underlying

framework still exists.

An important factor of each of the doc-

uments above is that they are described

as deliverables. The system integrator

creates them, while the customer should

see them and should have the ability to

in�uence them—yes, even the proposal.

Often the system integrator will insist on

customer signature on each document

before moving on to the next. A customer

signature means the customer is in

agreement, and the system integrator is

free to move forward.

Signatures generally imply the docu-

ment is printed on paper and signed

on paper. Other electronic means are

becoming the norm, as well, as long as all

parties have access.

What should be seen in a FAT? If the

system integrator is following the above

generic path of documents, the FAT will

include many sections and subsections

for examination. Their FAT will most

likely “carry along” the details provided

in the previous speci�cations. Below are

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some typical headings for FAT inclusion.

Within each heading are questions the

system integrator should try to explain.

Automatic operations: What is the sys-

tem’s expected behavior? Is it a continu-

ous system or a batching system? What

are the major components? This could be

paragraphs of information spelling out

the behavior of the system.

• I/O Testing—If there is processor I/O,

those points should be listed. This

could also include inspection of the

enclosure(s), wiring practices and qual-

ity of workmanship. This section only

exists if the I/O is to be terminated to

the �eld devices as part of the factory

assembly. If the system can only be

wired at the site, this section is omit-

ted. If additional diagnostic tools are

needed, this should also be noted.

• Normal sequence of operations—If the

system is a batching operation or if it

does behave in a regulated series of

steps, those steps would be included in

this section. Normal robotics actions

would also be listed in this section.

• Interlocks—Often the operation of

the system means de�ning conditions

in which equipment should not run,

or perhaps withdraw to a safe state.

Interlocks are de�ned to protect the

equipment from self-destruction (think

overtravel, physical barriers, pre-exist-

ing conditions). List all interlocks for all

equipment that can be energized.

• Safety—This is a topic that addresses

personnel safety. If there is the pres-

ence of moving equipment (robotics,

gears, belts) or exposure to released

energy (steam, stored electricity,

potential energy), safety equipment is

necessary. This section would address

those testing requirements. Not all sys-

tems would have the safety measures

in place, dependent on the extent of

system testing.

• Contingencies—When something in

the process goes awry, there needs to

be a way to walk back the system to a

safe state.

• Manual operations—The system may

provide for operator manual overrides.

Such would be explained in this section.

Graphical user interface (GUI) operations:

This is a section dedicated to the depic-

tion of the system for the user. This could

be something as simple as a single LED, a

cloud-based status report or an HMI page,

all the way up to FDA-regulated SCADA

screens.

• Screen standards—What are the ex-

pected colors, fonts, behaviors of the

GUI reports?

• Pushbuttons/function keys—If there

are keystrokes that provide common

functions throughout the pages, what

are they?

• Screen descriptions—If the system

contains multiple screens/pages, they

should be listed, each page given its

own subsection with details about what

is depicted.

• Other functions—Is there user manage-

ment? Are passwords required to limit

access? Does an annunciator panel

make noise? Will vision inspections

need further de�nition? What are the

go/no-go requirements?

• Reports—Perhaps the system generates

periodic reports, or even user de�ned

reports. What �elds are provided in

those reports?

Every single item that can be listed

above can be tested. Keep in mind, if it

can be disputed by the customer, it is

worthy of testing. To extend this even

further, if it is worthy of testing, it should

have its own check box. That check box

becomes the moment-by-moment target

of achievement as the programmer walks

through the FAT.

Every scenario can be played out dif-

ferently. Some sections and subsections

can be quite elaborate while some won’t

even exist.

A copy of the FAT should be transmit-

ted to the customer for review, ensuring

all are working toward the same goal.

The system integrator will usually

execute the FAT prior to inviting the cus-

tomer to visit and witness. This way, the

system integrator can work out the kinks

before the customer arrives.

On the day(s) of FAT execution, all par-

ties should agree on one copy being used

for signatures. In general, if the document

has been agreed upon prior, project com-

munications have been open and honest

prior, and the programmer has already

executed the FAT prior, the day of FAT wit-

ness testing should be quite smooth.

Successful completion of the FAT

should be evidenced in the signatures

provided by both the system integrator

and the customer. If there are discrepan-

cies, changes or simple oversights, they

should be addressed accordingly:

• Quick �xes should be addressed on the

spot, streamlining the execution.

• Discrepancies or changes may require

further work, thus necessitating a

future date visit. If this is the case, ap-

pendices of changes should accompany

the FAT document.

The need for testing can often require

simulation. This could include simu-


real answers

If it can be disputed by the customer, it is worthy of testing. To extend this even further, if it is worthy of testing, it should have its own check box.


lated I/O (large switchboards with toggle

switches, analog simulators, safety

mats, light curtains), interconnection

with other systems (�eldbus connec-

tions, interposing relays), polling drivers

(Modbus RTU/TCP, BACnet for building

automation, OPC servers/clients or oth-

ers) or simply simulation efforts (forced

I/O points or GUI inputs). If there are sig-

nals that must be checked, appropriate

instrumentation should also be applied

(serial breakout boxes, oscilloscopes,

Wireshark captures, voltmeters). The

need for diagnostic tools should be ad-

dressed in the FAT as a portion of the I/O

testing, commonly where they’re applied.

Successful completion of the FAT

means the system can be delivered. If the

system is then to be wired in the �eld,

the next step would be the site accep-

tance test (SAT), with real conditions and

real-life equipment. A smooth FAT can

lead to an equally smooth SAT.

Well-written speci�cations are crucial.

This fact stands true for both sides of

the contract. If the customer provides an

incomplete or nebulous speci�cation, or

if the system integrator produces equally

poor documentation, the GIGO (garbage in,

garbage out) principle will promise both

parties contentious phone calls and tense

meetings. The production of good docu-

ments can be just as indispensable as the

actual code writing. In light of this, if either

party feels there is room for ambiguity,

then the moment for discussion is now.

DANIEL A. BOONE

senior solutions engineer, engineering services /

Phoenix Contact USA / www.phoenixcontact.com

Envision all scenariosMost of the time the FAT is performed

to see if a machine meets the original

speci�cation. The speci�cation must be

well-written, and the machine must be

thoroughly designed for all production sce-

narios. Any design changes required after

the FAT can create extra costs and have

the potential to ruin the project budget.

To make a good factory acceptance

test, you must consider all possible

machine functions. I would avoid using

extra software to evaluate the machine

for the FAT. Instead, design a FAT that

encompasses all possible production

scenarios and use the software already

available in the HMI or PLC.

I would start by breaking down all

machine functions separately and

verifying that all parts of the process

are working correctly. Then I would run

product. However, just producing product

is not good enough for a FAT because the

machine must be able to handle all raw

materials given to it, even if the material

is out of speci�cation. The FAT should

test samples of raw material that meet

the design speci�cations and samples

that are outside of the tolerance range.

A properly designed machine will reject

irregular materials and accept those that

meet the speci�cation. Vision systems,

smart sensors and mechanical test �x-

tures support this.

Redundancy must also be considered.

Is there a way to shut down one part of

the machine while the rest keeps run-

ning? Is there a way to substitute a hu-

man into the process while a part of the

machine is being repaired? In short, all

conceivable scenarios must be taken into

account to verify that the machine will

meet the requirements of the factory.

TIM CICERCHI

technical services manager, factory automation division /

Pepperl+Fuchs / us.pepperl-fuchs.com

Step by stepThe focus on the process of running a FAT

is as important as testing to speci�ca-

tions. Some key elements in order of oc-

currence in a FAT process are as follows.

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Clear operational speci�cations to be

de�ned up front and agreed upon:

• expectations to vendor to be clari�ed

before FAT

• con�rm standardization of features and

speci�cations to other systems on-site.

Break system out to major sections:

• test each system individually

• con�rm data availability, communications

and access from each part of the system.

Functional operation to be validated:

• clear test plan that is communicated to

vendor up front

• acceptance criteria for the testing to be

performed

• de�ne needs of the actual FAT execution,

such as tools, labor, test products to use

• testing performed to be representative of

actual production usage, using actual prod-

ucts and throughput requirements.

Utilize a sign-off checklist:

• complete as-built electrical and mechanical

drawings

• proof of certi�cation, such as UL and NEMA,

• user manuals

• controller programs, if included contractually

• operations and maintenance guides.

The usage of diagnostics tools would

be based on speci�c requirements of the

system. Some of these tools may already be

in the production environment. Some of the

tools may be provided by the vendor. This

would have to be de�ned when the validation

plan is de�ned prior to FAT, to set the right

expectations from the vendor.

CHRIS THOMAS

senior application design engineer / Schneider Electric /

www.se.com/us

Use best practicesBest practices for FAT should typically be

categorized into multiple sections such as:

• hardware

• software

• HMI/SCADA

• �eld device communication test

• cybersecurity.

Each of these parts should then be divided

in visual and functional tests. It should be

reviewed and approved by stakeholders

involved in the test. The FAT plan should

clearly detail test description, which can be

broken down into multiple tests, and each

test should have acceptance criteria so there

is no ambiguity on what quali�es for a suc-

cessful test.

In addition to testing different areas such

as hardware or software, it is essential to

perform integrated FAT with all components

connected. If the test involves integration

with drives or servos or other critical com-

ponents, it is recommended to have at least

one sample of each type available for FAT

to ensure that communication with these

critical components will function as required

when installed on a machine.

Most suppliers of control systems or PLCs

also offer simulator, which is a good tool for

application software and HMI tests without

hardware. Some automation vendors offer

simulator on a cloud platform, which can

also enable remote software FAT with a

customer, vendor or other parties involved

helping to reduce travel needs.

SWAPNIL V. ADKAR

senior market development manager, global OEMs /

Honeywell Process Solutions / www.honeywellprocess.com


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Fax: 630/467-1124Best practices for FAT should typically be categorized into multiple sections such as hardware, software, HMI/SCADA, �eld device communication test and cybersecurity.


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CD2006_49_Showcase.indd 49 5/26/20 10:59 AM

THE DISCRETE AND analog signals and related input and out-

put (I/O) wires running all over an automated machine have

become a part of the past. They, have given way to distributed

machine I/O which sends the signals over a communication

cable typically using an industrial Ethernet protocol. This

distributed machine I/O has seen signi� cant technological

development over the past decade—it’s well beyond simple I/O

signals. It should be considered on all but the smallest ma-

chines for all sensor and control needs.

There are history and advantages

that led to the development of distrib-

uted I/O and its expanding popular-

ity. As a result, there are a variety of

devices and communication options

available and many ways to apply

distributed machine I/O technology.

Distributed machine I/O is popular

today for the same reason the distributed control system (DCS)

was developed decades ago for use in process plants. Without

distributed I/O, discrete wires and analog signal cables would

need to run hundreds if not thousands of feet for just one signal,

and there could be thousands of signal lines. Moving the I/O

to distributed locations and replacing those wires and cables

with just a communication cable and power conductors saved a

signi� cant amount of time and material costs, and don’t forget

the conduit installation. Sure, there are costs related to commu-

nication modules or the appropriate controller at each end of the

communication link, but the advantages outweigh them.

That communication wire connecting the distributed I/O

carries more than just the signal level of the input or output. It

carries data, and, when designing a machine with distributed

I/O, development time should be spent using that data. It starts

with including fault messages if the network connection is lost.

Fortunately, that is rare with industrial hardware, but it does

happen, just as a broken wire or loose terminal does.

As the use of distributed machine I/O grew over the past

decade, some resisted its use as they thought physical wires for

each signal was more reliable; that is not the case. Industrial

Ethernet communication and protocols, such as EtherNet/IP

and Pro� net, are reliable, fast and full of data.

The data � ows both ways, as well. The communication link

can be used to con� gure the device or change setpoints, de-

pending on the type of distributed I/O. It can also read signi� -

cant amounts of status and diagnostic data.

This is especially true when it comes to variable frequency

drives and servo ampli� ers, which can be considered distributed

I/O whether it’s mounded in the control panel or mounded on the

machine next to the motor. It’s real I/O when it comes to reset, en-

able, home, run, stop and reverse signals, but it can also be used to

change speed, acceleration and the motion pro� les of the motor.

Again, the many status and diagnostic bits, actual speed,

current and similar variables should

be monitored in a control program.

Time is well spent when program-

ming these drives and ampli� ers to

monitor, use and control these dis-

tributed devices. A carefully written

control program can be reused in a

variety of motion control applica-

tions where the programmer simply places a position, speed,

acceleration and deceleration into the appropriate variables

and triggers a move command. Simple monitoring of a motion

complete bit signals the end of the move.

Cameras can also be thought of as a distributed machine I/O

device. Although it provides advanced image acquisition and

analysis functionality, it also looks a lot like discrete and analog

I/O when viewing its status and results data. And it should be

programmed as such.

Of course, the biggest use of distributed machine I/O is in the

multi-point I/O systems, sensor blocks and � eld I/O that move

the discrete connections out to four- or eight-point modules

placed strategically around the machine. Distributed I/O racks

are also commonly used on a wide variety of machines. Even

if the I/O point is only 8 ft from the control cabinet, distributed

I/O is a valid solution.

Pneumatic valve manifolds should also be a part of distrib-

uted machine I/O. Not only does the communication signal con-

trol the valves, the same manifold can include input and output

connections. With the data capabilities enabled with distrib-

uted I/O, some of the pneumatic systems can control pressure

and � ow and monitor the same, as well as provide additional

diagnostic and troubleshooting information. It is another area

where time should be spent to program in the use for more

capable machine control and display of this information.

How to tell if distributed I/O is a good fi t


Dave Perkoncontributing editor

[email protected]

automation basics

Even if the I/O point is only 8 ft from the control cabinet, distributed I/O

is a valid solution.

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Emerson’s true edge controllers, like the PACSystems RX3i CPL410, enable you to make better decisions by bringing together real-time data and advanced analytics captured at the edge of your machines and delivered to your control rooms. Our edge control solutions incorporate safety, security and reliability to give you peace of mind while helping you realize higher performance in your operations. Work with experts who can help you maximize your industrial processes, generate opportunities, and improve results by bringing you to the edge of Industry 4.0.

Turn to the machine control experts who can help you find the edge you need. Visit www.emerson.com/industrial-automation-controls or reach out to at [email protected] to learn more.

Take Your Factory to the Edge

The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ©2019 Emerson Electric Co.

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users and integrators raise their voices in our 20th annual · • ethernet and rs-232/422/485...

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