what’s new in process technology dec 2013/jan 2014

C E O 2 0 1 4D

ec 2

013/

Jan

2014

vol

.27

no.7

PP10

0007

403

www.au.element14.com/special-offers

Your copy of What's New in Process Technology is now available as an online eMag.

NOW in DIGITAL!

http://www.processonline.com.au/latest_issues

1213CONTENTS

WHAT'S NEW IN PROCESS TECHNOLOGYDECEMBER 2013 / JANUARY 2014

4 Usingrobotstoenhanceleanmanufacturing

CEOInsights

8 ChrisGailer,Endress+HauserAustraliaPtyLtd

10 DirkKuiper,AMSInstrumentation&CalibrationPtyLtd

12 ShaneParr,Pepperl+FuchsAustralia

14 KarlWigginton,EmersonProcessManagement

16 IanSlater,WeidmüllerPtyLtd

18 TomWiley,Wiley

20 KathrynWood,Powerflow

22 ChrisHoey,BürkertFluidControlSystems

24 Hotproducts

25 Newproducts

30 AOGtoexpandin2014

The views and opinions expressed in What’s New in Process Technology are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor or of Westwick-Farrow Media.

Printed and bound by Webstar +61 2 9748 0020Print Post Approved PP100007403ISSN No. 0819-5447

All material published in this magazine is published in good faith and every care is taken to accurately relay information provided to us. Readers are advised by the publishers to ensure that all necessary safety devices and precautions are installed and safe working procedures adopted before the use of any equipment found or purchased through the information we provide. Further, all performance criteria was provided by the representative company concerned and any dispute should be referred to them.Information indicating that products are made in Australia or New Zealand is supplied by the source company. Westwick Farrow P/L does not quantify the amount of local content or the accuracy of the statement made by the source.

A.B.N. 22 152 305 336

Head Office

Cnr. Fox Valley Road & Kiogle Street,

(Locked Bag 1289)

Wahroonga NSW 2076

AUSTRALIA

ph: +61 2 9487 2700 fx: +61 2 9489 1265

www.westwick-farrow.com.au

ph: +61 3 9381 2952

Editor

Glenn Johnson

[email protected]

Chief Editor

Janette Woodhouse

Publisher

Geoff Hird

Art Director/Production Manager

Julie Wright

Art/Production

Tanya Scarselletti, Odette Boulton, Colleen Sam

Circulation Manager

Sue Lavery

[email protected]

Copy Control

Mitchie Mullins

Advertising Sales

National Sales Manager/NSW/QLD

Nicola Fender-Fox

ph: 0414 703 780

[email protected]

VIC/SA/WA - Lachlan Rainey

ph: 0402 157 167

[email protected]

NZ - Gemma Burr

ph: 0800 44 2529

[email protected]

USA - Huson International Media

East Coast ph: +1 212 268 3344

West Coast ph: +1 408 879 6666

[email protected]

UK - Huson International Media

ph: +44 1932 56 4999

[email protected]

Asia - Lachlan Rainey

ph: +61 (0) 402 157 167

[email protected]

Subscriptions

For unregistered readers price on application.

If you have any queries regarding our privacy

policy please email

[email protected]

September 2013 total CAB audited circulation (Aust + NZ)6,781 readers (80% personally requested)

Contact the editor

4WHAT'SNEWINPROCESSTECHNOLOGYDEC 2013/JAN 2014 www.ProcessOnline.com.au

USINGROBOTSTOENHANCELEANMANUFACTURING

© iS

tock

phot

o.co

m/F

ertn

ig

DEC 2013/JAN 2014WHAT'SNEWINPROCESSTECHNOLOGY 5www.ProcessOnline.com.au

Over the past three decades, ro-botics has made it possible formanufacturerstogreatlyincreasethescaleof factoryautomation.

Withover160,000soldeachyear*,industrialrobotshavebecomeamainstayofallsizesandtypesofmanufacturingfacilities,result-ing in higher production rates, improvedquality with decreased requirements forhumanintervention.Robotsalsoelevatethenature of work by removing people fromdull,dirtyanddangeroustasks.Asaresultof greater efficiencies, robots and otherformsofautomationarerapidlybecominga core component of lean manufacturingandhelpingtoreducemanufacturingcosts.

Adding robotic automation, however,doesnotautomaticallymakeamanufactur-ing environment lean, but they are oftenintegratedwithinthemanufacturingprocesstosupportandenhanceleanmanufacturingsystems. Success criteria for the use ofrobots to support lean are:

• Repeatability: robots improve productquality and consistency, and reducewaste.

• Speed:robotscanhelpincreaseproduc-tion and reduce wait time.

• Accuracy:robotshelptoreducescrap.• Flexibility: robots reduce training and

changeover time - with a target ofsingle-minuteexchangeofdie (SMED),andoftenachievingone-touchexchangeof die, (OTED) goals.

Lean systems and robotsNo automation system or robotic solutionis by its own nature lean. One thing thatoften gets overlooked is that automationsystems (with or without robots) can ac-tuallyspeedupthecreationofwasteandreduceprofitabilityifnotdesignedintothesystem properly.

Designingthemanufacturingsystemtobe lean is one of the largest challengesfaced by engineers today. A few of thefactorswhichmust be taken into accountwhile designing a lean manufacturingsystem with robots are:

•Allowable scrap rate•Conveyor and other transportation re-

quirements•Cycle time requirements by station or

operation

Both large and small manufacturing operations can greatly benefitfromtheuseofrobotsand,withAustralia’scurrentlywell-publicisedmanufacturingindustrychallenges,perhapsnowisthetimetoconsiderthe advantages of increased application of robotics.

•Equipment reliability and downtimestatistics

•Flexibility required in the process•Humanmachineinterfacerequirements•Lineautomationrequirements(percent-

age automated versus manual)•Line production rate requirement•Product handling requirements•Maintenance requirements•Repair time of equipment•Space available for robotic operations•Safetystandardsandergonomicsguide-

lines•Number of product variants

Traditionalproductionlinesaredesignedtobeaneffectivecollaborationbetweenmanandmachine.Whilethemachines (includ-ingrobots)canbeprogrammedforoptimalperformance,peoplecannot.Effective‘lean’robot cells must take this into account.Anefficiently designed automated roboticstation must take into account the humanvariable and not limit the stations aheadin the line by rigidly ensuring consistentsystem performance.

Most importantly, the decision to userobots must be justified by an ROI analy-sis. Small and large manufacturers haveproven today’s robots can significantlyimprove the ROI in a manufacturing en-vironment, especially when implementingrobots insupportofa lean initiative-butagain,planningiscritical.Therobotsmustbe properly incorporated into the overallleanmanufacturingenvironmenttogetthedesired results. Machine tending and materials handling applicationsMachine tending and materials handlingusedtobepurelymanualtasks.Operatorswouldtransportmaterialfromonefixtureormachinetothenext,waitontheequipmentto finish its task, and then relocate theprocessedparttoanothertoolorprocessfixture. In most cases, several operatorswererequired.Today,theselabour-intensivetasksareoftenaccomplishedusingrobots,especially in operations requiring highspeed and accuracy.

Manyapplications,suchasbakedgoodscoming out of an oven on a conveyor,are picked and set into their packaging.Then, the individually packaged products


are automatically placed into cases, readyto be palletised. The palletising robot canthenplacecasesaccuratelyonthepallet.Eachoftheseroboticapplicationsmaybeconfiguredspecificallyforthecustomertheproduct is being shipped to.For example,different customers may have differentpackaging and palletising requirementsthan others. Each order can be picked,packaged and palletised automatically tomeetthecustomer’suniquerequirements.

So, how do robots make a handlingsystem lean?1. There is no wait time for operators.

A materials handling robot can be setup to multi-task, performing additionalprocessing operations between otheroperations.

2. Robots have negligible downtime. Ro-bots deliver a limited production losscompared tomanual operations,whichtend to be error prone and inconsist-ent in terms of production rate, shifts,work breaks, etc.

3. Robots are less expensive to operate,comparedtohumanlabour-especiallywhenovertimeisrequired.TheROIcanbe quickly realised when there is highdemand for the manufactured product.

4. Robots are capable of highly accurate,highly repeatable tasks, which resultsin fewer scrap parts once the robottasks are optimised.

5. Robotsdonotget fatiguedandarenotaffected by heat, dust, humidity andother challenging work environments.

Application flexibilityToincorporaterobotsintoaleanmanufac-turingenvironment,engineersshouldlooktoprocessasmanyoperationsaspossiblewithin the given floor space.

Today’s robots can incorporate toolchangerstoallowtherobottohandlemore

thanonetask.Withonerobotnowabletoperform multiple functions, the manufac-turerwillseeimprovedutilisation,andhastheabilitytocreatealeanermanufacturingenvironmentoverall.Inthediecastindustryforexample,robotsarecommonlyusedforpartshandlingaswell as finishingopera-tions like deburring and grinding. Robotsinanautomotivebodyshopareoftenusedfor material handling of parts as well aswelding or sealant application.

Robotsthatneedtoperformmorethanone function are built with tool-changingequipmentthatallowrobotstodisengage/engage new end-effector tooling.

Advances in robotics have given engi-neerstheflexibilitytheyneedtoincorporaterobotics into a lean manufacturing initia-tive. Robots have furthered the ability tooptimiseoperationsbasedon floorspace,cycle time and feasibility constraints.Over time, multi-arm robots will becomethe norm, continuing the progression ofmanufacturing operations that are fasterand leaner.

Robots and vision applicationsVisiontechnologyandrobotsareanaturalpairing, and the combination has resultedin robotic operations that are leaner thaneverbefore.Visionsystemsarecommonlyused to allow robots to vary their motiontargets based on vision-generated guid-ance information. Operations that requiremaking visual distinctions and decisions(such as racking/unracking of parts, partpicking from bins and part inspections)were once exclusively handled by humanoperators. By combining robotics withvision-guided systems, these same taskscan be performed by robots with higherconsistency, accuracy, repeatability andspeed. Vision-equipped robots can alsoreduce imperfections and scrap material

in finishing operations such as routing,grinding and sealing.

Intheinspectionarena,robotsareusedheavily in flexible measurement systems(FMS). Robots mounted with vision cam-erascancollect informationfrommultiplelocations,dramaticallyreducingthenumberofvisioncamerasandfixturesrequiredtoinspect parts.

Using vision-equipped robots, leanmanufacturing environments can be sig-nificantly improved, especially in areaswherethemovement,flexibilityandsimpledecision-making of the human operatorwas once required.

Coordinated motion and cooperative applicationsIn a coordinated motion system, two ormore robots are controlled by a singlecontroller. The controller allows for com-munication between robots to simultane-ously perform coordinated operations ona single large part.

Coordinating robot movements cansignificantly reduce the time wasted inthe manufacturing process. For example,roofassemblyintheautomotiveindustryisnow commonly performed with one robotfirmly gripping the automobile roof, whileother robots weld and assemble the roofto the main auto body. Robots are alsoused forpartstransferbetweenassemblystationsinsteadoftransferequipmentlikelift-and-carry systems or shuttles.

Improved cycle timeMany foodpackaging applications are per-formed by an operator (or team of opera-tors) manually picking and packaging theproducts.Thisaddscosts,canbephysicallydemandingandmaycreatethepotentialforproductcontamination.Oftenfixedautoma-tionisused,butthiscanseverelyreducethe

Figure 1: Coordination between multiple robots reduces cycle times and speeds production.

Figure 2: Robots elevate the nature of work by reducing large lifting requirements.

Robotics


flexibility of the application. When productmarketing develops a new product or acustomer demands a new package sizeor type, the fixed automation is often tooinflexible to cost-effectively deal with thechange. Robots have become a powerfultool in the automation of pick-and-placeapplications such as pancakes, sausages,muffins and many other packaged or pre-packaged foods, for example.

Inmajormanufacturingassemblyplants,thereareoftenhundredsofrobotsperform-ing materials handling, machine tending,welding, finishing, painting and other as-sembly operations. Wasted robot motioncan cause cycle-time issues, creatingbottlenecks and loss of production. Poorpath planning can cause product qualityissues that can lead to scrap parts. Thecost of lost production is a major drainon overall corporate profitability. Ensuringthat the cycle time for robotic work cellsis optimised is very important to the leanmanufacturing plan.

Someofthecommoncycle-timeissuesimpacting lean manufacturing are:

•Lackofpartsavailabletorobots,causingdelays in production

•Unsafe work conditions, causing slowhuman operation in situations whererobots and humans work in a coopera-tive environment

•Poor equipment design, resulting inwasted repair efforts

•Bottlenecked stations, causing partblocking or starvation at other stations

•Individualrobotsover-cycle,causinganentire work cell to be over-cycle

•Waittimesonotherequipment,causingrobots to go over-cycle

•Poorprocessing,resultinginworkover-load on robots, operators or machines

•Poorhumanmachineinterface,causingdelays in manufacturing

•Poorsoftwareandcontrolsengineering,resulting in inefficient I/O and commu-nication between equipmentDetailed planning of robotic operations

prior to system integration can go a longway towards controlling equipment andlabour costs.

Workplace safetyMost manufacturing operations have adegree of human injury risk. One of theprimaryreasonstoautomateaprocessus-ingrobotsistoimproveworkplacesafety.High-risktaskslikeunloadingpartsfromafast-movingpressorworkingwithmoltenmetal are definitely not tasks suited forhuman operators. In these cases, robotsare invaluable in lowering the risk ofinjury or death.

Anunsafeworkplaceleadstofear-drivenhuman inefficiency, lowered productionrates, higher insurance costs, and highemployee turnover. Conversely, a safeworkplace boosts morale, increases em-ployee retention and lowers costs, whichultimately improves the bottom line. Andagain, robotscansignificantly elevate thenature of work by removing people fromdull, dirty and dangerous tasks.

Robotscanmaketheworkenvironmentsafer by performing functions that areunsafeforhumans,butrobotsthemselvescanalsobeunsafe.Forexample,ifarobotcellisnotguardedproperly,operatorsmaytakelongertoservicethestationbecauseoffearofinjury.Wheneverrobotsareused,theenvironmentmustbecarefullyanalysedandproperprotocolsinstitutedtokeeptheworkcellsafe. Iftheemployeesdon’tfeelsafe, the robotics implementationwill notbe as lean as designed.

Manyapplicationsrequirethestrengthsof both people and robots but, until re-cently,thiscouldbeverydangerous.Now

specialisedsoftwarecanallowrobotsandoperatorstocollaboratemuchmorecloselywithoutcompromisingonsafety.Thiscom-bines the flexibility of human interactionwiththeprecisionandhandlingcapacityofrobotstomakeapplicationslean,accurateand very safe for operators.

ConclusionRobots,ifusedcorrectly,canenhancealeanmanufacturing environment. Robots offerspeedandaccuracy that can’t be achievedwith human labour alone. Robots can alsoreduce operating costs, reduce scrap andare flexible for future changes. Few othermanufacturingsolutionscan reducewasteas well as robots when designed into thesystem properly.

Roboticscapabilitieshaveonlyincreasedwithtime,whilecostshavecontinuedtofall.Major robot manufacturers are constantlyupgradingtheirrobotswith increasedpay-load capacity, greater accuracy, increasedreachandrangeofmotion,improvedspeedandacceleration,fastercommunicationwithexternal equipment, better safety featuresand lower operational costs.

Ifyouhavenotexploredincorporatingro-boticsintoyourmanufacturingenvironmentlately,itisprobablytimetotakeanotherlook.With a lower cost,more capabilities and alarge number of successful manufacturingimplementations, robotscan increaseyourreturn, improve quality, reduce costs andhelp you eliminate waste.

ABB Australia Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/V763

IF YOU HAVE NOT EXPLORED INCORPORATING

ROBOTICS INTO YOUR MANUFACTURING ENVIRONMENT

LATELY, IT IS PROBABLY TIME TO TAKE ANOTHER

LOOK. WITH A LOWER COST, MORE CAPABILITIES AND

A LARGE NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL MANUFACTURING

IMPLEMENTATIONS, ROBOTS CAN INCREASE YOUR RETURN, IMPROVE

QUALITY, REDUCE COSTS AND HELP YOU ELIMINATE WASTE.

Figure 3: An example of robots working in coordination - removing and deburring parts, then spraying the dies to prepare for the next drop - removing humans from a high temperature environment.

*As reported in the World Robotics 2013 - Industrial Robots report and previously on ProcessOnline.

Robotics

http://www.endress.com.au


Chris Gailer has over 20 years of experience working with Endress+Hauser products and solutions. His journey first began in 1990 where he worked for E+H in Europe. He returned to New Zealand to become Prod-uct Manager for E+H’s New Zealand agency (EMC Industrial Group), which he later led as MD for 12 years. In early 2011 Chris took opportunity by the reins, moved to Australia and became the Managing Director of Endress+Hauser Australia.

What do you see as the biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead?With continued uncertainty in many markets, managing costs willbethebiggestchallengefacingmostcompaniesin2014.Thepre-dictedincreaseinunemploymentmaylessonpressuretoincreasewages and create amore stableworkforce. TheAustralian dollarhasdevaluedsignificantlyoverthepast12monthsandispredictedto decline further, so despite helping the competitive situation ofour valued exporters it also means higher prices for all imports,including raw materials and fuel.

What do you see as the two or three biggest opportunities for your customers in 2014?If managing costs is the challenge, then increasing productivityand efficiencies are the opportunities. Every process plant hasopportunitiestoincreaseproductivity.Ioftenmarvelathowmuchimportant process information is hidden within a plant waiting tobeaccessed.Unlockingthishiddenpotential isoftenwheremajoropportunities lie and where investment is easily justified simplyby the very short ROI.

Accessing these ‘hidden’ process variables can be as simpleas applying WirelessHART technology such as a WirelessHARTadapter, without the need for any extra cabling. Now data fromanyfieldinstrument,suchasleveltransmittersmountedonremotearea storage tanks for example, can be transmitted and coupledwith inventorymanagement software, allowing for full integrationinto existing business processes.

Fromanefficiencyperspective, regardlessofwhat happens tothe carbon tax, it’s in everyone’s best interests to save energywhere possible, as every kilowatt saved is one that doesn’t haveto be generated or paid for. Energy monitoring tools are nowavailable that provide clarity with regard to energy consumptionby identifying where potential savings can be made. For exampleonce an EMS is in place, comparisons can now be made on theefficiency of identical production lines or even more basically onthe performance of identical compressors.

Wastereduction, increasingyieldsandproductqualityarealsoimprovedwhenprocessesareaccuratelymonitoredandcontrolled.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier?Our customers look to us as a reliable and competent supplierofquality instrumentationwhich isfit forpurposeandreasonablypriced.Apartfromthis,ourcustomerswantasuppliertheycannotonlytrust,butonewhowillpartnerwiththemtofurtherenhancetheir processes and help identify any other areas for improve-ment.Carryingout anonsite installed base audit and entering allthis information into a plant asset management system, such asE+H’sW@M (Web-enabledAssetManagement), is agreatway for

bothourcustomersandusget to knowwhat’s installedand thencollaboratively coming up with methods in which to manage andmaintaintheseassetswithminimumdowntimeatthe lowesttotalcost of ownership.

What emerging trends or developing technologies may influence or change the way your customers will do business in 2014?Companiesarenow increasingly looking toget thebigpictureonall aspects of their business. Up until quite recently, automationmeant separate processes all running at once, with informationdisplayedviaaSCADAsystem.Previously I havementionedadd-ing energy monitoring and plant asset management systems to asite, but now there’s so much more to it than that. Today we aretalkingtocompaniesaboutbusinessprocessintegration,combiningautomation elements into an entire ERP integrated offering. Thisis providing our customers with 24/7 information availability andtraceability. We’re even going as far as letting them know whatinventory they have in transit and exactly where their truck fleetis located.

What new and innovative technologies do you see emerging in your field of business in 2014, and how will they help your customers.Gettingbackto‘basic’instrumentation,andtheutilisationof2-wiretechnologyacrossallmeasuringparameterswillcontinuetogaininpopularitydueto lower installationcostsandpowerconsumption.Inaddition,instrumentationwithmoreenhancedbuilt-inqualificationand validation features are the technologies that will offer hugebenefits.Thiswill allowcustomerstoconfidently relyanddependontheaccuracyof informationeach instrument isgivingand justas reliably inform them if anything goes wrong.

CHRISGAILER

MANAGINGDIRECTOR,

ENDRESS+HAUSERAUSTRALIAPTYLTD

C E O 2 0 1 4

http://www.ams-ic.com.au


Dirk Kuiper is General Manager of AMS Instrumentation & Cali-bration Pty Ltd. His professional experience is wide and varied from engineering functions such as service, commissioning and project management, to sales functions, having been a sales engineer, national sales manager and business owner. Dirk has been managing AMS Instrumen-tation & Calibration for the last 14 years and last year branched out into manufacturing with Trimec Flow Products, manufacturer of MultiPulse flowmeters.

DIRKKUIPER

GENERALMANAGER,

AMSINSTRUMENTATION&CALIBRATIONPTYLTD

C E O 2 0 1 4

There has been much discussion in the general media of a weakening manufacturing sector in Australia, but there have also been opposing views. How do you see the future for the Australian manufacturing sector?Thereiscurrentlyageneralweakeningofthemanufacturingsectorwith one of the reasons being the high Australian dollar makingexports more expensive. Wages are also putting a constraint onthemanufacturingindustrywithmanycompaniestryingtocompeteagainst those in countries with lower working conditions. Oneonly needs to watch the news or read the newspapers to seethat jobs are on the decline in the manufacturing sector. Havingsaid that, specialised manufacturing industries, such as medicalequipment,aredoingbetterbecausetheyaremoreinsulatedfromthe impact of developing economies and the import barriers arehigher. Industries like car manufacturing, which are likely to belabour intensive need to look at alternatives, like more robotics,etc.totrytomaintaincompetitiveness,thusinnovationandsmartermanufacturingtechniquescanovercomesomeofthesehurdlestoo.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier?Therearemanyfactorsthatcanaffecttherelationshipbetweenacustomerandsupplierandingeneralcustomerserviceisratedasoneofthetopfactors.Thecustomerwantstoknowthattheycanrelyontheirsuppliertodeliverwhatwasorderedwhentheysaiditwouldbe.It isanexpectationinmodernbusinessthatsupplierscanprovidetimely,accurateadviceondemand.Anotherfactorthatis important is the reputation of the company, such as how longthe company has been in business and whether there have beenissues in thepast, andalso in part theuniquenessandquality oftheproduct lines.Pricecanbea factoraswell,butvalueofferedis the key. Clients will pay more when they can justify it.

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead?Thebiggestchallenge for thecomingyearwillbetomaintain themomentumgainedin2013.Theminingboomisslowingandhencemanufacturingandsuppliersmaysufferaccordingly,butwiththisslowing other opportunities will arise in other industries suchas LNG, and these must be explored. It is therefore important toensurethataclosewatch iskeptonothermarkets.Strictercon-ditions on environmental situations, due to global warming, mayproveoneoftheseopportunities,withmorestringentrequirementsputonvarious industries.Thefluctuationof theAustraliandollar,which many still believe is overvalued, is another challenge - ifthe dollar were to drop against other currencies this might openup opportunities in the export market.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2014?Incomparisonwithfiveyearsagothedemandsfromourcustomershas been the requirement for faster response, due to the com-munication ‘revolution’. Responses are required virtually within adayorless.Withtheinterneteverexpandingandnewtechnologiesarrivingvirtuallyeveryday,manycustomers inour industrywantthese technologies implemented whether it is for communication,control,orotherpurposes.Technicalknowledge isexpectedtobeimproved greatly, as otherwise it will be found on the internet.Thepaperlesssocietyisbecomingmoreandmoreofareality,notonlyineverydaysituations,butalsointheinstrumentation,controlandautomationindustries.It isimportanttokeepabreastoftheseinnovations and implement these where necessary.

What do you see as the two or three biggest growth opportunities for your customers in 2014?This is an interesting question, as it is a bit like looking into acrystal ball and it is dependent on the different industries - butinreality,nothinghaschanged.Growthopportunitiesalwaysexist,but it is important tofindthe focusandthengo for it. I seethreecustomergrowthstrategiesfor2014asvery important.First, it isimportant to grow the core business and maintain your focus onthis, and secondly to look at segmenting the business and cus-tomers by investigating where most of the business comes fromand concentrate on the top range of customers. The third step isto start looking at alternative or adjacent strategies. Managementshould begin this process by considering the growth potentialwithin the present core business or the opportunities and growthpotentialassociatedwithcreatinginnovativevaluepropositionsforunder-served customer groups.

http://www.pepperl-fuchs.com.au


Shane Parr has over 25 years’ experience in the instrumentation and process automation industries. He commenced his career as a plant technician and then worked as an application engineer. Today, as Regional Director, he leads the Pepperl+Fuchs Process Au-tomation business in Asia Pacific. Holding a diploma in electronics engineering, he also currently holds the position of Chairman of the Foundation Fieldbus Executive Advisory Council Asia Pacific. He is married with two children and is currently based out of Singapore, where he covers markets from Australia, China, Korea, Japan, India and South East Asia.

SHANEPARR

MANAGINGDIRECTOR,

PEPPERL+FUCHSAUSTRALIA

C E O 2 0 1 4

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead?The so-called Industry 4.0, which encompasses the complete,automatically controllednetworkingofmachines andplantsusingweb technologies, is one of the key issues facing the automationindustryinthefuture.Theidea,thatallthestagesofaproductionprocess, including the products themselves, could autonomouslycontrolandoptimiseanentirefactoryusingweb-basedtechnologies,would indicate thedirectionof thenext revolution inour industryand therefore present us with the next biggest challenge - butalso many opportunities.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2014?Our customers are demanding more service, product knowledgeand support as they continue to operate on reducedbudgets, andthespeedofthissupporthasbecomemorecritical.Ourcustomersdemand and therefore expect instant answers to their problemsand to satisfy this challengecompanieswill need toutilisemulti-ple platforms of information technology, including the embracingof social media platforms. For traditional automation companies,wherestandardsandtechnologiesdidnotchangethat rapidlyfiveyears ago, this change is a challenge to embrace.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier?Our customers are increasingly looking for better applicationknowledgeandproductsupportastheycomeundermorepressureto bring projects online in tighter time frames. Immediate localtechnical support is therefore imperative to removeanyobstaclesduring project implementation. Technical education is also veryimportant, because the automation world is moving faster andfaster, implementing new technologies and global standards. Ourcustomers need to understand these changes and therefore lookto the market to help them gain the required knowledge.

Our customers also need local stock to support their installa-tions.Maintenancebudgetsarecomingunderincreasingpressure,and therefore customers expect suppliers to hold stock to enablethem to keep their plants running efficiently.

What emerging trends or developing technologies may influence or change the way your customers will do business in 2014?Automation technologies will influence our customers. Today,technologies like fieldbus and wireless are readily utilised onlarge petrochemical, oil and gas plants, and this will filter downintosmallerprocessplants.Newtechnologiesalsobringagreat

dealofdiagnosticdataandthechallengeistocondenseanduti-lisethisdatasocustomerscanruntheirplantsmoreefficiently,withlessdowntime.Inessence,theplantswilltellthecustomersof potential failures before they occur. As we move towards anIndustry 4.0 architecture, autonomous automation will allow thetechnologiestocoexistandtherefore interactwitheachothertogain further efficiencies.

There has been much discussion in the general media of a weakening manufacturing sector in Australia, but there have also been opposing views. How do you see the future for the Australian manufacturing sector?ItisdifficulttocompeteinthemanufacturingsectorinAustralia,unlessproductsarevaluedandmarketedasunique, reliableandwith leading-edgetechnology.Companiesthatcontinueto investin technology and incorporate this unique technology into theirproducts will compete successfully. Recently, Pepperl+Fuchscompletedtheacquisitionofthe60-year-oldAustraliancompanyGOVAN Industries Australia. GOVAN manufactures a range ofexplosion-proofsolutions,liketerminaljunctionboxes,Excontrolstationsandswitchracks.Wenowincorporateourproductsintotheexplosion-proofenclosures,toprovidethemarketwithuniqueintegratedsolutions,allmanufacturedoutofourMelbournefacil-ity. We now export into price-sensitive markets in South EastAsia, as our customers value the complete engineered solution,and they know it will conform to all the international standards,which is critical for safety on hazardous area plants.

http://www.emersonprocess.com/experience


What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead, and why?RetainingandtrainingqualifiedpersonnelwillcontinuetochallengeAustralianindustryoverthenextfewyears.TheboominQueens-land inthecoalseamgasmarkethaschallengedsuppliers,EPCs,OEMs and end users. The LNG plants on Curtis Island will havethe same effect on resources. Western Australia has similarities,withahighdegreeofprojectactivityintheconstructionphaseforthenext fewyears.Transitioningprojectstoanoperationalphasewill undoubtedly be a challenge, with the high element of projectactivity over the past few years.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier?Fromourexperienceoverthelastfewyears,customersarelookingtotheirsuppliersformoreassistanceandexpertise.CostpressuresarehittingAustralianmanufacturingandthishasdrivencustomersto look to solution providers that are able to clearly demonstrateROIsavings.Skilledandhighlyexperiencedresourcesareinshortsupply,soasupplier’sexpertiseinthisfieldisanincreasinglyim-portantfactor.Thefinaltruetestforanysupplier-alsoextremelyimportanttocustomers- iswhenan issueorproblemdoesarisehow quickly that company is able to react and resolve the issueto the satisfaction of the client.

What environmentally sustainable initiatives have been undertaken that will position your company differently before customers and prospects in the year ahead?Wireless technologies have, and are, changing the playing field ininstrumentationtoday.Plantsarecontinuallychallengedtoreducepowerconsumptionandwirelesstransmitterswithbatterieslastingup to 10 years have aided this reduction. Product reliability is akeydesignprincipleacrossourwholeportfoliowithsomeproductsnowofferingwarrantiesupto12years.Withsomanyremotesitesacross Australia and New Zealand this will reduce the need formaintenance personnel to travel to the field, ultimately reducinggasemissions (andsafetyofpersonnel).Away fromourproductsand services, Emerson has also embarked on social responsibil-ityprogramstodrive initiativesspecificallytargetedtoreducethecarbon footprint on our planet.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2014?Technicalexpertiseandapplicationsolutions!Onceagain,thiscomesdown to a shortage of skilled resources in our industries. Thereis an expectation for suppliers to add value by engineering andsupportingsolutionsandnot justprovidingaproduct.Tomeetthe

KARLWIGGINTON

MANAGINGDIRECTOR,

EMERSONPROCESSMANAGEMENT,AUSTRALIAANDNEWZEALAND

Karl Wigginton has been in sen-ior roles with process control companies for over twenty years with recent positions at Emerson Process Management in both Perth and Brisbane. He has had an ac-tive involvement with regional and country instrumentation commit-tees including the IICA and SAIMC over the years. Karl was recently appointed to the position of General Manager and Managing Director for Emerson Process Manage-ment responsible for Australia and New Zealand. He holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering (Instrumentation).

C E O 2 0 1 4

requirements of our customers training is key. We recognise theneed for trainingandare investing in customer trainingprogramswhich will certainly be enhanced further in the future.

Weshouldalsonot losesightofourexistingskillsandknowl-edgebaseacrossourworkforce,wherewehaveexperiencedstaffcovering a multitude of industries where the similar issues havelikely alreadybeen addressed and resolved. Let’s not reinvent thewheel here!

What new and innovative technologies do you see emerging in your field of business in 2014, and how will they help your customers?Whilenotnew in2014,wirelesssystemshavegrownsignificantlyover the past five years and will continue to grow at an expo-nential rate. The wireless portfolio of products has significantlygrown from the early days of just pressure and temperature andcustomersarenowseeing thevalueof the technologywithmanyexpansionsofsmallstartersystemsnowunderway.There isnowprovenanddocumentedevidenceforbothgreenfieldandbrownfieldprojects that plants are able to be bought online faster with apotential for significant savings inoverall capital cost.However itis also important to remember that wireless solutions should beseen as a complementary technology rather than a replacementstrategy. The introduction of electronic marshalling significantlyreducescomplexityby reducedwiring,patchpanelsandcabinets.Commissioning hours, factory acceptance testing (FAT) and faultfindingbecomesmoreexpedientbyimplementingsystemsutilisingelectronic marshalling.

http://www.weidmuller.com.au


Originally starting at Weidmüller as a graduate back in 1997, Ian Slater returned to the company in August 2002 after a number of years away for further career ad-vancement in the industry and more tertiary studies in IT networking and communications. Ian has held numerous senior sales and market-ing positions at Weidmüller since his return, eventually taking on the General Manager role in June 2013. At the end of 2013, Ian also becomes a Director, leading the Australia and New Zealand operations.

IANSLATER

GENERALMANAGER,

WEIDMÜLLERPTYLTD

C E O 2 0 1 4

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead?

Withoutadoubt,customersarefacingnumerouschallengesthanksto the current shifts and structural changes taking place in theAustralian economy. However, once these challenges are undercontrol,customerswillfaceanewconcept-Industry4.0.AccordingtothelargeindustrialmanufacturingnationslikeGermanyandtheUnited States, the fourth industrial revolution is already upon us.The factory of the future will feature fully intelligent networkedand self-controlled manufacturing systems. ‘Smart products’ thatallow these intelligent networked production processes to com-municate with one another and to act autonomously will becomeintegral to systems and processes alike. The challenge will be tokeep abreast of this technology and to effectively implement it tomaintain competitiveness.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier?

Thethreekeycapabilitiesourcustomersareseeking ina leadingsupplierofindustrialconnectivityproductsaresolutions,innovationand quality. It is imperative that we are able to develop tailoredsolutionsthatmeettheneedsofspecificproblemswithinourtar-getmarkets.Of course, integral to being able to deliverworkablesolutions is innovation. Without the ability to innovate high-techproducts and services, it may not be possible to provide viablesolutions.Deliveringqualityproductsandservicesisfundamental.Withoutqualityhowcanyoubuildtrust intoyourpartnershipwithyour customer? Quality must never be sacrificed for the sake ofprofits or even speed of delivery.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2014?

Fiveyearsagoacustomerwasgenerallysatisfiedwhenyoufilledtheir order on time and at a fair price. Today, we are more thanjust a part of the supply chain. As a successful supplier of in-dustrial connectivity products, we are more acutely aware of ourcustomers’ needs thaneverbeforeandour role ismuchbroader.Apart from meeting their technical requirements, our customersrequireexcellentservice,confidentiality,long-termproductsupportand the ability to understand their specific processes. As part ofour commitment to ‘adding value’, we work hard to gain a deepunderstanding of our customers and their needs, which, in turn,allows us to develop viable solutions. Only then can we claim tobe really meeting their needs!

What new and innovative technologies do you see emerging in your field of business in 2014, and how will they help your customers?Therateofuptakeofadvancesintechnologyhasneverbeengreaterthan the present time. Futureproofing, hot swapping, modularityand downtime-free may seem like techno jargon but what theyrepresent is rapidly becoming the norm.Customerswill requiretheabilitytogrow industrialsystemswithincreasing demand. They will also require the ability to upgradeand expand processes without any downtime. This is already be-comingachievablethankstoso-calledhotswappablemodularI/O.Advancessuchasthesewillenabletheengineersoftomorrowtoreadily upgrade systems that have outgrown their capacities in aseamless, logical sequence with the utmost reliability.

There has been much discussion in the general media of a weakening manufacturing sector in Australia, but there have also been opposing views. How do you see the future for the Australian manufacturing sector?Advancing globalisation, increasing competition and high labourcosts have long put pressure on the survival of manufacturing inAustralia. The industry is also shrinking thanks to the closure oflarge,localplantssuchasFordand,morerecently,Electrolux.Addto this the high cost of transport in Australia and the prospectsformanufacturingdoappear,onthesurface,grim.However,giventhat Australia will always likely be a high-cost country, we mustlearnfromothersimilarhigh-costcountrieslikeGermany.Wewillneed to work harder to optimise and automate our processes forthe futuretoensureweremaincompetitive. IdobelieveAustraliawill adapt in niche manufacturing industries, but it is a countrythat has never taken change lightly. For Weidmüller, Australianmanufacturing remainsa targetgrowthsector, somymessagetoindustry is … Let’s connect.

http://www.wiley.com.au


Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead?

In my opinion, the biggest challenge continues to be the costburden placed on Australian food and beverage businesses thatare competing internationally on an uneven playing field broughtabout by the high cost of government taxes and regulations - atbothstateandfederal levels.Withoutsignificantpoliticalprogresswith regard to thederegulationof the foodandbeveragesectors,marriedwitharenewedfocusonsecuringfreetradeagreements,business will continue to struggle with freeing up enough capitaltomakestrategicplans forupgrading, improvingand futureproof-ing their operations.

What do you see as the two or three biggest growth opportunities for your customers in 2014?

It is no secret that, for the food industry, the biggest growth op-portunities lie in building quality relationships for the export offood and beverages to Asia - and in particular, China.

We, as an industry, need to become innovators and lead theway in discovering and implementing diversification at all levelsof food production, including product ranges, packaging and thetechnology to deliver the quantities that will be in demand. It iseasy to say Australia is the food bowl for Asia, but without seri-ous intentions and real policy support from the government, it isall just fancy slogans.

What new and innovative technologies do you see emerging in your field of business in 2014, and how will they help your customers?

The emergence of robotic automation technologies represents anengineering challenge insofar as integrating robots into human-centredareasoffoodproduction.Whilethetechnologythatdrivesinnovationsinlogistics,suchasautomatedguidedvehicles(AGVs)isquicklyevolvingtobecomesaferfortheoperatorandtherobot,robotic pack-off systems are lagging behind.

However, with innovations like Rodney Brooks’ Baxter Robot- with its ability to quickly learn without onerous programmingcombinedwithitssensitivitytohumanpresence- it’seasytoseerobotstakingonagreaterrole inmany foodprocessing facilities.


Generally speaking, the demands of our customer base haven’tchanged significantly over the years; they will always want themost cost-effective and efficient production solutions.

Theobviousshiftinhowwemeettheseexpectationshasbeenin direct response to economic pressures due to the Carbon Tax,the GFC, export conditions and value of the dollar - for example,targeting waste streams, covering anaerobic ponds etc.

We are constantly honing our value engineering offering togainevergreaterreturnsonprocessefficiencybyconsideringtheentire production system which, in turn, further reduces overallproduction costs.

There has been much discussion in the general media of a weakening manufacturing sector in Australia, but there have also been opposing views. How do you see the future of the Australian manufacturing sector?

Everything is dependent on the right policies being brought tothe top of the agenda and quickly put into play, which will allowconfidence to return to food and beverage manufacturers, andagribusiness.

The recent change in government and the approach they haveexhibitedovertheirfirstfewweeksmakesmeoptimisticthattheyhavetherightpriorities forthistermofgovernment. IbelievewewillseesomerealprogresswiththeirpromisesofmajoradvancesintheFreeTradeAgreementtalkswithAsiaandsignificantreformsin tax and regulation.

As the Managing Director of Wiley, Tom Wiley is focused on improving and maintaining a strong culture founded on deep specialist skill, decades of experi-ence and a long family business heritage. He is passionate about construction, marketing, new technology, boats and most im-portantly, his family. He believes in always seeking a better way forward.

TOMWILEY

MANAGINGDIRECTOR,

WILEY

C E O 2 0 1 4

MASONEILAN CONTROL VALVES and

CONSOLIDATED SAFETY VALVESMASONEILAN LINEAR AND ROTARY CONTROL VALVE SOLUTIONS:- • For Severe Service in Oil and Gas Applications;• For High Pressure and Temperature Media in Power Plants;• For Erosive and Corrosive Service in Mining Services;• For High Turndown in Contaminated CSG Fluids;• For Noise Control in Gas Transmission;• For Contaminated and Fibrous Pulp and Paper Plant Duties;• For Precise Control Performance in Food Processing Plants;• In fact, for any Modulating Control Application at all ...

CONSOLIDATED SAFETY RELIEF VALVES:- • For ASME Section I and Section VIII Relief Valve Applications;• For Applications that require the highest level of Quality – without compromise;• For Duties that require unique Material Combinations;• For Processes that demand rugged and proven design;• There is only one Solution ... CONSOLIDATED!

POWERFLO SOLUTIONS PTY LTDAUTHORISED DISTRIBUTORS AND REPAIR PARTNERS FOR GE MASONEILAN AND CONSOLIDATEDEmail: [email protected]: 1300 658 701

LOCALLY ENGINEERED AND SIZED IN AUSTRALIA LOCALLY ASSEMBLED AND TESTED IN AUSTRALIA LOCALLY SERVICED AND REPAIRED IN AUSTRALIA

ASME Section I and Section VIII Certification Coming Soon

http://www.powerflo.com.au


For more than 30 years, Kathryn Wood has run her own business, specialising in engineered control valve solutions and regulators. She is currently the Managing Direc-tor and Chairman of Powerflo Solutions (previously known as Austral Engineering Supplies), which commenced operations in 1911. During her working life, she has been involved with the IICA and now dedicates much of her time to the training of young graduate engineers in her field of expertise. She has a passion for interior design (holding a Diploma) and horseracing.

KATHRYNWOOD

MANAGINGDIRECTOR,POWERFLOSOLUTIONS

C E O 2 0 1 4

What do you see as the single biggest challenge facing your customers in the year ahead, and why?The necessity to be competitive in an increasingly competitivedomestic and international marketplace. With the strong Austral-ian dollar and escalating costs of building and maintaining a plant,compoundedbyhighsalarylevelsdemandedbyboththesemi-skilledand skilled labour force, it is essential that a long-term approachto profit growth be adopted so that the products and services thatour customers provide can be delivered competitively. In additionto this, in some fields there is a real drain of knowledge that isfundamentaltoselectingthebestprocessequipmentandmaintaininga plant to a level where downtime is minimised and planned. Theindustrymustlooktoinvestandprovideincentivesforstaffthroughapprenticeshipsandongoingtraininginitiativessothatahigherlevelof knowledge and understanding is achieved.

What do you feel are the three most important things your customers are looking for in a supplier, and why?Mostofourcustomersare lookingfor long-termrelationshipswithdependable suppliers who bring value to their business. This en-compasses:soundengineeringsupport;high-qualityreliableproductsthatcan improvetheirplant’sperformance intermsofcontrolwithminimaldowntime;andasoundafter-marketcollaborationincludinghands-onproducttrainingandmaintenancesupport.Inourspecialisedfieldofcontrolvalvesandoverpressureprotection,wearelosingtheknowledgebaseacrosstheboardaspeopleretireordonothavetheexposuretosizingandselectingsuchcriticalequipment.Supplierssuchasourselvesneed tocommit tobridging that knowledgegap.

What are your customers demanding of you more today than five years ago, and how will you meet these requirements in 2014?Asplantprocesseschangeandbecomemoredemanding,thensomust our products evolve to meet these higher levels of specifi-cation. This means that our products and those manufactured bythecompaniesthatwerepresentrequiresignificant investment inR&D in order to ensure that the ‘final control element’ performsto these specifications. This can be in terms of range ability,temperaturerange,noisecontrolandchemicalresistance,tonamea few. The new ultracritical power stations that are working attemperaturesandpressuresbeyond320barat 710°, forexample,necessitate thedevelopment of newmaterials. In addition to this,our customers demand significantly more project documentationand certification, and therefore we align ourselves with supplierswhounderstandthattheserequirementsdoexistandmustbemet.And, of course, of huge importance is the level of after-marketsupport, as many companies choose to no longer employ largeteams of experienced maintenance personnel, instead opting tooutsource this work. We have established fixed service locationsinmanyofthemajorcities,aswellasmobilefacilities(bothfullyequippedtrucksandcontainers),sothatwecanservicetheirplantassets ‘on their doorstep’.

What new and innovative technologies do you see emerging in your field of business in 2014, and how will they help your customers?Inoursector,wehaveseenthedemandfor‘smart’positionersandcontrollersgrowexponentially.Fromtheearlydaysofrelease,thesedevices offer a wide range of features that are continuously beingexpandedinordertoprovidethecustomerwithfairlydetailedinfor-mationabouttheircontrolvalvesandESDvalves.Remotemountingoptions for suchpositionersallowthedevice tohelpcreateasafeworkingzone forpersonnelwherehazardoussubstancesmightbepresent, accessibility isdifficultandtemperaturesareunacceptablyhighorlow.Thesecontroldevicesarebecomingmoreuser-friendlyand adaptable with wireless communication options, and inventorycostsarereducedwhenasinglepositionerorESDcontroller(withpartialstroketesting)canbeusedonbothlinearandrotaryvalves.Moreover,improveddesignsnolongerneedahandheldcommunica-torforcalibrationastheycanbelocallyconfigured,andspecialisedsoftwareenablesthecustomerstomonitortheirvalves’performanceremotely from the safety of their office.

There has been much discussion in the general media of a weakening manufacturing sector in Australia, but there have also been opposing views. How do you see the future for the Australian manufacturing sector?Ibelievethatthemanufacturingsectorhasweakenedsignificantlyoverthe lastdecade, and it’sof real concern.Foranumberof reasons,Australia isno longeracompetitiveplacetomanufacture, letaloneevenengineer,andwehaveseenanumberof largemanufacturersclose down their plants only to go to countries with a lower costbase.Similarly,wehaveseenmanyofthe largeEPCsreducetheirlocal presence to no more than a front office, having decided tomovetheirengineeringandprocurementteamstocountrieslikethePhilippines,ChinaandThailandoutofnecessityinordertomaintaintheir business in an ever more competitive world.

http://www.burkert.com.au


CHRISHOEY

MANAGINGDIRECTOR,

BÜRKERTFLUIDCONTROLSYSTEMS

C E O 2 0 1 4

Do you think the resources boom continues to be a primary focus for automation, control and instrumentation vendors?

The resources boom is not over; however, I believe it has en-teredaperiodofconsolidationandrationalisationafterwhathasbeen years of hypergrowth. For the resources sector to remaincompetitive, they now need to consider their investments care-fully with a clear focus on achieving the desired outcome. Thisopensupmoreopportunityforintelligentautomationusingmoderntechnologies, as fast-tracked projects tend to be ‘cut and paste’versionsofthewayithasalwaysbeendone.Nowtheywillseeksmarter and more sustainable solutions from reliable suppliersthat have the experience to deliver such outcomes.

What do you see as the two or three biggest growth opportunities for your customers in 2014?

Themanufacturingsector inAustralia isatacrossroadwhere itwillhavetochoosebetweenqualityandprice.Itisclearthatwithastrongeconomy,wewillnotseeasignificantly lowerdollar inthe short term, therefore they can only choose the quality andinnovationroute.Todothis,theywillhavetopositionandmarketthemselvesoutwardly, but they alsomust innovate and engineertheirproductsaccordingtothisvision.Toooftenmanufacturersareseekingcheaper imports tobuild theirsolutions,only to findtheendresult isunreliableandservestoreducetheirdifferentiationwith complete product imports. Those companies that success-fully achieve this will have a medium-term advantage over theircompetitorsandinturngeneratealong-termsustainablebusiness.

What do you feel are the three most impor-tant things your customers are looking for in a supplier?

Customersarelookingforlifecyclecosting,reliabilityandservice.Australia appears to be well behind in lifecycle cost considera-tions,which includeallaspectsofaproductpurchase.Researchshows that when full consideration is given to this, the originalpurchase price is less than 15% of the bigger picture, yet deci-sions are still made on hardware purchase price alone. In linewith this is thequestionof reliability.Considerationneedstobemadeabout thedifferentiationofpurchasepriceversusasinglehourofplantdowntimeorthecosttorectifyandrepair.Thelastelement is service, which remains one of the fastest growingareas in the automation industry.Products should be chosenonthe availability of parts, reconditioning, field service and mostimportantly, the sustainability of the supplier.


Customers behave differently towards suppliers today, as theyexpect a level of service that simply did not exist 10 years ago.They are also wiser and do more of the pre-work prior to evenmakingthe firstcontact.Researchtellsusthat70%ofthedeci-sion is made from the customer’s own research and that salescompaniesonlygettheopportunitiestofinetunethesedecisions.Therelationshipmodelisnotgone,butaclearshiftisvisiblefromtherelationshipwiththesalesrepresentative,totherelationshipwiththecompany.Customerswant theability tohavedirectac-cess to all divisions of the company, sales, bidding, operationsandservice.Moderncompaniesaredesigningtheirsalesprocessaroundthismodelandwillthrivebydeliveringconsiderablymoresuccessful outcomes.

What new and innovative technologies do you see emerging in your field of business in 2014, and how will they help your customers?

We’reseeingfewertrulynewinnovationsintheprocessautoma-tion industry. Many manufacturers are operating with reducedR&D investment, but it is also true that many of the significantor cost-effective ideas that integrate modern technologies havealreadybeenbroughttothetable.Wewillseeadvancesinsensortechnologiesforsure,particularlymicrochipsandbiosensors,butthe majority of innovation will come from repackaging. That is,repackagingattheproductlevel,suchasmultiparameteranalyserswhere smaller size and price points can be achieved, and alsorepackagingasaproductlifecycleoffering,withsuppliersofferingdesign,supply,maintenance,upgradeandevenrecyclesolutions.

Chris Hoey is the Managing Direc-tor of Bürkert in the Pacific region and is described by those that work with him as a “suit with his sleeves rolled up”, bringing his 25 years of hands-on experi-ence to the boardroom. With an energetic approach to leadership, Chris is involved with key accounts, system design and new solution development. As a longstanding IICA committee member, and treasurer of the Profibus Associa-tion, Chris is active in the industry and continuously campaigns for more efficient, ingenious and smarter systems.


HOT PRODUCTSON WWW.PROCESSONLINE.COM.AU THIS MONTH

>PROFINET-COMPATIBLE ETHERNET SWITCH

The FL SWITCH SMN 8TX-

PN can be managed using

the Profinet Device and

is fully suitable for Con-

formance Class B Profinet

networks.

Phoenix Contact Pty Ltd

WF.NET.AU/V692

SIL-RATED PRESSURE SWITCHES

The ITT Neo-Dyn range of pres-

sure switches has been certified

to meet (IEC 61508) SIL 1 and

SIL 2 integrity requirements (SIL

3 capable).

Control Components Pty Ltd

WF.NET.AU/V825

>

CAPACITIVE SENSORS

Capacitive sensors detect bulk materials or

liquids through non-metallic vessel walls.

ifm efector pty ltd

WF.NET.AU/V615

>

ALARM MANAGEMENT SUITE

Honeywell’s DynAMo Alarm Suite is ad-

vanced alarm management software that

reduces the overall number of alarms while

helping operators focus and respond to

the most critical.

Honeywell Limited

WF.NET.AU/V862

>

CUSTOMISED EXPLOSION PROTECTION ENCLOSURES

The GOVAN explosion protection enclosure range is designed to provide the

petrochemical, oil and gas industries with customised enclosure solutions.

Pepperl+Fuchs (Aust) Pty Ltd

WF.NET.AU/V595

>


NEWPRODUCTS

EXPANDED SAFETY GATE LOCK RANGEPilz has released new versions and accessories for its PSENslock

safety gate range. PSENslock provides secure safety gate monitor-

ing combined with a non-contact magnetic interlock of 500 or

1000 N, all in one. With the various connection options (M12

connector, 5- or 8-pin), PSENslock can be used for safety gate

monitoring up to Category 4, both individually and in series.

In contrast to mechanical alternatives, PSENslock also

enables maximum manipulation protection thanks to the RFID

transponder technology.

With the newly designed free-moving anchor plate (actua-

tor), even gates requiring high movement tolerances can be

now monitored and locked using the PSENslock, and it is also

now available in a stainless steel version for hygiene critical areas.

The PSENsl ‘restart interlock’ is a mechanical add-on module for

the PSENslock range to allow padlocks and multilocks to be attached

to the switch to prevent the door closing in applications that require lock out

tag out (LOTO).

Pilz Australia Industrial Automation LP


http://www.control-logic.com.au


DRY BLOCK TEMPERATURE CALIBRATORDry block calibrators have many benefits over the traditional method of liquid baths, including quicker heating

and cooling times, smaller, lighter, portable and much wider operating temperature ranges.

The Fluke 9141-NATA dry block temperature calibrator has been designed with ease of use and functionality

in mind. Weighing 3.6 kg, this unit is easily portable and is suitable for high-volume calibrations, making it

easy and productive to use. The device is available to rent.

The upright unit calibrates up to 650°C, heats up to maximum temperature in only 12 min and has a

124 mm wide dry well. The heating and cooling rate is adjustable from the front panel, with connection to

a PC via the built-in RS232 port also available. Thermal switches can be checked for actuation testing and

multiple hole inserts are available for a variety of probe sizes. It features an accuracy to ±0.5°C, and has a

stabilisation time of 7 min. The included software allows the user to adjust set points and ramp rates, log dry

well readings to a file, create an electronic strip chart and perform thermal switch testing with data collection.

TechRentals


CA

SE

STU

DY

Spreading Wild Oats with on-site nitrogen generation

Despitemodernadvances,winemakingisstill,atitscore,asimpleart:grapejuiceisfermentedwiththehelpofsomeyeast.However,supplyingwineinthequantitiesandqualitiesdemandedbythemodernconsumerhasmouldedthecultureofwinemakingacrosstheglobe.

Tomeet increaseddemand,winemakersmustmaximiseoutputwhilestill producingwinesthatarevintagequalityandtruetotraditionalmethods.Stainless steel processingvats are increasinglyreplacing oak barrels and precision-controlledcrushingtechnologiesaretakingtheplaceofhumanfeet.Winemakersaretakingtheircraftintotheeraofautomation.

One wine producer who has successfullyblendedtraditionalwinemakingvalueswiththeprecisemanagementofprocessingtechnologiesisRobertOatleyVineyards.BobOatleyisafifth-generationAustralianwhoestablishedRosemountEstateinthe1960s,producinghisfirstcommercialvintagesintheearly1970s.

Afterabriefhiatus fromwinemaking,OatleyboughtaMudgeepropertyin2006,establishingRobertOatleyVineyards.Theregion’slargest winery, the property serves as the family’s winemakingheadquarters.Thefamily’saward-winningWildOatsbrandhasbeenagreatsuccess,becomingoneofthecountry’stop-sellingwineswithintwoyearsofbeingreleased.

Withaproductioncapabilityofthousandsofbottlesperday,theRobertOatleyWinesbottlingfacilityusescompressednitrogenatalmosteverystepofthebottlingprocess.

Thefacility’scompressorsaresuppliedbyCompressedAirandPowerSolutions(CAPS)Australia.Onasupportvisittothewinery,MatthewBroadbent,seniorsalesengineerforNSW,noticedthatthewinerywasusingbottlednitrogenforsomeprocesses.

“Iquicklyrealisedthatthewinerywasspendingmorethannecessaryon itsnitrogen requirements,”Broadbentsaid. “So Iput togetheraproposalthatIwassurecouldsavethemmoney.”

Broadbentproposedan installationofthe Inmatec IMT-PN1650,whichprovidesanoutputof37m3perhour.Thewinery’sbottlednitrogenrestricteditto150m3perday.Theresultingcostsavingsofthefullnitrogenpackageexceededthecompany’sexpectations.“ThenewequipmentatRobertOatleyVineyardshascutthepricepercubicmetreofnitrogenperdaybymorethan75%,”saidBroadbent.

Nitrogencannowbeusedthroughoutthewinery,notjustonthebottlingline.Nitrogenisusedonthebottlinglinetopurgethelinesaftersterilewaterhasbeenpumpedthroughthem. Inordertominimiseoxidation,nitrogenisalsousedwhiletransferringthewinetobottles.

“Toachievethis, thefillerbowlhasaheadofnitrogenandgasis forced intothe liquidandthesealingcapsule,”saidPhilipGriffin,productionmanageratthewinery.

Avineyard’ssuccessisdependentonthehealthoftheearth,soitstandstoreasonthatthecompanybelievesinprotectingandnurturingthe environment. The compressors andnitrogen generators useenvironmentallyfriendlycompressorlubricantandnoisepollutioniskepttoaminimum.

“Thecompressorsareinstalledinareaswhereanumberofourstaffarepermanentlylocated,”saidGriffin.“ThecompressorssuppliedbyCAPSarerelativelyquiet,whichprotectsourworkersandmaintainsatranquilatmosphere.”

CAPScontinuesitsrelationshipwiththewinemaker,witharegularserviceschedulecarriedoutbythecompressorcompany’squalifiedtechnicianstoensurethesmoothoperationofallthecompressedgassystems.

According toGriffin, theupgradedcompressedair systemandnitrogengeneratorsallowthewinerytogetonwithitsprimaryjob:tocontinueproducingRobertOatley’swines.

CAPS Australia Pty Ltd


Pneumatics

www.automationdirect.com.au

Australia Wide: 1-800-633040New Zealand: 0-800-6330405Asia Pacific: 61-7-55597600E: [email protected]: 61-7-55252053Direct Automation Makes Your Job Easier

Directional Solenoid ValvesM5 and 1/8 Ports Directional Solenoid Valves

1/4 and 1/2G Ports Cylinder ISO15552:200440mm to 125mm bores

S/S Mini Cylinder ISO643216mm to 40mm bores

Mechinical Directional Valves1/8, 1/4 and 1/2G Ports

Pneumatic Tube and Fittings

Air Preparation Units Dual Rod Guided Cylinders 12mm to 63mm bores

Direct Automation Makes Your Job Easier

In this uncertain economy, you need to save moneyand save time . . . we can help.

Automation Direct’s proven pneumatic hardware for a flexiblecontrol platform at prices that will cut your budget!

You need quality products at a greatprice from a solid supplier. . .. . . Since 1994 our prices have beentypically 50% less than more traditional suppliers.Since our industry-changing DVD-Catalog first hit mailboxes in 1994, we’vebeen offering a better value on industrial controls by running our businessefficiently and passing the savings on to our customers. In 1999, we made it easier to research and purchase by becoming the firstautomation supplier with a 24/7 online store.We’ve made the commitment to offer the best products at the best value wecould deliver so you have a better choice.

You insist on better serviceand you want it FREE . . .

Call Toll Free 1800-633040

Photo Electric & Proximity Sensors

Automation Communications Process Switchgear Pneumatics

CommunicationsDirect Automation Makes Your Job Easier

Modbus TCP/IP to RTU Gateway (MB-GATEWAY)The MB-GATEWAY is a single port Modbus Gateway module that con-verts Modbus TCP to Modbus RTU. •This Ethernet to serial converter supports up to 12 simultaneousModbus TCP Clients (masters) Ethernet connections, and up to 128RTU Servers (slaves) serial connections.•This Modbus gateway supports NetEdit or WebBrowser based configuration tools.•Automatic read function•RJ45 10/100 Mbps Ethernet port•RS-422/485 2 or 4 wire serial port•35mm DIN rail mount

Our Ethernet switches start at $793onedata is a line of industrial grade unmanaged Ethernet switches and media converters.Designed with PLC, HMI and drive customers in mind, Stride Ethernet switches are specifi-cally built for industrial environments. With a 3onedata industrial Ethernet switch on an isolated control LAN, you can reduce datacollisions that slow down your network. Install 3onedata switches and your Ethernet controlnetwork will maintain more consistent cycle times even under heavy I/O and data exchange.With no user setup required, the 3onedata switches and media converters will start operat-ing as soon as you power them up and connect themto the network.

IES205-2F-M-SC 3 ports 10/100Baes-T(X)+2ports 100Base-FX,Â Multi-mode, SC, DC12-36V $235

IES608Â Web managed,Redundant, 8 ports10/100Base-T(X), DC12-36V $399

$69.00 ea(Pack size=10)

Designed for Industrial UseOur Ethernet patch cables are designed to

reduce the effects of (EMI) electromagneticinterference by incorporating a singlemetal foil shield that wraps around theentire set of 8 wires in the Cat5e cable.The RJ45 connectors are also shielded

against electrical interference and designedto be robust. Our 350 MHz cables exceedall Cat5e TIA/EIA standards, and drasticallyreduce both impedance and structural

return loss (SRL) when compared to standard 100 MHzcables.With several colors and lengths to choose from at greatpricing, these cables should help you in creating solid,reliable Ethernet networks with any application.

IES205 5 ports10/100Base-T(X),DC12-36V $79

wnipeJan214_WNIPE 10/12/2013 5:04 PM Page 1

http://www.automationdirect.com.au


NEWPRODUCTS

SANITARY BULK CONTAINER DUMPERThis process-specific sanitary bulk container dumper is

designed and built to the particular sanitary operating pro-

cesses and practices of the application to ensure optimal

compliance contribution (OCC). The construction of this

NBE sanitary bulk container dumper meets the FDA, cGMP

definition for cleanability according to 21CFR110.40, with

design features that proactively facilitate thorough cleaning

and meet or reduce target cleaning times.

Such features include: the elimination of internal an-

gles, corners and dead spaces to avoid accumulation of

contaminants; angled-planes, rounded radius framework,

highly finished plate, and stand-offs to reduce material

build-up and speed material and moisture run-off away

from product contact areas; and component frameworks

cut from plate to eliminate exposed fasteners, joints and

crevices common with tubular assemblies.

Additional protections for product and personnel, in

support of OCC, according to 29CFR1910.217, include:

machine hard guarding that permits pass-through of ma-

terials while guarding operators from contact with machine

hazards; guarding that permits viewing of guarded pro-

cesses, reducing the need to remove guards; and when

guards must be removed, guard retention systems on the

machine protect personnel during maintenance, validation

and inspection procedures.

This sanitary container dumper is constructed of 15 x

10 x 0.8 cm structural framework and has a lift carriage

capacity in excess of 1100 kg per 135° rotation. Hermeti-

cally sealed connectors and components are protected

from corrosion and high temperature. US and IEC/ISO

compliant controls enable simple integration to the facil-

ity’s control system.

Mercer Technologies


http://www.daanet.com.au/secomea


YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR ALL YOUR PNEUMATIC NEEDS

YOU CAN SEEOUR THINKING

ENGINEERING ADVANTAGE

Visit our online store at store.norgren.com/au

1800 667 473 www.norgren.com.au

PRA Cylinder 64 Series33D Pressure SwitchBuschjost

ValveBuschjost

Valve

VS26 Valve Island

NEWPRODUCTS

ETHERNET/IP ABSOLUTE ENCODERSThe Allen-Bradley 842E absolute encoder comes standard with

dual port ethernet and M12 connectors thus providing users

with an easy, money-saving installation. It also includes an

embedded Ethernet/IP switch to connect additional Ethernet/IP

capable product in series or support a device level ring (DLR)

for ethernet media redundancy.

The 842E Ethernet/IP encoder provides high-resolution absolute

positioning and is available in single-turn, 18-bit resolution and

multi-turn, 30-bit resolution. It is suitable for automotive, materials

handling and general factory automation applications.

The encoder comes in hollow-shaft and solid-shaft variants

and features a protection class up to IP67 and an RSLogix

5000 Add On Profile.

Rockwell Automation Australia


ETHERNET SWITCHESThe Moxa EDS E se-

ries gigabit ethernet

switches are designed

for use in large-scale

networks to converge field applications in extreme

industrial environments. In addition to Level 4 EMS protection, severe

shock/vibration resistance, and an updated thermal fin design that can

reduce switch temperatures (5°C or more), the series has many user-

centric features to significantly improve network manageability.

The series offers various copper and fibre slot combinations with up to

16 gigabit ethernet ports to quickly build a full-gigabit network backbone

or add gigabit speed to existing networks. Other key benefits of the series

include a USB interface for fast and easy auto-configuration/backup/re-

store, and reduced energy consumption of up to 30% with IEEE 802.3az.

The series is Class 1, Div 2/ATEX Zone 2, DNV, NEMA TS2, EN 50121-4,

IEEE 1613 Class 2 compliant, and an updated DIN-rail mounting kit design

resists severe vibration. It supports EtherNet/IP, Profinet and Modbus TCP

for SCADA integration.

Up to 100 switches can be configured in as little as 12 min with the

company’s MXconfig utility, while auto configuration/backup/restore is

said to be fast and easy with the ABC-02 USB dongle.

Madison Technologies


http://www.store.norgren.com/au


TheAustralasianOilandGasExhibitionandConference(AOG)issettobeevenbiggerin2014,withtheadditionoftheAustralianIndustryZone,anewexhibitionzonethatwillprovideaplatformforAustralia’soil and gas manufacturers and service companies.

TheAustralasianOilandGasExhibitionandConference(AOG)willbeheldon19-21February2014atthePerthConventionandExhibitionCentre.Bringingtogethermorethan500exhibitorsfromacross20countries,AOGhas

become Australia’s largest oil and gas event - attracting over15,000 visitors in 2013 - and is set to be even bigger in 2014.

If you’re a senior manager, engineer or procurement pro-fessional from an exploration and production company, or acontractorandfromtheserviceandsupplyindustry,AOGisthemust-attend industry event to mark in your calendar.

This year AOG will be launching the Australian IndustryZone, a new exhibition zone that will provide a platform forAustralia’s oil and gas manufacturers and service companiesto display their latest technology and services. Supported bythe Australian and Western Australian Governments, the newzonewillheraldthetechnologicalbreakthroughstakingplaceinAustralia’s oil and gas supply industry, including the lucrative$200 billion LNG market.

AOG 2014 will also see the merging of the AOG Conferenceand the Subsea Australasia Conference in a move designed toenhance the delegate experience, providing more content anda greater range of topical conference sessions.

In addition to the Australian Industry Zone, delegates canalsoattendtheSubseaZone,the largestzoneatAOGfeaturingover 80 exhibitors and displaying the latest in subsea technol-ogy and services including ROVs, pipelines, offshore support,umbilicals and flowlines, well completions, and production andprocessing equipment.

The Health, Safety and Environment Zone will display thelatest in HS&E products and services including safety equip-ment, environmental protection and monitoring, gas detection,

fireprevention,medicalservicesandhazardousareaequipment.TheEducation,ResearchandTrainingZonewillalloworgani-

sations to inform tertiary students and industry professionalsabouttrainingservices,educationprograms,researchopportuni-ties and careers advice.

The AOG Conference will include streams focusing on Aus-tralian industry participation, productivity, resourcing, safety,marinelogistics,operationsandmaintenance,aswellasspecialsessions exploring subsea topics such as subsea technology,pipelines, oceans and sediments, field development challengesand floating LNG.

Visitorsareencouragedtopreregister forAOG2014tosavetimeandreceiveupdatesaboutspecialevents,newsandoffers.Register free online at www.aogexpo.com.au.

Australasian Oil and Gas Exhibition and Conference

http://www.aogexpo.com.au/

AOGTOEXPANDIN2014

http://www.pca-aus.com.au


Process Industry Transportation Security Systems

Wind Energy Photovoltaics Communications

DEHN AustraliaEMAIL: [email protected]: www.dehn.com.auTEL: +61 (03) 8414 8277PO Box 290, South Melbourne, VIC 3205 AustraliaDistributors throughout Australia and New Zealand

NEWPRODUCTS

NETWORK MANAGEMENT SOFTWAREVersion 5.0 of Hirschmann Industrial HiVision network management

software builds on the success of previous releases by adding

extensive customer-driven functionality. This is claimed to result

in a pragmatic network management solution that meets the

specific challenges of configuring and supervising an industrial

ethernet network.

Rarely does a network today consist of equipment from a

single manufacturer. HiFusion, a tool provided free of charge

with Industrial HiVision v5.0, is a stand-alone application that

facilitates the integration of any SNMP-capable device into In-

dustrial HiVision. The tool also includes a wizard to guide users

through the creation of the integration files. The version offers

the best of both worlds: the device management granularity of

a manufacturer-specific application and the device management

diversity of a generic open network management platform. Even as

industrial networks are becoming larger and more complex, they

must have the highest operational availability. The version offers

distributed management in the form of a network management

hierarchy that provides master and slave network management

stations to ensure that any size of network can be supervised.

Belden Australia Pty Ltd


HAZARDOUS AREA JUNCTION BOXESThe GRP (glass reinforced polyester) junction box enclosures from Kabex

are IECEx certified, meaning they are suitable for use in petrochemical, oil

and gas, shipbuilding, chemical, fertiliser, paint and solvent, sugar, LNG,

power and mining industries along with anywhere else where non-sparking

applications are mandatory.

These GRP junction box enclosures are claimed to be strong, lower in

cost and lighter in weight, and are available in five different sizes.

Their glass fibre reinforced polyester bodies means they not only have

high strength with a long life expectancy, but are also highly resistant to

contamination from industrial chemical such as oils, fats and aliphatic

solvents - while also being suitable for use in LSOH (low smoke zero

halogen) applications. The enclosures are suitable for use within hazardous

areas and can be supplied with certificates such as ATEX and IECEx. The

GRP junction boxes have a silicon rubber gasket and offer ingress protec-

tion to IP66 and IP67 (EN/IEC 60529). They have an impact resistance of

7 N and are mounted via 4.5 mm clearance holes moulded into the body.

Kabex Australia


http://www.dehn.com.au


CA

SE

STU

DY

Multihead checkweighers give 20% throughput increase

Aspartofatargettoincreaseproductionthroughputby20%,oneoftheUK’slargest frozenvegetable processors and packers has installed five Ishidamultiheadweighers.

PinguinFoodsUK,partoftheBelgium-basedPinguinLutosagroup,installedanadvanced24-headCCW-Rmultiheadweigherwiththree1Lhoppersformixedvegetablesandfour5Lhopper14-headmodelsforsinglevarieties,whichincludecarrots,peas,sweetcorn,beans,broccoliandcauliflower.

AcombinationoftheIshidaweighersandnewcoloursorters,whichcheckforandrejectsubstandardvegetables,overallweighingaccuraciesarenowrunningatunder0.7%deviationfromthetargetweight,comparedwith1.8%priortotheweighersbeinginstalled.

Atthecompany’sKingsLynnfacility,theweighersarehandlingpacksizesofbetween125gand2.5kg,includingmixedvegetablesoftwo,threeandfourvarietiesonthe24-headmixweigher.Theweighersarealsousedforspecialpackrequirements;forexample,oneweigherin‘doubledump’formatcanpack10kgboxes.Pinguinsaysthishaseffectivelydoubledspeedandgreatlyimprovedaccuracyoverthepreviousmethod.

WhilePinguin initially selected the Ishidaweighers for their speed, theiraccuracy,reliabilityandflexibilityhavebeenequallybeneficialtoproduction.“Wehavehadnoproblemswiththeweigherssincetheirinstallation,”saidPackingHallManagerSteveWalton.

“Anothermajoradvantageistheirflexibility;wecaneasilyswitchproductfromlinetolinedependingonrequirements-somethingthatwasnotpossiblewithourpreviousvolumetricandoldermultiheadmodels.”

The weighers’ ease of changeover is key to their flexibility. Productspecifications including targetweight arepre-programmed into theeasy-to-useremotecontrolunitforchangeoveratthetouchofabutton.Thewaterproofconstructionandeasilyremovedchangepartsalsomeancleandowncanbecarriedoutquicklyandefficiently.

Theweighersareinoperation24hoursaday,fivedaysaweek,withadditionalshiftsduringbusyseasonssuchaspre-Christmas.Typicalspeedsarearound75packs/minfora1kgpack-wellwithintheweighers’capabilityof90packs/min.

“Wearecontinuingtoworkonfurtherdevelopingtheperformanceofthelines,”saidPaulSpurrell,Pinguin’sChiefEngineer.“Ourfocusisnotjustonspeedbutondeliveringconsistencyandensuringthattheweighersarefullyintegratedsothattheyworkasefficientlyaspossiblewiththeexistingequipment.”

Theweighersareworkingsoefficiently,infact,thatPinguinhasneededtoinstallnewcheckweighers,alsofromIshida.“Ouroldcheckweigherssimplycouldn’tcopewiththehigherlinespeeds,”Waltonsaid.

InstallationoftheIshidaequipment“wentlikeclockwork”,Spurrellsaid.“Itwasliterallyaquestionofpluginandplay.Theweighersareveryeasytooperate.

“Inthefewmonthsthattheyhavebeeninstalledwehavealreadyachieveda15%improvementinthroughputsowearewellonthewaytoreachingour20%target.”

WhilePinguinhasnowinstalledarangeofIshidaequipment,thecompanybeganbyinstallingjustoneIshidamodel.Impressedbyitseffectiveness,Pinguintheninstalledtheweighersoverfourmorelines.NowthecompanyisplanningtoconvertitsfinallinetoincludeIshidaequipment.

“Weareaforward-lookingcompanyandconstantlychallengingourselvestodeliverthehigheststandardstoourcustomers,”saidPinguinFoodsUKManagingDirectorNigelTerry.

“Thismeanswearecommittedtocontinualinvestmentinthebestequipmentthatwillhelpusdeliveronthesepromises.Ishidaweighersareakeypartofthis.”

Heat and Control Pty Ltd

Contact info and more items like this at wf.net.au/U500


NEWPRODUCTS

LOW-VOLTAGE POWER SUPPLY OPTIONS

Moore Industries-International

has added low-voltage power

supply options to many of its

products. This addition makes

these products suitable for use

in remote applications such as oil

and natural gas wellheads where

power supplies are limited and

harsh environmental conditions

often exist.

Products that have recently

added a 12 VDC power supply

option include: the CPA 4-wire

PC-programmable alarm; the CPT

4-wire PC-programmable signal

isolator and converter; the ECA

4-wire current and voltage alarm;

the ECT 4-wire signal isolator, con-

verter, repeater and splitter; and

the TMZ 4-wire PC-programmable

Modbus temperature transmitter

and signal converter.

The company’s line of low-

voltage instruments addresses a

growing demand by customers

with solar and battery sources as

their primary means for operational

power in remote areas. All of

these products are designed for

harsh conditions. They are suitable

for extreme ambient operating

conditions and offer a high level

of RFI/EMI protection against the

harmful effects of electromagnetic

interference.

Moore Industries Pacific Inc


PLANT MODELLING SOFTWAREAspen Technology has announced the v8.3 release of aspenONE

software. The single modeling environment in Aspen HYSYS

software enables faster optimisation of upstream, midstream

and refining processes and improves plant safety.

This release includes updated functionality in Aspen HYSYS

software - acid gas cleaning to model gas sweetening units

and pressure safety-valve sizing integrated from the acquisition

of PSVPlus, which allows process engineers to size pressure

safety valves as an integral part of the overall process design for the claimed

first time. The safety analysis feature is useful for the relief analysis of the process unit. It can now be

used to quickly estimate relieving fluid properties and conditions, size the relief valves and produce required

documentation. The acid gas cleaning feature will help to accelerate projects by setting up the acid gas

treatment model as an integral part of a gas process in HYSYS.

Aspen Technology Australia Pty Ltd


http://www.emersonindustrial.com/en-en/

34 WHAT'S NEW IN PROCESS TECHNOLOGY DEC 2013/JAN 2014 www.ProcessOnline.com.au

NEWPRODUCTS

PANEL PC PLATFORMThe Unitronics UniStream platform

is a line HMI touch panel PCs with a

combination of powerful dual CPUs (faster

scan time, up to 2048 I/Os over 2 MB of

operand memory), a variety of HMI touch

panels, and easier local and remote I/O installation.

UniStream can be tailored to the application - users select their

preferred HMI, snap on a CPU and then snap on preferred I/Os to

create an all-in-one controller. This enables users to select devices in

the exact configuration that suits their precise application requirements.

UniLogic studio software, the programming environment for hard-

ware configuration, control and HMI, is claimed to cut programming

time by 50% by anticipating the programmer’s intentions and by

enabling the re-use of written code. It allows the programmer to

build a library of user-defined function blocks and HMI screens that

can be imported into any new project and even shared with others.

The software’s wizards save significant time on definitions of I/O

points, PIDs, etc. The drag-and-drop, automatic line creation and

re-use options of existing code make programming quick and easy.

The platform supports RS485, CANopen, UniCAN and both serial

and Ethernet Modbus. The platform can also adapt to third-party

protocols; USB hosts and serial ports support external devices

such as modems, printers and barcode readers. Unitronics has

also introduced UniApps - an expanding library of value-added PLC

embedded apps. The apps give users the ability to reach data, edit

it, monitor, troubleshoot and debug their system. The platform can

also be accessed remotely via VNC.

Micromax Pty Ltd


DCS FOR SMALL TO MID-SIZE OPERATIONSHoneywell has released Experion LX, a purpose-built distributed control

system (DCS) for small to mid-size operations with continuous and

batch process control applications. Designed specifically for smaller

plants - less than 5000 I/O points, one engineering server and up to 15

operator stations - that require a control system that is easy to use, the

DCS encompasses technology from the company’s Experion Process

Knowledge System (PKS).

The DCS provides users of mid-size process plants with a reliable

control system with no single point of failure and a well-designed user

interface to help operators and engineers to be more efficient. For end

users with batch processes, the batch execution software operates in a

redundant controller instead of a computer, eliminating the need for extra

hardware and reducing the communication load and time for execution

of each batch phase.

The DCS is designed to be delivered through system integrators, which

ultimately benefits the company’s customers in fast local configuration and

support. With its ability to seamlessly integrate with third-party devices and

drives, end users can have the benefit of dealing with a single supplier for

all their needs, from field instrumentation to distributed control systems.

Honeywell Limited


http://www.daanet.com.au/netsoftware


NEWPRODUCTS

NEW ProBusRS 485 Modbus I/O Modules

• Ideal for data acquisition and remote I/O.

• Manufactured in Australia

• Multi-channel analog and digital I/O modules.

• Modbus RTU communications.

• Ethernet Modbus TCP and Profibus gateways.

• Compact DIN-Rail packaging with integrated Bus connector.

Tel 02 9624 8376 Fax 02 9620 8709Email [email protected]

VISUAL IR THERMOMETERThe Fluke VT04 visual infrared thermometer has a built-in digital camera and ther-

mal heat map overlay to bridge the gap between traditional IR thermometers and

infrared cameras.

Compared with the Fluke VT02, the VT04 adds PyroBlend Plus, four-times sharper

resolution and automatic alarm features - making it a suitable front-line troubleshoot-

ing tool for electrical, industrial maintenance, HVAC/R and automotive applications.

It is fully automatic so issues can be detected instantly with no training required.

The device includes alarm features that are said to not have been seen before

on entry-level infrared cameras for stubborn intermittent issues including: a hi-lo

temperature alarm that flashes on the screen if the user-selected temperature is

exceeded; a time-lapse image capture that can be set to capture images in 30 s to

1 h intervals; and an auto-monitor alarm that initiates image capture automatically after

a temperature alarm has been triggered - letting users automatically capture images,

even while the VT04 is unattended, using the universal tripod mount.

It displays and saves images as full digital, full infrared or in three blended modes

(25, 50 and 75%) with a 40% wider field of view than the VT02. Markers pinpoint

hot and cold spots indicating the hottest and coldest temperatures on the screen.

A temperature reading is provided at the centre point. Images are saved to the included

micro-SD card, eliminating the need to write down single or multiple measurements.

The device also has a rechargeable li-ion battery.

Images from the device can be imported into the included SmartView

analysis and reporting software.

Fluke Australia Pty Ltd


http://www.proconel.com


NEWPRODUCTS

RETRACTION SYSTEM FOR ROBOT CABLESThe latest addition to the igus multi-

axis cable carrier line is an adjustable

retraction system known as Triflex

RSP, which is designed for secure

cable guidance on large robot arms

or for robots programmed to perform

complex movements.

The force at which Triflex RSP retracts

can be adjusted by changing the pres-

sure inside its pneumatic cylinder. This

means the cable carrier can be safely

retracted, even when guiding a complex

assortment of cables and hoses.

Triflex RSP can be attached to various robot models quickly and eas-

ily due to its compact mounting brackets. The system is both space

saving and lightweight.

An optional monitoring system is available for robots that have program

sequences which frequently change, alternate or are not completely

predictable. This is particularly useful for robots that are steered by

cameras or image-acquisition systems. The monitoring is completed

via a connection to the robot’s main controls or PLC, and when a pre-

determined tolerance value is about to be exceeded, an early warning

signal is given.

Triflex R multiaxis cable carriers from igus can be used for power, data

and media supply. The range has around 250 components to guide

cables and hoses securely through multiple axes. Three main designs

are available: a fully enclosed design for complete cable protection in

harsh applications exposed to chips and dirt; an E-Z version, into which

cables and hoses can be quickly pushed by hand; and a lightweight

version, which can be rapidly assembled.

Treotham Automation Pty Ltd


SAFETY LIGHT GRID CONTACT EXTENSIONThe PSR-URM4L contact extension device from Phoe-

nix Contact is highly suited for light grid applications.

It allows users to efficiently process safety-related OSSD

signals of a light grid as floating contacts, therefore

supporting safety-relevant circuits up to PLe.

The contact extension device is specifically designed

for use with electro-sensitive protective equipment (ESPE)

such as light grids. Such systems normally include

switched-mode OSSD signals that make it possible to

detect cross-circuits in the cabling. The relay is resistant

to test pulses generated by the CFSE. This allows for the implementa-

tion of applications that comply with PLe or SIL3 without the need to

reconnect the device to the external device monitoring circuit.

Phoenix Contact Pty Ltd


PRESS-TENDING ROBOTABB’s latest press-tending robot, the IRB

6660-100/3.3, is up to 15% faster than its

predecessors.

The company has also extended the

IRB 6660’s reach to 3.35 from 3.1 m. This

increases the distance between press lines

to between 8.5 and 8.7 m and allows the

robot to handle larger blanks with very

short cycle times.

Suitable for both new and existing press-

tending manufacturing lines, only the robot’s

arm length has been changed, allowing

users to easily and cost-effectively upgrade

their existing assets. Otherwise the robot

remains a 6-axis robot with a 100 kg pay-

load capacity, a parallel arm structure and

compact and sturdy mechanical design. Its

special dual bearing design and powerful

gears and motors provide additional sup-

port for handling fluctuating process forces

common within applications such as milling,

deburring and grinding.

ABB Australia Pty Ltd


http://www.veederline.com.au

http://www.aogexpo.com.au


CA

SE

STU

DY

Massive geared motors support largest-ever toothpaste mixers

In the hygiene and personal careindustries,thereisdemandforever-largerbatchsizesforproductssuchastoothpaste,aswellasforalargerrange ofvariants to be produced ateach site. At the same time, manymanufacturers are interested inconcentratingproductioncapacitiesinjustafewplaces.Modernplantsmusttherefore be capable of producinglargevolumeswhileatthesametimeproviding maximum versatility. Withthistaskinmind,EkatoSystemsfromSchopfheim,inthesouthernreachesoftheBlackForestinGermany,hasrecentlyconstructedanewplantfortheproductionoftoothpaste.

Eka to i s a manufac turer o fcustomised industrial agitators, andhasscaledupthelargestmodelfromitsUNIMIX linetomorethandoublethe size, thereby implementing thelargest discontinuous toothpasteproductionsystemintheworld.

T h e m a x i m u m c a p a c i t y o ftoothpasteproductionplantsistypicallybetween4000and5000litres,withoutputsofapproximately2000to3000litreshourly.Continuousorbatchproductionispossible.Continuoussystemsenablehighthroughputbutarenotveryversatilewithregardtoproductchanges;sincedifferentingredientssometimesrequiretheirowndispensingandblendingtechnology,recipechangesoften bring about conversions and readjustments. Moreover,toothpastecannoteasilybereworkedwhenitisnotsufficientlyhomogeneous.Thebiggestchallengewithcontinuousplantsisensuringtheuniformdispersionofactive ingredientssuchassodiumfluoride,evenafterchangestothedispensingsystems.Ontheotherhand,theproductionrateofexistingdiscontinuousplants cannot be significantly increased without majormodificationsinplantequipment.Inordertomeetthedemandsofatoothpastemanufacturer,Ekatothereforehadtoconstructlargerplants.

Ekato’s new plant has two mixers, each with 10,000 litreseffectivevolume,morethantriplingproductiontoproduce6000to11,000kgoftoothpasteperhour,dependingontheproductconcentration.

Toothpaste production systems basically consist of anevacuablevesselwithanagitator,ahomogeniserandvariousdispensingsystemsfortheintroductionofingredientsintotheprocess.Liquidingredientsareeithermeasuredandthenvacuuminserted intothevesselordispensedbygravimetricmethods.Powdersandthickenerstoincreaseviscositycanbeaddedviatheintegratedhomogeniserordrawnintothevesselthroughavalveatitsbase.

For larger mixer dimensions, Ekato had to determinethe components’ dosage and dispersion times, blend and

homogenisationtimes,vacuumvaluesandthenecessaryagitatorandhomogeniserperformances.Theagitatorandhomogeniserwereconfiguredaccordingtothemixingperformanceequationformixingtechnology.Basedonitsextensiveexperience,Ekatodeterminesthepowercoefficient ‘Np’(orNewtonnumber)foreach respective impeller and the product’s specific viscositycurve.This in turnspecifies the force requiredtoagitate themixture.

Asthedrivesupplier,NORDDrivesystemswasrequiredtoconfiguremotorsandgearunitswiththeperformanceaccordingtoEkato’scalculations,andtomakethemasefficientanddurableaspossible.Sincetheagitatordrive is installedontopoftheproductionmixer,itshouldbeascompactaspossibledespitethehighperformancerequired.

This application, which depends on homogeneous productquality,callsforspeedandcontinuity.Theradialandaxialloadsontheagitatorshaft,whichareveryhighduetothehighproductviscosity,mustbetakenintoaccountforthedriveconfiguration.NORDDrivesystemsconfiguredandsuppliedtwo250kWmotorswithindustrialgearunitswhichprovidenominaloutputtorquesof242kNm.NORDistheonlymanufacturerworldwidetoproducesuchextremelylargeindustrialgearunitsinthispowerrangeinaone-piecehousing.Hence,thetypeSK15407three-stagehelicalbevelgearunits,thoughofanimpressivesize,arestillrelatively compact as the UNICASE design allows for largerrollingbearingswhichcanaccommodatehigherforces.

NORD Drivesystems (Aust) Pty Ltd


List (A) Job Function

1 Management - Corporate/General2 Management - Manufacturing/ Engineering/Specialist3 Engineer - Electrical4 Engineer - Electronics5 Engineer - Process6 Engineer - Project7 Purchasing/Procurement8 Technician - Maintenance/Service9 Technician - IT10 Technical Officer11 Scientific Officer - R&D12 Scientific Officer - QA13 Consultant14 Contractor/Tradesperson15 OHS/EHS16 Education/Training17 Student-Undergraduate/Apprentice18 Analyst19 Sales/Marketing

List (B) Industry

1 Agriculture/Rural 2 Building/Construction 3 Chemicals/Allied Products 4 Communications Systems 5 Defence/Military 6 Education 7 Emergency Services/Law Enforcement/Security 8 Engineering Services 9 Environmental Services 10 Finance/Banking/Insurance/Legal 11 Food Industry - Bakery12 Food Industry - Beverages13 Food Industry - Confectionery14 Food Industry - Dairy15 Food Industry - Fruit & Vegetables16 Food Industry - Meat 17 Government - Federal18 Government - State19 Government - Local20 Health/Hospital 21 Instrumentalities (eg CSIRO) 22 IT - Networking23 IT - Security24 IT - Storage25 IT - Wireless26 Laboratory - Analytical27 Laboratory - Clinical/Medical28 Laboratory - Life Sciences29 Logistics/Transport/Warehouse 30 Manufacturing 31 Mining32 Oil/Gas/Coal33 Packaging34 Processing35 Retail/Wholesale/Hire36 Service/Maintenance37 Telecommunication38 Testing/Certification (eg NATA)39 Utilities

http://www.rockwellautomation.com.au

what’s new in process technology dec 2013/jan 2014

Documents