PlantEngineering.

com

Find your missing

power factor
Also in this issue:
• Use smart pneumatics and save
• No more two-way radios
• Resolving conflicts

and
Technology TM
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and lubricating compressed control cylinders, rotary actuators, • Round body cylinders available in
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• Stand-alone units can be used with Adjustable air cushions are
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• Total air prep units that combine all air 5-port/4-way styles a 600mm stroke and 100mm bore.
preparation functions in one compact unit • 4-way valves come in 2-position or All include magnetic pistons and
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as well as dual rod guided air cylinders
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input #1 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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AGO AS IT IS TODAY. NEVER STOP.

input #2 at www.plantengineering.com/information
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input #3 at www.plantengineering.com/information
 MARCH 2021

INSIGHTS

9 | Evolving environmental policies

will have a big impact on power
generation industry
Policies and regulations support shift from fossil fuels
to clean energy

11 | Post-pandemic, employee wellness

powered by predictive analytics
Who else is tired of talking about Covid-19?

24
COVER: Use a power logger to gain fast insight into
overall electrical system health. Courtesy: Fluke 13 | Five digital transformation trends
for 2021
Survey shows the Covid-19 pandemic has
supercharged the demand for digital offerings
EDITOR’S INSIGHT and Industry 4.0 technology

5 | Address strategic flow concerns

SOLUTIONS
INSIGHTS 17 | Recognize service conditions for
motors and generators
Understand the differences between the usual
6 | New production sources for tungsten
service conditions most motor designs assume
are critical for increased global supply and the unusual service conditions that lead to
Little known tungsten has a multitude of use cases unreliable operators and costly shutdowns

7 | How to increase ROI and efficiency 20 | Circuit breaker promotes automotive-

with EAM plant energy efficiency
An effective asset management system holds the Communications and power metering capabilities
key to greater return on investment built in

PLANT ENGINEERING (ISSN 0032-082X, Vol. 75, No. 2, GST #123397457) is published 9x per year, monthly except in January, July and November, by CFE Media, LLC, 3010 Highland Parkway, Suite #325, Downers
Grove, IL 60515. Jim Langhenry, Group Publisher /Co-Founder; Steve Rourke CEO/COO/Co-Founder. PLANT ENGINEERING copyright 2019 by CFE Media, LLC. All rights reserved. PLANT ENGINEERING is a registered trademark of
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regardless of whether such errors result from negligence, accident or any other cause whatsoever. and
Technology TM

www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 3


MARCH 2021
SOLUTIONS
24 | How to find your missing power
factor
Not addressing power quality issues like low
power factor and harmonics can hurt
28 | Mercury Marine builds innovative
acoustic testing facility
Mercury Marine commissioned Albert Kahn Assoc.
to design and engineer a new noise, vibration and
harness testing facility
32 | How to resolve a conflict before it
manifests itself
Focus on and build healthier relationships
36 | Leave the two-way radio in the past
Modern team communication technologies and
safety
39 | Two ways smart pneumatics
maximize energy savings
Flow, pressure and temperature data included
UPCOMING WEBCASTS
MARCH 11, 2021: The how and why of plant
energy management
MARCH 23, 2021: Overcoming Big Data
challenges at the industrial edge
MARCH 24, 2021: Effective process control system
migration
To view all upcoming webcasts
for Plant Engineering visit
WWW.PLANTENGINEERING.COM/WEBCASTS
4 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
IIoT FOR ENGINEERS
42 | Expanding edge control
Edge control can take many forms to access
stranded data, with modern programmable logic
controllers (PLCs) often the preferred alternative.
42
46 | Operational technology: Data
acquisition, analytics
Using Big Data for operational technology (OT)
automation and control applications is increasingly
important and can be a bewildering journey if the
right questions aren’t asked. See four elements of
data analytics system architecture.
61 | New edge device benefits
Build smarter end-to-end automation systems: See
three ways to prepare automation for edge success
and a case study with a 5% increase in yield.
INSIDE: OIL & GAS ENGINEERING
5 | E-House OEM delivers higher asset
utilization
AC power, a Texas oil and gas drilling contractor,
upgraded its newest rigs for reliable, packaged
electric buildings and standardized components
8 | Next-gen trim cuts rotary valve
cavitation
Enabled byadditive manufac-turing; proved in river
water trial
8
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jglenski@processplus.com
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sisenhour@EruditioLLC.com
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Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) board member
shiwanlin@thingswise.com
JOHN MALINOWSKI, Senior manager of industry affairs
(retired), Baldor Electric Company
DAVID SKELTON, Vice president and general manager
Phoenix Contact Development and Manufacturing
dskelton@phoenixcontact.com
BILLY RAY TAYLOR,
Director of commercial and off-highway manufacturing
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber
Billytaylor@goodyear.com
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GUIDELINES OVERVIEW
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and
Technology TM
INSIGHTS
By Kevin Parker, Editor
Address strategic flow
control concerns
How will U.S. industry
restructure to support the
reshoring of productive
capacity from overseas?
One challenge will be find-
ing the skilled workers to
fill those repatriated posi-
tions.
While automation and
the growing scope and
scale of software applica-
tions may eliminate repet-
itive, unsafe or manual
work, computerization itself calls for
a skilled workforce. Moreover, when it
comes to things like data science and
analytics, manufacturing has to compete
with the financial, medical and oil & gas
industries for gifted personnel.
In the recently published 2020 Plant
Engineering salary survey (Jan/Feb
2021), 43% of respondents said that lack
of skilled staff was one reason why their
facilities outsourced select functions to
3rd parties.
One way to make best use of scarce
resources is to station them centrally
while connecting them as managed ser-
vice providers across a wide range of pro-
duction resources.
Industrial fluid motion
To date, most managed services providers
are purveyors of information technolo-
gies. It’s also proved effective for things
like the compressors used in the upstream
and midstream oil & gas industries.
Dallas-based Flowserve’s introduction
of its RedRaven IoT services platform is
a good example of the managed services
concept extending into other areas, in this
case flow control.
Flowserve’s IoT service suite helps pro-
duction facilities monitor assets remotely,
predict equipment failures before they
happen and take preventive measures to
avoid business disruptions.
The platform supports any flow control
equipment regardless of manufacturer,
opening the door for companies to real-
ize IIoT and predictive analytics benefits
www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING
without major infrastruc-
ture changes.
Use of predictive main-
tenance is growing, made
possible by IIoT technol-
ogy for sensing and con-
nectivity, while analytics
are applied to the gathered
data.
“We’re betting big on
IoT to help companies
avoid costly downtime,
which is not allowable in
today’s world,” said Scott Rowe, Flowserve
president and chief executive officer. “The
COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the criti-
cal importance of digitalization in pro-
duction facilities.”
RedRaven includes sensors for place-
ment on industrial equipment and gate-
ways to collect asset data that is securely
transmitted to the cloud. Companies
access critical equipment performance
data via a portal dashboard.
The remote monitoring facility doesn’t
just identify problems, it addresses issues.
RedRaven is suited for the oil & gas, water,
chemical, power, food & beverage and
mining industries, among others. The
name RedRaven comes from the bird
known for its intelligence and insight.
Let’s talk it over
On April 9th, Flowserve will sponsor a
CFE Media webcast on how IIoT and
remote services enable major changes
in industrial flow control.
Join us that day, as we discuss appli-
cation of IIoT, analytics and managed
engineering services to industrial fluid-
motion processes with Flowserve’s Vice
President of Global IoT, Aric Zurek.
Topics will include current challeng-
es in industrial flow operations under
COVID-19 business restrictions; how
IIoT is being applied in industrial flow
environments; why managed services use
is growing; and the application of analyt-
ics in industrial environments. For more
information, visit the Plant Engineering
website under the “online training” tab. PE
March 2021 • 5
INSIGHTS
THE GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN
By Lewis Black
New production sources for tungsten
are critical for increased global supply
Little known tungsten has a multitude of use cases
I
n the wake of the pandemic, as manufacturers
ramp back up to produce everything from auto-
mobiles to airplanes, they will face the normal
litany of production challenges, which includes
dealing with a strained supply chain on certain critical
raw materials, such as tungsten.
Tungsten is the most valuable material you’ve never
heard of. Tungsten is frequently used to make items that
aren’t considered everyday products, but nevertheless
are critical for almost everything that’s important, such
as core drilling bits and diamond drilling bits used by
the mining industry.
Among the most durable elements found on earth,
tungsten is also used in more everyday items such as
lamps, transistors and alloys, as well as construction
tools and components in airplanes and automobiles.
It is one of the most important raw materials on Earth.
Tungsten is valuable because of its strength and dura-
bility, and because it offers one of the highest melting
points of all elements on the periodic table. There would
be no rockets or aerospace propulsion systems without it.
However, sourcing tungsten has been a great chal-
lenge since there are no mines in the U.S. that produce
this precious raw material.
China’s tungsten domination
China controls the market for nearly 35 precious miner-
als and metals that are important to the U.S. for produc-
tion and manufacturing, and tungsten is among them.
According to the United States Geological Service
(USGS) in its Mineral Commodity Summaries 2019
report 2, “World tungsten supply was dominated by pro-
duction in China and
exports from China."
Furthermore,
the second largest
tungsten supplier,
located in Vietnam,
had sourced 6 mil-
lion metric tons last
year. Other regions
outside of the U.S.
such as Russia, Aus-
tria and the United
6 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
Kingdom are also known to have important tungsten
sources.
The issue at hand is that China has limited the amount
of tungsten exports that can be shipped to the U.S., and
this has caused great concern about the overall supply
chain of tungsten.
"China's government regulated its tungsten industry
by limiting the number of mining and export licenses,
imposing quotas on concentrate production, and plac-
ing constraints on mining and processing," according
to the USGS’ 2019 report 2.
Tungsten and the global supply chain
Fortunately, new entrants into the market have begun
tungsten mining projects throughout the world. These
efforts are critically important to increase supply levels
and exports back to the U.S., which will benefit the
overall global supply chain of tungsten for production
and manufacturing.
One project of particular importance is the Korea
Tungsten project located in the Sangdong Mine of South
Korea, which hosts one of the largest tungsten resources
in the world. This mine was the leading global tung-
sten producer for more than 40 years and it has the
potential to produce 50% of the world’s tungsten supply.
The project has become a center of focus recently for
resource experts, miners, investors, shareholders, and
other interested parties around the globe.
Global economies are anxiously awaiting produc-
tion of tungsten from this region, especially since it
will ease China’s stranglehold on the overall supply.
What’s more, U.S. manufacturers are keenly watching,
since additional supply of tungsten from South Korea
would help avoid expensive U.S. import tariffs of goods
shipped from China.
Here’s hoping the Sangdong Mine will be only one
example of relief U.S. and global manufacturers will see
from the mining and production of tungsten as a means
to enhancing its global supply chain, sorely needed for
some of today’s most important uses. PE
Lewis Black is CEO of Almonty Industries, involved
in the mining, processing and shipping of tungsten
concentrate.
www.plantengineering.com
INSIGHTS
ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT
By Craig Greenhalgh

How to increase ROI and efficiency

with EAM
An effective asset management and maintenance system holds the key to greater
return on investment

T
he management of physical assets, from both systems are designed to optimize asset mainte-
tools and equipment to movable fleets and nance, offer cloud-based subscriptions and provide
infrastructure, is critical for asset-intensive various inventory tracking features. But that’s just
businesses. Whether the goal is to grow rev- the beginning when it comes to EAM; the natural
enue, reduce downtime or improve asset performance, stepping stone for a fast-growing organization want-
an effective asset management and maintenance system ing to greatly increase its efficiency when managing
holds the key to greater efficiency — not to mention assets.
the role it plays in improving maintenance strategies, As lines continue to blur between the two asset
with asset failure costing businesses 10 times more in management models, particularly with the advertise-
repairs and lost production than it does to implement ment of EAM/CMMS hybrid models, it’s important for
a proactive approach to maintenance. asset-intensive business owners to know the difference
The asset man- between EAM and a CMMS (see Figure 1).
agement and main-
tenance market is What a CMMS is
dominated by two A CMMS does exactly what it says on the tin; it
tools? computerized manages maintenance in a computerized system.
maintenance manage- Although capabilities can vary and tools can be
ment system (CMMS) added to work alongside a CMMS, its capabilities
and enterprise asset are limited to managing the maintenance of physi-
management (EAM) cal assets. However, EAM tools have an additional
software. While on focus on asset performance analysis and total cost
the surface, these two of ownership (TCO).
solutions seem to do That doesn’t necessarily mean a CMMS is the wrong
the same thing, they do choice. The right system will provide tools to stream-
not. Whereas both are line maintenance operations and deploy a proactive
geared toward main- maintenance approach, whether preventive, planned or
tenance management, predictive. Its ability to manage work orders and assist
EAM provides a more with spare parts at a reasonable purchase price makes
robust and complex it an attractive solution for most small to medium
approach that goes maintenance operations.
beyond the capabili-
ties of a CMMS. What EAM is
EAM is a more powerful, robust and complex tool
Think again in terms of asset maintenance management. A focus
Although similar in on maintenance management is just a fraction of its
their approach to capabilities, providing enterprises with detailed data
maximizing the per- regarding their most critical physical assets.
formance and useful Typical features of an EAM system include work
life of physical assets, order management; supply chain and inventory man-
there is a defined agement; maintenance, repair and operations (MRO)
Figure 1: Asset-intensive business owners difference between planning and procurement; project management;
should know the difference between EAM a CMMS and EAM accounting; safety and compliance; and big data ana-
and a CMMS. Courtesy: Comparesoft.com toolset. For example, lytics to gauge TCO.

www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 7

INSIGHTS
ENTERPRISE ASSET MANAGEMENT
With this collective There are four stages of asset lifecycle management:
arsenal of data gathering planning, procurement/acquisition, operation and
tools, businesses can store maintenance, and disposal/replacement. Whereas a
and analyze large amounts CMMS is geared more toward the operation and main-
of information such as tenance phase of an asset’s lifecycle, EAM tools have
purchase costs, repair the capabilities to function at all four stages.
history, energy usage data, One person who knows the benefits of deploying an
audit trails and more. By efficient asset management and maintenance system
being able to collect such is Ryan Batchelor, maintenance manager at Britvic
data, businesses can take Plc.: “We only run 24 hours, Monday to Friday. At
full advantage of what an the weekends, we shut down for planned maintenance
EAM solution is intended activities…So when we start up on Monday, we’ve got
for: efficient asset lifecy- smooth sailing for the week,” he said.
cle management. Being able to control the lifecycle management of
each physical asset in one centralized system can be a
Figure 2: An Importance of lifecycle management revelation for asset-intensive businesses. Not only does
EAM is much No matter the type or size of a business’s operations, it simplify data analysis and help to seamlessly share
more than just all asset-intensive organizations rely on the proper information across the right departments, but it also
a maintenance upkeep of their assets, particularly in industries like benefits businesses by prolonging optimal performance
management manufacturing and utilities where large assets such levels, supporting preventive maintenance strategies
tool. Courtesy: as machinery and infrastructure make up a large and ensuring compliance with regulatory standards. PE
Comparesoft. portion of operations. Which is why, for organiza-
com tions that center revenue around the output of their Craig Greenhalgh is a research analyst at Comparesoft.
assets, successful asset lifecycle management is vital. com.

input #4 at www.plantengineering.com/information
INSIGHTS
2021 REGULATORY AND COMPLIANCE
By Maggie Estrada and Rick Spurlock
Evolving environmental policies
will have big impact on power
generation industry
Policies and regulations support shift from fossil fuels to clean energy
W
ithin the power generation indus-
try, policies are rapidly changing to
require a higher percentage of clean
energy plants — such as wind, solar
and more recently battery storage — to replace
various combustion technologies like boilers,
once-through cooling plants, and simple-cycle
and combined-cycle turbines. Furthermore, in
many states, especially in California, additional
policies are being proposed to move up the effec-
tive year the percentage of clean energy plants
must be implemented.
This greatly impacts the power generation
industry, as existing fossil-fueled power plants
are not able to obtain renewed power purchase
agreements (PPA) and thus will switch to mer-
chant plants to sell power on the open market.
However, operations and management (O&M)
companies are seeking O&M contracts for wind,
hydro, solar and battery storage to add to their
operating portfolio.
Gas turbine units, especially those with simple-
cycle technologies, are implementing “fast-start”
and “low-load” capabilities in order to augment
power, as renewable units reduce or stop daily
generation. These operating scenarios have to
be evaluated against existing air permit limits
and requirements to ensure compliance can be
met, which often then necessitates operational
testing. Permit modifications may be required to
adjust permit language in order to accommodate
for these specific operating scenarios.
Biomass plants play an important role in utiliz-
ing forest and agriculture wood waste to reduce
open burning and minimize waste in landfills.
Plant operators and managers have been working
closely with policy makers to ensure biomass is
included in the renewable mix. Many companies
are also exploring new technologies, such as car-
bon capture and liquid hydrogen at biomass plants,
www.plantengineering.com
to find the interconnections and implement them
throughout the infrastructure.
Top predictions 2021
1. A big push to move up the clean energy
compliance date. For instance, in California,
we can expect to see a push in legislature to
get to 100% clean electricity well ahead of
the current target of 2045. Senate Bill 100
requires the whole California economy to be
net zero by 2045, and President Joe Biden’s
new plan calls for 100% clean electricity
nationwide by 2035.
2. The power generation industry will place a
heavy focus on achieving 24/7 clean energy.
This year, expect to see movement toward a
new 24/7 clean energy standard, which will
place more focus on the times of day that are
not as well served by solar and wind renew-
ables. Currently, those times are dependent
on fossil fuel power plants. This will result in
a greater need for 24/7 renewables, such as
biomass and geothermal, as well as for long-
term energy storage.
3. The growth of carbon capture technologies
and innovation. A recent Lawrence Liver-
more study spotlighted the need for carbon
capture and storage. For states and the nation
as a whole to reach their ambitious climate
change goals, carbon capture is a must. Car-
bon capture has encouraging potential and
could radically alter the energy landscape
because it allows for continued use of high-
ly energy dense and efficient carbon-based
fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas and oil) without
contributing additional carbon gasses to the
atmosphere.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 9

Smart IoT Compressed Air Device Delivers
Advanced System Diagnostic and Energy
Efficiency
Saving energy is easier than ever before thanks to the
MSE6-E2M. Achieve your energy efficiency and
sustainability targets while optimizing process equipment
performance. Intelligent assembly features include:
• Zero compressed air consumption in standby mode
• Monitors the system for leaks
• Ensures maintenance in the event of leaks
• Enables effective real-time monitoring of relevant
process data
www.festo.us
input #5 at www.plantengineering.com/information
INSIGHTS
2021 REGULATORY AND
COMPLIANCE
Cost of compliance
The cost of environmental compliance has grown sig-
nificantly over the last few years, and plants now find
themselves in a fragile balancing act between cost and
compliance. The main costs associated with environmen-
tal compliance can be broken down into the following
categories:
• Emissions control equipment operations and mainte-
nance costs, along with emissions monitoring equip-
ment, operations and maintenance. This includes
permit fees, control equipment (e.g., baghouse,
electrostatic precipitator, stormwater filtration,
hazardous waste storage areas, etc.) and monitoring
equipment (e.g., continuous emission monitoring,
automated storm water monitoring, meter calibra-
tions and more).
• Consumables used for compliance, such as anhydrous
ammonia, limestone, waste drums and hazardous
waste disposal fees.
• Engineering compliance equipment, which encom-
passes engineering studies, RATA/source emissions
testing, and toxic emissions inventory testing and
reporting.
• The labor for record keeping, tracking and com-
pliance monitoring. Within the last two decades,
many plants have had to hire a full-time employee
whose job is to solely focus on maintaining com-
pliance.
• Regulatory-requested additional emissions testing.
• New and modified emissions and effluent standards.
Recent lower limits require power plants to further
improve or replace their control equipment prior to
limits becoming effective.
Measuring the results
It’s critical to establish environmental metrics to track
trends and determine where resources are necessary.
Resources include additional budgets for equipment
maintenance or replacement, best practice measures
(BMP) implementation, the addition of plant staff
focused on environmental tasks, and corporate environ-
ment support staff to provide immediate and thorough
regulatory guidance and support. PE
Maggie Estrada is the vice president of environmental at
IHI Power Services Corp. Rick Spurlock is the director of
operations at IHI Power Services Corp.
10 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
INSIGHTS
THE AGE OF ANALYTICS
By Mohamed Abuali, PhD
Post-pandemic, employee wellness
powered by predictive analytics
Who else is tired of talking about Covid-19?
W
hat if we reframe the Covid conver-
sation to focus on what it’s really all
about? Creating smarter, safer access
to manufacturing operations, and
enabling plants to focus on employee wellness and
business continuity.
Regardless of whether we’re talking exotic Covid
variants or the common cold, the bottom line is plant
management and associates alike want healthy employ-
ees that feel good about themselves.
While the pandemic got the conversation going,
manufacturers already faced considerable workforce
development challenges. For one, they lack needed
data. Application of analytics to that data can slow
rising healthcare costs and improve employee wellness.
Balancing health, infections and
Diagram revenue
courtesy: Manufacturers want the cleanest, safest and healthiest
IoTco environments possible. Plant management teams want
www.plantengineering.com
policies and protocols that lead to good productive
outcomes.
Handwashing stations and hand sanitizers are all well
and good, but do they positively impact plant safety
and, at the same time, boost operations productivity
and continuity of operations? Besides machine uptime,
how do manufacturers impact “employee uptime”?
Consider the possibilities following:
• Analytics to ensure healthy employees enter the
plant
• Data for a 360 view of plant/employee health
• Mitigation of insurance and sanitation costs
• Scalability to all plant locations for enterprise-
wide wellness.
With the Internet of Things (IoT) for data gather-
ing and growing availability of analytics platforms,
organizations have options to engage with employees
for improved health and productivity.
A.I. for wellness
What will be different about a day at the man-
ufacturing plant once predictive analytics for
employee wellness is implemented?
Arriving employees are greeted at an interac-
tive kiosk and are asked to take a survey about
any immediate health issues and a quick vitals
check. Employees enter the plant after clearing
both checks. If an employee’s answers fall out-
side pre-determined parameters for tempera-
ture or other health parameters, access may be
denied. That employee is directed to the plant
health resource. This is the extent of impact to
plant employees. Plant leadership can be con-
fident employees entering the plant each day
are healthy.
Data gathered on employees is sent to a pri-
vate, secure cloud for analysis and tracking, with
compliance to HIPPA and GDPR regulations.
From there, the plant decides the metrics impor-
tant to track and gain insights. Plant administra-
tors can monitor high-risk zones, and are made
aware of the number of safe and denied entries.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 11
INSIGHTS
THE AGE OF ANALYTICS
Additional options for implementation
include smart cameras throughout the plant
that apply image-based A.I. techniques to
send violation alerts if employees are not
wearing masks or if there are large gather-
ings in potential hotspots like cafeterias or
washrooms.
Additionally, wearable technology gives
human resources managers the ability to gather
and apply data to healthcare models in new and
innovative ways. Individuals can see how their
activity compares to others with similar profiles.
The automatic, continuous and accurate log of
activity and biometrics motivates participants
to achieve their health goals.
The application of biometric data and predic-
tive analytics in population health management
can manifest health improvements in many
areas including increased morale and productiv-
ity, as well as early and proactive interventions
if health issues arise.
Predictive analytics and applying A.I.
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ity to drill down into individual plant locations. This is
important because each plant may have unique metrics
needed to determine overall safety. For example, if one
plant has a higher average age of employee with greater
chronic illness, this plant may need to be more cautious
when an employee becomes ill so as not to spread illness
to other high-risk employees. It is crucial to use analytics
to track overall risk per employee or per location.
Delivering outcomes
Perhaps the biggest takeaway for the manufacturing indus-
try in 2020 is that businesses that rely on their employees’
ability to safely be on-premises must find new ways to
manage operations.
Many plants have embraced technology to automate pro-
duction of goods as well as AI technologies for their asset
health and OEE improvements. Using data analytics and
“Wellness A.I.” to evaluate employee health and wellbeing
is a next step in operational efficiency.
After all, aren’t your employees your most valued asset?
Investing in the overall wellness of the manufacturing plant
team will undoubtedly directly impact the ability to sustain
operations and revenue.
The proactive management of employee wellness provides
health and cost saving benefits to the manufacturing HR
and EHS organizations. Predictive analytics and wearable
devices, combined with smarter, safer access to manufac-
turing plants, are poised to transform factory health and
safety management.
Key takeaways
Creating smarter, safer access to the manufacturing enables
plants to focus on employee wellness and business conti-
nuity.
In addition to machine uptime, manufacturers are also
looking for “employee uptime” and considering analytics to
support healthy employees, increased productivity, reduced
sick days, and lower costs.
Many plants have embraced technology to automate pro-
duction of goods as well as AI technologies for their asset
health and OEE improvements. Using data analytics and
“Wellness AI” to evaluate employee health and wellbeing is
the next step in operational efficiency. PE
Dr. Mo Abuali is the CEO and managing partner at IoTco,
the internet of things company. He is a strategic and transfor-
mative technology and business management leader with a
20-year record of achievement driving and sustaining change
in manufacturing. Mo serves industrial and manufacturing
clients in automotive,aerospace & defense and others, pro-
viding digital transformation, Industrial IIoT and predictive
analytics technology and services, as well as the IoT Acad-
emy for Industry 4.0 Training. Mo has a doctorate degree in
Industrial Engineering and has worked with companies like
IBM, P&G, Omron, and Toyota.
12 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
INSIGHTS
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
By Julia Quintel and Johannes Papst
Five digital transformation trends
in manufacturing for 2021
Survey shows the COVID-19 pandemic has supercharged the demand for
digital offerings and Industry 4.0 technology
A
s much as the COVID-19 pandemic will be
remembered for its chilling effect on business
and economic activity, apparently it has had
quite the opposite impact on industry’s zest
for digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies.
Based on a survey of 900 C-level executives across
industries, the consulting firm McKinsey concluded in
October 2020 the COVID-19 crisis has brought about
a years’ worth of change in just a few months’ time. Not
only have companies “accelerated the digitalization of
their customer and supply-chain interactions and of their
internal operations by three to four years” as a result of the
pandemic, McKinsey observed, “perhaps more surprising
is the speedup in creating digital or digitally enhanced
offerings. Across regions, the results suggest a seven-year
increase, on average, in the rate at which companies are
developing these products and services.”
All of which portends a period of frenetic digitalization
activity in the industrial sector throughout 2021 — activ-
ity that, looking at companies across the global industrial
manufacturing and automotive landscape, likely will be
focused in these five areas:
1. A decisive move to modular production as part
of a broader focus on operational flexibility. A growing
customer appetite for customized products is prompt-
ing manufacturers to explore new ways to make mass
customization a profitable proposition. To that end, we
see more manufacturers embracing modular produc-
tion approaches that integrate tightly with other parts
of the business.
Within an automotive factory, for example, multiple
modular workstations could be established, each with
their own assembly itinerary (e.g., one module to assemble
battery-electric vehicles, and another to assemble hybrid-
electric vehicles). When efficiently configured and intel-
ligently connected to the broader enterprise, this modu-
lar approach can make mass customization viable. In a
simulation of flexible-cell automotive manufacturing, the
Boston Consulting Group found that worker utilization
increased by 12%, “which in turn can lead to a similar
reduction in labor cost per vehicle.”
www.plantengineering.com
The ability to capture these types of efficiencies on the
plant floor is largely predicated on an intelligent, end-to-
end approach whereby smart factory assets are connected
to the broader enterprise. This enables a manufacturer to
factor in short-term signals from sales, manufacturing, sup-
pliers and even directly from customers — including late-
order changes, labor shortages, quality issues and machine
breakdowns — and then make in-the-moment decisions
on the shop floor based on their overall business impact.
2. The ascendance of extended business networks.
The pandemic-related disruptions of 2020 have made
manufacturers laser-focused on resiliency in 2021. Many
have looked to evolve beyond the traditional supply chain,
with its inherent limitations, to a network or ecosystem
construct that extends beyond company borders. More
companies will move to multishoring, geographic diversity
and extended business networks that include multiple tiers
of suppliers, business partners, logistics providers, distribu-
tors, resellers, wholesalers, retailers and more to alleviate
supply chain risk, in what amounts to an acknowledgement
by manufacturers that their best chance of success comes
with collaboration across the entire value chain.
This construct enables members to connect and
exchange data in a safe and interoperable way to achieve
real-time visibility, collaborate efficiently and take quick,
sound, data-informed actions. A manufacturer would
gain the ability to choose suppliers based on their proxim-
ity (to reduce emissions) or on in-the-moment compo-
nent availability, for example. Having full visibility across
the network enables a company and others that are part
of the network to adjust on the fly to changing condi-
tions. The recently announced Automotive Alliance is
an example of how six companies within the automotive
value chain are exploring an open B2B network.
3. A growing reliance on edge computing prompts a
heightened emphasis on cybersecurity. As more manu-
facturers embrace edge computing to enable greater real-
time flexibility, automation and adaptability within their
plants and production processes, they also are moving
to fortify cybersecurity at the edge. Amid a 2,000% year-
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 13
INSIGHTS
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
over-year surge in cyberattacks on operational technology
(OT), it’s expected there will be major ongoing investment
in security planning and in measures to protect networks
and data that are increasingly vulnerable as manufactur-
ers’ use of connected assets grows.
to Industry 4.0 technologies to help model and develop
processes tailored to the Circular Economy principals of
minimizing waste and maximizing reuse. Initiatives like
Climate 21 and Plastic Energy/GreenToken are developing
digital tools and processes to help companies do just that.

4. A major movement to mainstream sustainabil-
ity initiatives. Decarbonization, net-zero emissions, the
Circular Economy — more manufacturing companies
will move these once-peripheral initiatives into their core
operational and business decision making in 2021, join-
ing companies like Bosch, BMW and many others that
already have made sustainability a strategic imperative.
They’re motivated by their own shifting strategic priorities
as well as by the growing emphasis their shareholders,
customers, business partners and, of course, regulators
are placing on sustainability.
Digital capabilities (track and trace, advanced model-
ing, digital twin, etc.) can help companies execute on their
commitment to sustainability. This enables them to factor
“green line” considerations into decisions across their
business and to measure, report and articulate the impact
their operations have in areas such as carbon emissions.
In 2021 and beyond, more companies will likely turn
5. A renewed emphasis on human resources — not the
department, but rather the people on whom manufactur-
ers rely to produce quality products, innovate and deliver
positive customer experiences. “Even in the age of robot-
ics, industrial manufacturers cannot run without skilled
workers,” observes a 2020 study from Oxford Economics.
Ensuring that employees have the necessary skills and
training to work collaboratively with intelligent machines
and make decisions on the fly will be a key priority for
manufacturers in 2021, as will keeping those employ-
ees — still manufacturers’ most important asset — safe
inside the plant. PE
Julia Quintel and Johannes Papst are solution managers
in SAP’s discrete manufacturing industry business units
responsible for Industry 4.0 initiatives for automotive and
industrial manufacturing.

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input #7 at www.plantengineering.com/information
SOLUTIONS
MOTORS & DRIVES
By Thomas H. Bishop, P.E.
Recognize service conditions
for motors and generators
Understand the differences between the usual service conditions most motor
designs assume and unusual service conditions that lead to unreliable operation and
costly shutdowns
W
hen selecting a motor for a new appli-
cation or solving a problem with an
existing one, it’s important to verify
the motor will operate normally in
the conditions the application presents. Although
these situations may not occur often, it’s helpful
to understand the differences between the usual
service conditions most motor designs assume and
the unusual service conditions that can lead to
unreliable operation and costly shutdowns.
Good starting points for this discussion are the
definitions of usual and unusual service conditions
in the National Electrical Manufacturers Association
(NEMA) Standard MG 1: Motors and Generators
(MG 1). The International Electrotechnical Com-
mission (IEC) Standard 60034-1: Rotating Electrical
Machines, Part 1: Ratings and Performance, also
addresses application conditions (see Clause 6) but
to a lesser extent, so the focus here is on MG 1.
Usual conditions
MG 1, 1.6 defines usual service conditions for
a wide variety of motors and generators. These
include general-purpose alternating-current
motors, general-purpose direct-current small
Figure 1: A
motor in an
application
that could
be classified
as “usual.”
Courtesy:
EASA
www.plantengineering.com
motors, general-purpose generators, industrial
direct-current medium motors and industrial
direct-current generators.
According to MG 1, general-purpose ac motor
designs have “standard ratings with standard oper-
ating characteristics and mechanical construction
for use under usual service conditions without
restriction to a particular application or type of
application.” Its definitions of the four other motor
categories share this characteristics: mechanical
construction suitable for use under usual ser-
vice conditions. Since the manufacturer designs
the mechanical construction for a specific type
of motor (e.g., a general-purpose ac motor), the
variables that could affect successful operation are
the usual service conditions.
According to MG 1, 14.2, the usual environmen-
tal/service conditions include (see Figure 1):
• Exposure to ambient temperature in the range
of -15°C to 40°C, or 5°C to 40°C for water-
cooled machines (to prevent water from freez-
ing). For machines rated less than 3/4 hp and
all machines (except water-cooled) that have a
commutator or sleeve bearings, the minimum
ambient temperature is 0°C.
• Exposure to an altitude of 3,300 feet (1,000
meters) or less
• Installation on a rigid mounting surface
• Installation in areas or supplementary enclo-
sures that do not seriously interfere with the
ventilation of the machine.
Each of these items deserves fuller explanation.
Ambient temperature. Motor nameplates fre-
quently indicate the maximum ambient rating of
40°C but rarely state the lower ambient temperature
limit. Nevertheless, operation below the minimum
or above the maximum ambient temperature nor-
mally is not permissible.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 17
SOLUTIONS
MOTORS & DRIVES
Figure 2: A best practice is to check with the motor manu-
Motors exposed facturer regarding operation outside of the usual
to an unusual ambient temperature range. At low temperatures,
condition bearings and lubrication may be the primary con-
of chemical cerns. At high temperatures, the winding, as well as
(possibly bearings and lubrication, may be the main issues.
explosive) Caution. The ambient rating on nameplates
fumes. applies to what we often term “room tempera-
Courtesy: EASA ture.” The temperature rise, or maximum winding
temperature, rarely appears on motor nameplates
and is beyond the scope of this article.
Altitude. Operation above 3,300 feet (1,000
meters) is not normally permissible without derating
the motor power rating. Temperature rise may pro-
vide guidance for operation at such altitudes without
derating the motor’s power rating, but as mentioned
earlier, that is beyond the scope of this article.
Rigid mounting. Most motors mount on a
rigid base, so this is seldom a concern. Consult
the motor manufacturer about other mounting
arrangements (e.g., a cantilevered base supported
by belt tension).
Ventilation. An uncompromised ventilation
system is the normal condition for a motor. An
example that violates this rule would be to place
a compressor motor, air compressor and controls
inside an enclosure such as a cabinet.
Unusual conditions
MG 1, 14.3 provides a list of unusual service con-
ditions and recommends consulting the manufac-
turer if any of them may affect motor construction
or operation (see Figure 2), including exposure to:
• Combustible, explosive, abrasive or conduct-
ing dusts
• Accumulated dirt and debris that may interfere
with normal ventilation
18 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
• Chemical fumes; flammable or explosive gases
• Steam, salt-laden air, oil vapor
• Damp locations, radiant heat, vermin infes-
tation, atmospheres conducive to the growth
of fungus
• Abnormal shock, vibration or mechanical load-
ing from external sources.
The list of unusual exposure conditions in MG 1,
14.3 is not intended to be exhaustive or complete,
because that would be too voluminous for practical
use. To better appreciate what constitutes unusual
service conditions, consider their opposites. From
that perspective, exposure should be to clean, dry
(but not too dry) air with no mechanical or physi-
cal disturbances, e.g., conditions that would be
expected for factory testing new motors.
As with exposure conditions, the list of unusual
operating conditions in MG 1, 14.3 is not intended
to be exhaustive or complete. Among the items it
covers are:
• Electrical supply voltage and frequency
o Excessive departure from rated voltage or
frequency, or both
o The ac supply voltage more than 1% unbal-
anced
• Operation at above rated speed (see Table 1)
• Operation in a poorly ventilated room or a pit
• Operation in an inclined position
• Excessive mechanical forces
o Repetitive abnormal overloads
o Torsional impact
o Frequent starting or reversing
o Electric braking.
As with the list of usual conditions, each of these
unusual conditions merits more discussion.
Electrical supply voltage and frequenc y.
Unusual service conditions exist if voltages exceed
±10% of motor rated voltage, frequency exceeds
±5% of rated (+3%/-5% per IEC 60034-1, 7.3), or
both. Voltage unbalance greater than 1% among
phases also is an unusual service condition.
Operation at above rated speed. This could
be a concern for a motor powered by a variable
frequency drive (VFD). Table 1 provides overspeed
limits for induction motors.
Poor ventilation and pit operation. Poor ven-
tilation resembles unusual exposure conditions
already mentioned. Likewise, operation in a pit
may lead to problems with dampness or possibly
submergence.
Operation in an inclined position. Small and
medium horizontal motors typically can operate
in an inclined or even a vertical position, but those
www.plantengineering.com
 orientations are classified as unusual service con- TABLE 1: Overspeed limits for induction motors
ditions. Changing the motor’s orientation could
affect its lubricant pathways, preventing grease
from reaching the bearings. On oil-lubricated Overspeed, percent of
motors, it could cause leaks. synchronous speed
Excessive mechanical forces. Excessive mechani- Synchronous
cal forces, such as overload and torsional impact, speeds (rpm) Less than or Greater than
are obviously unusual service conditions because equal to 200 hp 200 hp (150
they can lead to premature shaft failure. Frequent (150 kW) kW)
starting or reversing also can result in excess
mechanical load, as well as stator and rotor over- 1,801 and over 25 20
heating due to the high ratio of starting to full-load
current (typically from 5:1 to 8:1). 1,201 to 1,800 25 25
Similarly, electric braking can cause above-rated
current during braking, and rapid heating if the brak- 1,200 and below 50 25
ing power is still applied after the motor is at rest.

Final thoughts
Knowing the differences between usual and unusual
motor service conditions may not be something
you’ll use often. But this information will be
invaluable when it’s time to choose a motor for
a new application or to troubleshoot a problem
or failure. PE
Thomas H. Bishop, PE is a senior technical support
specialist at EASA Inc., St. Louis. The Electrical Appa-
ratus Service Association (EASA) is an international
trade association of more than 1,800 firms in about
70 countries that sell and service electromechanical
apparatus.

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www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 19

SOLUTIONS
CASE STUDY
By Jim Sirois
Circuit breaker promotes
automotive-plant energy efficiency
Communications and power metering capabilities built in
G
reen technology is topic of interest in today’s
automotive industry. At the forefront of these
endeavors are innovations that focus on
environmental issues through sustainable
manufacturing practices. In addition, major automo-
tive companies are looking for ways to reduce energy
consumption.
To this end, DigiTek, a provider of innovative test solu-
tions, proposed designing and implementing a new way
of monitoring energy usage at one Midwest automotive
plant. Specifically, the solution needed to provide inte-
grated power monitoring, replacing separate current
transformers.
It also had to communicate with a programmable logic
controller (PLC) and human-machine interface (HMI)
over a network and eliminate a potentially dangerous
480VAC electrical connection to a door-mounted moni-
tor. This type of connection is typical in many existing
power monitoring applications.
For this application example, we’ll explore how the
Figure 1: Siemens 3VA6 circuit breaker fit the bill — reducing costs,
Equipment for promoting energy savings and improving worker safety
cold testing at a 3-million-square-foot facility in Kokomo, IN.
engines.
Image Specialist in automotive testing
courtesy: Based in Livonia, MI, DigiTek is a decade-old company
Siemens that designs, engineers and delivers innovative test equip-
20 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
ment for transmissions, engines and other powertrain
products in the automotive and off-highway industries.
The company’s solutions include a wide variety of pro-
duction tests — everything from leak testing to electric
vehicle (EV) battery testing, to full engine testing.
“We specialize in advanced propulsion testing sys-
tems,” said Tom James, who helped found DigiTek in
2010. “Our machines meet the automotive industry’s
strictest standards of repeatability, and we’ve proven we
can do this well.”
In fact, despite the company’s short history, it has
already gained the attention of major automotive and
off-highway companies like GM, Caterpillar, John Deere,
Hyundai and many more. It has also expanded its ser-
vices to five other countries — South Korea, China, India,
Mexico and Italy.
“Although we’re relatively small and operate in a niche
market, we’re unique in our ability to deliver high-end
test equipment and engineering services at the level that
we do,” James says. “We’re also actively pursuing markets
that are trending toward electric vehicles.”
DigiTek’s SiEVT end-of-line (EOL) test machine, for
example, currently tests front-wheel drive (FWD) hybrid
transmissions. The company also routinely conducts EV
battery tests, as well as electrical and advanced propul-
sion tests for electric motors, fuel cells and sensors. As
green technology continues to rise in popularity — with
global sales for EVs projected to cross 60 million vehicles
by 2040 — these testing processes have become all the
more important, making powertrain electric test systems
indispensable to EV quality and safety.
Cost-effective energy monitoring
With the automotive industry trending toward energy
efficiency, DigiTek was recently tasked to provide a safe,
cost-effective solution for monitoring energy consump-
tion in the Kokomo plant. At the time, the automotive
giant was using separate current transformers, which are
often difficult to install and mount securely. In addition,
a separate monitor screen, which was mounted on the
door of the panel, required a 480-volt connection.
“Each time maintenance personnel wanted to inspect
the panel, they had to open the door,” explains Jim Sirois,
www.plantengineering.com
 vertical market development manager, control products
at Siemens. “But having the 480-volt connection on the
door was potentially dangerous. Over time, the wires
could become loose — creating a potential hazard for
operators and maintenance personnel.”
To come up with a solution, DigiTek consulted
Siemens, whose products DigiTek was already famil-
iar with and used in the Kokomo plant. “Siemens is
accepted globally by our customers,” said James. “Many
of our customers are large, global corporations and so
they prefer global solutions.”
To meet the applications requirements, the Siemens-
DigiTek team selected the Siemens 3VA6 Circuit Break-
er, which reliably protects circuits and starter combi-
nations in industrial applications, infrastructure and
buildings. Thanks to its integrated power monitoring
method, it effectively replaced the separate current
transformers in the panels. Able to communicate with • Communication via PROFIBUS, PROFINET, Eth- Figure 2: One
PLCs and HMIs over a plant-wide network, the 3VA6 ernet IP, Ethernet (Modbus TCP), Modbus RTU of 25 final
also includes open interfaces and standard protocols • Wide range of internal accessories — auxiliary and test stands for
— PROFIBUS, PROFINET, Modbus TCP and Modbus alarm switches, shunt trips and many more — that transmission
RTU — for seamless integration into existing techni- are universal to the product line. testing. Image
cal infrastructure and automation environments. As courtesy:
a result, it eliminated the need to bring 480 volts to a Improving safety and saving Siemens
door-mounted monitor — or have a separate moni- The circuit breaker successfully lowered hardware and
tor at all. installation costs, improved safety and promoted energy
savings in the Kokomo plant — all while providing a
For circuit protection single point for configuration and monitoring.
The 3VA6 is ideal for any machine that requires circuit Worker safety. The circuit breaker eliminated a
protection. It has communications and power metering potentially hazardous voltage connection to a panel
capabilities integrated into it — both of which break door — improving the safety of operators and other
new ground for circuit breakers. “Typically, these were personnel coming into regular contact with it. The Figure 3:
all separate systems,” Sirois said. “But now, you have a device provides a single point for configuration and DigiTek shop
single unified piece of equipment that can communicate monitoring accessible via TIA Portal, Powerconfig floor, fully
directly with plant personnel who need the informa- configuration software, or directly using the circuit loaded with
tion.” breaker keypad. 12 machines.
In addition, the 3VA6 complies with UL, IEC, and Time and energy savings. Configuration software Image courtesy:
CCC standards, enabling users to take advantage of its facilitates commissioning and maintenance work, Siemens
functionalities in Europe, North America and Asia. It
is said to be the only circuit breaker on the market to
offer pre-cut probe holes in its terminal shields. Other
circuit breakers integrate shields that cover everything,
making it difficult for electricians to check the voltage.
In those cases, “To get the cover off, the electrician
must first shut off the overhead bus plug — turning
what should be a 30-second process into half an hour,”
Sirois said. “Having precut voltage probe holes is a huge
convenience for our customers, allowing them to quick-
ly perform their safe electrical lockout procedures.”
Other notable features of the circuit breaker include:
• Line protection from 40 to 1000 amps
• Breaking capacity up to 200 kilo amps at 480 volts AC
• Electronic trip unit
• Three- or four-pole versions
• Integrated measuring function for current, voltage
and energy values

www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 21

SOLUTIONS
CASE STUDY
hooked the 3VA6 up, we had to configure it to the right
voltage and current level,” Coak said. “There were no
issues with this process; the software was easy to use and
can be freely downloaded from the Siemens website.”
Cost savings. By replacing the separate current trans-
formers, the 3VA6 provided a clean, professional-look-
ing installation that reduced the number of components
— lowering hardware costs by as much as 17 percent.

Figure 4: while power monitoring software manages and archives
DigiTek the acquired energy data for analysis. “Thanks to the
system 3VA6, personnel have a good idea of the plant’s energy
installation consumption — shedding light on how they can lower
in Shanghai, their bills,” Sirois says. “Seeing how specific pieces of
China. Image equipment consume energy also gives them a heads up
courtesy: about potential maintenance issues.”
Siemens Ease of use. Chuck Coak, DigiTek’s lead electrician for
the Kokomo plant project, describes the circuit breaker
as simple and straightforward to use. “When we first
Optimizing EV testing
DigiTek has big plans for the 3VA6 circuit breaker in
its EOL test equipment. Whether a hybrid or automatic
standard gear transmission, engineers can use the device
to see if one motor demands more power than another.
They can also use it to quantify internally regenera-
tive transmissions, which tend to mask some power
consumption. “Electric vehicles are becoming more
popular, and we could use the data from the 3VA6 to
optimize our electric testing process,” James says. “Better
understanding the role of the motor in the powerchain
is critical.” PE
Jim Sirois is vertical market development manager for
control products at Siemens Smart Infrastructure USA.

Bedrock® Open Secure Automation

White Paper Series - Chapter 2 Empowering Power
Albert Rooyakkers | Founder, CEO & CTO

Automation system power supplies are finally getting the recognition they deserve. Whether on
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commodities. But today, as businesses are interconnecting more devices carrying higher volumes
of strategic data, power supplies are coming into their own as key enablers of digital transformation.
If random power transients, inclement weather, cyberattack, or other forces disrupt the power, all data can be lost.
Moreover, disruptions in process continuity can cost companies millions with connected equipment in jeopardy.

To leverage the amount of performance and diagnostic data that is increasingly open to them, today’s power supplies must be
smart and connected, with greater storage and processing power than their predecessors. To safely realize the cost and
performance benefits available to them through interaction with other applications, the cloud and public networks, power supplies
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info@bedrockautomation.com • bedrockautomation.com

pe202103_whitePhalf_bedrock.indd 1 input #8 at www.plantengineering.com/information 2/9/2021 1:38:50 PM

The Importance of a
Proper Lubrication Program
David Reh | Director of field engineering and training services, Lubriplate Lubricants Company

Proper lubrication is essential to maintaining the bottom line, but starting a

lubrication plan can seem to be an overwhelming proposition. Not having an
effective program can result in hundreds of hours of downtime and lost
production. Where does one begin faced with such a daunting task? This article
will discuss methods to implement a comprehensive lubrication program, or
how to possibly improve one already in place.

The first thing that should be done is to define the program’s goals and objectives.
Many plants want to consolidate inventory, reduce costs, and to ensure that the correct products are being used in the
right places, especially in regard to any applicable legislation or food grade lubrication requirements. A qualified lubri-
cation expert can assist with each of these goals, and advise you on
what may or may not be a practical plan based on their experience.

Even a seemingly small accomplishment can be crucial. Some

examples might include consolidating multiple gear oils into a single
one, inventory reduction, or identifying an opportunity to save
money through the advantages of using a superior lubricant. A few
successes like these along the way help to keep the ball rolling.

Implementing a color‐coding plan, tagging equipment, and employee

training are also smaller sized goals that can be accomplished fairly
quickly with a moderate effort and reap much larger benefits in the
long term. Another example of this is oil analysis. Oil analysis can be
a good place to start, because it can be started on critical equipment
without a lot of effort, and carries with it a potentially large return on the initial investment.

With each small part of the project that is completed, employees become more invested in the continuance of the
program as it builds towards the conclusion‐ a comprehensive lubrication program that saves money in the long run.

Lubriplate provides it’s customers with a complete extra services package. These services include a technical support
hotline and e-mail, complete plant surveys, customized, color coded lubricant tags, lubrication maintenance software,
plant user training and no charge oil, fluid and grease
analysis. For more on this subject and customer assistance
call 1-800-733-4755 or e-mail LubeXpert@lubriplate.com www.lubriplate.com

Download the paper at:

www.lubriplate.com/Resources/White-Papers/

input #9 at www.plantengineering.com/information
SOLUTIONS
POWER QUALITY
By Jason Axelson
How to find your missing
power factor
Not addressing power quality issues like low power factor and harmonics can hurt
W
hat would happen if the pizza just deliv-
ered to your front door was missing
a piece? You wouldn’t just let that go.
You’d want to know where that piece
went. Did the driver eat it on the way? Maybe someone’s
elbow got stuck in it while being boxed? Who knows?
Consider the power coming into your facility. You
pay for that power to maximize productivity. But what
if you aren’t getting what you paid for? In an industrial
setting, a key parameter is “power factor:” the percent-
age ratio of true power, measured in kilowatts (kW), to
apparent power, measured in kilovolt amperes (kVA).
The apparent power is the total requirement a facil-
ity places on the utility to deliver voltage and current,
Figure 1: Ensuring power factor is as close as possible to 1.0
makes good financial sense because most utilities charge a
higher rate when power factor falls below a certain level,
typically 90%. Courtesy: Fluke
24 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
regardless of whether it does the actual work. Utilities
generally charge a higher rate when power factor falls
below a certain level, most often 90% (see Figure 1).
True power (kW)/apparent power (kVA) = power
factor
• Example of good power factor: 50 kW/52 kVA -
0.96 (96%)
• Example of poor power factor: 50 kW/63 kVA -
0.79 (79%).
The cost of energy inefficiency
When the topic is power factor, we’re really talking about
energy efficiency. How well is the power delivered being
used in the facility? If a circuit were 100% efficient,
demand would be equal to the power available.
When demand is greater than the power available,
a strain is placed on the utility system. Many utilities
add a demand charge to the bills of large customers
to offset the differences between supply and demand
(where supply is less than demand). For most utilities,
demand is calculated based on
the average load placed within
15 to 30 minutes. If demand is
irregular, the utility must have
more reserve capacity avail-
able than if the load remains
constant.
If a facility’s power factor
is less than 97%, for example,
steps can be taken to find that
missing energy. The two most
common contributors to poor
power factor are motor induc-
tance and harmonic currents.
The first step is to measure to
determine the root cause of bad
power factor.
By measuring energy and
power quality, insight is
gained into the facility’s per-
formance patterns. Measure-
ment will help you understand
www.plantengineering.com
 where your energy goes each month. Monitoring, ana-
lyzing and comparing equipment operation histories
helps determine cause and severity of quality issues
affecting power factor.
Where does missing power factor go?
Missing power factor is wasted power. To improve
power factor, determine the root cause of the bad
power factor. Where is power going and how is it
being used (or wasted)? Wasted power is common
where there is a lack of balance in either voltage or
current. Consider motor vibration. Energy that should
be used to work the motor is, instead, being used to
vibrate the motor. That is lost energy that cannot be
recovered. It is wasted. Heat is another form of energy
loss. If a system is running inefficiently for whatever
reason, it could overheat the system. That heat is also
wasted energy.
Voltage and current unbalance
Voltage imbalance is the measure of voltage differences
between the phases of a 3-phase system. It degrades the
performance and shortens the life of 3-phase motors.
Voltage imbalance at the motor stator terminals causes
high current imbalance leading to negative torque and
higher running temperatures, which can be six to 10
times as large as the voltage imbalance. Unbalanced
currents lead to torque pulsation, increased vibration
and mechanical stress, increased losses and motor
overheating. All that wasted energy is lost power factor.
www.plantengineering.com
Figure 2: Use a power quality analyzer such
as the Fluke 438-II to characterize electrical
system dynamics in generator startups, UPS
switching, etc. Courtesy: Fluke
Voltage and current imbalances also could indicate
maintenance issues such as loose connections or worn
contacts. Identifying and fixing these may make the
equipment more efficient and retrieve some missing
power factor.
Make some basic phase-to-phase voltage unbal-
ance measurements using a high-quality digital
multimeter and phase-to-phase current unbal-
ance using a high-quality clamp meter. Accurate,
real-time unbalance measurements need a 3-phase
power quality analyzer to enable troubleshooting
unbalance problems. Open circuits and single-
phase to ground faults are easier to correct than
load balancing, which typically require system-level
design changes.
Power factor correction capacitors
When dealing with inductive current, adding power
factor correction capacitors — energy storage devic-
es — to a facility’s power distribution system is one
common solution. This is best accomplished via an
automatic controller that switches capacitors, and
sometimes reactors, on and off. The most basic appli-
cations use a fixed capacitor bank.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 25
SOLUTIONS
POWER QUALITY
Figure 3: Use a power logger to gain fast
insight into overall electrical system health.
Courtesy: Fluke
Power factor correction capacitors do require regular
inspection and recommended preventive maintenance,
but under normal conditions, they will operate without
trouble for many years. Conditions such as harmonic
currents, high ambient temperatures and poor ventila-
tion can cause premature failures in power correction
capacitors and related circuitry. Failures can cause sub-
stantial increases in energy expenses, and in extreme
cases create the potential for fires or explosion.
It’s important to inspect power-factor correction
capacitors on a regular basis to ensure they are working
properly. Check the capacitor manufacturer’s website
for recommended preventive maintenance schedules.
Identifying and correcting harmonics
Harmonics are multiples of a fundamental frequency.
For example, if the fundamental frequency is 60 Hz,
the second harmonic is 120 Hz, the third is 180 Hz,
and so on. These harmonics distort the voltage wave
form, which should be a pure sine wave.
Devices that conduct current for less than the entire
voltage sine wave are nonlinear loads, and consequently
generate harmonics. There are two basic types of non-
linear load: single-phase and 3-phase. Single-phase,
nonlinear loads are prevalent in offices, while 3-phase
26 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
loads are widespread in industrial plants. Symptoms
usually show up in the power distribution equipment
that supports nonlinear loads.
• Neutral conductors: In a 3-phase, four-wire sys-
tem, neutral conductors can be severely affected
by nonlinear loads connected to the 120 V branch
circuits. Under normal conditions for a balanced
linear load, the fundamental 60 Hz portion of the
phase currents will cancel in the neutral conductor.
In a four-wire system with single-phase, non-linear
loads, certain odd-numbered harmonics called triplens
— odd multiples of the third harmonic: third, ninth,
fifteenth, etc. — do not cancel, but rather add together
in the neutral conductor.
Excessive current in the neutral conductor also can
cause higher-than-normal voltage drops between the
neutral conductor and ground at the 120 V outlet.
• Circuit breakers: Common thermal-magnetic
circuit breakers use a bi-metallic trip mechanism
that responds to the heating effect of the circuit
current. They are designed to respond to the True-
RMS value of the current waveform and will trip
when the trip mechanism gets too hot. This type
of breaker has a good chance of protecting against
harmonic current overloads.
A peak-sensing, electric trip circuit breaker responds
to the peak of current waveform. As a result, it won’t
always respond properly to harmonic currents.
www.plantengineering.com
 Since the peak of the harmonic current is generally
higher than normal, this type of circuit breaker may
trip prematurely at a low current. If the peak is lower
than normal, the breaker may fail to trip when it should.
• Bus bars and connecting lugs: Neutral bus bars and
connecting lugs are sized to carry the full value of
the related phase current. They can become over-
loaded when the neutral conductors are overloaded
with the additional sum of the triplen harmonics.
• Electrical panels: Panels designed to carry 60 Hz
currents can become mechanically resonant to
the magnetic fields generated by higher frequency
harmonic currents. When this happens, the panel
vibrates and emits a buzzing sound at the harmonic
frequencies.
• Telecommunications: These systems often give
you the first clue to a harmonics problem because
the cable can be run right next to power cables. To
minimize the inductive interference from phase
currents, telecommunications cables are run closer
to the neutral wire.
Triplens in the neutral conductor commonly cause
inductive interference, which can be heard on a phone
line. This is often the first indication of a harmonics
problem and gives you a head start in detecting the
problem before it causes major damage.
Since harmonic current flowing through system
impedances generates harmonic voltage distortion, it
also can create voltage drops. In severe instances, this
voltage distortion can cause thermal tripping of relays
and protective devices, and logic faults in program-
mable logic controllers (PLCs) and variable frequency
drives (VFDs). As voltage distortion increases, linear
loads begin to draw harmonic current. In motors, some
of these harmonic currents — most notably the fifth
and eleventh harmonics causing counter-torque in the
motor -- result in more current, to decrease motor effi-
ciency, increase heating, and shorten motor life.
Monitor, measure, compare and
correct
Measure harmonics at the point of common coupling
using a power quality analyzer or a harmonics ana-
lyzer. For simple snapshots, use a high-quality digital
multimeter for harmonic voltage or high-quality clamp
meter for harmonic current. The digital multimeter and
clamp meter must be true RMS, which is necessary for
accurate measurements of distorted waveforms.
True RMS refers to the root-mean-square, or equiva-
lent heating value of a current or voltage wave shape.
“True” distinguishes the measurement from those taken
by “average responding” meters. Average responding
instruments give correct readings for pure sine waves
only and will typically read low by as much as 50%
www.plantengineering.com
when confronted with a distorted current waveform.
True-RMS meters give correct readings for any wave
shape within the instrument’s crest factor and band-
width specifications.
Start with a basic harmonic survey to identify wheth-
er you have a harmonics problem and where it might
be located:
• Load inventory
• Transformer heat check
• Transformer secondary current
• Sub-panel neutral current check
• Receptacle neutral-to-ground voltage check.
Many 6-pulse VFDs generate fifth and seventh
harmonics. However, 12- and 18-pulse drives help
reduce harmonics because as the number of pulses
increase, their amplitudes decrease. Other solutions
for mitigating drive-generated harmonics include pas-
sive front-end chokes/filters, harmonic trap filters and
active filters if your situation is more complex. Active
filtering compensates for reactive currents, harmonic
currents and unbalanced currents.
Avoid the common mistake of using capacitors to
mitigate harmonic currents. A capacitor will act as
a short circuit for higher harmonics. Because of the
internal resistance, the capacitor will heat up and have
a drastically reduced lifespan because the internal elec-
trolyte will vaporize.
A total harmonic distortion (THD) measurement
can help determine whether filtering is necessary. Note
that a utility can only influence voltage quality and
demand that approved loads are connected. Utilities
are not responsible for the current that flows due to
customers’ installation.
Find your missing power factor, drive
efficiency, save money
If your facility has a poor power factor, take the first
step toward improving it by identifying the root cause
through measurement. Learn where, when and how
power is used each month, and make strategic choices
that eliminate waste and increase power factor. Save
money by becoming more predictable with power use
— in quantity and timing — to help utilities be better
prepared for your needs. PE
Jason Axelson is a product application specialist for
Fluke, which manufactures electrical test and measure-
ment tools, including multimeters, clamp meters and
insulation, earth ground and installation testers. For
more than 15 years Axelson has been helping custom-
ers and partners find solutions for power quality, scope
meters and battery testers. He also conducts application
training to help diagnose and resolve both technical and
product inquiries.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 27
SOLUTIONS
CASE STUDY
By Peter G. Lynde, PE
Mercury Marine builds
innovative acoustic
testing facility
Mercury Marine commissioned Albert Kahn Associates to design and engineer a
new noise, vibration and harshness test facility
W
hen an industry leader in the marine
segment decided it needed a worthy
noise, vibration and harshness (NVH)
test facility — one that exceeded prod-
uct development goals across a broad range of prod-
ucts — engineers at Mercury Marine quickly learned
that designing a state-of-the-art facility to satisfy rigid
acoustic noise and vibration criteria and facilitate col-
laboration among product development and engineer-
ing staff would not be easy.
Rather, the new facility had to overcome several
challenges:
• Undesirable low -frequency vibration levels from
heavy vehicle traffic on nearby interstate highways,
as well as snowplow activity in campus parking lots.
• The same traffic, together with construction activ-
ity, facility service access roads and truck docks
and small aircraft or helicopter flyovers created
unpredictable, unavoidable exterior noise events
that could impact the indoor test environment.
• An unprecedented level of flexibility was needed
to accommodate the entire Brunswick product line
— test sources with a
wide range of physi-
cal sizes and sound
level signatures.
Establishing
ground truth
The hemi-anechoic
Plant 12 Sound Lab,
located at the Mer-
cury Marine PD&E
Figure 1: Isometric view from Revit Model. Kahn engineers used
Revit and Revit 3D MEP modeling software to create isometric
views. Courtesy: Albert Kahn Associates Inc.
28 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
Center in Fond du Lac, WI, had served Mercury
Marine well for more than a decade. It was a corner-
stone of the company’s leadership in NVH testing and
development of marine products, particularly outboard
and sterndrive motors. However, its use had become
limited due to the relentless evolution of product tech-
nology and motor horsepower. To improve the NVH
quality of its prop-to-helm marine propulsion solutions
and test its future product mix, Mercury Marine com-
missioned Albert Kahn Associates (Kahn) to design
and engineer a new NVH test facility.
The new facility needed to consolidate NVH testing
and support areas to optimize team efficiency and pro-
mote collaboration between product development and
engineering teams. Support areas are located around
the test chambers with space for engineers and techni-
cians to comfortably perform various duties. Nearby,
a larger office space was incorporated with floor-to-
ceiling windows, infusing a combination of worksta-
tions and an open collaborative area with natural light.
Both owner and design team needed to visualize the
facility’s many complex interrelationships, including
both interior and exterior factors. To do this, Kahn
engineers employed Revit and Revit 3D MEP model-
ing software to accurately coordinate and integrate
building systems and easily create isometric views
(see Figure 1). In addition, visualization tools such as
Revit Live and Google Cardboard were used to create
flythroughs and simulate the building’s interior and
exterior in virtual reality (see Figure 2).
Marine product testing must replicate the open
water environment to best simulate real world NVH
characteristics. To do this successfully, the test envi-
www.plantengineering.com
 ronment must be controlled and external sources of Figure 2: Figure
noise and vibration are problematic. 2: Rendering
of the test
Mitigating undesirable vibration facility lobby.
Engineers suspected that low frequency vibration Courtesy:
levels, caused by multiple sources including heavy Albert Kahn
vehicle traffic on nearby highways, and snowplow Associates Inc.
activity in campus parking lots, were evident in the
soil. The facility’s structure could conduct these
vibrations into the hemi-anechoic test chambers,
potentially impacting the noise and vibration test
results; engineers needed to confirm whether this
would indeed be a problem.
The design team expanded a typical preconstruc-
tion geotechnical investigation to include ambient
ground vibration measurements. That testing con-
firmed their suspicions: Engineered systems would
be required to block these unwanted vibrations from
disrupting NVH testing in the new facility.
To mitigate these external vibrations, Kahn engi-
neers came up with a one-of-a-kind installation: sup- reinforced concrete designed for added stiffness to
porting the test rooms on a steel coil spring vibra- mitigate the potential for floor resonance.
tion isolation system above a 66,000-gallon water The acoustic panel test chamber and its steel struc-
reservoir (see Figure 3). tural frame are supported on the perimeter of the floor
Next, engineers needed to design a test reservoir slab, where the slab transfers its dead and live loads
that would accurately simulate real-world open water through 42 steel-coil isolation mounts. Mount loadings
conditions and replicate outboard motors’ flow charac- vary considerably and range from 2 kips to nearly 12
teristics. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analy- kips [A kip is a U.S. customary unit of force. It equals
sis optimized the depth and shape of the reservoir to 1,000 pounds-force and is used primarily by architects
mitigate unwanted turbulence and wake formation and civil engineers to indicate engineering loads where
from the engine props’ thrust (see Figure 4). the pound-force is too small a unit. Although uncom-
The CFD analysis also aided in confirming the mon, it is occasionally also considered a unit of mass,
placement of floor support piers, the ideal radius of equal to 1,000 pounds, i.e., one half of a short ton.]. Steel
reservoir corners and configuration of underwater spring isolating elements afford 90% isolation efficiency
baffle plates. This CFD analysis further served as a from disturbing frequencies of 8 Hz and higher.
valuable engineering tool, allowing initial conserva- The high mass afforded by the foundation mat and
tive estimates of reservoir depth to be reduced sub- walls mitigates the transmission of unwanted ground-
stantially, lowering excavation and foundation costs.
The reservoir floor doubles as a common concrete
mat foundation for the test rooms, which are indepen-
dent from each other. The mat foundation consists
of two-foot-thick steel-reinforced concrete, bearing
on compacted native soils. This foundation supports
poured concrete walls and piers. Averaging three feet
thick, the perimeter foundation walls resist the lateral
forces associated with water on one side and earth on
the other, as well as the unique geometry required for
the vibration isolation systems.
In turn, the coiled steel springs in the vibration isolat- Figure 3:
ing mounts are placed between the foundation walls/ Vibration
piers and the underside of the test room floor. They isolation
isolate the test room floor and acoustic room structure mount.
from any remaining unwanted ground-borne vibration. Courtesy:
Meanwhile, the foundation walls bear the load of Albert Kahn
the test room concrete slabs — 6-inch-thick steel- Associates Inc.

www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 29

SOLUTIONS
CASE STUDY
Figure 4: borne vibration into the structure. To further attenu-
Computational ate unwanted ground-borne vibration, a three-foot
fluid dynamics band of sand material, in lieu of the native clay soils,
(CFD) analysis was used for back fill around the entire depth of the
optimized perimeter foundation walls.
the depth
and shape of Mitigating exterior noise events
the reservoir Exterior noise events from construction activity, truck
to mitigate noise from the nearby highways and roadways, as well
unwanted as small aircraft or helicopter flyovers, could easily
turbulence produce ambient noise levels in excess of 80 dBA.
and wake Because these events are inherently unpredictable,
formation even careful test scheduling can’t mitigate them.
from the With test room noise floor targets nearing NC-10
engine [NC is the abbreviation for noise criterion. The NC rat-
props’ thrust. ing can be determined by plotting the measured sound
Courtesy: pressure at each octave band. The noise spectrum is
Albert Kahn specified as having an NC rating the same as the low-
Associates Inc. est NC curve which is not exceeded by the spectrum.],
a minimum sound transmission class of STC-56 was
necessary to afford effective reduction of unwanted
sound from surrounding site activities. Research into
precast concrete products found panels offering sound
transmission class ratings as high as STC-61.
With precast concrete a preferred choice — and part
of the existing campus architectural vocabulary — the
decision was made to construct the exterior perimeter
walls with precast insulated concrete panels to prevent
the unwanted external sound sources from reaching
the indoor test environment.
Room-within-a-room configuration ensures the
maintenance of targeted background sound levels.
With ground-borne vibration a concern, and test room
isolation essential, the inner test room was best con-
structed of metal acoustic wall panels to significantly
reduce loading on the vibration isolation mounts.
Mercury selected Eckel Acoustics to supply the
acoustic test rooms and perforated metal anechoic
wedge system to line the interior. Eckel furnished and
erected the test room as a complete assembly with
structure, panels, wedges and doors, guaranteeing
specified acoustic performance parameters were met.
Originally conceived as a test facility exclusively for
Mercury products, Mercury NVH Engineers advised
30 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
the project team that Brunswick, Mercury Marine’s
corporate parent, had stipulated the test rooms be
configured for NVH testing of the entire Brunswick
product line — a line that covers outboard and stern-
drive marine engines, electric trolling motors and
various other marine parts and accessories.
Flexible test room sizing and ventilation
This required an unprecedented level of flexibility
to be designed into the test room infrastructure to
accommodate a very wide range of acoustic test
sources, both in physical size and sound level sig-
nature.
Conventional approaches to sizing hemi-anechoic
test rooms generally assume the need for sound pres-
sure level measurements in the free field of the test
source. The recommended size and configuration of
the test source for this facility was established by Mer-
cury to allow the majority testing of the Brunswick
family product line.
Review of the products and their physical param-
eters yielded a source envelope measuring 90 inches
long by 40 inches wide by 70 inches high. In addition
to the test source envelope, room sizing was also made
considering multiple guidelines, including:
• Compliance with mandatory requirements of
applicable ANSI/ASA S12.55/ISO 3745 standards
• Established industry practice
• Benefit of experience gained on previous projects
• Allowable clearances and access requirements
around the applicable test source
• Wavelength at room cutoff frequency
• Requirements associated with room ventilation
systems.
The ANSI/ASA S12.55/ISO 3745 standard offers
guidelines for determining the size of hemi-anechoic
rooms. Interior room dimensions are a function of test
source size, radius of the measurement hemisphere
and distance to the reflecting plane based on the low-
est cutoff frequency.
These parameters yielded a room with internal
dimensions (wedge tip-to-tip) of 38 feet long by 38
feet wide by 19 feet high at the minimum desired
room cutoff frequency of 60 Hz. However, the resul-
tant square room does not satisfy industry practice for
room proportions and could be subject to undesirable
standing waves. Accordingly, room dimensions were
adjusted to fall within guidelines as shown in Figure 5.
HVAC considerations
Size wasn’t the only factor in designing flexible test
rooms. HVAC system engineering — specifically, the
ability to scavenge exhaust from operating engines —
also needed to be considered.
www.plantengineering.com
 Marine outboards discharge engine exhaust under-
water through the hub of the propeller when operating
off idle. When idling, exhaust is discharged through
bypass ports above the waterline. Ventilation systems
needed to safely remove exhaust gases in both modes
of operation, as well as manage the heat released from
a wide range of engine products.
A single-pass 100% outside air HVAC system is
used to ventilate the test room and mitigate CO and
HC emissions released during active engine testing.
The system is configured with three operating modes:
setup, test low and test high.
• In setup mode, systems operate at their lowest
flow rates, providing the minimum amount of
ventilation make-up air to the continuous scav-
enge exhaust system while moderating the test
room temperature to its design setpoint.
• Test low and test high modes are used with active
engine testing, with increasingly higher ventila-
tion rates used to manage added heat loads from
increased engine horsepower.
• Mercury testing engineers select the operating
mode based on multiple testing parameters,
including engine horsepower and anticipated
thermal cycling.
With the test room constructed over a water reser-
voir, controlling temperature and relative humidity
to required tolerances proved an added challenge to a
task already made difficult by the single-pass, multi-
step ventilation system. Custom air handling units
were configured with several heating and cooling fea-
tures to allow these challenging conditions to be met.
In addition, the combination of high airflow rates
and single-pass ventilation demanded specialized
temperature controls given winter-to-summer tem-
perature gradients characteristic of Wisconsin.
With the facility’s stand-alone nature and desire
for energy efficiency dictating the use of natural gas,
the heating system uses three direct-fired gas burner
sections arranged in a 1/3-2/3 split and equipped with
30:1 turndown control valves to allow maintenance
of ±2°F variance from heating setpoint.
This same setpoint tolerance was required when
operating in cooling mode and resulted in the use of
direct expansion refrigeration for cooling cycles with
two condensing units sized at 1/3 and 2/3 total system
capacity. Each condensing unit stages multiple com-
pressors to match capacity with test room heat loading.
Finally, fuel supply systems are interlocked with
the stepped HVAC control, allowing fuel solenoids
to open only when HVAC is in low-test or high-test
mode and staying closed when in setup mode.
Mercury Marine provided measured sound spectra
from its marine product line to establish a desired
www.plantengineering.com
Figure 5:
Preferred
room
dimensions
according to
room modes.
Courtesy:
Albert Kahn
Associates
Inc.
noise floor of approximately NC-10 (21 dBA) in
the test rooms. During commissioning of the hemi-
anechoic test chamber, background sound levels with
ventilation systems off were measured at 16 dBA. The
team engineered a test chamber that exceeded their
requirements to accurately test the full spectrum of
products.
Outside the test facility, general building HVAC
systems optimize energy efficiency and provide
Mercury with a comfortable indoor environment.
High-efficiency (95%) condensing boilers generate
low-temperature hot water (100 F to 120 F based on
OA reset schedule) for use in both variable volume
terminal unit reheat coils as well as in-floor radiant
heating.
The low-temperature hot water allows reduced
system equipment complexity and simplified con-
trol technology while eliminating the need for heat
exchangers and mixing valves. Self-regulating variable
speed hot water (HW) heating pumps keep energy
consumption low.
Partnering efforts were of foremost importance
on this project. Representatives from the engineer-
ing, construction and supplier communities worked
together to ensure its success. The uniqueness of
this facility proved inspirational to many suppliers
and constructors, who engaged in preliminary engi-
neering and coordination efforts with enthusiasm.
This proved to be significant as their experience
helped the entire team foresee problems and plan
in advance for their resolution. On Dec. 6, 2018,
Mercury Marine unveiled its new NVH Technical
Center in a grand opening event. It now stands as
a testament to the art and science of engineering a
world-class test facility. PE
Peter G. Lynde, PE, is senior vice president and director
of research and technology at Albert Kahn Associates Inc.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 31
SOLUTIONS
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
By Brock Culpepper
How to resolve a conflict
before it manifests itself
Focus on and build healthier relationships within a workplace team
T
he world is full of conflicts both large and
small. The typical industrial workplace is
no different. Even within each of us there
are conflicts between competing impulses.
Controlling what one eats is a struggle for many of
us. Binge-watching favorite television series instead of
exercising is another example. The costs vary depend-
ing on the activity and the level of participation asso-
ciated with that activity.
Discussions with people in substance abuse reha-
bilitation programs often contains this advice: “Draw
a line in the sand. Decide now, while you are in a
safe environment. Understand that entertaining the
thought of participation is one step in the opposite
direction of where you want to be.”
This article focuses on building healthier relation-
ships within a workplace team.
Team members’ conflicts
Consider having to resolve a conflict between
team members. Was there a natural response that
potentially produced undesirable results, extend-
ing a negative situation for an indefinite period of
32 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
time, creating a downhill cycle or making things
even worse? There is something simple people can
do ahead of time that will serve as a template for
dealing with and overcoming the future conflict:
Conduct a values survey.
A values survey is a simple exercise of proactively
finding out what is most important to an individual in
the plant. It allows discovery of a person’s principles
or standards of behavior — one’s judgment of what
is important in life.
For every employee on the team, find out the top
five or so things they esteem the most. Keep that list
in a convenient place. For some, those areas can be
faith, family, teamwork, integrity, trust, creativity/
innovation and giving. Teams can find a list of values
online. Write them on a white board and have people
circle their top values. Also available is this free online
tool created by Motion Industries: (https://tinyurl.
com/y4robrvs).
Know your team
Putting conflict resolution aside, this kind of exercise
allows people to get to know their team better. Gain-
ing knowledge concerning what is
important to a person gives one a
unique insight into how to relate
to that person. Give them projects
based on certain passions they
select.
Avoid task misalignment. It may
not be desirable to have the out-
going, interactive, people-person
who values “community” keying
data into an Excel spreadsheet all
Figure 1: Begin on a positive
note and demonstrate what
a “healthy team” looks like
from your perspective, as it
relates to the situation at hand,
through a simple cycle graphic.
Courtesy: Motion Industries
www.plantengineering.com
 day, with no way of connecting with others. It also
may not be ideal to have the highly introverted per-
son that values “behind-the-scenes work” making
daily presentations when what they value is a quiet,
personal space where they can methodically work
through their assigned tasks with limited social
interaction. The maintenance individual who really
values troubleshooting may not be properly assigned
if performing a thoughtless job of simple assembly
— all day, every day.
Some people in the learning and development
world have had people go through personality pro-
file assessments, such as the DiSC profile or the
MBTI assessment. Knowing one’s strategy is half
the battle. To quote Alan Lakein, “Planning is bring-
ing the future into the present so that you can do
something about it now.”
Before looking at how to resolve conflict, think
of potential points of conflict that could arise in the
plant’s operation, which may include:
• Differing philosophies regarding quality of
products purchased as it relates to cost and life
of product
• Differing philosophies on maintenance strate-
gies: preventive/predictive maintenance versus
run to fail
• Pressure from the plant manager for increased
output versus resistance from maintenance for
pushing equipment above recommended toler-
ances
• Scheduled downtime strategy versus reactive
downtime strategy in crisis mode
• Conflict as it relates to efficiency and waste
• Conflicts that arise with too much inventory
on hand versus not enough inventory on hand
• Employee comfort: environmental temperature
in the manufacturing process, cost of maintain-
ing the preferred environment.
Template for resolution
By nature of the word “conflict,” at least one person is
going in a direction or doing something that another
person or group of people disagrees with, is against
or does not like, causing tension between at least two
people. The two parties are at odds with each other.
For the purpose of demonstration, assume that
you, as a mid-level manager or executive, are manag-
ing the conflict between an unproductive employee
and that employee’s confrontational supervisor. The
www.plantengineering.com
lack of productivity frustrates the supervisor. The
employee feels micromanaged.
No matter the conflict, begin addressing the situ-
ation independently with each party involved, so
their concerns can be shared in a place without the
conversation being escalated by the party on the
other side. You are not solving anything here. You
are listening.
Start by stating the values of the organization
and affirm that you desire to uphold those values in
your discussion. Our president at Motion Industries,
Randy Breaux, made these clear for our organization
when he moved into his role. Our values are to be
“fair,” “ethical,” “inclusive” and “invested.”
Ask the executive management team what the
values of the organization are. Ask the employee
if any of his or her values that have already been
identified during onboarding (remember the values
survey?) are in conflict in any way with the estab-
lished values of the organization.
More than likely, there will not be an obvious
conflict between an employee’s values and the orga-
nization’s values, as the organization’s values will
be broad, high-level values that can intrinsically
include all the personal values listed by the team.
If someone takes issue with being fair or inclu-
sive, for example, this is an easy discussion. That
person does not have a place on the team. More
complicated issues arise when people are placed
in the wrong “seats” or when more specific values
held by team members conflict with each other. For
example, the person who values time management,
independence and efficiency is highly annoyed by
the coworker who values fun and conversation,
showing up unannounced for a seemingly trivial,
unproductive 30-minute conversation. Likewise,
the conversationalist that values relationships is
bothered by the completely task-oriented, imper-
sonal colleague.
For the situation at hand, ask the employee if
there is a conflict between what that person values
and the values of any person on the other side of
the issue. That is when the real conversation begins.
People perform based on their beliefs or what they
value. Those values and beliefs lead to their behav-
iors. Behaviors produce results. You need different
results than what you are getting from the collective
behaviors, which must change. Beliefs and values
are hard to change, but even that can take place,
but it may not be necessary.
What is necessary is to understand a person’s
“why” so what drives them can be understood, and
then getting people outside of focusing exclusively
on their needs. When they understand the needs of
others, and ultimately, the needs of the business,
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 33
SOLUTIONS
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
Figure 2: These are the scenarios than can
cause an organization to lose in its pursuit of
its goals. Courtesy: Motion Industries
they can maintain their individual values, even
while working with individuals completely dif-
ferent from them. The diversity represented there
will make a team stronger. Beliefs about people
also will change for the better in that process. The
boundaries and expectations need to be clearly
established.
What we want and what we
are getting
Once you are fully aware of the dynamics at play and
everyone has shared their respective positions pri-
vately, lead a meeting with all parties involved. Begin
on a positive note and demonstrate what a “healthy
team” looks like, as it relates to the situation at hand,
through a simple cycle graphic (see Figure 1).
Every action, environment or mindset listed in
the model shown in Figure 1 will naturally leads to
the next outcome in the circle. Feel free to enter the
model at any given place. There is no starting point.
It is a continuous flow.
For the next model, the phrase, “we lose” is placed
in the middle. This represents the reality of what is
taking place in the example situation based on the
hypothetical, independent conversations that were
conducted acts as the basis of the model (see Figure 2).
Determining whether the supervisor or the employee
started the process is irrelevant. The focus is on a win-
ning outcome, which requires the cycle to be broken.
Now, take your conflict and the behaviors asso-
ciated with your situation and populate your own
34 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
cause-and-effect models for
a healthy team and a losing
team. Remember to start on a
positive note. Indicate that from
your perspective, this is what a
healthy team looks like, relative
to the issue at hand. The parties
involved may want to add addi-
tional entries to the healthy team
model. There really should not be
anything to dispute at this point.
Next, show and discuss the
“we lose” model and detail the
characteristics of the process
in which you currently func-
tion. Paramount in this part of
the process is staying away from
personal attacks or phrases that
put people on the defensive. Right
now, attempt having this conversation in your head
without using the word “you.” It’s tough. Use data
and facts to prove the point.
• The department’s agreed upon goal was to have
10 projects completed by this time. What fac-
tors are causing us to only have three completed
projects at this point?
• It was communicated that the data entry posi-
tion is not a job that allows for flexible hours and
that the time to report to work is 8:00 a.m. There
are three instances where that has not occurred
this week. What factors are creating this situ-
ation? Are there reasons this policy should be
reconsidered?
• Output per hour is down 10% from last month
and 12% under quota. I would like everyone’s
thoughts on why we are seeing a downward trend,
and I would like recommendations on ways to
increase productivity.
You are not avoiding the conflict. You are directly
addressing the issue. You are simply trying to tear
down the walls that will naturally be built, showing
people respect in the process. All the while you are
making your expectations clear.
Form a needs agreement and
performance-improvement plan
The goal for the end of this conversation is to form
a “needs agreement” between the parties in conflict.
The “needs agreement” is formed by asking one ques-
tion. “What do you need to perform your job with
excellence?” Any sales course one will ever take will
involve asking open-ended questions to obtain as
www.plantengineering.com
 much information from the customer as possible and
repeating that information back to the customer to
ensure you understand the full need and expectation,
so you can deliver to the customer’s satisfaction.
That is exactly what we have done to this point in
the conflict resolution. In our example:
• The employee expresses that they feel micro-
managed, making it difficult to perform. They
indicate that they need a little space, which will
ignite their creative abilities, and performance
will improve.
• The supervisor needs completed projects. The
supervisor needs proactive communication from
the employee as to where things stand, which
will eliminate the need for the supervisor to
constantly check in.
In our example, the needs agreement will lead
to the “performance improvement plan” document,
or PIP. Based on the needs agreement, fill out the
action items that all parties involved will take over
a defined period of time and have everyone sign the
document. In the example, we will agree to remove
any unnecessary distractions the employee and
supervisor have expressed is causing issues. This
can even include eliminating interaction between the
parties for a short, agreed-upon time. The purpose
is to know if the employee can perform the duties of
the job, and if the supervisor has the ability to trust
the employee and not interfere in the process. You
are eliminating excuses. Action items listed on the
example PIP include:
• Project timeline expectations will be clearly com-
municated by the supervisor, and employee will
confirm to the supervisor what he/she can expect
to receive and when.
• The supervisor will not “check-up” on the status
of projects until a project has gone beyond agreed
upon timeline expectations.
• The employee agrees to proactively communicate
project status as progress is made.
• The employee agrees to eliminate personal email
and social media activities while on the clock.
Include the possible actions that will take place
if the PIP is not successfully executed. When the
agreed-upon time frame of the PIP passes, and if the
process fails, you have the wrong person in the seat
for one or more of the jobs at that time. The needs
of the business require you to either train, realign
or dismiss. If training takes place and individuals
www.plantengineering.com
remain in their respective seats, repeat the process
at the training’s conclusion. If the process works,
celebrate, and build on your new process and success.
Final thoughts
This process works if these steps are followed:
• Know the company’s values
• Identify the values of every individual on the
team
• When conflict arises, ask:
o Are any of your values in conflict with the
organization’s values?
o Are any of your values in conflict with the
values of a coworker with whom you are hav-
ing an issue?
• Hold a “healthy team” model and “we lose” model
team meeting with all parties involved
• Form a needs agreement
• Form a personal improvement plan (with action
items to take place over a specified time, and
signatures of all parties involved). Note on the
PIP what possible action(s) will be considered
if this is not successful.
PIP failure = Training (and a repeat of the pro-
cess), realignment/restructure (based on the skills
and values of the individual(s) and the needs of the
business), or dismissal.
PIP success = Healthy team.
Solving problems that exist between two par-
ties can be much more of a process than a crisis,
especially if you start the process before you are
fully aware of the issue. That sounds a little crazy,
but it leads to good organizational health. It simply
requires proactivity in determining where you are
as an organization and investing in people from
the start. As you solve problems before they exist,
you will find yourself enjoying a culture that hires
right and values those hires, their unique abilities
and insights. PE
Brock Culpepper is director of learning & development
at Motion Industries and leads the company’s training
arm, Mi Learning & Development. He is passionate
about cultivating a continuous learning mindset through
technical training, professional development, multime-
dia productions and community service. A graduate of
the University of Alabama, Culpepper has worked 20
years for Motion Industries.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 35
SOLUTIONS
COMMUNICATIONS
By Chris Clarke
Leave the two-way radio
in the past
Modern team communication technologies boost productivity and safety
P
lant environments present many challenges
for person-to-person and group commu-
nication. Plants are noisy and entail safety
concerns. Workers are spread out and lack
new technology — or any technology — for effec-
tive team communication. Current communication
practices in plants can make it cumbersome, time
consuming and risky to give direction, ask a question
or simply have a necessary conversation to accomplish
the task at hand.
Communication method challenges
In the 1980s and 1990s, many plants adopted the
technology of the age, the two-way radio, for com-
munication. It is still in use today. Although an
effective solution three or four decades ago, two-
way radios are not the most effective or efficient
communication tools. Conversations take anywhere
from two to five times as long as they need to due to
the one-at-a-time communication structure. Each
person in a conversation has to push a button to talk
and to respond, the others have to wait for their turn
to speak. This makes back and forth conversation
for asking questions or confirming understanding
stilted and halting.
It’s not a natural way to talk. Two-way radios also
require hands-on use, and a single radio may not be
sufficient for some personnel. For example, some plant
managers have to carry multiple radios to communicate
with various teams.
Figure 1:
Industrial-
grade
Bluetooth
provides
ranges up
to one mile.
Courtesy:
Sena
Technologies
36 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
Some plants have resorted to using employees’
personal or company-provided cellular phones for
communication. This approach relies on consumer
technology, which is fragile without the correct protec-
tive cases and undependable in areas where the signal
is weak or because of batteries that deplete quickly. It
also requires hands-on use. Finally, mobile phones are
expensive to provide to all personnel.
Yet other plants eschew communication technology
altogether and rely on face-to-face communication.
This approach requires employees to go find the person
they need to speak with. In noisy environments, that
can lead to shouting. With COVID-19 operating regu-
lations in effect, the no-tech communication method
is not only inefficient, it is also dangerous.
Even facilities that aren’t categorized as “smart”
update their technology use in the form of new
machines, contemporary software and Industrial Inter-
net of Things (IIoT) integration. Now is the perfect
time to evaluate your technology and communication
practices and consider how to improve.
Enter: wireless intercom
Communication between people and among teams
in plants should be easy, efficient, safe and improve
productivity.
Fortunately, there are practical and affordable com-
munication technology options for plants: Bluetooth
intercom and Mesh Intercom. Both systems offer fast,
reliable and robust communication tools that can be
easily implemented, often without even involving
information technology (IT) departments.
Bluetooth intercom. When you hear the word
“Bluetooth,” images of wireless mice for laptops or
earbuds for smartphones may come to mind. But
industrial-grade Bluetooth intercom is much more
than those consumer-use accessories. Bluetooth oper-
ates with a variety of profiles for different purposes,
such as pairing wireless devices. Bluetooth intercom
uses a specific profile to connect headsets together for
voice communication.
Setting up in-plant Bluetooth intercom is as simple
as pairing team devices to each other, typically limited
www.plantengineering.com
 to four total devices. It is secure in that each device
in the network must accept the other and there is no
reliance on Wi-Fi or cellular signals (see Figure 1).
Mesh Intercom. Mesh Intercom is built on a mesh
network that uses local network topology with an
infrastructure of nodes that connect directly with
each other to efficiently route data or signal to each
other. Each device on the network acts as a node
and builds the network, making it stronger while
also broadening the range.
Whereas Bluetooth is a familiar technology term,
“mesh” is often thought to be new and extremely
high tech. While the technology is sophisticated, it is
simple to implement and has been around for more
than a decade. Mesh Intercom systems have been
proven in a variety of industries and its adoption
for industrial manufacturing is growing. Figure 2: Easy-to-use, reliable communication without the need
Mesh Intercom systems are secure and operate for Wi-Fi or cellular signal. Courtesy: Sena Technologies
independently from Wi-Fi or cellular much like
Bluetooth, however it offers additional benefits
beyond a simple Bluetooth intercom system with Simplified hardware. Communication devices
broader ranges and the capability of connecting a operating on a Mesh Intercom system can offer mul-
virtually limitless numbers of devices to the network tiple communication channels, meaning that a single
(see Figure 2). headset can replace a belt full of radios. Plant managers
and other personnel will be able to better communi-
Wireless intercom improves cate with every working group in the plant using just
productivity one device. This connects engineering, maintenance,
The concept is simple: Better communication pro- supervisors and training groups in a convenient and
duces better work. By speeding up, simplifying and efficient way while improving productivity.
stabilizing communication among plant personnel, IIoT connectivity. If your plant has an IIoT envi-
efficiency and productivity improves while solving ronment, you can incorporate plant communications
quality and safety challenges you may not have previ- using Mesh Intercom in a way that two-way radios
ously known about. and cellular phones could never be integrated. Whole
Full duplex, high-quality communication. Head- plant communication is possible when Bluetooth-
sets on both Bluetooth and Mesh Intercom systems enabled programmable logic controllers (PLCs)
offer full duplex in communication, meaning that
everyone on the network can both talk and listen to
everyone else at the same time. This translates into Figure 3: High frequency bands provide crystal-clear
completely natural communication and the ability communication. Courtesy: Sena Technologies
to interrupt to clarify or correct immediately, which
reduces the risk of errors stemming from miscommu-
nication. In addition, full duplex in communication
systems means hands-free operation since there’s
no need to press a button to talk. When a worker is
wearing a headset, he or she can speak to his or her
team while continuing to work.
The benefits of full duplex operation are faster,
clearer and more natural conversations, hands-free
operation and fewer work-stopping interruptions.
In addition, both Bluetooth and mesh technologies
offer better quality audio than two-way radios. These
technologies are not susceptible to pops, crackles or
other interference. High-quality audio means that
workers can hear each other more clearly to avoid
miscommunication (see Figure 3).

www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 37

SOLUTIONS
COMMUNICATIONS
Figure 4: Mesh Intercom bridges Bluetooth, phones, smartphones
and tablets for whole plant connectivity. Courtesy: Sena
Technologies
are connected to a Mesh Intercom network using
an adapter. Machine errors or other alerts indicat-
ing a need for attention can be transitioned from,
or supplement, pillar light and text-based alerts to
audible alerts sent out over the Mesh Intercom. This
speeds up attention to errors and reduces machine
downtime (see Figure 4).
Mix-and-match hardware capability. Bluetooth
and Mesh Intercom networks can operate with a
range of hardware, so teams are not limited to the
same headset as others. Headsets with hearing pro-
tection incorporated can be used in loud plant areas
while standard over-the-ear headsets may be better
suited for shipping. Adapters also can be used to
connect any Bluetooth-enabled headset, including
Apple Airpods, to the mesh network. This provides
the flexibility for employees to bring their own device
as well as to have a “floater” for connecting visitors
or temporary contractors to the team with their own
equipment.
Figure 5:
Hardhat
integration
for safe,
comfortable,
hands-free
communication.
Courtesy: Sena
Technologies
38 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING
As bring your own device (BYOD) programs grow
in popularity across the manufacturing sector, the
ability to allow employees to use the devices most
comfortable for them is an attractive option.
Alternatives enable safety practices
Safety is paramount for all manufacturing facilities.
Communication systems should reflect that. Noise-
attenuating headsets or those that can be mounted
to hard hats are simple integrations with PPE that
enhance plant safety. Additionally, the simple switch
to hands-free communication improves safety prac-
tices by freeing up workers to focus on their task at
hand — with all of the hands that it needs. For plants
that incorporate lab or cleanroom functions, it’s also
important that the devices can be used inside suits
and/or under masks, reducing the risk of touch con-
tamination and the need to pull down a mask to speak
(see Figure 5).
Adapt to the “new normal” Easy operation with
masks is one way that communication technology
can help plants adapt to what has become the new
normal in a COVID-19 environment. Bluetooth
and Mesh Intercom systems make communicating
effectively while maintaining appropriate physical
distance a reality.
These systems also can be leveraged for reduc-
ing the number of people who need to be physi-
cally present in a plant. For example, a food pro-
cessing plant was planning an executive visit and
demonstration on a new piece of equipment in the
Spring. Those plans had to pivot quickly due to
COVID-19-related travel restrictions. Rather than
plan an onsite demo, the company connected an
iPad to its Mesh Intercom network using a mesh
adapter. They hosted a Zoom call on the iPad with
the executives who were now remote rather than
onsite. The team of five who were onsite were able
to properly maintain distance wearing their head-
sets while presenting and discussing the machine
as originally planned. They have now incorporated
this method into their training practices to keep
their people safe.
The technology curve
There’s no doubt that plants are getting smarter by
integrating technology in all areas. Team communi-
cation is the most immediately impacted and easiest
area to update from old technology or no technol-
ogy. However, updating won’t only move your plant
forward along the technology curve, it will enable
safer work for your employees, ease communication
challenges and improve productivity. PE
Chris Clarke is a global director at Sena Technologies.
www.plantengineering.com
SOLUTIONS
COMPRESSED AIR & ENERGY MANAGEMENT
By Dieter Michalkowski and Chris Noble

Two ways smart pneumatics

maximize energy savings
Flow, pressure and temperature data included

W
hether driven by sustainability goals or to hundreds of thousands of pounds of carbon dioxide
environmental standards, manufactur- (CO2) emissions saved. By using smart pneumatics
ers want to reduce energy consumption like software monitoring and notification solutions
and greenhouse gas emissions. Smart to detect leakages, manufacturers can often reduce
pneumatics make compressed air a prime opportunity their compressed air energy spend by 10% to 20% and
to save a remarkable amount of energy and reduce reduce their CO2 footprint by 10%.
overall emissions. However, for many manufacturers, this transforma-
In the past, manufacturers had no clear or simple tion remains a goal rather than a reality. While they
way to analyze machine air consumption. However, may acknowledge the benefits, over 70% of manufac-
more and more are discovering the energy-saving ben- turers lack a data analytics plan and a clear blueprint
efits of smart pneumatics to collect flow, pressure and for success. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
temperature data and better understand equipment and other enabling technologies are considered too
energy consumption. complex, costly and time-consuming to implement.
This digital transformation of machines can be But that doesn’t have to be the case. Manufacturers
scaled for pneumatic operations of practically any can invest in plug-and-play smart pneumatic solutions
size. Operators capture and process data from pneu- that keep installation time and costs to a minimum.
matic and other machine elements to unlock action- Manufacturers can take the first step toward digital
Smart able, energy-saving insights. Transforming the raw transformation by taking a closer look at how these
pneumatics data from a smart pneumatic system into something smart pneumatics save energy in areas where leakages
analyzer actionable is the key to lowering energy costs, not to and losses occur.
visualizes and mention reducing downtime, enabling faster cycle Plants can improve compressed energy savings
displays live times and increasing overall productivity, too. through digital transformation in two primary ways.
data from Wasted energy in pneumatic systems can be stag-
flow sensors. gering. To put a number on it, manufacturing plants Detect compressed air leaks
Courtesy: typically lose 30% of compressed air just due to leakage The most obvious way manufacturing plants lose
Emerson alone. Wasted energy leads to machine downtime and, energy in pneumatic systems is through leakage.
of course, increased energy Leaks cause the average manufacturing plant to lose
costs. around 35% of compressed air annually. When pneu-
Compressed air is used matic system components are subject to wear, leakage
throughout industrial facili- can occur and grow over time. The larger the leak, the
ties to help operate machin- more significant the energy loss. This results in wasted
ery and processes, so its energy, a bigger carbon footprint and higher operating
prevalence makes it pivotal to costs. Some operators can lose more than $50,000 per
lower year-over-year energy year, per machine!
costs. In fact, improvements In addition to energy loss, a compressed air leak
in the compressed airflow of can cause system pressure in machinery to fluctuate,
a plant’s machinery of even affecting equipment efficiency and even production.
just a few percentage points As a result, a machine may have to work harder to
can mean tens of thousands compensate. This unnecessary cycling and increased
of dollars saved in energy run time can raise energy costs, decrease equipment
costs each month, depending service life and increase maintenance.
on the size and nature of the To detect and locate compressed air leaks, companies
equipment. That can translate bring in technicians with ultrasonic equipment to test

www.plantengineering.com PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 39

SOLUTIONS
COMPRESSED AIR & ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Users get the
real-time data
they need to
reduce energy
consumption
by monitoring
their machines
with a smart
pneumatic
analyzer.
Courtesy:
Emerson

for them. But leaks can often appear, persist and grow
in the time between these periodic, stopgap visits.
Smart pneumatics, on the other hand, continuously
monitor airflow. Some sensors can collect and provide
real-time insights on flow, while also capturing pres-
sure and temperature data in the feed line, enabling
advanced diagnosis of the operating parameters. These
solutions can often easily retrofit to existing machines
with the use of edge gateways. Around-the-clock soft-
ware monitoring can detect leaks in near real time.
The software identifies the machine in question and
sends notification alerts directly to maintenance staff
so they can further investigate.
By detecting leaks in near-real time, smart pneumat-
ics can lower compressed air energy spend by 10-20%
and reduce a plant’s CO2 footprint by 10%. Address-
ing compressed air leaks earlier also reduces both
planned (time used to test for air leakages on each
machine) and unplanned downtime and improves
overall equipment efficiency (OEE).
Edge
computing
device
interprets
incoming
sensor data
into easy-to-
understand,
actionable
information.
Courtesy:
Emerson
Optimize consumption
Some manufacturers may not have the full picture
when it comes to the relationship between air pressure
and airflow. This means they may not actually know
the optimal consumption point of compressed air for
their manufacturing process. The air pressure in their
industrial machines may be higher than it needs to
be. When equipment consumes more compressed air
than necessary, it consumes more energy, which raises
energy costs and CO2 emissions.
Smart sensors plus an edge computing device can col-
lect data about air pressure and airflow. By analyzing the
edge analytics of the pneumatic system, plants can get a
clearer picture of the relationship between air pressure
and flow. By lowering the overall pressure of their pneu-
matic system, they can reduce the airflow to a certain
point while maintaining the same cylinder cycle time.
Finding the optimal ratio between pressure and flow
can lead to a 10-20% reduction of compressed air con-
sumption and energy costs, as well as a 10% reduction
in CO2 footprint, without affecting production. This
allows manufacturers to maintain current cycle times
in production, but with lower energy consumption,
costs and CO2 emissions.
Real-time data, savings
By using smart pneumatics to detect leaks and moni-
tor air consumption, industrial manufacturers can
save a significant amount of energy. Manufacturers
can work with their automation partner to start on
the area or areas of focus that make the most sense
for their situation, budget and goals.

40 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING www.plantengineering.com

 For example, a global producer serving the automo-
tive industry recently took steps in its digital transfor-
mation by focusing on energy lost through compressed
air leakage and air consumption. The company wanted
to reduce energy consumption by using an IIoT-enabled
energy management tool on an existing production
line. They partnered with Emerson, a leading supplier
of automation solutions, to monitor and measure the
amount of energy the line used.
Like most brownfield applications, this production
line included various legacy equipment that came from
different suppliers. A power supply, Ethernet bus cou-
pler, power meter (one per circuit) and IO-Link, which
included eight available ports for sensors, made up each
meter box. Current transformers were located either
inside or outside the meter box, and these modules all
had to be installed upright to allow for air circulation.
Making this setup even more complex, there were a
limited number of Ethernet access points to work with.
To expand would require considerable investment.
To meet the needs of this complex setup, Emerson
recommended its AVENTICSTM Series AF2 Sensor,
an easy-to-use airflow sensor that measures flow, pres-
sure and temperature and monitors air consumption
in pneumatic systems.
The AF2 is ideal for a collection of legacy machines
like this for a couple of reasons. First, the compact sen-
sor is easy to assemble and can be installed on existing
machines and pneumatic systems. Second, the AF2 has
IO-Link and Ethernet communication options. The
sensor is easy to integrate into air preparation units and
gives manufacturers the option to operate as a stand-
alone version. With a colored, rotatable LED display
that provides clear feedback, the AF2 sends notifica-
tion alerts to users when it detects a leak so they can
take action. This simple IIoT-enabled device allowed
the company to invest in energy savings while keeping
installation time and costs to a minimum.
After choosing a sensor, Emerson helped the com-
pany monitor and measure the amount of energy the
line used by temporarily connecting the AVENTICS
Smart Pneumatic Analyzer (SPA) to one machine. The
SPA, which provides pneumatic system analysis at a
glance, recorded, analyzed and visualized the line’s air
consumption during the production process. The team
was able to read the real-time air consumption, which
the SPA displays in norm liters per minute (Nl/min),
alongside average and maximum values to quickly
identify trends and anomalies.
The data collected from the SPA helped the company
decide whether Emerson’s PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge
Computing Device was worth investing in. In simple
terms, the PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge Computing
Device interprets and displays all incoming AF2 sen-
sor data. Using mathematical algorithms, it digitizes
www.plantengineering.com
then translates the data into
straightforward, user-friendly
information. This information is
recorded and displayed on a live,
web-based dashboard and gives
users even more energy insights
without additional software. The
SPA data revealed that the PAC-
Systems RXi2-BP Edge Comput-
ing Device would indeed help
the company save energy and its
associated costs, so the company
decided to make the investment.
In total, Emerson supplied approximately 180 AF2 Air flow sensor
flow sensors to meet the production line’s needs, measures flow,
along with the PACSystems RXi2-BP Edge Comput- pressure and
ing Device. This all-in-one energy-saving sensing and temperature
edge computing solution monitors pneumatic air con- and
sumption and generates and interprets machine data, monitors air
giving the automotive producer actionable insights consumption
and a more complete picture of what’s happening in in pneumatic
its plant. As a result, the company has successfully found systems.
areas for improvement, including reducing peak power Courtesy:
consumption, optimizing maintenance costs and avoid- Emerson
ing downtime, and plans to continue optimizing its
machines to use less energy.
Toward a transformation
Across all industries, energy management continues
to be a top priority for industrial facilities. As concerns
about energy consumption and carbon emissions grow,
monitoring compressed air in pneumatic systems is a
critical opportunity for reducing emissions and low-
ering energy costs. When machines aren’t monitored,
neither is their energy consumption. Leaks and losses
are free to grow, problems that could be solved early
deteriorate into late-stage quality issues and significant
amounts of energy are wasted.
Yet the road to digital transformation that unlocks
compressed air energy savings looks different for every-
one. Like any transformation, digital transformation
is a process that unfolds at its own pace, depending
on a plant’s unique circumstances. To successfully
start saving energy through digital transformation,
it’s important to work with an automation expert who
knows smart pneumatics and the unique characteristics
of fluid power applications. When you have access to
the right expert, knowledge and tools, you can real-
ize your compressed air energy saving — and digital
transformation — goals. PE
Dieter Michalkowski is global account manager, fluid
control & pneumatics at Emerson. Chris Noble is busi-
ness development, food & Beverage, packaging and IIoT
consultant at Emerson.
PLANT ENGINEERING March 2021 • 41
ANSWERS
EDGE COMPUTING
Don Pham, Idec Corp.

Expanding edge control

Edge control can take many forms to access stranded data, with modern
programmable logic controllers (PLCs) often the preferred alternative.

F
or as long as operators have interacted with
machinery and equipment, the concepts
of the industrial “edge” and “edge control”
have existed. Control at the edge could be
an operator’s manual interaction with the
equipment, or it could be hardwired controls perform-
ing some required functionality. A more sophisticated
arrangement could consist of digital automation, usu-
ally with a programmable logic controller (PLC) mon-
itoring input sensors at the edge, processing logic, and
commanding outputs to control edge devices.
If the concept of edge control is so familiar, then
why is it gaining newfound attention? Traditional edge
control has often been quite remote and isolated, and
it was expensive and complex to connect edge assets to
each other or to higher-level systems. Today’s concept
of edge control maintains all the robust automation
functionality of previous technology generations –
while incorporating modern hardware, software, and
networking advances –making it economical and easy
to connect edge assets to on-site and cloud-based sys-
tems. This ready access to edge data is often described
as an Internet of Things (IoT) implementation.
Smart sensors, modern PLCs and advanced edge
controllers or PC-based platforms are among the
ways designers can incorporate IoT concepts into sys-
tems. PLCs with IoT capabilities help automation sys-
tem designers and end users access data more easily.
Complete connectivity is important to users
as they recognize the need to access data avail-
able from edge control systems. This data can be
Figure 1: The
message queuing
telemetry transport
(MQTT) protocol is
a comprehensive
yet lightweight
way for field
devices like sen-
sors and PLCs to
communicate with
centralized cloud-
based brokers, and
to other clients like
mobile devices.
Images courtesy:
Idec Corp.
sensor signals, derived machine information, or
other values—and it may be used just for simple
remote visualization. But more operational value is
unlocked when the data can be stored and analyzed,
often via cloud-based computing, so users can take
action to optimize operations.
Sensor, machine connectivity
For new industrial projects, it is becoming man-
datory for designers to select automation platforms
with built-in IoT connectivity, even if they will not
immediately use it. Some end users also are invest-
ing to upgrade existing assets to gain IoT capabilities.
Designers might consider incorporating PC
hardware and software, or more specialized edge
controllers with some general-purpose comput-
ing ability, to create an IoT-enabled system. These
options offer a higher level of computing power and
capability, but they can be quite a step change in
cost and effort required for implementing them. In
many cases, this may not be warranted.
This is why modern PLCs often occupy the sweet
spot for automation devices able to act as practical
IoT platforms, while still performing as edge control-
ler. As an established and familiar automation tech-
nology, PLCs are already the go-to solution for most
industrial automation projects. PLCs also are ide-
ally positioned to access, consolidate and transmit
edge data. Because they are controllers, they can do
more than just move the data. They also can act on
it directly or send data to and receive direction from

42 • March 2021 plant engineering www.plantengineering.com

input #10 at www.plantengineering.com/information
ANSWERS
EDGE COMPUTING

Figure 2: MQTT higher-level systems. A few key features transform modern PLCs. On-board data logging, web server
enables PLCs and PLCs into IoT-capable edge controllers. functions, and file transfer protocol (FTP) communi-
other smart field cations give remote access options.
devices to inter- Five IIoT edge functions for PLCs Edge controllers transmit data over the network
act with mobile Modern PLCs in edge installations can gather use- and/or internet to site-located or cloud-hosted sys-
users, supervisory ful information. A PLC can fulfill the edge controller tems. Among communications protocols, MQTT is
systems, role with these features: widely used. Many smart instruments support MQTT.
and analytical MQTT is a good option for more complex edge con-
applications via • Field and network connectivity trollers. Controllers supporting MQTT are ideal for
cloud-based ser- • On board data logging to support store and many automation applications (Figure 2). PLCs can be
vices. forward operations configured as MQTT subscribers to receive data from
• Web server functionality supervisory systems and execute user commands and
• Support for cloud-capable communications directly control field equipment.
protocols, like message queuing telemetry Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) for
transport (MQTT) industrial machinery are moving to MQTT-capable
• Simple configuration to support two-way PLCs for many reasons. OEMs already use PLCs for

M More
ANSWERS
communications.

Even the most basic PLC is capable of

KEYWORDS: edge computing,
message queuing telemetry
transport (MQTT),
programmable logic controller
(PLC)
Modern PLCs can act as practical
Internet of Things (IoT) platforms,
while still performing as an edge
controller.
Many edge devices use message
queuing telemetry transport
(MQTT) to transmit data.
Edge control is best fulfilled by
using PLCs that can support IoT
initiatives right out of the box.
ONLINE
In the digital edition click on the
headline to read “MQTT as an
networking enabler.”
CONSIDER THIS
What benefits could your facility
gain from edge computing and
edge devices?
interacting with field devices via wired
input/output (I/O) signals. Most of
today’s PLCs also incorporate serial and
Ethernet connectivity, which provides
the ability to interface to a wide variety
of intelligent field devices.
A PLC intended for the edge control
role should include industrial network
protocols such as EtherNet/IP, Modbus
TCP and RTU, and BACnet/IP to ensure
it can communicate with the widest range
of I/O systems and other intelligent edge
devices. More specialized protocols such
as SAE J1939 make the PLC suitable for
vehicles and heavy equipment.
Certain features can make it easier for
users to interact with PLCs. Local wire-
less Bluetooth connectivity, along with
convenient configuration and monitoring
using mobile apps, makes it convenient
for users to access, monitor, and adjust
many machine automation needs, so it is a small step
from technical and cost standpoints to specify MQTT-
enabled PLCs and future-proof such systems.
Specific business needs make adoption of IoT
desirable. Many are leasing machines and need to
monitor machine functionality and usage. Some
OEMs base lease values on uptime or machine pro-
duction or may take advantage of remote connectiv-
ity to sell more support services or consumable parts.
PLCs are affordable and fit with business models
and skillsets. Integrating a PC-based or relatively com-
plex edge controller device for small- and medium-
sized systems often is not realistic.
For many users, edge control is best fulfilled by
using PLCs that can support IoT initiatives out of
the box. PLCs with support for MQTT, combined
with cloud services such as AWS IoT Core, help
merge modern practices with traditional automa-
tion to deliver optimal results. ce
Don Pham is senior product marketing manager at
Idec Corp. Edited by Chris Vavra, web content man-
ager, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technol-
ogy, cvavra@cfemedia.com.

44 • March 2021 plant engineering www.plantengineering.com

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input #11 at www.plantengineering.com/information

ANSWERS
DATA ANALYTICS FOR OT
Joe Martin, MartinCSI
Operational technology:
Data acquisition, analytics
Using Big Data for operational technology (OT) automation and control appli-
cations is increasingly important and can be a bewildering journey if the right
questions aren’t asked. See four elements of data analytics system architecture.
H
ow data is treated for operational
technology (OT) automation and
control applications is increasing-
ly important as people talk about
Big Data analytics role in meeting
enterprise goals. Data design, data architecture
and data acquisition profoundly affect data ana-
lytics, or, in old-school terms: Garbage in, garbage
out. Learn best practices for data gathering so data
can be turned into information and value beyond
its original purpose.
Consider this scenario: Two travelers are on a
journey. The first one says, “We’re lost.” The sec-
ond replies, “We’re not lost, I know exactly where
we are. I just don’t know how to get to our desti-
nation.” This highlights three pieces of informa-
tion are need when trying to reach a destination.
Knowledge of the destination, our current loca-
tion, and a path to get there.
Data collection and analytics is similar. It is
easy to “jump in” and start collecting data. Howev-
er, before it is important to review the three points
listed above before doing so:
Solving a problem roadmap requires users to determine the problem,
gather data and find the solution. Image and table courtesy: MartinCSI
46 • March 2021 plant engineering
1. The destination: What is the problem we
want to solve?
2. The location: What data is available to the
solve the problem.
3. The path: How does the data we have move
us toward the solution?
The data analytics destination:
Identify a problem, ask a question
The first step in data analytics is to identify a
problem and then ask a question. For example, a
manufacturing company may have a product with
a wide variance in material strength, resulting in
poor quality (the problem).
The company suspects variations in pressure or
temperature during the manufacturing process are
the reason. Next, restate the problem in the form of
a question, which we will use data to answer. In this
case we can ask, “Are variations in pressure or tem-
perature affecting the strength of my product?”
The location: Gather data needed
to answer the question
The next step is to decide what data is needed
to answer my question. The available data can be
thought of as my current location. A user may say:
“On the surface, the data I need to collect is obvi-
ous, pressure and temperature. But, to have a com-
plete picture, I also must look at where, when and
how the data is gathered.”
For example, the user may have a sensor measur-
ing the temperature of a process tank. However, the
sensor may be mounted at the top of the tank and
not measure the exact temperature where the reac-
tion is occurring. So, the user may need to add a sec-
ond sensor to more directly measure the reaction.
The user also will need some form of linking
data, which allows them to associate each quality
measurement with a corresponding process mea-
surement. In this example, the user will record
a common batch number that is associated with
www.plantengineering.com
 Take your performance to the edge
with advanced automation and control
Emerson’s PACSystems™ portfolio of industrial automation controls enhance your operations
and leverage data from the control room to the machine edge for improved productivity and
efficiency. Our programmable logic controllers, including our industrial edge controller,
combined with Emerson’s cutting edge Movicon NExT™ IIoT software and other HMI/SCADA
solutions, brings you advanced analytics to solve your big data challenges.

Visit www.emerson.com/PACSystems to learn more. Reach out to us directly at

ContactUs@Emerson.com

The Emerson logo is a trademark and service mark of Emerson Electric Co. ©2020 Emerson Electric Co.

input #12 at www.plantengineering.com/information

 ANSWERS
DATA ANALYTICS FOR OT
both the process data (temperature and pressure)
and quality data (material strength). They’ll also
need to generate a batch number, which will be
tracked through all steps of the process.
The data analytics path
Analyzing and following the data will lead the user
‘
to the destination, which is an answer to the origi-
Analyze, follow nal question. There are a number of paths to choose
from. These include analytics methods ranging from
the data: Analyt- regression and classification algorithms to neural net-
works and supervised learning. However, the user
ics methods in- needs to have a good understanding of the relation-
ship between the data and the problem before starting
clude regression on the path. They might want to know how variations
in pressure and temperature affect my product quality
and classifica- in the form of material strength. It may be tempting
to select a model, plug the data in and look for results.
tion algorithms, Having a good understanding of process will
achieve better results. If the user knows a tempera-
neural networks ture overshoot by 2 degrees will weaken the prod-
uct, then they can select a model that will help
and supervised look for this in the data. Also, if it takes an hour of
’
learning. this over-temperature to impact quality, that helps
with selecting an appropriate resolution and sam-
pling rate. It may require making some assump-
tions, but the better the assumptions, the easier it
will be to answer the questions.
Four elements of data analytics
With everything addressed and answered, the
user now has a road map to the destination and can
Local, cloud, edge, or data concentrator?
Edge Edge Local Cloud
Device Concentrator Server Server
Is the data I’m collecting in a raw
format? Can it be processed or con-
X X
verted to a standard format before
being collected?
Do I have a variety of devices
that communicate using different X
protocols?
Will calculations be performed on the
data in real time?
X X
Is the data of value to just the local
plant or process area?
X Users looking to solve an operations technology (OT)
Is the data of value enterprise-wide or
X X
just corporate?
Does the data span multiple plants or
X X
facilities?
Is there a need to provide access to
reports and analytics over a public X
network?
Is there a need to run advanced data
X www.controleng.com.
analytics?
Table: Asking questions can help users determine whether they need
a local server, cloud server, an edge device or a data concentrator.
48 • March 2021 plant engineering
embark on the data collection. The vehicle used to
get there will be the system architecture. Common
components can build this architecture. See several
components and use cases below.
Edge device: Provides an interface between
the devices on the local network (the source of the
data) and the public network. They can be used to
buffer and format data and perform calculations.
Some edge devices have options to configure a fire-
wall, provide cellular access and act as a protocol
converter.
Data concentrator: This device, which is often a
programmable logic controller (PLC), is used to col-
lect and aggregate data from existing sensors and
PLCs. It can be used to buffer data, format data, and
perform calculations before uploading to a server
computer.
Local server: Server PC, hosted on premise. It is
often used to provide monitoring, reporting and data
warehousing.
Cloud server: Server PC, hosted in the cloud and
accessible over the internet. It can be used to provide
dashboards, reporting, notifications, data warehous-
ing and advanced analytics.
The path from data acquisition to solutions
can sometimes resemble a long and winding road.
However, the extra effort spent identifying the
problem, asking questions, and gathering quality
data will lead to a more direct route. The system
architecture, built on a set of common compo-
nents, is the vehicle that will take me to my desti-
nation. So, enjoy the drive. ce
Joe Martin is founder and president of MartinCSI and
is a Control Engineering Editorial Advisory board
member. MartinCSI is a CSIA Certified control systems
integrator in Central Ohio. Edited by Chris Vavra, web
content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media
and Technology, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
M More
ANSWERS
KEYWORDS: system integrator, Big Data, data
acquisition
automation problem need to know what problem they
want to solve.
Following the data and asking questions along the way
helps shape the answer.
Once the answer has been found, the system
architecture will help make it a reality.
ONLINE
See additional system integration stories at
CONSIDER THIS
How do you design and develop your automation
roadmap?
www.plantengineering.com
ANSWERS
EDGE
Rashesh Mody, Aveva

New edge device benefits

Build smarter end-to-end automation systems: See three ways to prepare
automation for edge success and case study with a 5% increase in yield.

A
n environment that prioritizes work-
er safety now means an environment
where remote capabilities are not only
possible, but secure. Enterprises are
realizing they need to do more to con-
nect their people and systems, more efficiently, and at
a lower cost. To unlock maximum value from oper-
ations, automation systems should be end-to-end,
meaning they are able to help employees at every
stage of the business understand the information
critical to them, while offering a holistic overview
of operations that allows rapid decisions to be made.
Using connected edge solutions, which are automated
industrial computing systems that protect and deliver
reliable and efficient business critical applications can
help provide situational awareness to both upstream
and downstream operations. In conjunction, deci-
sion-making at appropriate levels of an organization
should be empowered by utilizing a decentralized but
connected approach with edge devices.
Pushing new application versions or making chang- Aveva Teamwork
Challenges to edge architectures es to configurations is often done on an individual enables industrial
Edge devices help offload tasks from machine or ad-hoc basis, which can result in an edge system organizations to
or process controllers and keep factories or facili- acting out of sync. A hardware, software, and plat- implement skills
ties running. However, data from sources like edge form-agnostic approach to interoperability sim- development,
devices have historically proven difficult to bring plifies connectivity between disparate systems and knowledge sharing,
in sight of the supply chain. Traditional barriers to data silos. In total, this makes system integration, and collaboration
using edge solutions include being able to stay ahead maintenance and upgrade far easier to accomplish. management across
of the technology curve and having access to the full the enterprise from
scope of such technologies as and when they become Build smarter edge architectures the cloud. Whether
commercially viable and are ready for production. Edge devices are used to build smarter end-to- providing training
A lack of purpose-built, “off-the-shelf ” solutions end automation systems. Among the benefits of videos, digital log-
leads many companies to rely on proprietary soft- deploying edge technology are the integrated appli- book or answering
ware and in-house engineering capabilities to incor- cation development environment, native systems a call for help, the
porate new technologies. As a result, companies find that monitor performance and enable communica- software solves
by using isolated or unconnected systems, they have tion across multiple platforms, and remote monitor- many challenges
little context to the greater process; conversely, con- ing and control capabilities, all features that allow for with traditional
nected systems are often a one-way data feed with the edge solution to scale and grow with the business. training and knowl-
little pull-down insight. An additional challenge is The integrated development environment that edge retention. The
integrating smart systems while accounting for the edge offers reduces the time it takes for a company edge-to-enterprise
interoperability required to collect and aggregate to develop applications. Using built-in capabilities, architecture is for
data. These challenges limit key system benefits like many edge solutions are then able to deploy appli- complex industrial
those that cloud capabilities make possible in terms cations across multiple platforms, such as industri- and infrastructure
of key performance indicator-level data democratiza- al computers, laptops, smartphones and tablets or monitoring and
tion, and hamper production transparency from the the cloud. control. Courtesy:
shop floor to the top floor. Native drivers also allow seamless communication Aveva
A large fleet of remote or physical equipment can between human-machine interface (HMI) and super-
be very time-consuming to update and maintain. visory control and data acquisition (SCADA), as well

www.plantengineering.com plant engineering March 2021 • 49

 ANSWERS
EDGE

as programmable logic controllers. The tiered archi-
tecture of edge also facilitates IIoT-based applications
that grows the number of interconnected devices.
For companies’ work environments that are
increasingly remote, but still require connected
workers and operational excellence, many edge
devices have monitoring and control capabilities
on smartphones and tablets. Companies can mon-
itor machine status and performance against the
increased competitiveness, reduced costs, stronger
regulatory compliance and ultimately, a solidified
and resilient business.
Case study: Tortilla factory achieves
real-time monitoring, reporting
A California-based tortilla factory has grown
to be one of the largest and most popular torti-
lla brands with tortillas distributed nationwide at

‘
most major retailers.
The tortilla factory achieved a 5% The company wanted to implement a shop
floor system that would allow it to have real-time
data at its fingertips to improve and drive costs
improvement in yield, improved visualization down. After evaluating its factory operations,
the company found its traditional way of manu-
and reaction times and made continuous ally doing things was no longer a viable option. A

’
improvement much easier to achieve.
Organization for Machine Automation and Control
(OMAC) packaging machine language (PackML)
data and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE)
standards. As a best practice, edge devices should
be able to operate independently, but also connect
to a larger centralized operations platform for end-
to-end visibility.
3 ways: Prepare automation for edge
Of course, edge solutions are most successful
when they meet the goals of the business and don’t
overburden users with superfluous information,
so it’s important for companies to be able to tailor
their edge solution to their business needs.
Companies are looking to connect artificial and
human intelligence for better insights and build-
ing automation systems that are end-to-end is one
of the best ways to achieve this. Edge, which is a
great place to start, should be met with the consid-
eration of three tasks:
range of disparate systems that previously did not
work together had to be able to provide accurate
performance data. Moreover, the operations team
was unable to successfully achieve day-to-day per-
formance improvements since critical information
was not available in real-time and manual report-
ing was hindering access to key data metrics.
Automation was key to the tortilla factory’s
ongoing and future success.
One cohesive factory floor view
The tortilla factory implemented a customized
solution to easily integrate with and manage the
existing equipment and processes. First, the com-
pany implemented a system platform that enabled
it to build a single, unified plant model that rep-
resents processes, physical equipment, industrial
systems and even legacy equipment, making the
design and maintenance of these systems more
flexible and efficient.
An edge solution was used as the system plat-
form’s visualization tool, which provided the factory’s
shop floor team real-time visibility into their pro-

M More
ANSWERS
KEYWORDS: Cloud to edge,
digitalization
Optimize factory architecture,
machine design, operations
How to prepare automation for
success at the edge.
Combine existing factory floor
systems into one cohesive view.
CONSIDER THIS
Are your automation systems
delivering edge to cloud benefits?
ONLINE
From the digital edition, click on
the headline to read more on how to
“Optimize factory architecture, design
machine design, operations.”
www.controleng.com/magazine
1. Identify the target areas, scope
and digital technology and
implement them.
2. Prepare the workforce to per-
form the new tasks that deliver
value in the optimized plant.
3. Execute a plan to implement the
business transformation, tech-
nology and change management
needed for the workforce to scale
and realize the gains.
With edge technologies and
proper execution companies can
reach new heights, heading towards
a future with boosted collaboration,
cesses. The edge device also included a more effective
HMI design, better troubleshooting, ease of applica-
tion maintenance, as well as visual enhancements to
improve the ability to identify and address abnormal
situations before they impacted factory operations.
Results included:
• The tortilla factory achieved a 5% improve-
ment in yield.
• Company-wide visualization of operations
data improved teamwork and reaction times.
• Edge software has made the company’s cul-
ture of continuous improvement much easier
to achieve. ce
Rashesh Mody is senior vice president and head of
monitoring and control, Aveva. Edited by Mark T.
Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE
Media and Technology, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

50 • March 2021 plant engineering www.plantengineering.com

 SECUR
BUILT-ITY
IN

MOVE SECURELY INTO

THE CLOUD
DIRECT FIELD TO CLOUD CONNECTION

• IIoT-ready with Sparkplug, native MQTT and TLS encryption

• Built-in VPN and Firewall for increased network security
• Run Docker Containers in parallel with PLC logic
• Interface with existing controls via onboard fieldbus gateways

www.wago.us/IIoT

input #13 at www.plantengineering.com/information

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52 • March 2021 PLANT ENGINEERING www.plantengineering.com and

Technology TM
INSIGHTS
THAT GIVE
YOU THE EDGE
While uncertainty in the marketplace
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some plant operators have found a way
to rapidly adapt – and even thrive.

Now, you can take remote monitoring

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Discover what intelligent fluid motion

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Predict.
Act.
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input #14 at www.plantengineering.com/information

 Drive Pre-Wired &
Programmed
Designed to run
out of the box IP54 Rated Drive & motor
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Ferrite assisted
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• Integrated motor and drive designed to achieve IE5 efficiency levels
• Save up to 40% in energy costs with variable speed control

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baldor.abb.com/ec-titanium
input #15 at www.plantengineering.com/information