SPRING EDITION

Contents
3 — How can automation and sustainability work together to
meet business goals?

8 — PLCs power industrial data integration

17 — Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability efforts require

measuring and control tools, system integration

23 — Pack Expo Recap: Developing automation systems for

facilities

28 — What Is Signal Conditioning?

29 — The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in

Protecting Sensors and Measurement Equipment

43 — Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

51 — Innovative integration extended by main automation

contractors

2
How can automation and
sustainability work together to  Back to TOC

meet business goals?

A new position paper from the International Society of Automation (ISA)
gives an overview of the many ways that automation can ease the pathway to
reaching sustainability goals. Read a summary below.

A utomation technology has changed the way we live and work—and has increased
productivity, efficiency and profitability for organizations and individuals all over
the world. Automation also has a significant role to play in achieving sustainability
goals—offering new ways to accelerate environmental, social and governance (ESG)
activities across manufacturing, industry and beyond.

The following summary of a new position paper from the International Society of Au-
tomation (ISA) gives an overview of the many ways that automation and sustainability
work hand in hand to make our world a better place.

Automation can rapidly advance sustainability goals

Automation provides transparency and accountability—ensuring that policies are safely
followed, efficient and well-managed. Further, reliance on automation advancements
will allow industry and government stakeholders to develop even more ambitious
goals, strategies and policies—taking sustainability initiatives to the next level, just as
manufacturing advancements have been achieved through the application of these
same technologies. Finally, a well-prepared workforce equipped with knowledge about
the power of automation and digital transformation technologies will allow for these
3
How can automation and sustainability work together to meet business goals?

 Back to TOC

critical technologies to be applied in innovative ways—creating economic opportuni-

ties and fulfilling environmental goals.

Summary of recommendations
The ISA position paper poses a number of concrete ways that industry and govern-
ment stakeholders can embrace automation technologies as a leading component of
their sustainability goals and strategies:

• Optimize energy usage and energy efficiency with automation technologies, con-
tributing to the bottom line, and rely upon automation to help reuse, refurbish
and recycle products and materials, particularly when undergoing a facility’s digital
transformation. 4
How can automation and sustainability work together to meet business goals?

• Promote sustainable materials and manufacturing processes in support of Industry  Back to TOC
5.0 principles. (Editor’s note: Industry 5.0 is a term coined by the European Union,
which entails the extension of Industry 4.0 concepts to achieve broader societal
goals beyond those of individual companies and organizations that employ them)

• Utilize automation technologies to keep workers, communities and ecosystems

safe and protected, as well as train and upskill workers in automation processes
and systems.

• Rely upon the objective and unbiased data and analysis provided by automation
technologies to meet governance and compliance needs.

The paper also clarifies specific recommendations for each of the three ESG pillars:
environmental, social and governance.

Environmental pillar
Automation can lead to improved processes that make more efficient use of materi-
als—reducing the amount of materials and energy needed to produce products while
contributing to the bottom line. Further, as automation technology continues to im-
prove, so too does quality, resulting in less material wasted on poor products and less
energy, human effort and money wasted on rework.

More precise measurements and better automation have helped companies better
understand the cost savings and the tools to implement recycling programs. And the
concepts of refurbish and repair are central to the automation industry, which has always
sought to interface larger, older systems with state-of-the-art centralized control systems.
5
 How can automation and sustainability work together to meet business goals?

Organizations looking to  Back to TOC

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How can automation and sustainability work together to meet business goals?

automation helps reduce the risks of injury to personnel. For example, advanced sen-  Back to TOC
sors help to reduce risk by determining whether an application is potentially unsafe or
may be able to remotely isolate a hazardous process from people. Automation can also
protect communities around an industrial or production site by tightly monitoring and
controlling products and emissions. This data can be displayed on a continuous basis
to drive corrective actions and suitable alerts.

Governance pillar
Accountability and transparency are fundamental to the governance pillar of ESG,
and automation has a tremendous role to play in surfacing data and offering objec-
tive analysis.

Measurement is a great example of how automation can offer immediate, accurate

monitoring directly in production, rather than in a laboratory facility—making it easier
for companies and regulators to monitor for compliance. Data is increasingly available
and is transparent to stakeholders, often with a layer of analysis powered by machine
learning or artificial intelligence to identify potential areas of concern.

Conclusion
Automation and sustainability are important partners for improvement of our lives and
communities. Cost reduction, increased safety and greater workforce development op-
portunities are the immediately apparent benefits, but leaders must also recognize the
opportunity to demonstrate their leadership in a climate where environmental respon-
sibility is fundamental to business success and growth. Automation is a great way to
achieve these and many other business goals.

Marty Bince
7
 PLCs power Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) have
recently gained capabilities formerly possible
only with PCs, expanding their role to support
industrial data seamless data integration with the enterprise.

integration N ot long ago, the roles of industrial automation devices

and systems were a little more straightforward. Most
field devices and sensors were relatively “dumb” and were
directly connected to controllers, which may have interact-
ed with operator displays, and in rare cases some data may
have flowed up to higher level enterprise systems. Today’s
smart sensors, clever controllers, and more capable com-
munications have improved upon this scenario, and end
users are looking for the best ways to enable the enter-
prise host systems to access valuable field-level data.

The operational technology (OT) domain of sensors, pro-

grammable logic controllers (PLCs), and human-machine
interfaces (HMIs) is converging with the information tech-
nology (IT) world of PC servers and cloud connectivity.
These technologies are more intelligent than ever with
a lot of overlapping functionality. This means users have
more options for building or upgrading an industrial au-
tomation system to deliver integrated data. Applications
where OT data is accessed with IT methods are often re-
ferred to as Internet of Things (IoT) implementations.
PLCs power industrial data integration

Some of today’s PLCs are  Back to TOC

speeding end users on their
journey to extract data from
manufacturing systems and
transporting it to enterprise
systems so users can make
informative decisions on how to
optimize operations. IT-friendly
additions are making OT-centric
PLC platforms more effective
for optimizing operations.

Yesterday’s PLC data

flow challenges…
Gathering field data, let alone
connecting to some higher-lev-
el host system, historically has
involved several types of chal-
lenges. Hardwired sensors were
easiest to connect to a PLC, but
publishing PLC information up
to on-site or cloud-based sys- Figure 1: Sending valuable plant floor data
tems required careful curation of data structures, up to higher level operations, enterprise,
along with configuring network and communica- and remote cloud systems has traditionally
entailed troublesome configuration for
tion protocols. PLCs didn’t support all the industri- many layers of hardware, software, and
al protocols required to talk with more intelligent networking. Courtesy: AutomationDirect
9
PLCs power industrial data integration

 Back to TOC

field devices, and they had limitations for connecting Figure 2: Next-generation PLCs, like
the AutomationDirect BRX Series,
with host systems. Navigating the architectural hier- are built from the ground up with OT
archy from the control level, through operations, up and IT communication protocols, and
to the enterprise systems and the cloud was a thorny the necessary security features, for
enabling seamless data integration.
problem (Figure 1). With the free programming software,
users can configure the BRX (with
or without classic I/O) to also
Users needed to generate custom configurations of
act as a data gateway. Courtesy:
code to select, arrange and manage data. Then they AutomationDirect
10
PLCs power industrial data integration

had to take additional steps to handle extended information like scaling, engineering  Back to TOC
units and tag descriptions. A lot of parts and effort might be involved: PLCs, gateways,
PCs, software packages, network configuration and custom code.

Even when data connectivity could be patched together, it was often at the expense of
security. Traditionally, PLCs have not included strong cybersecurity provisions, especial-
ly for internet-connected systems.

…are solved by today’s PLC tech

Fortunately, some modern PLCs include all the elements needed to overcome these
challenges, eliminating complexity from the task of getting data from the shop floor up
to the cloud and enterprise.

PLCs have been an established and reliable platform for edge automation tasks. In-
stead of creating a new category of device only tasked with data communication du-
ties, some vendors realized next-generation OT-based PLCs could be enhanced with
the necessary IT-associated tech to effectively integrate data (Figure 2).

For best results, all data integration elements need to reside natively in the PLC product,
providing an off-the-shelf experience for users. End users, especially in the IT field, also
are looking for open source-based technologies because they are already familiar with
this approach, as opposed to the specialized environments common to OT products.

A PLC bundling data integration protocols bridgesOT and IT systems and can create
many ways to connect new and legacy factory floor equipment to today’s enterprise
systems. Popular serial and Ethernet OT protocols include ASCII, Modbus RTI K-Seq,
11
PLCs power industrial data integration

Modbus TCP and EtherNet/IP (ODVA). Essential IT protocols include SNTP DNS,  Back to TOC
MQTT, SMTP, SSL and web services.

Multiple PLC integration options

PLCs can enable popular data integration options depending on application needs.

Store data in the PLC and forward via FTP

Today’s PLCs have enough memory to log data locally over a period of hours, days, or
weeks—and then forward it to a network- or cloud-connected computer using file trans-
fer protocol (FTP). This form of storing and forwarding data can be effective for bulk
transactions, which do not need to be near-real-time, however, it will require the user to
configure the PLC for aggregating the data and the host system for parsing the data.

Web server
Sometimes it is only necessary for a PLC to expose limited data for read-only, near
real-time remote viewing by users. In this case, some PLCs include built-in web servers,
empowering users to develop HTML5 displays of data and information viewable us-
ing browsers. No other additional software or licensing is required. A downside to this
basic approach is the need for clients to be connected on the same network – or via a
firewall and routing – with the proper access privileges.

MQTT over TLS

The messaging queuing telemetry transport (MQTT) protocol has emerged as the
common standard for PLC-to-cloud communications, for several reasons. While it of-
fers two-way communications, the PLC in the field initiates conversations as outbound
messages to a centralized broker, which can be on premises or more commonly in
12
PLCs power industrial data integration

the cloud. This helps  Back to TOC

avoid firewall and IT
management issues.
Although MQTT can
be implemented
without security, best
practice is to perform
communications using
the standard transport
layer security (TLS)
networking protocol,
and to use other secu-
rity features provided
within MQTT.

MQTT communications are processed quickly, Figure 3: AutomationDirect BRX Series PLCs
include multiple data connectivity options.
but are resilient enough to withstand the kinds of
A REST API enables external clients, such
network outages that can occur for industrial and as Node-RED operating on a computing
edge-located installations. Users can access the service, to initiate requests to access data
residing in PLC memory, so long as proper
broker data with enterprise and/or mobile clients,
security credentials are presented. Courtesy:
or they can implement cloud computing services AutomationDirect
to connect with PLC-sourced MQTT data directly.

REST API
The previous three methods require users to manage and configure the source data at
the PLC. However, if a PLC offers a representation state transfer (REST) application pro-
13
PLCs power industrial data integration

gramming interface (API), then external clients can initiate communications and access  Back to TOC
data residing in PLC memory with a standard request (Figure 3).

This powerful ability makes it easier for users to change polled data tags in the future,
as no modifications are needed in the PLC. The client sends a request to the PLC, and
the PLC gathers the necessary data from its memory and replies with the data assem-
bled into an easy to read and parse JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format. Mes-
saging occurs via HTTP requests from clients, using traditional and typically open IT
ports, like port 80. However, as with the web server option, external clients must be on
the same network or permitted through any firewalls.

Security must be built-in

One natural consequence of improved PLC data connectivity options is greater ex-
posure of the PLC to bad actors who could access potentially valuable information.
Therefore, new PLCs must include built-in security features, extending far beyond what
was offered in previous generations. Users should look for:

• PLCs that are by default (right out of the box) not open to requests from the out-
side world

• The ability to store username and password credentials on-board (managed by OT

personnel using programming software)

• Support for IP whitelisting to control which external clients are allowed to commu-
nicate with the PLC

• Secure communications over TLS when possible.

14
PLCs power industrial data integration

With the right tools and security, users are afforded a world of options for creating safe  Back to TOC
PLC-based data connectivity.

Applications for modern PLCs

Many IoT clients are remote monitoring applications needing to receive certain items
of data. Sometimes developers will configure programming tools that are IT-centric
methods for preprocessing, formatting, transforming, and configuring data for con-
sumption by other applications.

Designers can build new systems using a modern PLC able to support these types of
connections, or they can implement such a PLC on top of an existing system to add IoT
capability. Data becomes easily available using one or more of the methods described
here, so developers can focus their efforts on the host applications.

For example, a solutions provider developed a cloud-based IoT application that can
access many operational sites, such as pump houses, using MQTT. Before PLCs were
available to support MQTT and other methods, it was necessary for developers to add
dedicated communication gateways (Figure 4).

PLCs are the future of OT data connectivity

Whereas yesterday’s industrial automation products were often very specialized and
somewhat limited in terms of data handling, the processing power incorporated in to-
day’s OT digital devices imbues them with greater capabilities. These new capabilities
are addressing end user needs for obtaining timely field data to support IoT and ana-
lytical initiatives at the enterprise level.

15
PLCs power industrial data integration

 Back to TOC

OT-based PLC technology is already well-proven in the Figure 4: Modern PLCs include
the necessary protocols and
field. The addition of IT-friendly protocols and security
security users need in support
features to PLCs makes them ideal as edge devices for ac- of accessing industrially-sourced
cessing raw field data using industrial protocols, process- data and integrating it with
higher level computing systems.
ing it into information, and securely publishing or trans-
Courtesy: AutomationDirect
mitting it to any industrial IoT client or external computing
platform.

Damon Purvis
Damon Purvis is the PLC product manager at AutomationDirect.com. He has over 22
years of industrial automation experience. Previous roles have included designing and
deploying automated solutions in a variety of industries, and managing product devel-
opment of manufacturing data management and business intelligence applications.
16
Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability
efforts require measuring and control  Back to TOC

tools, system integration

Calculating an organization’s readiness for net zero carbon emissions can
help identify what needs to improve. Sensors, energy management software
and system integration and analytics can help, according to experts at
Automation Fair 2023 by Rockwell Automation.

M aturity level is often applied in technology adoption applications, and four ener-
gy readiness maturity levels were offered to manufacturers and facility engineers
Nov. 8, at Automation Fair 2023 by Rockwell Automation in the session “Discovering
what’s possible: Calculating your energy readiness for net zero.”

Sinethemba Zulu, sustainability technology architect, Rockwell Automation, and Alex

West, senior principal analyst, Omdia, discussed measurements and tools, challenges
and successes related to industrial sustainability efforts.

Energy management challenges include cost, security

and sustainability
They cited many motivators for energy management related to the energy “trilemma”
of cost, security and sustainability. An industrial power outage can cost millions of dol-
lars per hour, depending on the application, proven by recent climate concerns linked
to wildfire expansion of intensity and frequency, and by rolling blackouts required to
maintain grid balance during extreme weather events. Industries need regular, reliable
access to energy.
17
Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability efforts require measuring

Zulu said common chal-  Back to TOC

lenges customers men-
tion about sustainability
efforts include regulatory
reporting and compliance;
achieving net zero and
environment, social and
governance (ESG) crite-
ria; water stewardship;
and material efficiency
and circularity. He added
that energy accounts for
at least 5% of an average
Advice about how to progress on the
manufacturing company’s cost, and energy saving
energy management maturity model
measures could save 10% to 30% of energy costs. includes integrating automation sensors
Rockwell Automation products and service brands and software for industrial Internet of
Things (IIoT) and analytics, as explained
that can help include Allen-Bradley, FactoryTalk, Life- at Rockwell Automation’s Automation
cycle IQ Services, Maverick Technologies, Kalypso, Fair 2023. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske,
Fiix and Plex, Zulu said. Control Engineering

West, citing research on energy, ESG and the economy, said 39% of companies have
energy accounting for greater than 15% of their costs and 69% of energy reduction ef-
forts are strongly influenced by ESG efforts and goals. Significantly, a year after setting
sustainability targets, more companies are behind than ahead on emissions targets and
transitions to renewable energy sources.

18
Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability efforts require measuring

Energy management challenges include cost, security  Back to TOC

and sustainability
An upgraded energy management calculator was mentioned as a resource.

Looking at maturity lev-

el of industrial sustain-
ability efforts, 7% are in
stage 1, where they use
energy management
software (EMS) but are
not integrated; 21% are
in stage 2, where they’re
evaluating EMS integra-
tion, 51% are in state 3
with partially integrated
EMS; and 21% are in
stage 4 with EMS fully
integrated with other plant or factory soft- Omdia and Rockwell Automation recommended
advancing energy management maturity to
ware tools. improve sustainability efforts, as explained at
Rockwell Automation’s Automation Fair 2023.
West passed along the observation that oil Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske, Control Engineering

has to be refined to gasoline to make internal

combustion engines run, and data has to be refined into information to make effective
decisions.

Looking at energy management maturity, devices and metering are most basic, followed
19
Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability efforts require measuring

by collaboration, EMS integration,  Back to TOC

data collection and use, energy audits
and process optimization at best.

By 2025 many companies will need

to report and demonstrate progress
toward targets and tools such as
machine learning and analytics and
advanced process control solutions
can help.

In addition, there’s a shortage of

Alex West, senior principal analyst,
green skills sets, required to help, including auditing
Omdia, discussed measurements and
and monitoring, reporting, lifecycle assessment, reg- tools, challenges and successes related
ulatory compliance, operational improvement and to industrial sustainability efforts at
Automation Fair 2024 by Rockwell
energy management.
Automation. Courtesy: Mark T. Hoske,
Control Engineering
Energy and emission savings poten-
tial for industrial sustainability
Zulu outlined energy and emission savings potential in:

• Modern energy management systems

• Energy, production and emissions data integrated

• Production scheduling drive by energy insight

20
Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability efforts require measuring

• Predictive and prescriptive  Back to TOC

analytics

• Artificial intelligence (AI),

machine learning (ML) and
closed-loop application

• Demand management via ML

• Distributed energy resources

dispatch

• Renewable and cogeneration

In mid-2024, a Rockwell Automation-Fork
integration. Farms partnership will grow produce at
the Rockwell Automation headquarters
in Milwaukee, said Sinethemba Zulu,
Sustainability case studies in water/ sustainability technology architect,
wastewater and mining Rockwell Automation at Automation Fair
2024. Courtesy: Brian Gross, CFE Media
Two sustainability applications, water and wastewater and Technology
and mining, were discussed.

In water and wastewater industry the Eastern municipal water district (EMWD) cited
2,200 kWh savings per day. Less energy use and less chemical use totaled more than
$100,000 savings per month.

AI used machine learning to adjust proportional-integral-derivative (PID) coefficients

and improve dissolved output (DO) setpoint tracking.
21
Automation Fair 2023: Sustainability efforts require measuring

In a Sibanye Stillwater mining venti-  Back to TOC

lation application, Energy Drive Co.
installed optimized variable-speed
drives (VSD) to optimize fans. Previ-
ously, the application ran one fan at
a time. With VSDs applied, fans both
could operate at the same (lower) flow
rate with greater energy efficiency. En-
ergy saved in first shaft was 62% with
48% saved in the second with 379,000
tons of annual carbon savings.

In a separate tour of the Automation

Fair sustainability booth, Zulu dis-
cussed several other applications,
including a new vertical farming part-
nership installation underway at the
corporate Rockwell Automation office
More than 50 sustainability application
in Milwaukee, called ClockTower Farms, expected to
success stories are part of this
grow 150 tons of produce a year. sustainability display, said Sinethemba
Zulu, sustainability technology
architect, Rockwell Automation at
Mark T. Hoske Automation Fair 2024. Courtesy: Brian
Mark Hoske has been Control Engineering editor/ Gross, CFE Media and Technology
content manager since 1994 and in a leadership role
since 1999. He has been writing about technology since 1987, writing professionally
since 1982, and has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree from UW-Madison.
22
Pack Expo Recap: Developing
automation systems for facilities  Back to TOC

Manufacturers are working on developing larger factory automation systems

that can encompass most, if not all, of a facility’s needs.

P ack Expo returned to Las Vegas and was full of interactive displays and demos
highlights many advances in the packaging and logistics industries. Many of the
advances displayed highlighted progress with the Internet of Things (IoT), smart man-
ufacturing and artificial intelligence (AI). Manufacturers are trying to deliver products
that go beyond their initial offerings because their customers need to resolve many
problems at once.

Issues like the skills gap and high customer demand remain constant issues. As a re-
sult, many of the manufacturers displaying at Pack Expo reported they were trying to
deliver solutions that are comprehensive, but easy to use.

Dan Barrera, sales and product management for ctrlx Automation at Bosch Rexroth,
described their goal as a “factory automation system.” Their platform is designed to
provide a comprehensive IoT connection that provides openness with the user’s hard-
ware and software systems.

For Pack Expo, Barrera said, “We’re trying to deliver virtual packaging solutions for
factory automation,” to their customers in the packaging and processing industries as
well as others.

That’s not an uncommon refrain. Companies are expanding beyond their normal
23
Pack Expo Recap: Developing automation systems for facilities

bounds of being a  Back to TOC

“controls” company or
a “motor and drive”
company and trying
to expand their range
across the entire spec-
trum of a plant facility.

Matching vision
and automation
software
With Beckhoff Vision,
engineers can see
Bosch Rexroth’s ctrlx Automation
what’s possible when machine vision hardware and auto- platform is designed to provide a
mation software are perfectly matched. The line of Eth- comprehensive IoT connection that
provides openness with the user’s
erCAT-enabled industrial cameras, lighting and lensing
hardware and software systems.
components are paired with TwinCAT Vision software to Courtesy: Chris Vavra, CFE Media
round out their product portfolio. and Technology

“We can actively control light, position and axes of motion,” said Todd Jarvey, a ma-
chine vision and automation specialist at Beckhoff Automation.

Beckhoff Vision is designed to cover an entire machine vision system including camer-
as, lenses, lighting and more.

This integrated approach is designed to reduce latency, accelerates reaction times and
24
Pack Expo Recap: Developing automation systems for facilities

also supports a single  Back to TOC

development environ-
ment.

Making automa-
tion simple,
efficient
Nicolas Garcia, vice
president and general
manager of Rotzing-
er Group, said their
consortium of three
European companies
— Rotzinger, Transver
and Demaurex — is bringing their combined footprint The Beckhoff Vision product family is
designed to deliver high scalability
to America to give consumers in the packaging, food
and long-term availability in a
and beverage and other industries an all-in-one solu- rugged, sleek – and highly awarded
tion. “We’ve worked to combine everything to turnkey – design. Courtesy: Chris Vavra, CFE
Media and Technology
solutions and we can manage a complete system,” he
said, adding they want to supply a full packaging line to
customers where there is one point of contact.

Universal Robots’ booth was about emphasizing their expertise with their collaborative
robots, which were picking up different-sized boxes and placing them on pallets.

Michael DeGrace, a UR+ ecosystem manager, said, “We’re all about working with our
25
 Pack Expo Recap: Developing automation systems for facilities

partners. We know automation and robot-  Back to TOC

ics, but they know their industries. We’re
here to make things as simple as possible
for our partners.”

Kenneth Crawford, director of automation

for Weidmueller, agreed. “Simplicity is a
key aspect of what we’re doing.”

Weidmueller’s emphasis was on transmit-

ting programmable logic controller (PLC)
data to an OS and ensuring everything is
Industrial operating under one piece of software to

Electronics reduce any logistics issues and challenges

• Process Control
when customers are demanding immedi-
• Test and Measurement ate solutions to problems.
• Automotive
• Battery Testing
• Avionics/Space
Using sensors, tags to coordi-
High-Performance, Signal Conditioning
SCM5B • SCM7B • SensorLex 8B ®
Also available in DIN Rail Mounts nate operations
• Minimize Crosstalk
• Analog Filtering
Turck’s RFID gate was one of the more
• Analog Isolation interesting visual displays throughout Pack
• Input Protection
• Common Mode Rejection Expo as it demonstrated in a rather simple
way how to track objects using RFID tags
and gates that can be positioned through-
Instrument Class Signal Conditioning
®

dataforth.com • 800-444-7644
DSCA / DSCT / DIN Rail Carrier for 5B/7B/8B out a facility. An automated guided vehicle
(AGV) carrying a pallet can go through the
26
Pack Expo Recap: Developing automation systems for facilities

gate and when the scanner marks the object, a signal is relayed to a tablet or PC or  Back to TOC
human-machine interface (HMI) indicating it has gone through.

“It’s a turnkey solution and it helps the user monitor all the assets they have. If
there’s a mistake, it’ll catch it right away,” said Greg Lamb, an associate product
manager at Turck.

Bringing the factory together

All of these solutions are part of a larger effort by companies to streamline automation
and improve communication and coordination within a facility. Demand has not slowed
even as the COVID-19 pandemic has subsided. The need for automation has not and
manufacturers are working on finding solutions that simplify matters for their cus-
tomers. For many, this means taking matters into their own hands and being as many
things as possible for their customers.

Chris Vavra
Chris Vavra is web content manager for CFE Media and Technology.

27
What Is Signal Conditioning?

 Back to TOC


What Is Signal Conditioning?
The ability to effectively measure and control industrial processes
is essential for reliable automation, data acquisition, and quality
assurance in today’s industrial environment. Signal conditioners
are the vital link between analog input signals from sensors, and
your process control equipment.

28
 The Importance Introduction
Connecting a physical sensor to a data acquisition system

of Isolated Signal
is a serious undertaking. A laboratory connection may work
well when connected with short wires in a benign environ-
ment, but when mounted in the real world of electromag-

Conditioners netic signals and repetitive or one-time emissions, several

things should be considered.

in Protecting Isolating power sources and sensor signals is the most

effective method for eliminating undesirable ground loop

Sensors and currents and induced electrical noise.

Measurement The need to measure and control the operation of ma-

chinery or process equipment is as old as the Industrial

Equipment
Revolution. Plant instrumentation has now become the
nerves and brain of the modern manufacturing plant as it
regulates and supervises the operation of the equipment
within the plant. It also provides the means to make plants
economically viable. Instrumentation allows the use of pro-
cesses which would be difficult or impossible to operate
without automation.

When you move a data acquisition system from the con-

trolled environment of the laboratory to validation test-
ing or the manufacturing floor, some problems may arise.
Many factors may combine to invalidate measured sensor
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

signals, ruin measurement accuracy, or possibly even destroy the equipment physically.  Back to TOC
Understanding these factors is crucial to any measurement success.

In this article, we will address five recurring roadblocks to successful measurements, in

the order of most to least common, together with some real-life examples. This discus-
sion will provide an understanding of how measurement inputs become corrupted and
the need to isolate them.

1. Crosstalk
By far the most common question heard involves a phenomenon where the contents of
one data acquisition channel are superimposed on another. This condition, known as
crosstalk, can cause subtle to major measurement errors that may go undetected. In its
most exaggerated form, a nearly exact duplicate of one channel appears on an adja-
cent channel to which nothing is connected.

The PC-based instrumentation revolution generated the active use of multiplexers. The
revolution is driven by the promise of low cost per channel, with a target per-channel
cost of approx. $50. However, along the way, the hallmark of traditional instrumenta-
tion has been dropped - the use of an isolation amplifier for each channel. The sys-
tem-under-test is connected directly to the multiplexer’s inputs; however, the multi-
plexer is not an ideal signal processing device. Its inputs have capacitance that stores
a charge that is directly proportional in magnitude to the sample rate and the imped-
ance of the signal source. This inherent characteristic causes crosstalk.

Consider an application where the multiplexer’s input is connected directly to the

output of an isolation amplifier. In this situation, the impedance the multiplexer sees is
30
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

stable and low, with 10Ω being a typical value. Crosstalk is greatly minimized, or elim-  Back to TOC
inated altogether, since the impedance of the source is low enough to bleed off the
charge on the multiplexer’s input capacitance before the analog-to-digital converter
(ADC) reports a value.

Even under this nearly ideal impedance situation, a high sample rate can boost cross-
talk by minimizing the capacitive discharge time on the multiplexer’s channels. In ef-
fect, the capacitance has less time to bleed off its charge before the analog-to-digital
conversion takes place, resulting in crosstalk where none existed before.

As source impedance and sample rate increase, the probability of crosstalk increases
as well. To prevent this from happening, keep these points in mind:

• Minimize the source impedance of the signal source. Use isolation amplifiers to
keep it below 100Ω, although at very high sample rates, even this value may be
too high.

• When source impedance cannot be controlled, an isolation amplifier is needed

between the signal source and the data acquisition card multiplexer. An instru-
ment with a built-in isolation amplifier is needed on each channel to provide pro-
tection from stray signal paths.

• These strategies become even more important as the sample rate increases. The
best and most predictable results are obtained when an instrument is used that
has a fixed scan interval; this helps control any high-sample-rate bursts.

31
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

2. Common-Mode Voltage  Back to TOC

Although crosstalk leads the list in number of measurement problems, common-mode
voltage (CMV) leads in its capability to distort data.

Using familiar measurement methods, like a battery-powered, hand-held digital volt-

meter (DVM), input readings are almost impervious to CMV problems. Many engineers
assume they can extend the success of DVMs to computer-based measurement ap-
proaches. However, in most cases, the results range from poor to disastrous.

The problems encountered are tied to two specifications on the manufacturer’s data
sheet: full-scale input range and maximum input voltage (without damage). Full-scale
input range indicates the magnitude of voltage connected across the instrument’s in-
puts (normal-mode voltage or NMV), which can successfully be measured. As its name
implies, maximum input voltage indicates how much NMV the instrument will tolerate
before incurring damage.

The CMV, which appears simultaneously and in phase on each of the instrument’s inputs
with respect to power ground, combines with the NMV to test the limits of the measure-
ment system. Most data acquisition products
for the computer permit measurements when
the sum of CMV and NMV is equal to or less
than the instrument’s full-scale input range.

Measurements can be made under these condi-

tions only if the data acquisition product’s input
is configured for differential operation as shown
in Figure 1.
32
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

With this basic rule for differential measurements established, here are the possible  Back to TOC
measurement results, in the order of best to worst:

• (CMV + NMV) ≤ Full Scale Range: This is a good measurement, subject to the
common-mode rejection (CMR) specification of the instrument.

• Full Scale Range ≤ (CMV + NMV) ≤ Maximum Input Voltage (without damage): The
measurement could be latched at plus or minus, full scale. There are no usable
measurement results, but no damage either.

• (CMV + NMV) > Maximum Input Voltage (without damage): There is potential for
damage to the data acquisition product and to the attached computer.

For most data acquisition products, it doesn’t take long to reach the destructive stage.
Most will tolerate a maximum input voltage (without damage) of ±30VDC or peak AC.
In the realm of production measurements, with 120V to 440VAC motor supplies or
24VDC process current supplies and the high probability of ground loops, this limit can
be very quickly and irrevocably exceeded.

How can the comparatively expensive data acquisition instrument be used to collect
the same measurements that are made so effortlessly and safely with the hand-held
DVM? The answer is to choose a product that provides isolation.

Isolation is what its name implies. As with a battery-powered DVM, there is no elec-
trical connection between the common connection associated with the instrument’s
front-end input terminals and the power common connection associated with the back-
end of the instrument and the computer. 33
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

As such, the instrument’s front end is free to float at a level defined by the magnitude  Back to TOC
of the CMV, without damage and with complete measurement accuracy. Here, the max-
imum CMV that can be tolerated is not dictated by its maximum input voltage specifi-
cation, or even by its full-scale range, but rather by the voltage at which the isolation
barrier breaks down.

For example, with most Dataforth isolated

signal conditioning products, isolation bar-
rier breakdown occurs above 1500VAC or
2200VDC, which is much higher than the ex-
pected CMV of most production applications.

Figure 2 describes a typical application where

isolation allows a measurement in the presence
of a high CMV.

Understand that isolation can be provided in more than one form: input-to-output,
channel-to-channel, and a combination of both. For the vast majority of multi-channel
production applications, both input-to-output and channel-to-channel isolation are
needed. Such an arrangement allows each channel’s input to float with respect to all
other channels.

A CMV on channel one, for example, will not disrupt measurements on the other chan-
nels, even if they are referenced to power supply ground, the same CMV, or an en-
tirely different CMV. In contrast, systems designed with just input-to-output isolation
essentially tie together the CMVs of all the channels. A CMV on one channel floats all
34
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

channels at the same voltage with potentially disastrous results if another channel is  Back to TOC
connected to a ground-referenced signal or a different CMV.

There is only one reason to buy a product that offers only input-to-output isolation,
and that reason is cost. For example, it is less expensive to build one isolation barri-
er into an 8-channel product than one for each channel. The cost savings usually are
reflected in a lower system price. However, in the actual application of such an instru-
ment, the initial cost savings may be offset by expensive repairs later.

Before leaving the topic of isolation, one point needs to be established firmly and
clearly: Do not confuse a product that offers differential measurement capability with
one that offers isolation. These are two entirely different and unrelated features.

Moreover, some engineers are still under the impression that a product with differential
measurement capability allows them to apply the instrument in high CMV conditions. As dis-
cussed previously, differential but non-isolated inputs tolerate only moderate CMVs (without
damage) and even lower CMVs are required for more trustworthy measurement results.

3. DC Common-Mode Rejection (CMR)

Whenever a measurement is made in the presence of a CMV, accuracy will be adverse-
ly affected. The question that remains is the magnitude of the inaccuracy. This can be
determined by looking up the specification for CMR in the product’s data sheet. Any
instrument that provides a differential input, isolated or not, offers the capability to
reject a CMV to a degree determined by its CMR. CMR is most commonly defined as
a logarithmic ratio of input-to- output CMV (in decibels). The common-mode rejection
ratio (CMRR) for most general-purpose, analog-to-digital products for the PC is around
35
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

80dB. How does this figure apply to the measurement? Here’s a simple example that  Back to TOC
includes the math.

Example 1
Assume that you want to measure a 3VDC normal-mode signal in the presence of a
+6VDC CMV and assume that the normal-mode signal gain is 1.

• 80dB = 20 log (VCMV in / VCMV out)

• 80dB = 20 log (6VDC / VCMV out)

• 4 = log (6VDC / VCMV out)

• 10,000 = 6VDC / VCMV out

• VCMV out = 0.6mV

Measurement Accuracy = 3VDC +0.6mV, or +0.02%

The measurement accuracy determined in the example above would be considered

reasonable for most applications. The starting CMV was twice the magnitude of the
starting signal. The differential amplifier, with its 80dB CMRR specification, reduced
the CMV’s effect on the amplifier’s output to fractions of a millivolt, with a negligible
impact on accuracy. It may appear from this example that 80dB rejection is suitable for
most applications.

36
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

Example 2  Back to TOC

The following example tests that hypothesis, using the real-world application shown in
Figure 2.

• 80dB = 10,000 = +200VDC / VCMV out

• VCMV out = +20mV

TABLE 1: CMRR versus CMV Reduction

Measurement Accuracy = CMRR (dB) Antilog Equivalent (10db/20)

50mV +20mV, or +40% 20 10
30 32
40 100
The instrument that works well when 50 316
the spread between the CMV and 60 1,000
NMV potentials is narrow (only 2:1 70 3,162
80 10,000
in the first example) fails when the
90 31,623
spread increases exponentially. This is 100 100,000
a common situation in many produc- 110 316,228
tion measurements, like the 4,000:1 120 1,000,000
130 3,162,280
spread of the typical current shunt
140 10,000,000
measurement in Figure 2. 150 31,622,800
160 100,000,000
Since you cannot lower the CMV in General Equation: Voltage Error = CMV / CMRR
these situations, the only solution is Example: Assume that CMV = 100V, CMRR = 90dB
Voltage Error = 100 / 31,623 = 3.2mV
to apply an instrument with better
CMR.
Compare the calculated 3.2mV error with your sig-
nal of interest to determine overall accuracy.
37
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

Example 3  Back to TOC

Here’s how the math stacks up for the same application using 120dB CMRR:

• 120dB = 20 log (VCMV in / VCMV out)

• 120dB = 20 log (200VDC / VCMV out)

• 6 = log (+200VDC / VCMV out)

• 1,000,000 = (+200VDC / VCMV out)

• VCMV out = +0.2mV

Measurement Accuracy = 50mV +0.2mV, or +0.4%

As the examples show, knowing how a CMV will affect measurement accuracy is at
least as important as knowing that it exists. To help evaluate an instrument you may
already have or might purchase, Table 1 provides a guide to the error caused by a CMV
as a function of your instrument’s CMRR.

To use it, determine the CMV of the application and look up the instrument’s CMRR
specification on its data sheet.

Table 1 provides a range of CMRRs in decibels and their equivalent antilog ratios, mak-
ing it unnecessary to work with logarithmic math.

38
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

Plug the appropriate CMV and antilog ratio into the equation shown. The result is the  Back to TOC
expected measurement error in volts. To determine the instrument’s suitability for the
application, compare the resulting figure with the NMV you need to measure.

4. AC Common-Mode Rejection (CMR)

AC CMVs are as prevalent as DC CMVs, and even more so when you include unpre-
dictable noise sources such as motor brushes, and inductive conducted and radiated
electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Therefore, the assumption of pure DC CMVs may not be
supported in actual practice. It’s worthwhile to explore how AC CMVs may adversely
affect an amplifier’s CMRR and measurement accuracy.

An isolation amplifier’s capability to reject CMVs is tied directly to how well its two
inputs are balanced. Falling back to an ideal example, if 1VDC is connected to one of
the inputs and 1VDC is connected to the other, the expected output from the amplifier
is 0V. However, because no real-life situation is ever ideal, small tolerance variations
within the amplifier, and even in the system-under-test, will force the amplifier to be
slightly out of balance, yielding inaccuracies. When an AC CMV is applied, a whole
new set of inaccuracies is introduced. The culprit heralds back to the beginning of this
paper – capacitance.

Under pure DC CMV conditions, any capacitance in the signal source, signal cable, and
connectors, as well as within the amplifier itself, is inconsequential. As AC components
are introduced, these capacitances form complex and unpredictable impedance, which
can force the amplifier out of balance. This unbalanced condition can and will change
as a function of frequency.

39
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

To account for this, most manufacturers specify CMRR at other than ideal DC condi-  Back to TOC
tions. Typically, specifications are given at 50 or 60Hz with a 1,000Ω imbalance between
the amplifier’s inputs. This is done to provide a worst-case estimate for CMRR under
the most likely source of AC interference - the frequency of the AC power line. Beyond
this, a manufacturer cannot predict what particular frequencies different applications
may experience.

For example, it is possible to find that an instrument specified at 100dB CMR yields
much lower rejection in the presence of higher frequency noise. However, the product
still operates within specification, as defined by the manufacturer.

It is difficult to determine the suitability of an instrument in the presence of noise (fre-

quency) that goes beyond that of the power line; there is no easy answer to this ques-
tion. However, keep in mind that a product that successfully addresses such an applica-
tion does not do so by chance. Wide-spectrum AC rejection must be incorporated into
the initial product design.

5. Measurement Range and Input Protection

Up to this point, some of the more esoteric, yet highly relevant, issues have been ex-
amined that must be considered when an instrument is applied to demanding produc-
tion applications. Other more obvious issues involve the instrument’s measurement
range and input protection.

Most production applications will test an instrument’s capability on both ends of the
measurement spectrum: from high voltages in the range of several hundred volts to
low shunt voltages in the range of tens of millivolts. The system design chosen for
40
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

these applications should be able to function easily over a variety of measurement  Back to TOC
ranges; it should do so on a channel-by-channel basis, since it is very common to mea-
sure voltage and current simultaneously.

Nevertheless, the very nature of these highly variable and wide-ranging dynamic mea-
surements carries an implied need for input protection. It’s common for someone to
attempt to measure a high voltage on an instrument set to a millivolt range. Typical
input protection allows any input signal within an instrument’s maximum range (without
damage to the instrument) to be connected indefinitely, regardless of the measure-
ment range selected. More practical input protection allows input signals many times
that of the maximum input range to be connected without damaging the instrument.

Finally, if the instrument’s maximum range is exceeded and there is inadequate input
protection, there can be consequences such as damage to the instrument, the cost
and inconvenience of downtime and repairs, etc. Although many types of input pro-
tection abound, none can absolutely or completely protect an instrument. Fortunately,
damage can be minimized using products designed to tolerate high-voltage differen-
tial transients (for example, those defined by ANSI/IEEE C37.90.1) as well as high com-
mon-mode voltages.

Conclusions
Isolated signal conditioning products protect and preserve valuable measurements
and control signals, as well as equipment, from the dangerous and degrading effects
of noise, transient power surges, internal ground loops, and other hazards present in
industrial environments.

41
The Importance of Isolated Signal Conditioners in Protecting Sensors

For more information, email sales@dataforth.com or visit www.dataforth.com.  Back to TOC

Acknowledgement
Dataforth acknowledges and credits Roger Lockhart, DATAQ Instruments, Inc., for
technical contributions to this article.

References
1. Dataforth Corp. http://www.dataforth.com
2. Application Note AN108 http://www.dataforth.com/catalog/pdf/an108.pdf

Georg Haubner, MSEE, MBA

Georg Haubner, MSEE, MBA, is the Vice President of Sales & Marketing at Dataforth
Corp., a worldwide leader and innovator of signal conditioning, data acquisition, and
data communication products.

42
Improving efficiency through
automation with SCADA  Back to TOC

A steel pipe maker implements supervisory control and data acquisition

(SCADA), manufacturing execution (MES) and statistical process control (SPC)
at their facility to improve operations.

I n the wake of global labor shortages and supply chain issues, many manufacturers
are turning to system integrators and automation to improve efficiency and produc-
tivity. But what does innovation look like for slower, low-volume manufacturing pro-
cesses that have traditionally been manual?

One such company, American SpiralWeld Pipe (ASWP), engaged systems integrator,
Vertech, to implement a comprehensive automation plan for a new state-of-the-art
facility in Paris, TX.

ASWP, a division of the American Cast Iron Pipe Company, is a spiral-welded steel pipe
manufacturer that supports the municipal water and wastewater transmission industry
as well as hydroelectric, industrial and power markets. It’s not a small operation. ASWP
makes pipes up to 50 feet long with diameters up to 12 feet wide. They have three
plant locations that produce a combined average of 6000 pipes, equating to more than
20,000 tons of steel, annually.

ASWP faces the same labor shortages as other manufacturing companies and is always
looking for ways to improve production efficiency. Kent Davis, director of business
process automation and operational excellence, explained that for ASWP, automation
primarily increases quality and throughput.
43
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

 Back to TOC

But it takes more of a supporting role when it comes The MES Overview displays critical
information for all core production lines
to labor needs. “I want to be clear that the use of au- during the shift. It reports equipment
tomation at ASWP is not a labor reduction focus. We utilization as well as OEE, production
status, work order information, and
use automation to make the job task easier for the
time spent for each core line. Note:
employee… allowing them to make decisions faster Screenshot is simulated and does not
and more accurately based on data and facts instead represent actual process data.

of intuition,” Davis said.

With the large scale of its manufacturing operations, automation also protects ASWP
employee safety. Davis said that advances in mechanical automation have allowed
them to take a “hands-off” approach to pipe production and transport throughout the
facility. Operators interact with machinery HMIs (human-machine Interfaces) rather than
the pipes.
44
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

 Back to TOC

ASWP approached Vertech in 2020 to The Mill Overview gives the operator a production
implement supervisory control and data overview for that shift. The header displays the
current line state, mode, and work order information.
acquisition (SCADA), manufacturing ex- The Performance Tracker card shows the status and
ecution (MES) and statistical process performance of the line in an hour-by-hour breakdown.
The OEE Gauge on the left shows the breakdown
control (SPC) systems at their greenfield
of OEE and the contributing variable percentages:
facility in Paris, TX, and roll out the tech- Availability, Performance, and Quality. The Current
nology at their Columbia, SC and Flint, MI Order Information card shows the active order and
operation sequence and the total active time spent
locations.
on the sequence. The Production Information card
shows all orders and their runtime information for the
Phase 1 of the project, completed in 2021, current shift. The Top 5 Breakdowns card shows the
accumulated top five downtimes for the current shift
tackled the SCADA system. The system
and the average, minimum and maximum downtime for
tracks current and historical production the specific downtime reason.
45
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

 Back to TOC

data and funnels it to a centralized control The Route Exceptions Report displays any work
order sequences that are out of order as well as
room at the Paris company headquarters.
resolution time, exception time and other relevant
The control room has 18 48-inch industrial information. When a downstream operation is run
monitors that display real-time Industry before all previous operation sequences have been
completed, each incomplete or skipped operation
4.0 data and analytics. Eventually, all divi-
sequence is added to an out-of-order log. These out-
sional operations will be managed across of-order operations can be resolved by completing
multiple locations via SCADA, MES, and the operation, or a supervisor can mark the route as
excepted. When marking an exception, the supervisor
SPC from the centralized control room. can note why the route is excepted.

Phase 2, discussed below, focused on implementing the MES. ASWP wanted a system
that tracked labor and production data, transforming it into useful OEE (overall equip-
ment effectiveness), downtime efficiency and resource efficiency metrics.
46
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

 Back to TOC

The challenge When a line is changed to a new item, the

Labor tracking typically involved operators changeover is initiated by an operator and all
relevant information is recorded for the new item.
working on a pipe and then self-reporting The Changeover Report creates a central location
the time it took to complete the process. to review all changeovers and relevant details such
as the item information, the changeover duration,
However, this resulted in inaccurate data,
and the net changeover. The report helps to
unreliable for business decisions or improve- highlight reasons why changeovers may run over or
ment efforts. ASWP needed a more automat- under the expected changeover time. The report
also details the total net changeover and average
ic way to track process start and end times
changeover by operator, line, and branch. Data can
without depending on the operators. be grouped and filtered to pull specific data points.

For OEE accuracy, ASWP wanted to track downtime and production, maintenance, and
changeover times.
47
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

 Back to TOC

Spiral-welded pipe isn’t made quickly. Producing Since rework costs significant time and
money, ASWP requested a Rework
massive spiral-welded pipes requires several core
History Report. It displays all rework
processes or “lines.” A steel coil is placed into a events, including justification for the
mill and spiral-welded, formed into a pipe and cut rework and its location. The report shows
the Item ID, Project Number, Line, and
to length. The ends are then prepped, and joints
Shift. The user can filter the rework data
are formed with the beveler and expander. The pipe by Line, Shift, and Operator.
then undergoes hydrostatic testing.

The pipe is next lined with cement and cured (CML). After curing, it goes through a
blaster where a blast profile is achieved. Finally, it receives an external coating. After
additional quality checks, it is ready to ship.

48
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

Usually, ASWP manufactures one type of pipe for as long as possible. The changeover  Back to TOC
process takes days or even weeks.

“Our manufacturing is moderately sized volume with lower rates of speed. Thus, we
were seeking ways to optimize processes and drive out inefficiencies,” Davis said.

The solution
Vertech designed the MES using Inductive Automation’s Ignition software platform to
track work orders through each line and automatically calculate OEE based on machine
availability, performance and quality.

Even with a somewhat manual process, Vertech was able to set up automatic triggers
to track shifts, changeovers, downtime, rework and maintenance when an operator
started or stopped a process. They also developed dynamic shift scheduling to track
production accurately, but allow managers to delete shifts as needed.

The system included 20 screens, 13 devices, 7,812 tags, 32 clients, around 2000 alarms,
and an MSSQL database. Other technology used included Sepasoft for OEE, Sierra
Airlink for SMS Notifications and REST API to communicate with the ERP.

Of the 20 screens developed, five are highlighted here: the MES Overview, the Mill
Overview, the Route Exceptions Report, the Changeover Report, and the Rework His-
tory Report.

Benefits and results

The SCADA and MES implementations at ASWP were both successful. The SPC project
49
Improving efficiency through automation with SCADA

is in the preparation and design phase. Roll out of the systems to two additional loca-  Back to TOC
tions is in the CAPEX (capital funding) phase.

The MES has improved safety and quality, decreased downtime and boosted overall ef-
ficiency. The system is intuitive and uses workflow structures. Often, operators can refer
to a single main screen that displays all current shift metrics and possible actions.

Because of the easy-to-use UI, Operators easily monitor OEE to address and mitigate
downtime issues. Managers can keep up with hourly metrics and strategically plan a
shift. For example, they can predict how long a changeover should take and proactive-
ly schedule maintenance to increase OEE scores.

“Vertech took our vision, technical specification, and design specification and cus-
tom-built a solution to our needs. SCADA and MES are extremely valuable automation
tools in our division. Now we make decisions faster and more accurately with the use of
these tools. Of course, manufacturing is not always perfect, and there will be instances
of failure, but we have the tools to tell us why and how the failure happened… There
have been many issues resolved that were happening for decades,” Davis concluded.

Thea Sander
Thea Sander holds the technical marketing title at Vertech, a provider of industrial
automation services.

50
Innovative integration extended
by main automation contractors  Back to TOC

The main automation contractor (MAC) concept enables drastic cost savings
to the overall project compared to traditional project management.

F or many years, leading control systems integrators and control systems suppliers
have been providing main automation contractor (MAC) services. The MAC services
include the full scope of project execution capabilities. By assuming responsibility over
the entire automation related aspects of the project, the MAC provider better enables
the end-user customer to satisfy requirements in terms of budgeting, timing, people
resources, delivery and risk management.

The ability to deliver the full scope of project execution in industrial automation
projects is more important than ever. Plant managers are under constant pressure to
achieve high quality project execution, plant operations and maintenance.

However, companies are constrained by personnel issues, budgets and shrinking

timetables. In addition to grassroots construction activity in emerging markets, com-
panies face the task of executing multiple projects simultaneously in disparate geo-
graphic regions.

Also, many engineering, procurement and construction contractors (EPC’s) have pared
down their automation departments and no longer possess the resources to deal with
multiple automation suppliers on a project. An automation supplier with the appropri-
ate capabilities and experience can provide a single point of responsibility for project
management and coordinate the work among multiple suppliers and subcontractors.
51
Innovative integration extended by main automation contractors

Compared to a traditional project man-  Back to TOC

agement approach, the MAC concept
enables drastic cost savings to the overall
project. Many end users, particularly in the
process industries, have applied the MAC
approach to entire capital projects. That
can result in project cost savings of up to
30% compared to a traditional approach.

Since automation suppliers are encour-

aged to consolidate industry and appli-
cation expertise to execute projects in a
consistent manner, costs are reduced in
almost all phases of the project. This has
led to the development of standardized
practices and procedures, which can be
applied across multiple projects to re-
duce costs. In addition, MAC suppliers
often have introduced innovative project
Figure 1: The MAC approach can
management practices such as decoupling hardware and
reduce project costs by up to 30%.
applications software, removing dependencies to allow Courtesy: Yokogawa
multiple aspects of projects to be executed in parallel,
reducing the number of project gates and simplifying the commissioning process.

While typical MAC services could comprise all aspects of the automation scope, MAC
suppliers have expanded their services in many directions. For example, in recent proj-
52
Innovative integration extended by main automation contractors

ects, the extended services, often referred to collectively as “MAC+,” have included  Back to TOC
the supply of instrumentation, process equipment such as pumps and valves, commu-
nications services and IT services. By consolidating additional services, MAC+ provid-
ers offer end-users even further savings.

Beyond MAC+
In response to increased cost pressures, major end-users in the process industries
have devised new cost control measures, which require MAC+ providers to expand the
scope of their services even further.

At a large energy company, internal competition placed considerable pressure on new

project costs. Although the company had been able to reduce project costs, manage-
ment called for repeatable solutions that would further reduce costs.

Project management addressed the challenge with a new concept, in which designs
would begin with the absolute minimum scope and justify additions upward. Among
the results were simplified designs whose construction, integration and installation
were within the capabilities of multiple suppliers rather than “one in the world.” Future
projects will re-use replicated designs from prior projects.

The energy company selected Yokogawa as the MAC for the first project to use the
new design concept. In line with an innovative approach to cost control, the MAC
contract encompassed an unconventional scope. A streamlined program created a
single-source solution for all measurement and automation products plus related ser-
vices. The MAC scope included procurement, engineering, fabrication, delivery man-
agement, inspection, logistics and warehousing — hence “Beyond MAC+.”
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Innovative integration extended by main automation contractors

Included in the product scope were the following:  Back to TOC

• The distributed control system (DCS) and safety instrumented system (SIS)

• Control valves

• On-off valves

• Transmitters and gauges

• Flowmeters.

The service scope included the following:

• Delivery management and coordination

• Inspections

• Logistics.

In the procurement scope, 34 suppliers and 60 packages were managed. The value of
third-party products was four times the value of the manufactured products. The MAC
responsibilities included all contract management, flow-downs, terms and conditions
and liquidated damages. With suppliers spread throughout the world, the MAC team
literally worked in all time zones.

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Innovative integration extended by main automation contractors

Inspection management required in-  Back to TOC

depth knowledge of all products as
well as inspection criteria. There were
cargo transit Inspections at seven
points. The MAC team required a
thorough understanding of logistics,
import/export, ocean and air freight-
ing and overseas coordination. Ware-
housing required an understanding of
inventory management, preservations,
delivery of goods and care.

The automation system project man-

agement used an agile execution
methodology, which enables global
team collaboration. The methodology also decouples the Figure 2: Example of a typical
application software environment from such hardware as automation project MAC scope.
Courtesy: Yokogawa
standard smart junction boxes for input/output (I/O), flow-
meters, transmitters and valves. A significant portion of
the factory acceptance test (FAT) was automated and conducted collaboratively from
multiple, remote locations.

Also expediting the MAC process was a sub-contract to address non-conforming (or
non-confirmative) reports (NCRs) on-site.

Although the overall project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the MAC team
demonstrated the agility to maximize its global collaborative program management 55
Innovative integration extended by main automation contractors

and secure remote services, which allowed much of the work to be conducted off-  Back to TOC
site. Significant content such as factory acceptance testing used augmented reality
(AR) technology to minimize the number of team members required to be present at
any facility.

In light of the progress on the first project, which is now operational, the end-user
awarded the company the MAC contract for a follow-on project, which is in process
today. With 34 suppliers and 58 packages, the scope is similar to the first project.

Using MAC+ for sustainability

The Beyond MAC+ experience can be transferred from fossil fuel projects to sustain-
able energy development. For example, Yokogawa recently announced the company
has been selected to be the MAC for the construction of a hydrogen production plant
in Europe. The plant will produce renewable hydrogen by using electricity from an off-
shore wind farm. The MAC optimizes operations at the plant by integrating its systems
and equipment.

The plant will use a high capacity electrolyzer that will produce green hydrogen. The
green hydrogen produced at this plant will be transported via a pipeline to a refinery,
where it will replace grey hydrogen, partially decarbonizing the facility’s production of
energy products such as gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.

Going beyond MAC+ in the future

The MAC concept should progress much further than “Beyond MAC+” to a “system of
systems” where many systems are closely integrated. For instance, a hydrogen eco-
system includes individual systems for production, transportation, storage and supply.
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Innovative integration extended by main automation contractors

Unless the ecosystem is organized as a hydrogen hub, those systems are owned and  Back to TOC
operated by different entities.

According to the system of systems concept, multiple, independently-operating and

managed systems coordinate together to achieve a purpose that extends well beyond
the capabilities of any single system.

In the system of systems, formerly disparate components will not only benefit from
compatibility in terms of data, networking and protocols, they will be autonomous.
Using technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital twins, individual systems
will be able to learn from each other without human intervention and adapt to market
dynamics and disruptions. This allows them to advance continually and makes them
sustainable.

Kevin Finnan
Kevin Finnan is a Market Intelligence and Strategy Advisor at Yokogawa. He was pre-
viously an independent consultant, Vice President of Marketing for CSE-Semaphore,
and Director of Marketing at Bristol Babcock. He has over 30 years of experience in a
variety of vertical markets and has launched more than 40 products in automation and
measurement technologies.

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