Keywords: Automation Fair, ControlLogix, Kinetix, FactoryTalk, PowerFlex, Global Economy, Safety Automation.
Summary
Rockwell Automation held its 20th annual Automation Fair event in Chicago, Illinois, November 16-17, 2011. The event drew record-breaking attendance of approximately 14,500 people, with good global representation. This included more than 8,000 individuals from discrete and process manufacturers, and OEMs. The mood of the Automation Fair attendees was very positive, with many feeling upbeat towards future CAPEX and OPEX spending in automation despite the continuing turbulence in the global economy.
End users and OEMs justify sending their valuable key personnel to Automation Fair for the free training, technical sessions, tutorials, workshops, hands-on labs, and forums for the automotive, food & beverage, metals & mining, oil & gas, and water & wastewater industries, as well as energy & environment and machine builder applications. The consistently strong attendance also helps demonstrate the importance of the company's PartnerNetwork ecosystem.
Record Attendance at PSUG and Safety Automation Forum
On November 14-15, just prior to Automation Fair, Rockwell Automation held its annual meetings for its Process Solutions User Group (PSUG) and Safety Automation Forum (SAF).
Process Safety User Group
The PSUG kicked off its 10th anniversary session with record attendance of over 800 people. Spread over two days, this year's meeting offered several additional learning opportunities and the agenda featured 26 customer success stories. Attendees had ample opportunity to learn about best practices, guide future product direction through town hall sessions, and network with their peers.
Marty Edwards, Director, Control System Security Program (CSSP), National Cyber Security Division, US Department of Homeland Security, delivered the keynote address, "The Evolution of Control Systems." His presentation began by describing how security used to focus on "gates, guns, and guards" and finished with several specific recommendations for today's readily exploitable open systems. Following the keynote address, Som Chakraborti, Business Director Process Business, delivered an informative look at the future for the PlantPAx system. He discussed topology, connectivity, efficiency tools and new offerings in the services arena.
Safety Automation Forum
ARC believes that the excellent participation in this year's Safety Automation forum reflects both Rockwell Automation's larger footprint in the global automation market and the increasing importance of integrated machine safety as a means to improve productivity and overall business performance. To this point, Rockwell Automation released an online tool for calculating the ROI of a machine safety investment. The company's Safety ROI Calculator is largely a customer-driven initiative.
Senior Vice President, Strategic Development, Steve Eisenbrown, presented the results of an independent survey that confirmed a growing trend for companies to adopt a safety culture. Best-in-class manufacturers report both significantly higher OEE and less than half the injuries compared to average performers.
Tommy Short, L'Oreal, shared his experience implementing a safety culture by discussing the L'Oreal maturity roadmap. Primary elements in the maturity roadmap include developing a safety model, measuring results, developing metrics, and ultimately, creating "360 degrees of safety" throughout the organization.
Craig Torrance, Pepsico, explained that with 800 plants globally, pulling together a global safety program is challenging, particularly when the organization operates with a decentralized, autonomous divisional structure. Furthermore, individual plants around the world will have different tolerances for risk based on culture. This is often reflected in the local manufacturing operations regardless of the corporate perspective. To attain the necessary leadership within each division, the company aligned its safety initiative with other corporate initiatives such as sustainability and energy efficiency. However, the safety program ultimately sought to have business leaders accountable for safety. With nearly $5 billion invested annually on new equipment, the successful safety initiative enabled Pepsico to improve machinery and equipment designs to reduce injury rates.
Malt-O-Meal, Curt G. Joa, and General Motors also gave relevant presentations.
Manufacturing Automation Perspectives
Also just prior to Automation Fair, Rockwell Automation sponsored its annual Manufacturing Perspectives program, a half-day interactive session with the global automation media. Robert Atkinson, President, Information Technology and Innovation Foundation, delivered a keynote address, entitled "Innovation in Manufacturing: How it Drives Growth and Competitiveness." William Strauss, Senior Economist and Economic Advisor, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, delivered another keynote entitled "Is the US Losing Its Manufacturing Base"?
According to Mr. Atkinson, manufacturing is a key driver of US economic growth. He pointed out that statistics show that had US manufacturing grown at the same rate as the overall economy over the past decade, the economy would have as many as eight million more jobs; that manufacturing jobs pay 9 percent more than jobs in the overall economy; and that manufacturing accounts for 57 percent of US exports. A 10 percent increase in sales due to exports produces twice as many jobs as a 10 percent increase in domestic demand. Mr. Atkinson also focused on key trends in IT evolution and its intersection with manufacturing.
According to Mr. Strauss, manufacturing output is recovering its losses, but the most recent decline in manufacturing was cyclical, not structural, and that profits in manufacturing have outperformed profits for the rest of the US. Strauss pointed out that manufacturing employment has shown little change over the past 70 years, with a steady decline over the past 30 years as productivity drove manufacturing successes. He summarized that the trends that have dominated manufacturing for the past 70 years suggest that the future for US manufacturing will involve ever-increasing output with employment representing a smaller share of total employment.
As part of the Manufacturing Perspectives event, senior executives from a broad cross section of end user companies and machine builders participated in interesting panel discussions addressing global challenges and opportunities in the current business environment. An "Optimized Plant and Supply Networks: The Next Frontier" panel discussion centered on technology for optimizing plant operations. A "Developing the Future Manufacturing Workforce" panel dialogue focused on workforce readiness.
Finally, Keith Nosbusch, Chairman and CEO, Rockwell Automation, shared his view of future trends. According to Mr. Nosbusch, the great global rebalancing is caused by two major socioeconomic movements: the declining dependency ratios (more workers with fewer dependents) leaving more disposable income; and the largest urban migration in history, with nearly 1.5 million persons moving to cities each week. He also pointed out that for the first time in 200 years, emerging markets will contribute more growth than developed ones, marking the tipping point in a fundamental long-term economic rebalancing. Over 70 million people will be crossing the threshold into the middle-class each year and by 2020, 40 percent of the world's population will achieve middle-class status, up from less than 20 percent today. This will add $8 trillion in consumer spending power, creating a manufacturing imperative to fulfill this demand though product and process innovation.
Expanded Integrated Architecture Portfolio
At Automation Fair, Rockwell Automation demonstrated its expanded Integrated Architecture portfolio for smaller applications with a series of Allen-Bradley CompactLogix programmable automation controllers (PACs), servo drives, I/O, and visualization tools. With features, such as integrated motion, safety, EtherNet/IP connectivity and reusable development tools, the company's strategy is to provide its customers the ability to standardize on a single control platform for small- to large-scale applications.
Rockwell Automation's scalable Integrated Architecture features the Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and CompactLogix controller families. The ControlLogix PAC is suited for applications that have up to 10,000 I/O and 100 axes of motion. The CompactLogix family is suited for applications with fewer than 200 I/O and up to 16 axes of motion. This includes the CompactLogix 5370 Series with standard and integrated motion on EtherNet/IP in a single controller, using the same configuration, networking and visualization environment as ControlLogix-based systems.
Specifically for motion control, the Allen-Bradley Kinetix 350 single-axis EtherNet/IP servo drive eliminates the need for a separate motion network, providing a more cost-effective solution for low-axis machines. This new drive features a power range up to three kilowatts. For human machine interface, the PanelView Plus 6 and PanelView Plus Compact HMIs provide preferred integration with Logix-based controllers. For design and configuration software, the Rockwell Software RSLogix 5000 provides a single development tool that integrates Rockwell Automation control and information products on a single network. It's designed to deliver control capabilities for all disciplines including process, batch, discrete, drives, safety, and motion.
Extensions to PlantPAx Process Automation System
The company also announced that it had extended the reach of its PlantPAx process automation system to integrate critical rotating assets, such as compressors, pumps, turbines, and fans. This will have a positive impact on asset availability, operational efficiency, and energy management. Integration between process automation and motor control provides benefits in many heavy industrial applications, including metals & mining, cement, power, oil & gas, water & wastewater, and pulp & paper.
PlantPAx system users will have access to diagnostic information on any device in the system from any location, including motor control centers, drives, compressors, pumps, fans, and instrumentation. Leveraging the EtherNet/IP network, operators can monitor process conditions, such as electric motor current, vibration signatures of key rotating assets, and torque signatures of variable speed drives. This will help them predict potential problems and avoid equipment downtime to improve productivity and reduce maintenance costs.
New FactoryTalk VantagePoint Software
Rockwell Automation also introduced its new FactoryTalk VantagePoint Software with Microsoft SharePoint integration (including web parts to provide a direct link to control and business systems). FactoryTalk VantagePoint 4.0 software now includes new and enhanced connectors, configuration, and tools to develop reports, visualization, and analytics for manufacturing intelligence applications. The latest version is designed to provide native integration to Microsoft SharePoint 2010, exposing additional plant floor data to the enterprise. The software can be used to address manufacturing requirements such as downtime reporting, status tracking, and multiple-control-system reporting. The application is based on a unified production model (UPM) that aggregates and organizes disparate manufacturing data and gives context for relationships among equipment, product, materials and people.
FactoryTalk VantagePoint software connects to disparate data sources -- real time, historical, relational, and transactional -- to create a single resource that can access, aggregate, and correlate information into a common, unified model that allows trends, reports and dashboards. FactoryTalk VantagePoint Web-based dashboards and reports monitor key performance indicators to help users manage their operation in real time.
FactoryTalk VantagePoint 4.0 provides connectors and preconfigured reporting content for Logix programmable automation controllers, FactoryTalk Historian, FactoryTalk Metrics, and FactoryTalk EnergyMetrix. This new release also enables production intelligence for PlantPAx process automation system customers by providing prebuilt reports and a visual model of the process library. FactoryTalk VantagePoint also includes direct connectivity to third-party historians and control systems.
Expanded Power Range of PowerFlex 750-Series Drives
The company also announced that it extended the power range of its PowerFlex 755 AC drives to 1500 kW/2000 Hp and added 600/690 volt ratings. The new drives are designed for a variety of heavy industrial applications, providing users with increased application flexibility and design features for ease of use, installation, and maintenance. Since productivity is so critical, these drives offer a roll-out design for faster installation and provide a lower mean time to repair. A new automatic device configuration (ADC) allows users to replace PowerFlex 755 drives and have the Logix controllers automatically download all configuration and firmware files to the new drives.
Smart Motor Control Centers Enabled with EtherNet/IP
The CENTERLINE motor control center (MCC) family is now available with an EtherNet/IP backbone to enable plant personnel to manage configuration, diagnostics, maintenance, and energy more effectively. With access to more detailed production data, plant engineers can predict potential problems and help prevent equipment failures. Additionally, the EtherNet/IP connection allows users to access information remotely allowing personnel to monitor, troubleshoot, and diagnose the MCC without exposing them to potentially dangerous conditions and power equipment. Furthermore, users can simplify information management, programming and maintenance with the ability to use RSLogix 5000 software as a single programming environment for Logix controllers, soft starters, variable speed drives and now low voltage motor control centers.
Summary: Demonstrating the Importance of a Strong PartnerNetwork Ecosystem
Attendees of Automation Fair 2011 came away feeling very positive about the future for automation in manufacturing and processing. Many expressed confidence that, even in these challenges times, they can justify future CAPEX and OPEX spending for automation-related solutions through ROI and ROA analysis.
Certainly, the ability of Rockwell Automation and the company's partners to provide open and collaborative solutions plays an important role here. The multi-tiered Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork includes key Strategic Alliance Partners, such as Cisco Systems for integrating manufacturing and IT via EtherNet/IP and its networking hardware; Dassault Systèmes for integrating product design and manufacturing for a virtual design and production environment; Endress+Hauser for process field device expertise and total process applications; and Microsoft for information solutions and convergence of manufacturing and IT. Enterprise and Information Recognized Solution Providers are professional IT services organizations that provide design, delivery, and support competency for integrating manufacturing intelligence solutions. Other partner classifications include Distributors, Solution Providers, and Machine Builders.
Two of the most well-known partner classifications are Encompass and Solution Providers. Encompass is a third-party referencing program that provides products with additional functionality to enhance and extend Rockwell Automation solutions to best solve application challenges. The Solution Providers are best-in-class system integrators that provide industry and application expertise in delivering automation, process, and information solutions to manufacturing companies globally.
A primary challenge for Rockwell Automation is to spread the information, knowledge, and optimism communicated at Automation Fair to its global customers that were not able to attend, providing them with the confidence and the business intelligence tools they will need to justify investments in automation, even if the global economic picture should worsen.
NOTE: Automation Fair, ControlLogix, Kinetix, FactoryTalk, and PowerFlex are registered trademarks of Rockwell Automation. PartnerNetwork, PlantPAx, CompactLogix, PanelView, RSLogix, and Encompass are trademarks of Rockwell Automation. All other trademarks mentioned are trademarks of their respective owners.
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