Siemens announced the seven schools that will receive in-kind donations of automation equipment and software as part of its Siemens Automation Cooperates with Education (SCE) program. Designed to help jump-start or upgrade technical programs and curriculum with leading edge Siemens automation technologies, more than 60 universities, colleges, trade schools and high schools were nominated for the SCE Educational Development Award by Siemens distributors across the country.

By Bill Lydon – Contributing Editor at “automation.com”

I recently had the opportunity to interview Raj Batra who was appointed President of the Industry Automation Division for Siemens U.S. in October 2009. Batra was formerly vice president, Automation & Motion, for Siemens Energy & Automation. The Industry Automation division, based in Alpharetta, Ga., encompasses automation products including programmable logic controllers (PLCs) and controls for discrete and process automation.

Since 2007, Siemens has been globally aligning its businesses into three sectors: Healthcare, Energy and Industry. The reorganization of the U.S. operation is a continuation of this global re-alignment. The newly formed Siemens Industry, Inc. in the U.S. is under the leadership of CEO Daryl D. Dulaney. Siemens Industry will provide its U.S. customers with solutions for industry and infrastructure, with integrated automation technologies as well as industry-specific solutions.

In this new role, Batra is responsible for overall planning and direction of all Industry Automation division activities in the United States.

Batra explained that the global realignment of the company started in Germany about two years ago. “The reorganization really has a lot to do with how the world is changing and what we call our megatrends.” The megatrends are urbanization (worldwide trend but not in the U.S.), healthcare, green movement (CO2 emissions, etc.), and the new age of electricity (wind, solar, etc.). “The reasons to shift and align our portfolio are to better serve customers impacted by these trends.” Batra emphasized that Siemens has core technologies to solve the problems in all these areas.

Batra highlighted a number of factors that he feels puts Siemens in a good position in the United States.

U.S. Market Attitude Shift
Batra views the installed base in North America as a major opportunity, “particularly from one of our major competitors,” says Batra. “A very important trend to capitalize on in the United States is the aging infrastructure in plants. If you want flexible manufacturing systems in plants with aging legacy systems (25-30 or more years old), you need to take the next step.” One of Batra’s key points for U.S. manufacturers to be globally competitive is the use of the latest technologies to improve operations and flexibility. “One thing that I have never seen before in my Siemens career is customers’ willingness to entertain technology discussion as the basis for their (purchase) decisions,” says Batra. He further commented that customers are becoming smarter buyers of automation and controls. Batra elaborated, “Based on cost, efficiency, trying to compete, and being better than your neighbor, companies now want the best technology solution in their manufacturing facility.” “For the first time ever, I am seeing customers that have never opened up specifications, opening up today – in essence, letting us engage in a head to head technology battle. That is exactly the position we want to be in the United States.”

Regarding this change, Batra observed that in the past, management cut off technology discussions. “In the past you could have the best technology available and you would hit that frozen middle (management) in the plant.” I asked for his thoughts on what is creating this shift? Batra indicated that the old way of doing business has given way to a better analysis by manufacturers of what will drive productivity for the business. Manufacturing management people also have a better understanding of technology today.

Process Industries
Batra noted that Siemens has been gaining process industry market share in 2009 and instrumentation has been the least impacted business during the recession. Batra also pointed out that Siemens has a scalable architecture for the process industries, from lab applications to large DCS.

System Integrators
Siemens has a certified system integrator program and Batra sees tremendous value in professional system integrators. “When we have integrators that put the technology to the test, they see the ability to improve quality, productivity, and efficiency,” says Batra. “We see a number of integrators clamoring to be Siemens system integrators, which is a good indicator that our market positioning and visibility are improving for both discrete and process manufacturing.” Siemens is an active member in the Control Systems Integrators Association.

Control & Automation Platforms
Siemens has a broad line of controls including Nano PLCs, high end PLCs, process DCSs, and CNCs – that are all applied in a wide range of applications. He emphasized that the Siemens’ portfolio of products is vast and can serve a wide range of applications. “We have the flexibility to not reinvent products for a specific industry,” Batra explained. “We are not creating one offs or black boxes to serve industries. Instead, these industry-specific solutions are adaptations with programming and how we set the systems up.”

Communications
“We feel the infrastructure growth will be much greater than the PLC business,” says Batra. He indicated that users are becoming more educated and selective about communications, including the growth of wireless for control and safety applications as people become more comfortable with the technology.

Batra says, “Real-time industrial Ethernet as a common and flat topology for plants has a lot of inherent benefits. Customers are looking for flat topologies that address everything they have to do. What we leverage is really PROFINET/PROFIBUS – around an entire portfolio of automation and high speed machine control technology. Because the topology is not just built for a PLC, but for the spectrum of the Siemens portfolio, we offer customers flexibility.” Batra emphasized that this strategy solves all customer applications so they do not have to own and support multiple network technologies.

Based on “consultative” discussions Siemens has with manufacturers, communications is becoming a major reliability issue. “50 plus percent of downtime issues in factories are caused by network and interoperability issues,” says Batra. Batra stated that network reliability and the diagnostics built into Siemens products are an important consideration for increasing system up time.

Software
Siemens’ software direction is to provide a common HMI and control configuration software with the new Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) portal offering. This integrated approach simplifies engineering and startup and was first introduced in the SIMATIC S7-1200.

My closing thought
Batra is clearly enthusiastic about Siemens and the technology the company brings to the U.S. market. It will be interesting to watch this new organization.

 Siemens Industry, Inc. announced at Solar Power International in Anaheim, Calif., the introduction of the UL compliant Sinvert PVS350T UL. Built on the internationally proven Sinvert platform, this inverter was designed to meet UL standards required by utilities in North America to feed solar power into the grid. In addition to complying with UL standards, this inverter from Siemens meets international standards: DIN, VDE, IEC, EN.

Simple to use and prepackaged, the BMS includes Siemens TÜV certified safety system platform based on Simatic S7-400FH controllers that fulfill the requirements of IEC 61508 safety based standards. It follows the IEC 61511 and ANSI/ISA 84.00.01 – 2004 while conforming to the prescriptive NFPA 85 and NFPA 86 codes, the pending recommendations in the Technical Report TR84.00.05.

Additionally, the BMS includes Simatic Safety Matrix software that uses a dynamic cause-and-effect matrix to define and document safety requirements, bridge communication gaps between the operations and software design teams, and address dynamic changes. Removing the need for manual manipulation, it provides an automated, TÜV certified approach for addressing all of the safety actions during dynamic transitions.

Siemens also offers a TÜV certified BMS block library for those who wish to implement their own BMS program based on conventional function block designs.

For more information about Siemens Burner Management System package visit www.usa.siemens.com/BMS or call (800) 964-4114.

The new Sitrans SL is the only TDL that has a special non-interfering inline reference cell that provides accurate results for at least one year. This enables laser locking completely independent of process gas concentrations, which leads to stable operation, negligible drift values and extended maintenance intervals. Additionally, with its unique compact and durable design, the sensors require very little maintenance even in the most corrosive and hazardous sampling environments.

The new sensors (transmitter and receiver) are designed to be mounted directly on the processing line with no need for a sampling system. Laser light is sent from the transmitter, passing through the process gas, arriving at the detector on the receiver side. The measurements are carried out on-line with a very short response time permitting fast and effective cost-savings in process control.

The laser characteristics of the Sitrans SL allow single-line spectroscopy free of interferences. Since the band width of the laser light is extremely narrow, only the gas component of interest will interact with it providing the user with highly accurate O2 analysis that only requires yearly calibration checks. Other process influences, such as dust and temperature, are easily eliminated due to the inherent compensation capabilities of this technique.

Designed for process control and optimization, safety monitoring and combustion control, the Sitrans SL is well suited for industrial applications such as chemical, steel and municipal waste. The Sitrans SL is available in both FM 1D1 and ATEX versions for Zones I and II.
 
For more information on the Sitrans SL visit www.usa.siemens.com/sl or call 800-964-4114.

Based on IEEE 802.11 WLAN standards, the innovative wireless design supports deterministic iPCF (Industrial Point Coordination Function) for critical industrial Ethernet communications using standard PROFINET protocol. This reliable, wireless I/O connectivity allows plants to access machines and process systems as well as mobile equipment that previously could not be reached using a cabled network.

The ET 200pro IWLAN includes a complete wireless network interface with a removable antenna interface unit, standard ET 200pro connection unit for adding modular I/O devices, diagnostic LEDs and a built-in Ethernet port for local programming or network trouble shooting. An industry standard 7/8 inch plug-in connector provides the power connection and each ET 200pro station can be vertically or horizontally installed without restrictions. Optional antennas including omni-directional antennas are available for direct or remote mounting and higher gain signal transmission over longer distances or through obstructions.

Wireless radio frequency is selectable for either standard 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz and includes support for IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/h/e/i transmission standards.  The maximum wireless data transmission rate is 54 Mbits/s with a typical send cycle time of 32ms.

Each ET 200pro IWLAN includes a built-in web server with HTML pages for editing configurations, setting security access and viewing important diagnostic information. Separate configuration software is not required, which enables easy access to each ET 200pro IWLAN through a secure Ethernet access point connection over the LAN or Internet/intranet.

The ET 200pro IWLAN has built-in compatibility to all Siemens Scalance-W wireless access points for easy networking to HOST controllers, industrial PCs or programming terminals.  It also supports rapid roaming capability for moving equipment between multiple wireless access point ranges without interruption.

All ET 200pro IWLAN products are designed in a rugged IP67 case and are certified with industry standard agency approvals including cUL US, CSA and CE compliance.

For more information, log on to www.sea.siemens.com or call 1-800-241-4453.

Our experts will discuss APACS+ modernization and upgrade options, including PCS 7/APACS+ OS, Industrial Ethernet Module, ACMx, and DP/IO Bus.

Register: http://www.mysiemensevents.com/lists/applicationpages/registration.aspx?event=778

Siemens (NYSE: SI) announced today that it has teamed up with renowned custom motorcycle manufacturer Orange County Choppers to build the first custom electric motorcycle. The “Siemens Smart Chopper,” which will be featured on the hit TV show American Chopper, was unveiled today in an event at the Time Warner Center.

“We wanted to build this unique chopper to raise environmental awareness and reflect what the 69,000 employees of Siemens USA are doing to help America stay on the cutting edge of tomorrow’s green economy,” said Daryl Dulaney, President & CEO of Siemens Building Technologies. “Siemens is already very much a part of the fabric of America, and our portfolio is one of the greenest in the business. Green is not marketing hype for us; it is in our DNA.”

“If energy or energy efficiency is involved–Siemens is involved,” said Randy Zwirn, CEO of Siemens Energy, Inc. “Our technologies are helping to more efficiently and cleanly produce, deliver, consume and conserve energy. And these technologies are here today. This bike represents the spirit of innovation and passion we have for seeking sustainable solutions for our planet.”

Orange County Choppers, a leading manufacturer of custom motorcycles, built the Siemens Smart Chopper over the course of a month. Siemens also developed a compatible Smart Grid-ready charger which communicates with the utility to enable charging when the electricity is most affordable.

The motorcycle features and design include:

First electric chopper by Orange County Choppers
Recycled materials
Advanced DC Motors Inc. Series Wound 8″ motor
LED lighting by OSRAM SYLVANIA, a Siemens company
27 Peak horsepower and maximum speed of 100 MPH
Range of 60 miles on a single charge
On-board charger that can be plugged into any 110-volt outlet

“Building an electric bike from recycled materials was something new for us, but we definitely enjoyed the challenge and think that the end product makes a great addition to our wide range of unique motorcycles,” said Paul Teutul, Sr., founder of Orange County Choppers, based in Newburgh, N.Y. “While electric bikes probably won’t surpass traditional ones for the foreseeable future, we also think that energy efficient technologies are increasingly important for both manufacturers and consumers.”

Teutul is the driving force behind the family-owned business that grew from a hobby into a 70-person-plus operation that produces and sells 150 custom bikes a year to a broad public ranging from private individuals and celebrities to professional sports teams and Fortune 500 companies. Teutul’s custom bike shop is featured on American Chopper, a reality-style TV show, since 2002.

The American Chopper episode featuring the Siemens Smart Chopper is scheduled to air on TLC on Thursday, October 22 at 9PM ET/PT.

Siemens plans to showcase the Smart Chopper at energy and industrial tradeshows and conferences in the coming months. In 2010, the motorcycle will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to a charitable cause that will help benefit the environment.

Ethernet also has its opponents. They claim Industrial Ethernet is too new to be trusted on the plant floor, or that it’s too expensive when compared to field bus technology. These are just a few of the misconceptions surrounding Industrial Ethernet.

To start with, Ethernet is not new. The basic technology has been around for more than 30 years and today’s industrial offerings build on that foundation, adding key functionalities that provide the determinism, reliability and ease-of-use required for the plant-floor.

As for the cost issue: Initial implementation costs are about the same as field bus. You use most of the same components – PLCs, I/O, cables and connectors – but you use an Ethernet switch instead of a field bus node. This gives you a common infrastructure that will support most any device you want to connect. It also makes it easier to connect to the office network and provide senior managers with visibility and control over the operation enhancing their ability to respond rapidly to customer demands and leaving you with one network to maintain rather than two or more.

That single, open infrastructure is very important, says Jeremy Bryant, Industrial Communications manager with Siemens Energy & Automation. “You used to get locked into a given protocol and that would dictate some of the options you would have regarding equipment. With Ethernet it’s not dedicated, you don’t need a special port, just one standard cable.  This leads into one of the other major advantages, being connectivity.

“It’s a lot like having a phone today. As long as you speak the same language you can talk to anyone around the world. Furthermore the same phone system can be used independent of the language.”

In the long run, that common infrastructure will drive down your total cost of ownership because you will no longer need specialists for each type of field bus in use. Ethernet also allows for more effective monitoring tools, giving you get enhanced intelligence, control and troubleshooting.

Some proponents point to the fact that you need less cabling than with field bus, but that isn’t really significant when compared to the other benefits.

There’s another critical misconception, says Raj Rajani, an Ethernet Marketing Manager with Siemens Energy & Automation. “People think it’s too complicated; that you always have to have IT people and IT knowledge to set up your network. That’s a product of the fact that some IT networks are very complicated to set up. Our industrial Ethernet networks are designed to be set up by automation engineers. You don’t need to learn a new language.”

“The cold fact is that because the basic network configurations are the same your field bus expertise is highly transferable” he adds.

For these reasons, and others, Ethernet is gradually replacing the likes of Profibus and DeviceNet and becoming the industry standard. ARC Advisory Group pegged the market at one million nodes in 2007 and forecasted it would grow to more than three million by 2012.

So, having made the decision to join the growing horde and migrate to Ethernet, what should you do next? Siemens networking consultant Marty Jansons has a four step approach to implementing Industrial Ethernet networks.

The first step is preplanning which, Jansons emphasizes, is the most important of the tasks.

“Look at how many devices need to be connected to the network. And plan for the future. What new initiatives am I going to want to implement in the future. How many ports do I need to support growth? Do I want to lay the groundwork for wireless? Future proof the design to some extent.”

Step two is proof of concept. “Let’s go into the lab and make sure it all works together. I’ve seen customers run mock ups of entire oil rigs with simulators.” You want to make sure there won’t be any adverse effects as you implement new technology.

“It’s not like on the office side where the technology changes every three to five years. On the industrial side people tend to be a lot more conservative. In the office environment if a printer goes down you just switch to another. In the industrial environment if a machine goes down the line stops.”

The third step is documentation. Sooner or later you’re going to have to troubleshoot the network and you need proper documentation to make that possible. You need all the layouts, all the IP addresses, blueprints and historical data.

Finally, you are ready for implementation.

“Obviously a greenfield site is easier because you start from scratch with new technology, but most implementations are migrations.”

Either way Jansons recommends a phased approach, starting with installing the infrastructure. Then you phase over part of the plant, running both networks in parallel. Finally you gradually transfer the load completely from the legacy network onto the new network.

Sounds easy right? Well, like anything, there are numerous pitfalls that can trip you up.

“Too often people forget about the word ‘industrial,’” says Bryant. “The plant floor is not the back office or home and in keeping with that Industrial Ethernet is not the same IT and home networks typically are installed in controlled environments.”  Industrial Ethernet requires the same ruggedization and shielding that your old field bus network required.

“The next thing people forget about is the fact that the person responsible for getting the network up and running is the automation engineer,” adds Bryant. “Because we’re talking Ethernet people think about it from an IT perspective, but at the end of the day IT isn’t always the one troubleshooting it. Considering the demanding uptime requirements of the plant-floor, there really isn’t time to call in IT every time there is a glitch or a change. So you need to think about what the automation engineer is going to need. What tools is he familiar with? Where does he want his diagnostics data?”

Siemens has specifically designed its Ethernet products with the automation engineer in mind, says Rajani. “For example, with our products you can set up devices to act like I/O devices, which makes it easier for the automation engineer. The software package you use to set up your PLCs configures your switches, which are set up as an I/O drop on the network. So whatever diagnostics you desire from your switch can come directly into the PLC. This allows existing HMI already in use to easily display this data directly to the operator.”

“It’s not really, ‘hook up the cable and it’s all good’,” adds Jansons. “Take a little bit of time, think it through and design it properly. Industrial Ethernet has a lot of advantages and you just have to give it the same due diligence you would if you were putting in something else.”

Ethernet Timeline
• 1973: Ethernet invented at Xerox PARC
• 1980: Digital Equipment Corp., Intel and Xerox release a standard for 10M bit/sec Ethernet
• 1991: 802.3 10BaseT standards is approved, for 10M Ethernet over twisted pair telephone wire
• 1995: 802.3 100Base-T 100 M Ethernet standards is approved
• 1998: 802.3ac Gigabit Ethernet standard is approved
• 1999: 802.11b standard approved, for 11M wireless Ethernet
• 2002: 802.3ae 10G Ethernet standard is approved
• 2003: 802.11g standard approved, for 54M wireless Ethernet
• 2009: 802.11n standard expected to be approved for 600M wireless Ethernet
• 2010: 100G Ethernet expected to be approved

Industrial Ethernet Resources:
• The Industrial Ethernet Advisory Group, a resource and community that covers all aspects of Industrial Ethernet, including a forum for technical support and queries, news and events, articles and product information. www.industrialethernet.org
• An explanation of Industrial Ethernet and its various components from Siemens, a major Industrial Ethernet supplier: http://tinyurl.com/ddo93u
• Industrial Ethernet, 2nd Edition, by Perry S. Marshall and John S. Rinaldi, a reference tool on installation and troubleshooting of Industrial Ethernet networks. The book is intended to help readers “prepare to plan industrial Ethernet installations with realistic expectations, make knowledgeable purchasing decisions, and identify and prevent common causes of failure.”
• Industrial Ethernet on the Plant Floor: A Planning and Installation Guide, by Robert Lounsbury, also provides guidance on how to plan an Industrial Ethernet network, including a discussion of network architectures, components, product selection and the basics of noise.