Emerging Trends in Industrial Process Automation
Published on : Thursday 10-12-2020
With emerging trends, there is a lot of scope to implement connected technology, making processes connected to each other, says Apurva Oza.
The industry is currently on the brink of a revolution. Process industries are now enjoying the era of robotics automation, connected machines and smart factories. Majority of the processes are either partly automated or have technology embedded to enable full-scale automation for implementing full-blown IIoT technologies. Most of the process industries are implementing semi or fully automated processes be it mixing, conveying, forming, heating, and cooling and so on.
The main gap is the integration of all sub processes. Individual processes are capable of adjusting themselves with technologies such as intelligent servo drives, on-the-go vision systems, dynamic load sensing, dynamic error acknowledgment and corresponding immediate closed loop control using high end PLCs, industrial PCs, fast IO systems and good data analysis. All of these happen at sub-process level and are generally not integrated upstream or downstream in typical process and manufacturing industries.
Possible solutions
The foremost actions any industry can take are to divide the entire process into logical divisions or machine groups. In-depth study of each machine involved and mapping current technologies used will reveal the gaps and possible solutions. In most of the cases, the supplier fraternity is offering one-to-one upgrade of newer technologies.
The drives can be upgraded to connectable IIoT based smart drives. Traditional sensors such as proximity, temperature, pressure, presence, humidity and flow can be swapped with their upgraded versions which have connectivity. The newer and standardised sensors are now available with IO-link, HQTT, Modbus, Profinet and similar Ethernet-based bus/protocols.
The motors can be upgraded with low voltage AC/DC Servo, BLDCs with matching torque speed characteristics but with added sensors enabling more data than traditional induction motors. Even the motor drives are now quite powerful and enabled to extract a lot of data from traditional motors such as current, operational times, peak load, etc. This helps convert older systems into smart systems where in constant process parameters can be read, recorded and processed while enabling connectivity with external interfaces.
Vision cameras and vision sensors are now opening a whole new dimension of sensing such as orientation, colour, quality, counts, volumetric defects, etc. They not only replace traditional sensors but are also very fast, scalable, programmable and easy to deploy using open source and native IDE platforms from various manufacturers.
The controllers (PLC & PC) are now enjoying faster, scalable and flexible communication bus systems. The possibility of installing remote IO, IOs in harsh environments, protection above IP65 single wire IO system from reputed manufacturers enable adding sensors in difficult places, collect data, wire them locally and transport data in a single wire, which carries signal and power both (to operate actuators and sensors, etc), or wirelessly over to PLC. This enables data and power transfer with minimal wiring, without significant changes in operational systems and collect more data.
The newer and more advanced MQTT protocols now directly available with most PLC and PC manufacturers help collecting data from the machine/processes level to record them at PLC level and then ultimately pushing to database on local and cloud networks.
With the power of cloud computing, new-age data analysis is easily available for in-depth and meaningful dissection of data gathered. If collected data has a pattern, new tools can now predict need of maintenance, need for intervention, optimised setting availability, etc. Some of the tools also can now throw-back decisions based on data analysis which can be fed back to the PLC layer for change of process direction.
Recent trends of automated and connected material transfer technologies such as AMR and AGV further reduces footprint, increases flexibility by not limiting on the physical restrictions of layout of process and opens up a lot of potential for effective use of available space and machineries.
Most recent trends in the entire spectrum of automation are collaborative robotics. New-age industrial robots (multi-axis) and innovative mobile robotics along with collaborative mechanisms enable Human-Robotics to interact very effectively. It helps in changing parameters, changing course of production, adapting to the varying production loads, taking urgent actions, etc. These are all connected, adapting to each other and taking real-time decisions together with human interactions without affecting production or safety of people.
Key pointers
The following are pointers which are to be identified for implementing new age process automation:
1. Are the sub-processes or machines, those are part of a production line, capable to connect? Are they IIoT friendly?
2. In the entire production and processing line, are there areas which require human intervention constantly to improve or continue production?
3. Are there places where operators may need to adjust machine parameters to a varying load for a consistent quality?
4. Is there any part of processes where a stop, temporary closure and breakdown stops the entire line and restarting takes longer due to stringent process requirements?
5. Are there any critical process setups where breakdowns are not welcome and predictive maintenance is must where failures must be prevented by observing the trends of performance?
If any of the above pointers hold true, factories can look into implementing ideas from the latest trends explained in the following paragraphs.
Latest trends
Collaborative systems are now the latest buzz words in process industries. Today's technology is all automatic but lacks smartness. They are not aware about the status of the entire plant and they do not take into consideration dynamic situations upstream or downstream.
Collaborative systems are having special design features, which will enable manufacturers and users to connect various sensors and parameters so that the system adapts to production load, production speed and any eventual situation.
Multi-axis industrial robots are now equipped with high-end sensors which will add a lot of ‘sensing’ similar to the ‘feel’ level of a human being. These systems can feel the situation. They can be used for adaptive assembly, varying situations in highly flexible lines. They also feature quick adjustability allowing them to be used in production lines with many SKU and frequent line changes. Typically the systems can be changed for a different SKU setting at a flick of a switch.
Collaborative mobile robots feature a future proof design where there is no need of physical setup such as traditional conveyors and material transfer mechanisms which are fixed. These robots can talk to each other, talk to operators even remotely and perform tasks which can be changed on the go.
As discussed earlier, new-age AI based camera and sensor systems are the next solutions. With the power of AI, most systems are ready to be deployed without big changes in the existing systems. This will enhance the performance, reduce scraps, reduce downtime and increase quality.
Continuing the latest trends, PLC systems coupled with IoT based connected systems and sensors are capable of extracting exact situations, making processes smart. The word ‘smart’ means they talk to each other, they adapt to each other.
Amongst all of the automation systems, one key emerging trend is software systems. With giants in ERP systems now introducing IIoT capabilities, software systems are now directly talking to decision makers, operators, quality systems and production loads. Such software systems now make the entire process a ‘real time’. Users are equally well connected to machines and processes. All the details are collected as part of the process and data analysis further strengthens decisions and associated results.
Very powerful but less frequently used tools, which would be influencing the process automation in the next decade are AR, VR and simulation. Physical shop floors and processes coupled with powerful augmented reality superimposed with virtual world will aid operators take better decisions, pain free maintenance, accurate diagnosis with exact location of repair, easy fault location and faster condition monitoring of parts. Technologies coupled with 3D CAD environment will serve as a quick guide for settings and repair and troubleshoot any deviation in process.
Digital twins are now widely used to simulate exact processes to accurately pinpoint any issues in setting, possible stress development on any part, predicting fault and preventing unplanned breakdowns.
On a concluding note, though the use of robotics and IIoT is on a full throttle, there is a lot of scope to implement connected technology, making processes connected to each other, connected to human operators and take advantage of a full-blown IIoT and industry 4.0 systems.
Apurva Oza is a Partner and Head of Technology & Manufacturing at Nhance Dynamics. Apurva has also founded a technology driven company APTRaise Technologies which is setting a new trend in AI based knowledge delivery framework, AI based smart wearables and offering C-Suite services for start-up and mid-sized companies. In his career of 20 years, Apurva has worked in various positions starting from grass-root roles to leadership roles. He therefore understands the perception of design, development and technology across various functional roles. The views presented here are accumulated by the Author with his 20 years of experience in robotics, working with a leading manufacturer of robotic systems encompassing majority of the elements of full-scale IIoT systems.
