Mitsubishi announces process automation solution

Well known in machine control and machine tools plus variable frequency drives, Mitsubishi Electric Automation Inc. introduced its MELPAQ Process Solutions offering at the 13th Annual ARC Forum in Orlando. MELPAQ solutions will focus on the water, energy management and building automation markets. MELPAQ-H2O, MELPAQ-EM and MELPAQ-BA solutions will be the cornerstone of Mitsubishi Electric Automation’s process business in the Americas.

“MELPAQ gives all process customers the ability to gain greater control at a lower price point than the typical distributed control system,” said Joel Gil, Mitsubishi Electric Automation’s director of business development, process automation. “Our standard solutions are designed to give users the flexibility to configure their systems according to their changing needs, unlike a distributed control system that is developed by the vendor from the initial design phase. This can greatly reduce initial and operating costs.”

The MELPAQ family is designed to handle large numbers of proportional, integral and derivative operations (PID loops), and Mitsubishi Electric include process and redundant CPUs.

“Our e-F@ctory solutions help integrate all manufacturing assets on a single platform and shares information across the entire enterprise,” said Sloan Zupan, product marketing manager, Mitsubishi Electric Automation. “The logical evolution of e-F@ctory is to incrementally provide process automation solutions, especially for the water, energy and building automation industries.

“We’re excited about the launch of MELPAQ,” said Zupan. “We’ve been supporting our distributors and system integrators with this new line-up, so we can add even more value for our customers.”

Emerson Exchange Call for Papers

Do you have a story to share? Here's your opportunity--especially if it involves Emerson products. Here's the call for papers for the 2011 edition, October 25-28 in Nashville. See you all at Opryland.

Rockwell Process Continues To Build Momentum

Update: One error of typing noted in the second paragraph--my brain was thinking GreenPrint, but my fingers went their own way.

One speaker noted it was the largest Rockwell Automation Process Solutions Users Group (PSUG) ever, which I later confirmed at 640 registered attendees. While one might thing that everyone would come from consumer packaged goods (CPG) or perhaps pharmaceutical companies, I saw name tags from oil & gas and pulp & paper companies. Another indication of the seriousness of Rockwell's growth in this industry segment.

The first announcement of PSUG was that Ken Deken, vice president of product portfolio and the executive charged with developing the process business, is retiring. Ralph Carter who has been heading the information software group since joining Rockwell with the acquisition of Pavilion two years ago will assume responsibility for heading the process automation business along with his software duties.

John Nesi, vice president of market development, presented Rockwell's position on Plant-wide Optimization--sure to be one of this week's themes. Nesi first told the group that Rockwell has been investing in four specific areas--process, software, safety and solutions for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). Plant wide optimizations includes integrated technologies and solutions designed to gather information and deliver it to appropriate systems and people. He addressed key points of challenge for attendees that included globalization, sustainability, productivity and innovation. Specifically he linked sustainability and productivity into Sustainable Production and a new service from Rockwell--Industrial Greenpoint, a patented service designed to help customers achieve their sustainability goals.

ARC Advisory Group Research Director Larry O'Brien presented attendees with several challenges his research has uncovered in the process industries. These are people (recruitment, training), safety (building a safety culture), plant-wide optimization (information), installed base (migrating to modern control), operations and COTS.

Som Chakraborti, Process Business director, presented an overview of the process business and a technology roadmap of where the company has come from over the past five to six years. There is no doubt that the company has progressed a long way in the process business on its way to becoming a serious competitor in the market. He also announced new products including Release 2.0 of PlanPAx, Rockwell's distributed control system solution. New features include high availability, greater device integration and asset management, design productivity, batch and sequencing control advances and operations productivity.

Some of the new features include:

• System High Availability -- New capabilities include EtherNet/IP network support for redundant systems and Device Level Ring network topology that provides a highly available EtherNet/IP network without any additional infrastructure costs. A new I/O line -- based on ICS Triplex technology -- adds redundant I/O capability for the system. PlantPAx System Release 2.0 also includes new diagnostics and error checking to help operators and maintenance personnel identify and resolve the root cause of a problem before disrupting production.
• Device Integration and Asset Management -- The PlantPAx system already had connectivity options, including Hart, Profibus-PA, and Fieldbus Foundation. PlantPAx System Release 2.0 expands on these offerings adding the integration and asset management of other devices in the system, such as intelligent motor control centers, variable frequency drives, condition monitoring and power control components.
• Design Productivity -- Evaluation of the typical DCS configuration workflows has revealed a number of steps that can be simplified or accelerated. This includes initial sizing and architecture design, the creation of reusable engineering and template objects, and engineering and deployment tools for objects and diagnostics in the PlantPAx library.
• Batch and Sequencing Control -- New batch server software adds capabilities such as intelligent recipes, improved runtime user control, expanded data collection and reporting, and enhanced material management.
• Operations Productivity -- The PlantPAx approach to operations productivity is a three-tiered solution. At the most basic level, the Rockwell Automation historian collects key process data from within the controller chassis or via a server at the site level. Data is then analyzed in an information and decision support portal. This portal provides appropriate information about the production system based on user role. Then, as the third tier, PlantPAx System Release 2.0 offers optimization solutions. This optimization leverages advanced control techniques for single loops or unit operations or more advanced model predictive solutions for an entire line or plant area.

PlantPAx System Release 2.0 is available in the first quarter of 2011.

Emerson Bloggers Have Busy Week

Between special projects, getting a magazine out and travel, I'm afraid blogging time has taken a hit. I'm working on eight stories right now. But then, I'm on the road again next week--you'll be getting a double dose of Rockwell news this time.

The bloggers at Emerson Process Management have had a busy week, though. Mr. Emerson Process Expert himself, Jim Cahill, reports on a mobility application. Watch for more mobility coverage in the future as we all want to use our iPhones and Droid Incredibles in the plant (yes, Don, not in hazardous locations, please).

Greg McMillan discusses using an advanced PID algorithm developed for wireless control for other applications, while Terry Blevins discusses Data Analytics in Pharma Manufacturing with a call to action.

Invensys OpsManage'10 Fills the Hall

Sudipta Bhattacharya

One thing is for sure, unlike a couple of years ago, Invensys Operations Management is firmly in the hands of leaders who know process automation. Another thing is that expectations were exceeded with registrations totaling more than 1,200. (New rule of thumb--figure about 70% customers.) The third thing is that CEO and President, Sudipta Bhattacharya, and his team knew they had to clearly spell out just what an Enterprise Control System is.

The point of ECS is to close the “control gap” between strategy and execution, or put another way by Invensys Operations Management President, Sudipta Bhattacharya, “It’s time to close the profit control loop.”

“We will be foremost provider in the world of ECS. No one has a package solution but us. This is our vision of ECS, and it is one that leads to operational excellence,” added Bhattacharya. The challenge in manufacturing is to be able to manage the real-time plant. To do that, you must understand the plant floor. “That is our challenge and our opportunity,” he added.

The key is to integrate all the levels of the enterprise. Bhattacharya noted the company’s challenge is how well it can put the pieces together better and faster than the competition. “That is our journey,” he said.

Information without context is useless. Bhattacharya pointed to the Skelta acquisition which has led to ArchestrA Workflow—a technology that adds actionable context to plant information.

Grant Le Sueur, director of InFusion Product Marketing, demonstrated a scenario of a leaking control valve to show some of the ECS value. The leaking valve could lead to potential loss of production, profitability or even potential danger. 

Using SimSci-Esscor Dysim, Foxboro I/A Series distributed control system (DCS), Wonderware InTouch, Avantis Pro & CM, Wonderware IntelaTrac and ArchestrA Workflow from Invensys plus integration to SAP, Le Sueur showed how the integrated solution delivers consistent operational integrity, a full audit trail for traceability, control excellence and asset excellence, plus involvement of all plant and business stakeholders to solve both plant and business problems.

So, people have written to me asking, "Does IOM have a chance?" I will take that question to mean, does it have a chance to survive. I think the answer is yes. Two years ago, it was standing on a precipice overlooking the abyss of irrelevance. It was about 18 months ago when Invensys appointed Bhattacharya to his current position, brought together the rest of the brands and charged him with reforming the company. I've asked successful CEOs about team building in this sort of environment. The answer is always, measure the teams in months, not weeks. The team has come together well. The teams obviously enjoy working together. Investment in things that matter for process professionals is back on track. So, yes, IOM has a chance to survive--and be successful.

But then, execution is everything. So we'll continue to watch performance.