DATA ACQUISITION An operations management system helps a manufacturer see real-time results
INDUSTRY TRENDS IT systems help manufacturers respond to the call for customer-centric processes
AUTOMATION UPFRONT Canadian company “takes back manufacturing”
O C T O B E R 2 014
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Dr. Timothy Hill provides tips on how to convince CAVE people that lean is worth their commitment
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16
Going up!
The 2014 Canadian Manufacturing Study reveals increases in demand, production and spending By Mary Del Ciancio
14
The consumerization of manufacturing How IT systems help manufacturers respond to the call for customer-centric processes By Larry Korak
20
Measuring up An operations management system helps a bearing manufacturer see real-time results By Alison Dunn
www.AutomationMag.com • 2014-05-26 October 2014 3 10:08 AM
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Three times the good news
T
hey say things happen in threes. This often refers to bad things — but not this time. This month, I have three good news stories to share with you. I recently attended the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago. If the turnout at the show is any indication, the manufacturing industry is doing just fine. The 30th edition of IMTS covered more than 1.2 million net square feet of exhibit space at McCormick Place, and hosted more than 2,000 exhibitors showcasing the latest in machine tools, controls, computers, software, components and systems. More than 100,000 decision-makers — 114,147, to be exact — from 112 countries were there, ranking this year’s event among the four largest IMTS events ever. What’s even more telling is that this is the show’s best turnout since the recession hit in 2008, and it’s a 13.9 per cent increase over IMTS 2012. Clearly, the manufacturing industry is on the hunt for innovative technologies and processes. I saw many of them while I was there. This is good news, but there’s more. According to the results of our ninth annual Canadian Manufacturing Study — found on page 16 of this issue — 61 per cent of respondents are planning to increase spending in 2015. That’s up from the 55.1 per cent of respondents who last year said they planned to increase spending. Though the majority plan to spend less than $200,000, they’re still opening their wallets. At IMTS, I checked out one of the And that’s a good thing. innovations showcased by Beckhoff The ARC Advisory Group’s ARC Brief Automation — wearable HMI for from May 28 — entitled “The Future of automation using Google Glass. Manufacturing: Scenarios for Investment in Manufacturing through 2050” — supports this idea of increased investment. According to their report, “We see investment in industrial manufacturing to continue to grow worldwide through 2050 and beyond.” The group predicts that “innovation-driven economies” like North America will continue to grow and remain important areas for investment, “particularly since manufacturing has gained high priority as a source of social and economic development.” These are two very good indicators that the future is looking up for the manufacturing industry. But I promised you three. In my travels, I am fortunate enough to meet many industry innovators. This past summer, I had the pleasure of attending the grand opening of a Canadian manufacturer’s new facility in Stoney Creek, Ont. Not only was this company — Superior Radiant Products — moving into a larger facility, but the company needed the extra space because it was reshoring some of its manufacturing from China. That’s right. The reshoring trend that we heard about is real. It’s happening. This company is “taking back manufacturing,” and the employees, local politicians and some trade media were there to celebrate with them. More on this story can be found on page 6. So there you have it — three good news stories. If you have some good news to share about the manufacturing industry, send me an email and tell me something good. Your news might be included in an upcoming issue. Let’s keep the momentum going! •
Mary Del Ciancio mdelciancio@annexweb.com Follow me on Twitter @AutomationMag
4
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
Vol. 29, No.6
Canada’s leading publication providing industrial automation news and technology information aimed at the discrete and process industries. Mary Del Ciancio Editor mdelciancio@annexweb.com
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KsB pumps teams up with canadian Bearings
Tom Johnstone
Tom Johnstone has announced he will step down as president and CEO of SKF, effective January 1, 2015. He will be succeeded by Alrik Danielson, who has been president and CEO of Höganäs AB since 2005. Danielson worked at SKF between 1987 and 2005, holding a number of executive positions within the company, including president of the SKF Group’s Industrial Division and member of the SKF Group’s executive committee.
IDS Imaging Development System GmbH has named Tom Hospod the new sales director of its North American operations. He joins IDS with more than 20 years of experience in the machine vision industry, most recently with 1stVision Inc. and Princeton Instruments. In his new role, Hospod will oversee the IDS North American sales team, working directly with the company’s growing base of OEM customers and vision system integrators. Hospod succeeds Daniel Seiler, who is returning to IDS headquarters in Obersulm, Germany, to a new position in executive management.
KSB’s Michael Blundell (left) with Farrokh Khalili, chairman and CEO of Canadian Bearings KSB Pumps Inc. has announced a new sales and distribution partnership with Canadian Bearings, a Mississauga, Ont.-based supplier of industrial systems and products. Canadian Bearings will be an additional sales channel for KSB products, including the “Movitec,” “Eta” and “Amarex N” series pumps. franklin empire to acquire distribution business Franklin Empire and Measuremax have entered into an agreement of purchase and sale regarding the impending acquisition of Measuremax’s distribution business by Franklin Empire. Measuremax is a supplier of process and instrumentation products based in Peterborough, Ont. In conjunction with this acquisition, Franklin Empire will become the Siemens Exclusive Distributor for process and instrumentation products for the majority of Ontario, in addition to other major brands in the process and instrumentation product category. The remaining Measuremax business is not part of this acquisition and will continue under Measuremax Inc. The sale is expected to close on October 1, and Franklin Empire will continue operating this business unit in its existing facility in Peterborough. new additive manufacturing award announced at imTs AMT – The Association For Manufacturing Technology and VDW – Verein Deutscher Werkzeugmaschinenfabriken (German Machine Tool Builders’ Association) announced a partnership to present the International Additive Manufacturing Award annually, beginning in 2015. The award will recognize innovations in additive manufacturing for industrial applications. This includes developments in the design of systems or major components, advances in processes or materials, new applications, data generation or measurement. Those in the industry, such as system producers, users, component suppliers and data modellers, as well as international academia, will be invited to apply. The inaugural winner will be announced at an award dinner at the MFG Meeting, Manufacturing for Growth, taking place March 4-7, 2015 in Orlando, Fla. Admission forms and criteria are available at additive-award.com. Beckhoff MA oct14.indd 1
www.AutomationMag.com • 2014-09-25 October 2014 5 10:26 AM
A U T O M A T I O N
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Canadian manufacturer “takes back manufacturing,” moves to larger facility
S
uperior Radiant Products (SRP), a manufacturer of energy-efficient infrared heating solutions, recently celebrated its move to a 43,000-squarefoot facility on Barton Street in Stoney Creek, Ont. The move to a facility more than double its previous size is thanks to growth in export markets and its decision to reshore the manufacturing of a patio heater for the North American market — a heater that was previously produced in China. The company began making the portable heater in China in 2011, and sold more than 1,500 heaters in two years. But due to quality issues, the “Made in China” approach was not sustainable for the upscale North American market — hotels, restaurants, resorts, etc. The company began the process of bringing production to Canada in January 2014, and launched the “Made in Canada” model in October 2014. “We decided to bring the product back to Canada because we produce a high-end product for the high-end luxury market. Controlling the quality [in China] was a big issue for us,” says Kevin Merritt, president of SRP. In addition, the increase in labour costs in China, the increase in the cost of shipping and the minimum order sizes all played a role in the reshoring decision. By producing the product in Canada, the company can make smaller batches
Kevin Merritt, president of Superior Radiant Products and have more control over quality. “There’s more versatility. We don’t have to have these big long runs, minimum order sizes and multiple container loads at a time,” says Merritt, adding that producing the heater in Canada also allows the company to customize the product for specific customers. This particular product only accounts for about 10 per cent of the company’s production, but they’re expecting that number to increase in upcoming years now that it’s made in Canada. “We’re expecting the market to grow dramatically for us,” says Merritt. Overall, the company expects 15 to 20 per cent annual growth. This “aggressive growth plan” worldwide will create opportunity for more employment in the Stoney Creek facility. “We have plans to bring back more manufacturing to this great community,” Merritt told attendees at the grand opening of the new facility.
At the official launch ceremony, visitors got a tour of the new facility, which features a scalable, lean layout, capable of build-to-order. The layout has been designed to be responsive to seasonal customer demand, and gives SRP the capability to support a variety of product mix and configurations within a single manufacturing facility. It features flexible, semi-automatic equipment, with further automation planned in the future. “When we came to this facility, we saw an opportunity to change the workflow and to improve our efficiencies, so we grabbed that opportunity,” says Merritt, adding that the move to lean manufacturing is not only great for the bottom line, it’s great for employees, too. “Morale has really improved. Everyone sees a lot of change going on. The facility is much cleaner. Everybody knows where everything is. It’s certainly more efficient for us.” SRP launched 19 years ago with four employees. Today, the company has its new corporate headquarters in Stoney Creek — which used to be a Levi’s plant — satellite operations in the U.S. and China, and a strategic alliance in Germany. The company has 60 employees worldwide, and sells to the U.S., Canada, China and Europe. It’s come a long way, says Merritt. And he is happy with the direction the company is moving in. “We’re very proud of the decision [to reshore],” says Merritt. “It just feels great.” By Mary Del Ciancio
What’s online? Go to www.AutomationMag.com to see an on-camera interview with Kevin Merritt.
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ore than 400 readers participated in our ninth annual Canadian Manufacturing Study this summer, conducted in collaboration with the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium. The results of the survey, which are published on page 16 of this issue, provide insights into the state of the manufacturing industry in Canada, as well as future trends. A big thank you to all who took the survey. And congratulations to the winners of the random draw for two iPad minis: Dennis Linton, a design engineer with Chadwick Engineering Ltd., based in Kingston Ont.; and Darren Pardy, a maintenance and machine shop supervisor with Ecco Mfg in Calgary, Alta. Congrats, guys!
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• Sweden’s Electrolux is buying the appliances business of General Electric for US$3.3 billion, boosting its presence in the North American market. The acquisition is the largest ever for Stockholm-based Electrolux, ranked as the world’s second biggest home appliance maker after U.S. rival Whirlpool. GE is selling its appliances division — maker of the first electric toaster more than 100 years ago — as part of its effort to focus on selling more complex and profitable industrial equipment. • Tesla Motors will build a massive battery factory in Nevada as long as legislators approve tax breaks and other incentives worth up to US$1.3 billion over 20 years. Tesla’s choice of Nevada takes it a big step closer to mass producing an electric car that costs around $35,000 and can go 200 miles on a single charge. The facility would be approximately 10 million square feet — equivalent to about 174 football fields — and be located at an industrial park near the Reno suburb of Sparks. With files from the Associated Press
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
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2014-09-25 10:32 AM
A U T O M A T I O N
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endress+hauser opens new customer centre
E
ndress+Hauser’s a new 80,000-square-foot state-of-the-art customer centre in Greenwood, Ind., represents a US$16-million dollar investment in infrastructure designed to optimize customer support. “We want to be close to our customers, providing the best possible support,” said Matthias Altendorf, CEO of the Endress+Hauser Group. “Our investments reflect both our commitment to customers in the process industry and our promise to sustainably
DEAL MAKERS
Fanuc and rockwell announce global collaboration
F
anuc and Rockwell Automation recently announced an advanced global collaboration to provide customers a more seamless and integrated manufacturing solution. The two companies have expanded their initial collaboration, which started four years ago in the CNC and Logix programmable automation controller (Logix PAC) environments, with further integration of robotics, ROBOMACHINEs and enterprise software products. The effort will have an initial impact on applications in the automotive industry, where customers can experience benefits of a preferred integration plug-and-play automation and information solution. “Fanuc had already been offering flexible open interfaces to complementary automation systems globally,” said Dr. Eng. Yoshiharu Inaba, president and CEO of Fanuc. “However, Fanuc and Rockwell Automation together agree that our globally shared customer base wants a completely integrated
automation solution. So I am proud to announce this advanced global collaboration with Rockwell Automation that allows us to offer a preferred integration solution to our customers around the world.” “The global collaboration between Rockwell Automation and Fanuc is a direct response to our customers’ needs for more effective integration across manufacturing disciplines,” said Rockwell Automation chairman and CEO Keith D. Nosbusch. “Integrating Fanuc CNC, robot and ROBOMACHINE portfolios with our integrated control and information solutions will result in better manufacturing agility, to help customers achieve a secure connected enterprise.”
SKF Canada to acquire hofmann engineering north america
S
KF Canada and Hofmann Engineering, Australia, together with other minority owners, have entered into an agreement that SKF will acquire Hofmann Engineering North America. “Hofmann Engineering North America is a great fit with our strategy and activities,” said Dan Reed, president of SKF Regional Sales and Service, North
generate outstanding value for them.” In the last five years, the instrument manufacturer has invested approximately $150 million into its U.S. operations to expand its flow, level, pressure, analytical and temperature manufacturing capabilities, as well as investments in support structures, projects, services and training organizations. The customer centre allows Endress+Hauser to provide additional, tailored service and support to its customers. Training, repair and calibration are now stationed under one roof for faster, more accurate and efficient customer service and turnaround.
Hofmann’s workshop in Cambridge, Ont. America. “They have a strong product and service portfolio and skilled staff. The complementary nature of their products and technologies will enable us to even better serve our customers in the industrial market in North America.” Hofmann Engineering North America is a high-precision machining operation located in Cambridge, Ont., in a 50,000-square-foot facility. It has 16 employees.
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www.AutomationMag.com • 2014-09-25 October 2014 7 9:10 AM
A U T O M A T I O N
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So you want to be a programmer? A look at Visual Studio Online By JereMy pOLLarD
I
f you want to be a programmer, but don’t want to spend the money on the tools, you have some options. Google made the Android development environment available for all to use, creating a boatload of android app developers. Microsoft did the same thing with free versions of its Visual Studio Express development environments for various languages. Enter Visual Studio Online (VSO) — a cloud-based development environment where all of the development is done using a web browser and a local copy of Visual Studio Express 2013. Let’s see what it’s made of. Visualstudio.com is the home page for its products. If you don’t already have one, you’ll have to create a live login. Once your account is set up, you can create your VS homepage and, voila, you are ready to “develop.” The main thing to remember is that Microsoft holds your source code. I am not sure creating a “company-making” product in the cloud is the best thing to do — you don’t want it to fall into the wrong hands or, worse, be the target of hackers and spammers.
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The help system from Visual Studio Online’s Microsoft Developer Network resource I am introducing this to you as an alternative to massive downloads, and as a learning tool. Be aware that Microsoft is also trying to “force” users to Windows 8. Also be aware that you still have to download and install a version of VS 2013 since some of the editor tools connect to VSO locally. VSO supports collaboration with up to five users, free of charge. It also supports all of the VS languages for your project. Microsoft is trying to create developers, pure and simple. And these developers will develop for Windows, thus creating pull-through for its operating system(s). Google did it, so why not Microsoft? It is a great learning tool. The online help system is huge. Regardless of the language of choice, there is an abundance of examples, help files, guided tours and the like to help you on your own journey. I learned something about the Scrum templates — it is a team tool that tracks bugs and source code on various levels. While beyond the scope of this column, it is suggested that more reading be done if you are choosing to use this cloud app with multiple developers. It was designed to accommodate scope creep and bug tracking. Each project has a very different feel to it and will take some learning to traverse. As with anything worthwhile, one must spend the time to learn the tool, and Microsoft has tried hard to provide a roadmap. But keep in mind that if you are not a programmer, it might take a little longer to navigate through. At first view, this development environment looked very cool. But the more I got into it, the more it seemed that it was really for team and collaborative projects which, when created, would require the Windows OS or Mobile OS. So what is VSO really? It is a resource for language learning; it is a repository for source code, which is version-tracked by the Scrum templates and the Team Foundation Server version control system; and it is also a place where you can build and test your application(s). You can build web-based projects, locally executed projects and enterprise-level projects. The web-based ones looked interesting, but the underlying language(s) is where the fun is. VSO with VS Studio supports Visual Basic, C++, C#, F#, Java and various flavours of Microsoft subsystems, such as ASP.NET applications. Being able to write some code in industrial applications can be a very valuable skill. Rockwell’s RSLogix has a Visual Basic interface called VBA (Visual Basic for Applications), which is the same as the scripting in many SCADA packages, as well as Microsoft products such as Excel. Scripting can be done in various languages when employing an IEC-61131 controller with dynamic linking of modules in real-time. So while this isn’t a review of VSO as such, it is a review of the possibilities that are available to you. The MSDN (Microsoft Developer Network) resource is huge, and the application development templates can be very useful for the novice. I hope you like it! • Jeremy Pollard (jpollard@tsuonline.com) has been in the industrial automation industry for more than 25 years. He has worked as a systems integrator, consultant and educator.
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C O L U M N B U S
Happy Anniversary, Fieldbus Foundation! By Ian Verhappen
T
he Fieldbus Foundation (FF) celebrated a significant milestone earlier this year — its 20th anniversary. In honour of this occasion, this month’s column will focus on how FF has evolved over the last two decades, and what’s in store for the future. The Fieldbus Foundation was formed in 1994 with the merger of WorldFIP North America and the ISP Foundation. Its first specifications were released in 1995, which started the now famous “fieldbus wars.” Canada’s Tony Capel was instrumental in negotiating the resolution of these “wars” in 1998 with the multipart standard, which was originally eight parts and has since evolved to about 21 parts, including Ethernet versions of many protocols. What is interesting is that part of the reason we had the “fieldbus wars” is that Electronic Device Description Language (EDDL) — or DD for short — is the basis for the HART protocol, which evolved to H1 and Profibus PA. Now the next evolution of EDDL is the merging again of these protocols under the auspices of FDI — Field Device Integration. H1 adoption has come a long way since the first device with a single AI block was approved with the now famous “FF Check Mark” in 1997. Today, 577 unique products are certified using 150 H1 stacks and 900 different devices. There are now in excess of two million FF devices in service connected to approximately 20,000 host/DCS systems. Some of the other key dates over the past 20 years that affected FF technology include: • The High-Speed Ethernet (HSE) project that started in 1998 to port the functionality of FF to Ethernet was completed in 2000. • The End User Advisory Council (EUAC) was established in 2001 as a means for end-users to provide direct input to the FF board of directors on requirements to make FF more usable. • Standardized Transducer Blocks (TB) were approved in 2007 so that asset management tools would have consistent definition and, therefore, better integration into these tools. • Safety Instrumented Fieldbus (SIF), though not yet widely used, was completed in 2005 and demonstrated in 2008. • Physical device testing also started in 2007 so that FF cable, power supplies and device couplers provided a consistent minimal level of reliability and interoperability. • Host system registration started in 2009 so that both ends of the network would be tested against a defined set of minimum requirements for consistent interpretation and implementation from system to system. • The HSE RIO (Remote Input Output) project that started in 2007 formed the basis for the FF ROM (Remote Operations Management) initiative, which was demonstrated by Petrobras last year and incorporates the results of the joint development with ISA100 of the ISA100.15 wireless backhaul network. • During this whole time, the ITK (Interoperability Test Kit) — on which the FF Check Mark is based — has continued to evolve to reflect the changes in the underlying standards, and they are presently working on the ITK6.n version of this tool. As you can see, the technology has not remained static, and the Fieldbus Foundation is continuing to focus on improved usability. The Gemstone initiative is taking a four-pronged approach to making FF easier to use. The four aspects of FF being addressed through the initiative are: backwards compatibility, device templates, automated device replacement, and PV interchangeability. The most recent FF development is the evolution of the organization itself — the Fieldbus Foundation and HART Communications Foundation are in the process of merging. Though the new name for the organization is not yet announced, legal filings for the creation of a new not-for-profit entity took place in September 2014, and the offices — which are presently in the same industrial park in Austin, Texas — will be consolidated in early 2015. The Foundation fieldbus and HART specifications will continue to exist individually, and each protocol will keep its own identity and intellectual property. The new organization will support the new FDI single source EDDL evolution and integration tools for HART and Foundation fieldbus technologies. • Ian Verhappen, P.Eng. (iverhappen@gmail.com), is an ISA Fellow, ISA Certified Automation Professional (CAP), and a recognized authority on Foundation Fieldbus and industrial communications technologies. www.AutomationMag.com • October 2014 win_MA_May.indd 1
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Dealing with CAVE people By Dr. TIMOThy hILL
I
laughed out loud when I first heard about CAVE people. They are the “Citizens Against Virtually Everything,” and they are the group of people resistant to lean changes. Some of the people involved in your lean initiative will be on board with the change; others will be sitting on the fence until they see proof that lean works; and the remaining group will be the CAVE people. One of my senseis, Masaaki Imai, was once asked by Taiichi Ohno (the father of TPS) how the terms kaizen and kairyo (reform) were differentiated in the West. Imai told him that while kaizen means to make improvement by using brains, kairyo means to make improvement by using money and, in the West, most managers only think of improvement in terms of money. Imai told me that Ohno liked this definition and quoted it on several occasions during his public speeches. What does that have to do with CAVE people? Simple. In the West, if the managers think the continuous improvement idea will not be accepted (read: make or save money almost instantly), they won’t approve it. It gets worse if the workplace has a group of vocal CAVE people. You know the type. They will tell you they’ve tried lean (or whatever else) before and it didn’t work. They’ll tell you it’s not the way they do things. They’ll tell you what they’ve been doing has worked well enough for a long time. What you need to do is convince these CAVE people that lean works. You want to get to the sources of organizational savings that come from getting the job
done right the first time, by getting everyone to stop and ask “Why?” five times. In short, you really want to transform your workplace by creating a lean organizational culture. Here’s how to convince the CAVE people that lean is worth their commitment: One: Treat them with respect. Respect for all people is a central tenet of the Toyota Production System. You’ll want to announce your continuous improvement efforts to everyone and invite them to participate. At the same time, you’ll have an understanding of the people who will comprise the first group of people. You’ll direct everyone’s attention to this first group’s outcomes and successes. Two: Integrate them slowly. Once you’ve got your preliminary successes under your belt, go ahead and ask the CAVE people if they’d like to participate in the next continuous improvement (CI) efforts. Connect a few of them to the next round of CI exercises. Three: Convince them with data, not your say so. You can talk about the glorious results of your lean initiatives until you’re blue in the face, but people want to see something they can “take to the bank.” Let your successes do the talking. Chat about them right after you meet a major milestone, note what worked and what didn’t and record them. Present the results each month to everyone, and be sure to include senior management in this group. This will reinforce the “lean is for everyone” mentality.
Four: Ask them what they’d like to change. If they don’t want to participate in early lean efforts, ask them about what they’d like to change about their work. This isn’t a free for all, so there are some ground rules: Don’t throw money at a problem. All that shows is you’ve got a lot of money. Don’t rely on IT or automation. That might come later, but for now, exercise your wits, not your wallets! Remember, they will be CAVE people until they’re not! You can bring everyone along the lean journey by sharing the facts of your success, making that success shared and being inclusive. I can’t tell you the number of times that I have heard from clients that “Person X” used to be the biggest CAVE person — nothing was done right; they complained about everything; and they did nothing to bring about improvement. Then they tell me about the change! They tell me that “Person X”, who used to be the biggest CAVE person, is now the most pro-lean person they’ve got — this person contributes suggestions, sees them through, and prompts others to contribute to the lean board or make suggestions. I really love hearing these stories because it means that the lean culture is catching on. It means that those closest to production are becoming the change that we all want to see! Dr. Timothy Hill is an Industrial and Organizational Psychologist and Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt with global expertise in Human Resources/Human Capital. He can be reached at drtim@kyoseicanada.ca.
Question from the floor quesTion: what are the most common mistakes when implementing lean? answer: Lean must never be a tool for simple cost reduction. This fundamentally misses the purpose of lean, which is to empower those closest to production to create value through eliminating waste. The thinking is that as companies improve their processes, they should be able to save time, prevent errors and generally reallocate their resources to new value-creating work. Another important attitude to avoid from the beginning is the tendency to rush into using the tools. When this is done without giving any background or support to lean, you’ll wind up with a new “flavour of the month.” This can be hard to avoid, since many tools, like 5S, deliver immediate payoffs. You want to provide enough background so people can see that their efforts lead to positive change. The best way to achieve this is to make sure everyone is involved in lean. Lean beginners should also be careful of biting off more than they can chew. Make initial continuous improvements in small steps. Communicate their successes. Make sure everyone hears about them. And ensure they have a lean leader with deep knowledge and a gemba attitude. Indeed, one of the hardest challenges is the degree to which individual lean successes will invariably uncover new problems and greater challenges. Simply be aware of how difficult this work will be. Lean Insights continued on page 13
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I N D U S T R Y
W A T C H
Sharpening the saw By paUL hOGenDOOrn
M
any years ago, I read Steven Covey’s landmark book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I have read many other good books since that time, but this one still stands out as a foundational book for me, especially as I consider the roles in my life where my abilities as a leader matter. This past month, I attended a two-day Global Leadership Conference with the specific purpose of practising the seventh habit that Covey identifies — the habit of “sharpening the saw.” Covey’s point was that a wood-cutter that stopped regularly to sharpen his saw would cut far more wood, with far less effort, than a wood-cutter that never stopped cutting. The same principal applies to leadership. We can get a lot more done if we take regular breaks to hone our leadership skills. But stopping to sharpen the saw takes discipline and intention, and it’s so easy to get caught in the trap of believing we are too busy to slow down, let alone stop for a break. That’s the paradigm that most of us live in. We know better, but we continue to cut the wood with a dull blade. One method I use to make sure I do the things I know I should do is to commit to them when they are six months away. It’s easy to say yes to events that won’t happen for awhile; it’s progressively harder to commit to taking time out for those same events as the time draws nearer. The reminders come in, the event is on my schedule, the invoice is paid, and for those reasons I go. After it’s over, I’m glad I did. There were many messages at the conference I needed to hear; some were new and some were things I needed to be reminded of. It would be impossible to try to summarize even a few of them, but here are four key points that most resonated with me: 1) Leadership is a choice, not something you were chosen to do. 2) Leadership skills need to be learned, practised and refined. You are not simply born with them. 3) Leaders change the order of things. And 4), the highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential in others. These four points cover the whole spectrum of leadership in our manufacturing world. Let’s start with the third one — leaders change the order of things. All of our continuous improvement efforts are really just seeking to do just that — change the order of things to try to make them better. The ideas don’t just come from the CEO, plant manager or lean team leader; they need to come from everyone involved. Everyone, from the operator onward, has the potential to be a leader, and this speaks to the first point — leadership is a choice. Choosing to participate in the process of making things better is choosing to be a leader, regardless of your position or title. Conversely, supressing constructive changes or growth activities, or choosing not to encourage them within your organization, is choosing not to be a leader, even if your title identifies you as one. The second point speaks to our potential effectiveness as leaders. Just because we are choosing to be leaders, and trying to be leaders, doesn’t mean we will be effective leaders. There are certain skills that are critical to leaders (the ability to communicate, for instance), and these can be learned and honed, and need to be continuously improved upon. The last of the four points may be the most important of them all, and it resonated with me the most. This past event, I invited two younger members of my team to the conference with me, believing that I will soon be passing the torch of leadership to the next generation. I came to the conference already believing that the highest calling of leadership is to unlock the potential within others, but now I think I understand it more clearly. It’s not just the people next in line on the organizational chart that have leadership potential — the ability to change the order of things — it’s everyone in the organization that chooses to try. We as leaders have to strive to unlock all of this potential in these people, or if our companies are too big, to create an organizational culture that does. Can you imagine what our companies and organizations might be capable of if everyone saw themselves as leaders? When we look at thriving and prevailing organizations today, we often attribute their success to the qualities and attributes of their leader. But if we look closer, we will usually see the leader has developed a true culture of leadership that permeates the entire organization. Doing this kind of leadership right is a mammoth job that will take all the imagination, dedication, time and energy that we can pour into it. To succeed, we need to make sure we make time regularly to sharpen the saw. •
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11
2014-09-25 10:44 AM
M A C H I N E
S A F E T Y
Key considerations for using and selecting non-contact switches By TIna hULL
M
y husband and I painted the walls and installed new wood trim in our home. Everything was great until the day our friend fell against an open door and it hit the wall behind it, damaging the drywall. Yes, we forgot to replace the doorstop. Unfortunately, another weekend of summertime activities was replaced with spackling and repainting. In some ways, the doors for safeguarding machinery are similar to the doors in a house — if installed improperly or used incorrectly, they can both cause or be damaged. So how can we prevent damage when using non-contact switches — interlocking devices designed to protect people and machines — on our doors? It’s simple: use a doorstop. Non-contact switches and doorstops should go hand in hand. Here are some examples. (Black is the doorstop; red represents the noncontact switches; and yellow represents the door.)
In applications where the installations are close together, check the manual for minimum distance between multiple sets of non-contact switches. It is usually between 25 and 50 mm, depending on the switch and its orientation. Also check the user manual for minimum gap, which is typically around two millimetres. But first, you need to make sure the application is appropriate for noncontact switches — and doorstops — and there are multiple factors to consider when making the decision. The ideal applications have small, light-weight doors that lift up, swing 12
Using a doorstop can help prevent damage when using non-contact switches or slide open. You’ll want to avoid non-contact switches on heavy doors since the door can droop over time and cause false trips due to unanticipated misalignment. Another suitable use is for applications traditionally using limit switches. Limit switches are difficult to use and are easy to bypass with a piece of gum and a nickel since they detect ferrous metal objects. Non-contact switches are an option for compact machines. For industries requiring cleaner work environments, sealed non-contact switches are a solution since they don’t generate particles or cause contamination. They can handle higher ambient operating temperatures and many are rated for IP67. Some smaller machines that do not allow full body access use Plexiglass as a barrier. What happens if too much force is applied to Plexiglass? It breaks. Therefore, using non-contact switches with doorstops will reduce the probability of broken Plexiglass compared to using a mechanical switch, which is usually associated with high force when closing. There are several types of non-contact switches, so which one should you use? One widely available is the magnetic type that uses a universal reed switch. Metal reeds are sealed inside a glass tube and the contacts are actuated when the magnetic field is present. They are excellent for harsh environments, such as flammable gas and corrosion, since they are sealed and have a low resistance when closed. They are available in coded and non-coded versions. The noncoded versions have just one set of north and south poles, which makes it easy for an operator to carry a spare magnet in their pocket to bypass the switch when no one is looking. The coded versions come in different combinations of north and south poles. It is a lot like keys, each having its own pattern. Trying to find another one to bypass the system is far more difficult. Remember how the
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
switch is sealed in a glass tube? Any excessive force causing the two ends to collide oftentimes damages the switch since it shatters the glass tube. These are difficult to troubleshoot since the switch is sealed inside the housing.
non-contact switches are an option for compact machines. Here are some other issues with reed switches: 1. When placed in series, you can’t determine which one caused the shutdown. 2. If a door is closed too slowly, the magnets may not make contact within the specified time and may not allow the system to restart. (You can overcome this by opening and closing the door again.) 3. Most companies mount these on ferrous material (steel frames). Ferrous material sucks out the magnetism and can decrease the gap by up to 90 per cent. (You can fix this by installing a non-metal spacer. Check your user manual, but many only need a five-millimetre spacer.) 4. Machines subject to vibration and shock can cause false tripping, especially on systems with tight tolerances. 5. Magnetic particles may stick to it. If these are problems for you, a solution might be non-contact switches using electromagnetic induction method, also known as hall effect. An external magnetic field turns on the contacts. The transducer converts the signal from one form of energy to another, which then varies the output
voltage in response to the magnetic field. If you are subject to false tripping due to vibration or shock or operators who open the door too slowly, this may be a solution since these switches use a sequence of contacts so they do not suffer from contact bounce. Some models available meet a category 4/PLe. Sometimes it isn’t the non-contact switches causing the problem, but the installation or environment. If used in areas around electromagnetic equipment — such as RFID, proximity sensors, motors, inverters and switching power supplies — a surge absorber may be needed, especially for versions that have an inrush current rating less than 0.5 mA. For equipment where the switches intermittently work correctly, especially when wiring has been double-checked and is confirmed to be correct, check the type of power supply and the power consumption. Safety devices should use a power supply certified for SELV (Safety Extra Low Voltage). Use a safety-rated controller for monitoring, since non-contact switches do not have direct opening action. Finally, finish the application by using tamper-resistant screws or fill in the head with a tamper-proof varnish or compound that will not have a detrimental effect on the plastic switch case. Selecting the correct application, technology, installation and monitoring for your machinery plays a huge part in keeping your machines running safely and increasing their lifespan. And if a non-contact switch is the right technology for your application, make sure you use a doorstop. • Tina Hull is a product engineer with Omron Automation and Safety.
L E A N
I N S I G H T S
Continued from page 10
By Dr. TIMOThy hILL
lead with respect: a novel of lean practice, by Michael ballé and freddy ballé This book tells the story of CEO Jane Delaney of Southcape Software. She is forced to review everything that she’s been doing and, in the process, discovers from her sensei, Andy Ward, that learning to lead with respect enables her to help people improve every day. “For us, lean is all about challenging yourself and each other to find the right problems, and working hard every day to engage people in solving them,” said Ward. One of the true powers of lean is the ability to develop people while building a culture of continuous improvement. Some people believe that lean is successfully implemented by following a rigorous application of proven tools and methods. In fact, lean’s successful implementation comes from changing the culture to one of continuous improvement. And that means asking the right questions when faced with an anomaly, getting down to the correct root causes and approaching everything with a “Why?” attitude. Lead With Respect has a timely message. While lean has become essential for companies to compete in today’s global economy, most practitioners see it as a rigorous focus on process to produce higher quality goods and services. This really is a limited understanding and it’s one that fails to realize the true power of lean. It’s no wonder people ask whether they should mention Toyota when doing their lean training. They’ve forgotten the basics, which is what this book delivers. The authors have also written The Gold Mine and The Lean Manager, but this work shares huge amounts of practical information on the most important yet least understood aspect of lean management: how to develop people through a rigorous application of lean tools.
left to the memory of any one person. Gawande is really interested in a problem that afflicts virtually every aspect of the modern world — how professionals deal with the increasing complexity of their responsibilities. He makes a distinction between errors of ignorance (mistakes we make because we don’t know enough), and errors of ineptitude (mistakes we made because we don’t make proper use of what we know). Most of the time, the mistakes that we make are about the
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From the bookshelf
second of these errors. He introduces the origins of the checklist (the B-17 story) and then takes us through a series of examples from medicine, showing how the routine tasks of surgeons have now become so incredibly complicated that mistakes are virtually inevitable. As our manufacturing systems get more complex, it gets easier to make “errors of ineptitude.” Having a checklist overcomes these errors because we’re now making proper use of what we know.
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The checklist Manifesto – How to get Things right, by atul gawande This book is one that I’ve discussed before in my column, but I think it’s worth revisiting. It makes the case for making something complicated simpler. Although Gawande uses many medical examples of where simplicity is needed, it is truly required in areas as diverse as software engineering, financial management, fire fighting, policing, the law and, of course, clinicians. Readers will appreciate the B-17 story from chapter two. The B-17 crashed on its test flight on October 30, 1935. The “Flying Fortress” went on to help gain a decisive air advantage in World War II. Right after the accident, the test pilots created a pilot’s checklist because the new airplane was too complicated to be
Think about what happens in your manufacturing operation and where mistakes have become almost inevitable. I once had a manufacturing client that had an 80 per cent failure rate for their most important product. A simple checklist eliminated this error! •
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www.AutomationMag.com • October 201415:2113 26.02.14 2014-05-26 2:13 PM
I N D U S T R Y
T R E N D S
The consumerization of
ManufacTuring
How IT systems help manufacturers respond to the call for customer-centric processes
C
By Larry KOraK onsumer power has reached an alltime high, and businesses have felt the impact across their supply chains globally. It’s not just consumer-facing businesses feeling the impact. Even B2B manufacturers are hearing consumers’ voices across all of their business channels. In fact, according to a recent IDC Manufacturing Insights report, “Consumers are driving the ‘speed of business’ in manufacturing today.” Being able to capture consumer preferences using advanced search algorithms does not necessarily translate into the ability to rapidly change products or fulfill orders any faster or cheaper. Likewise, accelerating the capture of customer product preferences using online order configurators is only the starting point. Getting the right piece of furniture or pair of shoes ready for shipping requires tightly integrated production and fulfillment capabilities. In the industrial heyday, manufacturing operations were insulated from the whims of the consumer, separated by a protective layer of distributors, dealers and retail operations who bore the burden of facing the buying public. It was up to the retail clerk to say, “I’m sorry, that only comes in black and it’s on back-order and we don’t know when it will be in stock.” Then, online shopping emerged and these walls came tumbling down. Today, consumer preferences and the desire to build intimate relationships with customers drives many manufacturing decisions. This is not only true for consumer goods manufacturers that rely on brand recognition, like those producing toothpaste or laundry detergent. This consumer-centric approach has also reached businesses that cater to other businesses, such as manufacturers of capital equipment and material handling systems. 14
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
“This consumer purchasing style is not only having an impact on brand-oriented industries; it is impacting the whole manufacturing value chain to a point that B2B (business-to-business) trading is now often defined as B2B2C (business-to-business-to-consumer), indicating how increasingly important it is to take care of the customer of the customer,” the IDC report notes. Even though end consumers may be far removed from the manufacturer in the B2B buying cycle, they still expect to be able to influence choices, such as colours, dimensions and materials. In highly complex products, such as industrial pumps or generators, engineers are likely to have very detailed specifications for the manufacturer. Engineers are also consumers and, like any consumer, they want to know their preferences are heard or they will take their project elsewhere. Even in the B2B industry, loyalty is becoming less and less important in purchase decisions. “Purchasing patterns have been completely redefined by the extensive availability of information through social networks and its rapid transmission via a vast range of new mobile devices,” says the IDC report. It adds, “Consumers are well informed about market products, prices and dynamics. They are brand agnostic and compare, select or discard multiple products with just a tap on their tablet.” This consumerization of manufacturing is calling for change among companies — big and small — that manufacture, supply and service goods. Especially as manufacturers struggle to compete with low-cost suppliers in emerging nations, the ability to respond quickly to customer preferences is a vital differentiation point. To seize this opportunity, manufacturers need to make dramatic changes in their company culture and infrastructures. Creating and nurturing a customer-centric approach is not as difficult as it may have been just a decade ago. Today, modern ERP solutions
offer functionality that makes tracking and predicting consumer preferences much more reliable. Deep analytics and business intelligence tools turn the mystery of consumer buying cycles into actionable data. Modern ERP solutions with social collaboration tools also help manufacturers share designs, specifications and production updates with customers. Because the conversation is stored within the ERP solution in context of the customer order, it is far more reliable and relevant than email, texting or other social tools (which are easily lost). Product configuration tools allow customers or dealers to make design choices online and see a 3D rendering of the product, as configured. This type of solution also feeds directly into the ERP system and becomes a customer order, providing the shop floor with exact specification details and materials required. In addition to these tactical tools, technology also enables employees — from C-suite to the shipping dock — to take on a new mindset, one that places the customer first. This requires highly engaged personnel and employees who use IT solutions to their fullest to be proactive and alert to potential customer-affecting problems. Modern ERP solutions provide the tools — such as role-based dashboards and personalized performance tracking — but the personnel must be trained, coached and inspired to want to look out for the customers’ best interests. That is a directive that must come from the top and be exemplified by key managers. Customer-centric manufacturing may require some effort, some training and some technology, but the benefits are well worth it. As competition continues to escalate, it will be the companies who are in-tune with their customers who will receive the biggest piece of the pie. • Larry Korak is the industry and solution strategy director for Infor.
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going The 2014 Canadian Manufacturing Study reveals increases in demand, production and spending By Mary DeL CIanCIO
T
he headline says it all. Things are looking up for the manufacturing industry. In fact, plenty of good news came out of this year’s Canadian Manufacturing Study. Conducted by Manufacturing AUTOMATION in conjunction with the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium, the ninth annual study portrays an industry in growth mode. For the fifth straight year, production has increased for more than half of respondents. Demand is also on the rise and, as a result, more than three-quarters of respondents are expecting to expand in some capacity over the next three years, whether it’s in engineering/R&D, production, sourcing or sales and service. And for those looking to expand, nearly three-quarters say this expansion will happen in Canada. These are promising trends for an industry that over the last six years has made headlines for plant closures and layoffs. Are there still plants closing and workers losing jobs? Yes. But it appears the instances are decreasing. In fact, while the number of respondents expecting layoffs is still hovering around five per cent, those anticipating a plant closure has dropped to the lowest rate since we began asking this question in 2008. In addition, more companies say they have experienced improvements and/or a turnaround in 2014 compared to last year. But it’s not all good news. The respondents say there are still major barriers to their future competitiveness — namely the availability of skilled labour and high labour costs. This year’s study looks at these trends and many more, including a year-to-year comparison of trends dating back to 2006. While the survey doesn’t drill down into month-to-month comparisons of productivity, demand and more, it does give a snapshot of some of the issues and opportunities awaiting manufacturers in the year ahead, based on the answers given by the more than 430 respondents.
16
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
here are some of this year’s study highlights: More than 90 per cent of respondents have been in business for at least 10 years, and more than three-quarters have been in business for more than two decades. More than half of the respondents reported annual revenues below $49 million, about the same number as in 2013. Average hourly wages have slowly increased over the last two years, according to respondents. This year’s average is $22.24, which is almost a dollar more than last year, and two dollars more than 2012. The number of workers making between $8-14 an hour decreased from 8.7 per cent last year to 7.1 per cent this year. And while those making between $15-19 an hour and $20-24 an hour is also slightly higher than last year, there are slightly fewer workers in the $25-plus an hour category than there were in 2013. Companies are still planning to increase spending on capital equipment and technology in 2015, with more than half — 61 per cent — planning to boost it by at least five per cent. That’s up from the 55.1 per cent of respondents who last year said they planned to increase spending. While spending is on the horizon, it won’t be a significant amount for the majority of respondents — 66.7 per cent estimate their firm will spend less than $199,000 on manufacturing technology, software and related capital equipment and services over the next year. Like last year, design (i.e., CAD, CAM, CAE) topped the list of IT applications companies are using, receiving the most number of votes by almost double. As in years past, lean manufacturing is by far the most commonly deployed plant improvement strategy among respondents. More than half say they use lean manufacturing strategies. Continuous improvement is still the most commonly used strategic practice, according to respondents, with nearly three-quarters of the votes. Material handling continues to be the production activity most targeted for equipment purchases over the next year, followed closely by testing/inspection, production control and assembling.
Little has changed over the last year when it comes to the implementation of safety technologies. Like last year, two-thirds of respondents say they have implemented and are fully compliant, or have a plan and have begun implementation. And nearly a quarter say they don’t apply advanced safety technologies. The name of the game is expansion. 77.6 per cent of respondents are planning an expansion in the next three years, compared to 76.3 per cent last year — a clear sign the industry continues to improve. Once again, production was the top area cited for expansion. You should note, though, that individual areas — i.e., production, sourcing, sales, etc. — have higher numbers across the board because this year we allowed respondents to select more than one area of planned expansion. Where do respondents plan to expand their operations? Nearly three-quarters listed Canada as the number-one location for expansion. It’s also the top spot they are interested in acquiring customers from. More than half of respondents (58.5 per cent) have seen an increase in demand from their customers — up from last year’s 51.8 per cent and the 53.4 per cent who saw an increase in 2012. Production continues to increase for Canadian manufacturers, with 59.4 per cent of respondents saying production has increased over the last 12 months. That’s up from 58.2 per cent in 2013. 42.3 per cent of respondents say the price of their product has increased, compared to a slightly higher 43.1 per cent last year. Meanwhile, manufacturing costs continue to rise for the majority of respondents, though more respondents report a decrease in costs than last year — 13.6 in 2014 compared to 9.6 in 2013. More companies are planning to expand over the next year and a half than indicated last year — 43.5 per cent compared to 36.4 per cent. The number of respondents expecting layoffs is still hovering around five per cent, an improvement over the period from 2008-2010. More good news: The number of respondents anticipating plant closures has dropped to the lowest rate since we began asking this question in 2008 — 0.6 per cent.
COMPANY SNAPSHOT what industry sectors do your products serve? (Note: Respondents were able to select more than one industry as their primary industry. An arrow represents an increase from last year.) what is the what other priMary sector sectors do you serve? you serve? Automotive
18.1%
11.6%
Aerospace
7.9%
7.2%
Chemicals
4.9%
5.1%
Computers/electronics
5.8%
5.8%
Consumer goods
15.7%
7.4%
Energy
10.2%
12.0%
Food/agriculture
12.0%
8.6%
Industrial equipment/machinery
25.2%
12.0%
Mining
8.8%
10.6%
Pharmaceuticals/medical
6.9%
6.3%
Plastics
7.9%
5.6%
Textiles
3.2%
1.6%
Wood products/furniture
9.0%
5.6%
what type of manufacturing does your company engage in? Discrete Process Both
27.8% 44.2% 28.0%
How many people work at your company? Fewer than 25 25 – 49 50 – 99 100 – 199 200 – 500 More than 500
26.6% 16.0% 16.0% 14.4% 13.2% 13.9%
what is the approximate annual revenue for your firm? Less than $10 million $10 million – $49 million $50 million – $99 million $100 million – $249 million $250 million – $499 million $500 million – $1 billion More than $1 billion N/A
How long has your company been in business? Less than five years 5 to 9 years 10 to 20 years More than 20 years
3.5% 6.2% 11.2% 79.1%
38.0% 24.7% 9.8% 5.7% 2.6% 1.8% 5.4% 12.1%
what is the average hourly wage for your workers on the plant floor? $8 – 14 $25+ The average hourly wage for workers on the plant floor is $22.24. That’s up nearly a dollar from last year’s average of $21.44, and $2 up from 2012.
7.1%
28.7% $15 – 19
33.5% $20 – 24
30.7%
STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH Do you anticipate your company increasing or decreasing spending on capital equipment and technology over the next year? Increase by more than 10% Increase by around 10% Increase by around 5% No change Decrease by around 5% Decrease by around 10% Decrease by more than 10%
23.6% 12.5% 24.9% 31.7% 2.4% 2.2% 2.7%
companies are still planning to increase spending in 2015, with more than half — 61 per cent — planning to boost it by at least five per cent. That’s up from the 55.1 per cent of respondents who last year said they planned to increase spending.
what is your best estimate at a dollar amount for how much manufacturing technology, software and related capital equipment and services your firm will purchase over the next year? Less than $25,000 $25,000 - $49,000 $50,000 - $199,000 $200,000 - $499,000 $500,000 - $1 million More than $1 million
23.7% 16.8% 26.2% 12.1% 8.0% 13.2%
what plant improvement strategies does your company employ? (multiple responses allowed) Lean Manufacturing Total Quality Management None Software integration services Six Sigma Agile Manufacturing Other
52.1% 29.0% 24.2% 21.4% 14.4% 6.5% 5.9%
as in years past, lean manufacturing is by far the most commonly deployed plant improvement strategy among respondents
what information technology applications is your company currently using? (multiple responses allowed) Design (CAD, CAE, CAM) Material requirements planning (MRP) Enterprise resource planning (ERP) Financial management systems (FMS) Customer relationship management (CRM) Warehouse management systems (WMS) Product data management (PDM) Demand planning/forecasting systems Asset management (CMMS) Supply chain management (SCM) Manufacturing execution systems (MES) Mobile management (wireless systems) RFID systems Product life cycle management (PLM) None
74.2% 38.4% 36.6% 35.2% 24.2% 22.8% 21.8% 21.5% 17.2% 16.4% 11.6% 11.3% 7.5% 7.3% 6.5%
for equipment purchases over the next year, which of the following production activities will be targeted? (multiple responses allowed) 35.7% 29.2% 28.9% 27.2% 23.4% 20.8% 12.0% 11.4% 9.4% 8.5% 7.9% 7.0% 5.6% 4.1% 3.2%
Material handling Testing/inspection Production control Assembling Welding/forming Packaging Bending/forming Other Moulding Power generation None Sensing Stamping Mixing Extruding
what strategic practices does your company use? (multiple responses allowed)
Continuous improvement Quality certifications (ISO) Customer satisfaction initiatives Recycling program Energy management Benchmarking Kaizen events Value stream mapping Supplier management programs Total productive maintenance Quick changeover/single-minute exchange of die None Other
73.0% 48.7% 43.1% 42.3% 36.9% 29.0% 27.9% 23.1% 22.0% 21.1% 15.5% 4.2% 1.1%
from what regions are you most interested in acquiring customers? (multiple responses allowed) Asia Canada United Kingdom United States Other
14.2% 76.2% 6.1% 57.0% 10.5%
what is your company’s status relative to implementing advanced safety technologies? Have implemented and are fully compliant Have a plan and have begun implementation to comply Don’t have funding to undertake implementation Don’t apply advanced safety technologies
40.0% 25.9% 10.0% 24.1%
Has demand from your current customers Increased Decreased Stayed the same
58.5% 12.9% 28.7%
More than half of respondents have seen an increase in demand from their customers — up from last year’s 51.8 per cent and the 53.4 per cent who saw an increase in 2012.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 18 www.AutomationMag.com • October 2014
17
STRATEGIES FOR GROWTH over the next three years, what do you plan to expand? (multiple responses allowed)
where will this expansion take place? (multiple responses allowed)
61.3% 42.4% 34.6% 22.4% 13.7% 0.9%
Production Sales and service Engineering/R&D No expansion planned Sourcing Other
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17
8.7% 71.1% 2.1% 28.0% 19.0% 5.7%
Asia Canada United Kingdom United States No expansion planned Other
The name of the game is expansion. 77.6 per cent of respondents are planning an expansion in the next three years, compared to 76.3 per cent last year.
The majority of respondents — almost three-quarters — plan to expand in canada. That’s good news for the hard-hit canadian manufacturing industry.
STATE OF AFFAIRS: YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISONS The price of our product(s) has:
our company’s total production has:
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
Increased more than 15%
2.1%
1.5%
1.4%
3.5%
2.7%
2.9%
5.3%
Increased 10-15%
8.8%
7.3%
5.4%
9.2%
9.9%
7.3%
14.7%
Increased less than 10%
31.4%
34.3%
37.2% 39.9%
31.5%
27.3%
50.7%
Not changed
44.5%
46.3%
44.8% 36.9%
39.0%
40.5%
20.0%
17.3%
22.3%
Decreased 10-15%
5.1%
4.6%
5.1%
5.4%
6.8%
6.9%
4.0%
6.3%
Decreased less than 10%
10.4%
7.6%
9.4%
8.1%
12.0%
13.7%
9.3%
13.3%
19.9%
Decreased more than 15%
3.9%
4.3%
4.7%
4.0%
9.5%
28.7%
16.0%
3.8%
Decreased 10-15%
2.1%
1.2%
1.4%
1.6%
3.1%
4.4%
0.0%
5.3%
3.3%
Decreased more than 15%
0.6%
1.8%
0.4%
0.8%
1.7%
3.9%
0.0%
12.0%
52.0%
2006 10.7%
43.9%
2014
2013
2012
2011
2009
2008
2007
Increased more than 15%
14.7%
11.3%
17.0%
12.1% 16.3%
6.9%
17.3%
10.0%
Increased 10-15%
18.9%
21.7%
20.2%
22.9% 13.6%
10.9%
10.7%
18.8%
Increased less than 10%
25.8%
25.2%
20.6%
24.8% 22.8%
12.4%
20.0%
27.5%
2010
Not changed
22.5%
24.3%
23.1%
22.1% 18.0%
19.8%
20.0%
18.8%
Decreased less than 10%
9.0%
8.4%
9.4%
8.6%
14.4%
12.0%
15.0%
12.9%
59.4 per cent of respondents say production has increased over the last 12 months. That’s up from 58.2 per cent in 2013.
reports indicate that the economy continues to improve following the recession. when do you predict seeing improvements and/or a significant turnaround?
We have already experienced a turnaround By the end of 2014 By early 2015 By mid 2015
our manufacturing costs have: 2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
Increased more than 15%
5.9%
5.4%
8.1%
7.4%
9.8%
10.0%
30.7%
24.0%
25.2%
Increased 10-15%
18.0%
14.4% 20.4%
22.8%
14.8%
12.9%
16.0%
Increased less than 10%
42.6%
48.6% 40.7%
38.7%
34.7%
30.6%
20.0%
56%
61%
Not changed
19.8%
22.0% 18.6%
17.2%
21.2%
20.6%
8.0%
6.7%
6.5%
Decreased less than 10%
10.9%
6.5%
8.8%
11.9%
13.1%
17.2%
14.7%
13.3%
5.7%
Decreased 10-15%
2.4%
2.0%
2.8%
1.9%
4.0%
5.3%
4.0%
Decreased more than 15%
0.3%
1.1%
0.7%
0.0%
2.4%
3.3%
6.7%
0.0%
41.1% 10.6% 7.9% 10.0%
By late 2015 By 2016 Beyond 2016 We do not expect to see a significant turnaround
7.9% 6.6% 3.3% 12.7%
it appears time heals wounds. More companies say they have experienced improvements and/or a turnaround compared to last year. only 30.4 per cent of respondents had experienced a turnaround by this time last year.
what do you see as the prime barrier to your company’s future competitiveness?
1.6%
Availability of skilled labour Labour cost High Canadian dollar Government red tape
51.4% 44.7% 32.6% 23.3%
13.6% 12.7% 12.4% 10.6%
Other Tax policy Labour policy Work rules
once again, the availability of skilled labour is the top barrier to future competitiveness. but this year, labour cost beat out the high canadian dollar for the second spot.
Manufacturing costs continue to rise for the majority of respondents, though more respondents report a decrease in costs than last year.
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18 Rittal_MA_Sept.indd October 2014 1• Manufacturing AUTOMATION
2014-08-13 2:56 PM
STATE OF AFFAIRS: YEAR-TO-YEAR COMPARISONS in next 12 to 18 months, which is most likely to happen at your plant? 2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
No change
46.5%
51.4%
50.9%
49.3%
44.9%
48.4%
29.7%
Expansion
43.5%
36.4%
38.3%
39.6%
38.6%
31.9%
43.2%
Contraction (layoffs)
5.0%
5.4%
5.2%
5.3%
10.2%
12.7%
12.2%
Merger/acquisition
4.4%
3.7%
3.1%
4.0%
5.3%
4.2%
10.8%
Closure
0.6%
3.1%
2.4%
1.8%
1.0%
2.8%
4.1%
PUL STATL
More companies are planning to expand over the next year and a half than indicated last year — 43.5 per cent compared to 36.4 per cent. The number of respondents expecting layoffs is still hovering around five per cent, an improvement over the period from 2008-2010.
A total of 432 respondents took the Canadian Manufacturing Study survey over a six-week period this summer. The survey was emailed to our readers, and the Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium also emailed the survey to its members.
SEW-ManuAutomation6x9-Bacon-05-14.pdf 1 5/22/2014 8:28:05 AM
at the end of the survey, we invited respondents to share their thoughts on the manufacturing industry and their company’s state of affairs. The responses were mixed. here is what some of them had to say: “We have succeeded based on success in markets everywhere except Canada. The Canadian economy is not improving, particularly in manufacturing.” “We have experienced record sales in 2012 and 2013.” “Higher operating costs, weak demand, lower prices, more competition, lower margins — it does not look good. Where will the growth come from that will drive demand? It looks like low growth and stagnation for a long time.” “These are tough times.” “We are too set in our ways and too narrow-minded. We tend to be critical of our competitor’s product without trying to understand why customers are buying their product instead of ours.” “We have seen a partial turnaround, but not back to 2008 levels.” “Currently, based on the lack of support from our provincial and federal governments, we as [a] small business owner find it hard to survive when times are hard. Programs offered, such as SRED, are all red tape and no support given to the little guy, [and] very little payout if any. We do our best to support our communities, and employ as many people as we can without these supports. However, the big guys are getting support and money hand over fist. Is it really fair?” “Despite not working at full capacity within the production facility, and working towards demanding lean concepts, our company is striving to increase sales by 20 per cent each year during the next three years. The international opportunities existing are definitely there and achievable. One of the areas that we struggle with [is] that the wages for tradespeople in Northern Ontario are considerably higher than other areas within Ontario, which imposes excessive labour costs and excessive recruitment costs.” “We have improved productivity, introduced new products and controlled material costs during [the] recessionary period, and have seen growth coming from [the] decline of [the] Canadian dollar in 2013.” “We were never hit by the recession.” “Ontario is becoming increasingly cost prohibitive for manufacturers, so we will look to do most of our growing in the U.S.” • C
M
Y
CM
MY
CY
CMY
K
SEW_MA_June.indd 1
www.AutomationMag.com • October 2014 19 2014-05-23 2:56 PM
D A T A
A C Q U I S I T I O N
MEASURING UP A real-time operations management system helps a bearing manufacturer see real-time results By aLISOn DUnn
I
t was all thanks to a rejected part. Wayne Horley, president of Edmonton, Alta.-based Innovative Mechanical Solutions Ltd. (i-Mech), recently gave a potential customer a tour of his shop floor. The facility, which engineers, designs and manufacturers custom bearings for the directional drilling motor industry, was humming along as Horley showed his guest the real-time network i-Mech installed in 2012 to monitor its CNC lathes and other equipment. “The system has an operator interface, and if there’s a rejected part, with two clicks on the screen, the operator can key in the reject and the reason for the reject,” Horley says. “I was showing [the potential customer] the system, and there was one reject reason that was out of the norm.” Horley and his team immediately jumped into action. “In real time, we identified the problem, went to the machine and opened it up. We could see the problem and we came up with a corrective action.” Within minutes, the machine was back up and running, continuing to make parts with virtually no downtime. Variances and rejects happen in almost every manufacturing facility. Downtime, too, is something that’s often unavoidable. But what matters most to manufacturers is getting back up and running as soon as possible. With a real-time operations management system, Horley and the team at i-Mech were able to make that a reality. The potential customer was impressed. So impressed, in fact, that Horley says, “they’re now a customer.”
from their jobs. Horley also didn’t want a system that simply plunked a computer out in the middle of the shop floor. “Instead of a guy writing on a time card at the end of a shift, he would take it to a computer and enter it,” he says. “But it’s still taking your operator’s time away from manufacturing to enter information.” What the MERLIN system offered was both hardware and software to monitor the equipment and collect data. “It connects to any manufacturing equipment and collects runtime and downtime,” says David McPhail, president of Memex Automation. More importantly, when a machine is down, the operator can enter a reason for the downtime, helping collect data on why the equipment is down. Once that data is collected from the machines and their operators, managers, planners and other executives can use it for process improvements and lean initiatives. “Understanding why it’s down is extremely important,” says McPhail. “If you understand why things are down, then you can actually fix it.” The system doesn’t just collect data in real time. It also analyzes the data immediately. It calculates overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) based on availability, quality and performance, which then shows if a piece of equipment is making or losing money. Automating this data acquisition and analysis process was exactly what Horley wanted for i-Mech’s new facility. Two years ago, Memex installed Merlin on six machines, and today the system runs on 10 CNC lathes and several more pieces of equipment in the plant, including a laser cutter and a laser welder.
looking for visibility
seeing the benefits
In 2012, i-Mech was building a brand-new facility in Edmonton, and Horley knew he wanted a paperless monitoring system. At the IMTS show in Chicago, Horley met representatives from Burlington, Ont.-based Memex Automation Inc., and learned about the company’s MERLIN system. Short for Manufacturing Execution Real-time Lean Information Network, the system promised to help boost shop floor productivity and reduce operating costs by giving i-Mech instant visibility into the production process. Horley already knew he didn’t want what he calls a “traditional” system of data collection, where an operator writes down on a time card how many parts he made. Then someone else collects the cards at the end of a shift and enters the data into Excel spreadsheets, leaving lots of room for error. “If someone is on holiday, then [the cards] sit for a week. You get entry errors if someone can’t read somebody else’s writing, and it’s not in real time,” he says. Not only that, but the process is time-consuming and takes operators’ time away
Horley says i-Mech has realized a number of benefits from implementing MERLIN. Since i-Mech installed the system in a new facility, there’s no hard data in terms of improved productivity, but Horley says that implementing any sort of accountability system improves productivity by a minimum of five per cent. Horley also says the MERLIN system, because it tracks productivity, is an employee motivator. “The operators know that we’re keeping track of things,” he says. “And the people who are self-driven and want to continuously improve? They love this system. How does the star operator feel when the guy standing beside him makes the same wage but has less productivity? We can pick that up now and reward the operators that have high productivity.” The MERLIN system also helps with OEE and lean manufacturing because it not only collects data from the machines, it helps Horley and his team analyze that data easily. Memex’s McPhail says that’s a key component of the system: there’s no point
20
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
The MERLIN Event Chart captures the state of the machine on a dynamic, colour-coded strip chart that allows detailed analysis and drill down to focus on the root causes of downtime events.
To see an on-camera demo of MERLIN, visit the video portal at www.AutomationMag.com.
Providing Innovation 2014 AHR EXPO
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for a Greener
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Flexible speed solutions made easy! The Memex MERLIN Dashboard display is often set up on monitors so everyone on the shop floor can see key performance indicators such as OEE, availability and quality for each machine. in collecting data if you’re not going to use it to make improvements. The system does the analysis for the user, offering both standard reports and the flexibility so users can write their own reports. Another benefit is that it reduces employee costs, since it is no longer necessary to hire a person to work on data collection and analysis. “I talked to a company who has three people employed full-time just to get their data into a database,” says Horley. “We have zero people employed to do this, because we get the data automatically. When you have to hire people to do lean manufacturing, it kind of defeats the purpose.” What’s next for i-Mech now that it has MERLIN installed in Edmonton? For one thing, the company is continuing to collect and analyze data from its machines and will continue to look for productivity improvements. i-Mech is also considering setting up another manufacturing facility in the U.S., where Horley says they will definitely implement the system. Horley is also encouraging some of i-Mech’s third-party partners to implement the system. “Not only will they be able to manufacture parts better, but we can tie into their system [to] see where our parts are,” he says. “We don’t have to have our people call their people, and have them call us back. We could just log into their Memex system and see what machines they’re running and where our parts are.” What advice would Horley give other manufacturers looking to implement a monitoring system? “Do it sooner rather than later,” he says. “The real goal is that you’re collecting all this data without any effort. Once you’ve got the data, you can analyze it and make reports. But if you’re not collecting the data, what have you got?” McPhail agrees. “If you don’t measure something, you can’t manage it,” he adds. •
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Alison Dunn is a Burlington, Ont.-based freelance writer. www.AutomationMag.com • October 2014
21
P R O D U C T S
Test
and
Measurement
Gauges Mitutoyo Canada’s latest QM‐Height Series high-performance height gauge replaces its existing models. The redesigned keypad has simple, easy-to-use control buttons that allow performance of main measurements with a single key, the company says. An improved battery life of 300 hours of continuous use has been achieved using four AA batteries (included), and a full range of measurement functions is available. New models have been added to the line that include built‐in pneumatic float for smooth movement along the surface plate. Pressing a button on the grip activates the internal pump to raise the base for travel along the surface plate. www.mitutoyo.ca
Pressure modules Fluke Corp.’s 750P Series Pressure Modules are designed to meet the requirements of evolving pressure calibration standards and reference class accuracy pressure instrumentation. The 48 precision modules enable gauge, differential, dual range, absolute and vacuum pressure
Data
measurement with Fluke 750 and 740 series Documenting Process Calibrators and 725, 726 Multifunction Process Calibrators. The 750P Series is designed for the different use models specified in new calibration requirements. The new modules cover pressure calibrations from zero to one in H20 to 10,000 psi (2.5 mBar to 690 bar) with a 0.025 per cent reference uncertainty. Digital communication to calibrators eliminates errors due to poor connections and electrical interference, the company says. www.flukecanada.ca
Hand-held tester for industrial Ethernet cabling The IENet PRO Industrial Ethernet Cable Tester from Ideal Industries is optimized for LAN testing efficiency and designed to empower network professionals to instantly verify the integrity of two- and four-pair industrial Ethernet cables, and to assure proper terminations by detecting opens, shorts, miswires, reversals and split pairs in fractions of a second. The tester features integrated RJ-45 (UTP/STP) and shielded M12
coax interfaces, and Profinet formatted results. A single button push selects between voice, two- and four-pair data or video, keeping user interactions at a minimum to help prevent mistakes and unnecessary repetitions, the company says. In addition to detecting wiring faults, the IENet PRO will measure cable length and indicate correct wiremap to T568A/B standards for shielded and unshielded cabling. It will also warn the user of voltages on cables, blink network hubs for visual cable tracing, and generate four unique tones to make fault isolation easier. Straightforward “Pass” or “Miswire” results are displayed in the Profinet industrial Ethernet format on the unit’s LCD screen. www.idealindustries.com
Industrial pressure transducer
Measurement Specialties’ U5300 industrial pressure transducer features a total error band (TEB) of ±0.5 per cent F.S. for demanding commercial and heavyduty applications. The compact unit offers
Temperature indicators Palmer Wahl Instrumentation Group is proud to announce the Factory Mutual (FM) Approval of its Wahl DST500-FM Temperature Indicators with fixed probes in the U.S. and Canada. The Wahl DST500-FM Digital RTD thermometer is designed for hazardous locations where accurate and reliable temperature monitoring is critical. Fixed stem probes in straight or 90-degree back, left- or right-angle connection from either 304 or 316 stainless steel are available. The four-wire RTD has a temperature range of -200 to 800 degrees C. The one-inch, four-digit LCD display is readable from 30 feet. www.palmerwahl.com
Acqu i s i ti o n Processor with 64-Bit FPU
loggers features wireless two-way communication with pulse input for monitoring wind speed, energy or flow rate. The data logger has a digital display that shows data in real time, a battery life indicator, and audible and LED alarm indica-
CAS DataLoggers and Jager have introduced a new processor board for ADwin-Pro-II Data Acquisition and Control Systems, which has a 64-bit FPU (Floating-Point Unit) for math co-processing. The new Pro-CPU-T12 processor module offers real-time computing and is largely software-compatible to previous versions. With Ethernet support enabling high-speed data transfer, ADwin’s Pro-
Components Harting’s M12 X-Code components — straight and angled PCB receptacles and M12-to-RJ45 panel adaptors, as well as an M12 gender changer — are designed to expand the deployment capabilities of its har-speed M12 X-Code connectors. Like the har-speed M12 X-code itself, these new parts have been developed to facilitate the 6A Gigabit Ethernet installations increasingly common in machine and plant automation. The new straight and angled receptacles and adaptors meet the requirements for Cat 6A and Performance Class EA, with maximum transfer rates for 1/10 Gigabits. That makes them effective additions for the eight-wire Ethernet environment or for transferring signals, the company says. www.harting.ca
Wireless pulse data logger Omega’s new series of wireless pulse data 22
maximum design flexibility with a variety of pressure ports and electrical configurations available for low to medium volume OEM applications, the company says. The U5300 measures liquid or gas pressure in difficult media, such as contaminated water, steam and mildly corrosive fluids in high-end, high-accuracy applications. The transducer can operate in temperatures ranging from -40 to 125 degrees C. www.meas-spec.com
tors. This CE-compliant product features configurable alarms and a three-year battery life. The company says the product is ideal for chemical, water, petroleum, environmental and HVAC industries, and good for applications such as monitoring pulse input from an energy meter, flowmeter or weather station. www.omega.ca
Barcode scanners Sick’s CLV610 fixed-mount 1D barcode scanners are designed for warehouse and distribution centre applications. The industrial, laser-based scanners are ideal
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
for short reading distances with a large reading field height. Using Sick’s SOPAS configuration software, these high-resolution scanners are easy to install and simple to integrate into conveyor systems, the company explains. An optional configuration cloning module and quick-release mounting bracket enable fast replacement time. The CLV610 has an adjustable scanning frequency of up to 1,000 scans/second, and a fixed-focus feature that enables simple and fast commissioning, according to the company. These scanners can be used for tote reading, stacker crane and box reading applications. Short-, mid- and long-range scanners are available, as well as CAN and fieldbus versions. www.sickcanada.com
CPU-T12 module enables standalone data recording in applications where there’s no PC or connection to one. The processor module — the ADwin CPU — is the centre of each ADwin-Pro II data acquisition system. It executes the ADbasic programming instructions and accesses the inputs, outputs and interfaces of the other modules. The processor features a one-gigahertz clock, one-gigabyte main memory for storing code and data, and a one-gigabit Ethernet interface for communication to the PC. www.dataloggerinc.com
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An Electrocomponents Company.
P R O D U C T S Motion
Co n t r o l
Ball rail system
high precision of the travel movement executed. Rexroth has also bettered the dynamic load capacities by approximately 26 per cent across all sizes and variants, with static load capacities improving by as much as 50 per cent, the company says. www.boschrexroth.com
Linear encoders The patented entry zone of the new BSHP ball runner blocks from Rexroth is designed to improve the travel accuracy of ball rail systems and the machining quality of workpieces. At the same time, greatly improved load capacities increase service life expectancies, the company says. The new runner blocks are available in all sizes, versions and accuracy classes. They also fit on already installed profiled rails of the same sizes without any restrictions. The axis travels toward the blank with a high level of dynamic capability. The tool machines the workpiece with high force, whereby the new BSHP runner blocks distinguish themselves from the previous generations in this context as the ball runner block encounters only minimal pulsation, even when placed under a load, with no change in the
encoder extrusions ensure high vibration resistance, making them extremely reliable and accurate, the company says. The encoders are suitable replacements for the LC 183/483 sealed linear encoders already on the market. The LC 185 features an optimized sealing design with two successive pairs of sealing lips. When compressed air flows into the scale housing, the air flows in between the sealing lips to prevent contamination of the DIADUR graduation, which is responsible for the positioning accuracy. www.heidenhain.us
Mini-speed rotary unit
For use on machine tools, Heidenhain’s absolute LC 185 and LC 485 sealed linear encoders are now available as a complete family. This includes providing options of all the most common encoder interfaces, such as EnDat 2.2 with or without incremental signals, Fanuc, DRIVE-CLiQ and Mitsubishi interfaces. The dual sealing lips on the LC 185 provide an extra layer of protection against contamination, and both
The Schunk SRU-mini-speed rotary unit, available in two model sizes, provides swivel times from 27 seconds. If lightweight parts are handled with the unit, more than 4,000 cycles per hour can be achieved, which is more than twice as many cycles as conventional versions, the company says. For example, model size 10 achieves swivel times of 27 seconds, and up to 3,600 cycles per hour are possible. As an alternative to higher speeds and number of cycles, higher load capacities can be implemented with an unchanged installation
space. The secret is a patented damping design, where elastomer has been combined with an oil-damped shock absorber. The SRU-mini-speed is based on the features of the compact and light Schunk SRU-mini flat rotary unit. Since the dimensions and connections of the hard or softly damped SRU-mini unit are consistent, already existing modules can be exchanged 1:1. Three damping versions are available: the hard damped Schunk SRU-mini-H for minimum interfering contours in case of extremely high payloads; the soft damped Schunk SRU-mini-W for shorter cycle times at minimum spaces; and the high-performance damped Schunk SRU-mini-S for high cycle times per hour and particularly compact plants. The SRU-mini-speed is available in module sizes 10 and 14, with torques of 0.28 Nm or 1.15 Nm, and axial forces of 255 N or 330 N. www.schunk.com
HMI Panel PCs with all-in-one HMI and control
the company says. The CP6606 Panel PCs feature an operating temperature range from zero to 55 degrees C, as well as IP 54 protection at the front of the panel and IP 20 at the back. www.beckhoffautomation.com
HMI family Beckhoff Automation has introduced the new CP6606-0001-0020 “Economy” Panel PC. The CP6606 combines a full colour seven-inch TFT touchscreen display, one-gigahertz ARM Cortex A8 CPU, and one-gigabyte DDR3 RAM — offering an all-in-one HMI and controller. In addition, ultra-compact microSD flash memory cards are used as the storage media. Designed as a cabinet-mounted device in a fanless, space-saving format, the CP6606 is ideal for use in PLC and small motion control applications that require compact, HMI hardware. When paired with the feature-laden TwinCAT runtime (version 2 or 3), the CP6606 becomes a flexible automation controller for small and medium-sized machines, factories or buildings. Microsoft Windows Embedded Compact 7 is offered as the operating system. The CP6606 can also be used as an OPC UA client or server, greatly boosting the flexible connectivity and remote access capabilities of the device, 24
B&R is adding two new series to its Power Panel HMI family: Power Panel T-Series terminals and Power Panel C-Series controllers — both featuring touchscreens. Equipped with an embedded browser, the Power Panel T30 terminal is fully web compatible and can even be used as a VNC client. The terminal series is being offered with four TFT display sizes ranging from 4.3 to 10.1 inches, and comes with two Ethernet interfaces, two USB ports and an array of configuration options. The Power Panel C70 controller is equipped with a 333-MHz Intel Atom CPU, 256-MB DDRAM, 16-kB FRAM and two-gigabyte onboard flash EEPROM memory. This controller provides a built-in touchscreen and is being
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION
offered in three display sizes ranging from 5.7 to 10.1 inches. www.br-automation.com
Operator interface
Industrial PC with multi-touch operation The new industrial PCs with IP65 protection in the Designline series 7000 from Phoenix Contact feature LED technology, multi-touch operation and displays from 15 to 21.5 inches. Equipped with fourth generation Intel Core i7 processors, they are particularly suitable for tasks that are very demanding in terms of resources in machine control, process visualization, quality assurance or data acquisition. The integrated Intel HD
Graphics 5000 and support for DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.0, and OpenCL 1.2 provide a powerful platform for graphics-intensive visualizations, the company says. Thanks to the solid die-cast aluminum housing and a device depth of just 60 mm, the industrial PCs are particularly suitable for use directly in machinery. www.phoenixcontact.ca
Siemens’ Sinumerik Operate user interface now combines the HMI-Advanced, ShopMill and ShopTurn operator and programming interfaces to create a single consistent user interface for use with machine tools. The user interface contains animated elements and is designed to facilitate intuitive operation and programming. Sinumerik process measurement cycles are now also available for automatic workpiece and tool measurement processes with the familiar look-and-feel of Sinumerik Operate. For these efficient cycles and other new functional features, the input masks are provided with animated elements using the Sinumerik high-level language program guide and, with ShopMill and ShopTurn, they also include a simulation capability. Measured values can be automatically updated and used both for tool correction and zero offset. www.siemens.ca
P R O D U C T S
S ensors Optical positioning sensor
MicroE Systems has recently released the Optical Positioning Sensor (OPS) Series, available from Electromate. The OPS sensor is equipped with MicroE’s patented optical design and features builtin interpolation and AGC. OPS can be configured with optical limits to reduce cabling, and it works with MicroE’s cutto-length linear tape, linear glass and rotary glass scales. Multiple mounting configurations are available. www.electromate.com
Long-range ultrasonic sensors
Carlo Gavazzi has launched its longrange UA30CAD60 Series Ultrasonic Sensors with digital and analog output configurations. The two different output configurations are: two digital NPN or PNP outputs; or one analogue output in either four to 20mA or zero to 10 VDC, and one digital NPN or PNP output. The two digital outputs can be set as standard switching outputs with
Machine
two set points, or as a window function. The analogue output can be set with a positive or negative slope for both filling and emptying applications. The sensors offer sensing distances of 250 to 6,000 mm, and are available as either cabled or M12 quick-disconnect versions. www.gavazzionline.com
Linear position sensor Alliance Sensors Group’s LA-25-R series LVDT linear position sensors are designed to handle the extreme industrial environments found in steam and hydro power plants; paper, steel and aluminum mills; die and stamping presses; building and bridge monitoring; and industrial automation and fluid power systems. Available in ranges from three inches (75 mm) to 15 inches (375 mm) full scale, the LA-25-R is ideal for roller gap positioning, process valve displacement, and head box and actuator position feedback, the company says. Its open bore design works well in factory environments where debris such as lubricant and chemical mists, airborne grit and dust, and typical industrial wash down can flow through the bore. www.alliancesensors.com
Vision sensors Banner Engineering’s iVu Plus TG Gen2 and BCR Gen2 vision sensor series features Ethernet connectivity and multiple
inspection capabilities. The sensors are available in four models. The iVu Plus TG Gen2 Integrated model features an intuitive interface and functionality with enhanced remote communication, multiple inspections and complete sensor set. The iVu Plus TG Gen2 Remote model features a remote screen interface with an exceptionally wide viewing angle, high-speed processing and separate touchscreen display for remote mounting. The iVu Plus BCR2 Integrated model features a barcode reader with accurate traceability in a compact, rugged package with integrated touchscreen for easy setup and monitoring. The iVu Plus BCR2 Remote model is a barcode reader solution for applications where the vision sensor location makes it difficult to use an integrated display. www.bannerengineering.com
Wireless sensor The TDWLB pressure/temperature sensor, designed by Transducers Direct, is powered with a coin-cell battery, controlled with a smartphone app, and certified as Bluetooth Smart. The sensor uses a patent-pending design and proprietary digital circuitry for high energy
Vision
Vision system Teledyne Dalsa has expanded its GEVA family of multi-camera vision systems with the GEVA-312T, a standalone system with a built-in touchscreen display and multiple GigE ports. The GEVA-312T is compatible with a wide range of GigE cameras, including Teledyne Dalsa’s full range of Genie cameras. The system comes with a 12-inch touchscreen display, 1.6-GHz dual core processor and two-gigabit Ethernet camera ports for camera and network interfacing. Applications using one or two cameras can connect directly to the Camera/LAN ports on the unit. www.teledynedalsa.com
CCD colour line scan camera
The allPIXA pro from Chromasens is a colour line scan CCD camera for highspeed machine vision applications. With line rates up to 87 kHz in standard models
and up to 148 kHz in special OEM configurations, the allPIXA pro allows for a maximum 300 per cent increase in speed compared to conventional CCD line scan cameras when used in CameraLink Full mode, the company says. Several models are available in resolutions from 2,048 by three to 7,300 by three pixels. www.chromasens.com
captured, 3D co-ordinates are calculated for each pixel using geometric relations. The Ensenso is designed for working distances of 130 to 2,000 mm, and for variable picture fields. Its available focal lengths of 3.6 to 16 mm can cover a wide range of distances and sizes. www.ids-imaging.com
3D camera
Machine vision smart camera with embedded Ethernet
The Ensenso stereo 3D camera from IDS is an industrial solution for robot vision, achieving high precision in complex vision tasks, including the challenging bin picking of parts and on-the-fly volume measurements, the company says. The 3D camera integrates two global shutter CMOS sensors in a compact housing, and an infrared pattern projector. This feature projects a random pattern of dots onto the object to be captured, allowing structures that are not visible or only faintly visible on the surface to be enhanced or highlighted. The object is then captured by the two image sensors in accordance with the stereo vision principle. Once
Microscan’s Vision MINI Xi industrial compact smart camera with embedded Ethernet is designed for close-range industrial auto ID, inspection and other machine vision applications. Measuring in at 25.4 mm by 45.7 mm by 53.3 mm, and weighing 3.2 oz., the camera features Ethernet and serial connectivity, a 24-volt interface and optically isolated I/O. The Vision MINI Xi is the ideal solution for manufacturers who need to read barcodes, but require the flexibility to add additional inspection capabilities to their processes using a single hardware device, the company says. www.microscan.com
efficiency to provide an 18- to 24-month battery life and redundant sensing. Its smartphone app lets the user name each sensor one time securely, then program setpoints/alarms for multiple sensors, monitor readings, and graph activity over time — all from a phone, tablet or computer. The TDWLB is available in two different compensated accuracies of one per cent and 0.25 per cent, with temperature sensing as an option. It is designed for intermittent, rather than dynamic, machine-control applications. The sensor is all digital, eliminating mechanical components, wear parts, analog circuitry and setpoint drift. It uses a
one-piece, precision-machined stainless steel diaphragm and header. This provides 10 times the life of a conventional diaphragm and eliminates all springs, pushrods, micro switches and O-rings, the company says. All wetted parts are stainless steel. The TDWLB’s all-digital design eliminates amplifiers, filters and amplified noise, producing a high-resolution signal without analog variability or noise in the circuit. www.transducersdirect.com
Hydraulics and Pneumatics
Valves AutomationDirect’s NITRA line of pneumatics products now includes additional directional control solenoid valves available in a wide variety of configurations to meet a broad range of pneumatic valve applications. Configurations include: single solenoid, two-position and double solenoid in two-position, three-position centre closed, and three-position centre exhaust. There are now 10 additional smaller body sizes and eight additional larger body sizes. Applications include controlling actuators for positioning, clamping, moving product from place to place and controlling air volume for cooling or drying. www.automationdirect.com
www.AutomationMag.com • October 2014
25
R E A L I T I E S
A Saturday afternoon with Morley By DICK MOrLey
N
early every Saturday afternoon, a friend and I go to the movies. We don’t know what movie we will be seeing before we buy the tickets. This gives us a sense of adventure. What does the schedule look like on that day? I pick up my buddy at noon in my Jeep, which is haunted by my late wife. She passed away several years ago and the seats still adjust to her settings. Both of us read the instruction manual and can’t figure out how to disable the automatic positioning of the seats and the mirrors — kind of scary. We drive to our favourite restaurant and order “fat food.” We have a big steak, chatter and finish up with chocolate cake. Nobody nags us. We get to talk without criticism. Why is this ritual important? It allows stimulation of unforeseen connectivity. Offline thinking allows new connections to appear. As engineers, we are sometimes bound by the philosophy, “stop thinking and calculate.” We are bound into the system of cheaper, better and faster. Not new. Not smart. I think the reader of this magazine realizes how important he or she is. It is not a pile of components in the corner that is the automation system, but the engineer who combines components so today’s problems meet with tomorrow’s needs. Innovation gives us some examples. Most of us know the story of the PLC. The short version is I was recovering from a binge on New Year’s Day and outlined the PLC the same day. The idea was I wanted to get away from designing a new system for each customer. No binge, no PLC. With the floppy disk, my assignment was to record bits on a magnetic disk with no contact. I couldn’t
Take at least one day a week to explore who you are... Sometimes when we take time away from thinking, that’s when the best thinking happens. come up with anything. Inspiration finally came to me when playing a game of Hearts with my family. The cards “flowed” across the table and voilà, we had a way to record info to a satellite. I used near-field antenna technology as my recording model. The primary system used was a good old Kodak camera, and the film was parachuted down and caught by
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airplanes over the Pacific Ocean. It was right there in front of us the whole time and yet we could not see it. I totalled my Chevy twice that year from the long hours. If often seems that no matter how hard you think, nothing seems to happen and your brain is stuck. Sleep comes at midnight, but the answer is there when you wake up in the morning and the sun is shining. You look at your spouse, the most beautiful person in the world, and you don’t understand why the problem was so hard last night. It worked because you did not think. I give lectures to distance-learning classes. In these classes, I emphasize that the system they design must be available to produce product for up to 20 years without a call for repair. This may seem impossible, but is it? Think about the programmable controllers you’ve used. Do they fail? Not often. The engineer’s job becomes easier if he thinks first and then moves. Make your decisions after you sleep on it. I suggest that engineers go back to college and take a two-day course; not in modern technology, but in how to think. We forget how to do that sometimes. It’s important to do what you love — play tennis, go to the shop, work on the Harley, whatever it is that makes you happy. Take at least one day a week to explore who you are. It will make all the difference in the world. And sometimes when we take time away from thinking, that’s when the best thinking happens. • Dick Morley is the inventor of the PLC, an author, speaker, automation industry maverick and a self-proclaimed ubergeek. Email him at morley@barn.org.
A D OMEGA Introduces RTD Probe with M12 Connectors PR-22 Series
Omega’s new probes with M12 molded connectors are 316 Stainless Steel in imperial and metric diameters. Many standard lengths are available with temperature range of -30 to 350 degrees Celsius (-22 to 622 degrees Fahrenheit) probe temperature range (Class A) standard, -50 to 500 degrees Celsius (-58 to 932 degrees Fahrenheit) (Class B). The temperature range for the connector is -50 to 90 degrees Celsius (-58 to 194 degrees Fahrenheit). The PR-22 is great for use as-is or with compression fittings, spring loaded fittings and thermowells. In-line, remote wireless transmitters are available. Ideal for measuring automated processes, food and industrial process measurements, HVAC, lab test temperatures and engine function. Price starts at $44 Email: info@omega.ca Twitter: @OmegaEng Phone: 514-856-6928 For more information, go to omega.ca
October 2014 • Manufacturing AUTOMATION NewOmegaProd_MA_Oct.indd 1
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I N D E X
Allied Electronics Inc. .................................... 23 AutomationDirect ......................................... IFC Beckhoff Canada ............................................. 5 Encoder Products Company ............................ 6 Excellence In Manufacturing Consortium........ 8 Hiwin Corporation ........................................... 9 Lafert North America..................................... 21 Murrelektronik Canada ................................... 3 NSK Canada Inc. ........................................... 10 Omega Engineering, Inc. .........................7 + 26 Phoenix Contact Ltd. ..................................... 15 Rittal Systems Ltd.......................................... 18 SCHUNK Intec Corp. ...................................... 13 SEW-Eurodrive .............................................. 19 Siemens Canada Ltd................................... OBC SYSPRO ......................................................... 11 TD Bank - Equipment Financing ...................IBC Unitronics, Inc. ................................................ 6
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Answers for industry.