OSI to deliver 7 SCADA/EMS Systems to 7 Companies

December 17, 2014 - Open Systems International (OSI) has been awarded seven contracts by a Joint Utility Procurement (JUP) project to deliver seven SCADA/EMS systems.

JUP members include: Gainesville Regional Utilities, Florida; Lakeland Electric, Florida; Memphis Light, Gas & Water, Tennessee; Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc., North Dakota; South Mississippi Electric Power Association, Mississippi; City of Tallahassee, Florida; and Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, Inc., Michigan.

The JUP group has been a voluntary membership program since the mid-1990s, between a group of utilities that wanted to collaborate on procurement and support of their SCADA/EMS systems. The utilities achieve economies of scale savings in the procurement, implementation and support costs as well as collaborative relationship between parties to assist in the long-term support of these systems. The utilities leverage not only the buying power of the combined utilities but also coordinate periodic system upgrades to ensure they stay current with the latest technology.

The seven new SCADA/EMS systems are based on OSI’s monarch (Multi-platform Open Network ARCHitecture) platform and include OSI’s next-generation, .NET based Graphical User Interface, SCADA, Historian and Generation Management and Transmission Management applications.

“We are very excited and pleased to have the JUP group’s trust in OSI and our technology and we welcome this group to our family of users. We are confident that this project will be of an exemplary execution and will be delivered on schedule and within budget,” said Bahman Hoveida, President & CEO of OSI.

“From the viewpoint of current ability, business and personal relations and future enhancements, we have found OSI to be everything we expected and more. This decision was made with a great deal of research and investigation and in the end, we found OSI to be more than a product. We found each individual to be part of a talented and dedicated family who have produced a system with which they take personal pride and ownership. It is an honor to be associated with such,” said Tommy Clark, Director of Computer and Control Systems at South Mississippi Electric Power Association.

About JUP Members:
Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU), is a multi-service utility owned by the City of Gainesville and is the 5th largest municipal electric utility in Florida. GRU serves approximately 93,000 retail and wholesale customers in Gainesville and surrounding areas, offering electric, natural gas, water, wastewater and telecommunications services.

Lakeland Electric is a full service municipal utility, servicing over 120,000 customers with some of the most economically priced electricity in the state of Florida. Lakeland Electric is the third largest publicly owned utility in Florida and was one of the first to offer power in the Sunshine State over 110 years ago.

Memphis Light, Gas &Water (MLGW) is the nation’s largest three-service municipal utility, serving nearly 421,000 customers. Since 1939, MLGW has met the utility needs of Memphis and Shelby County residents by delivering reliable and affordable electricity, natural gas and water service.

Minnkota Power Cooperative, Inc. (MPC) is a regional generation and transmission cooperative serving 11 member-owner distribution cooperatives. Minnkota’s service area of 34,500 square miles is located in eastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Through its generation resources, Minnkota has some of the most competitive wholesale electrical rates in the country.

The City of Tallahassee is committed to enriching the quality of life in Tallahassee by providing clean and reliable electric service to their customers through a professional and diverse workforce that is committed to safe, responsible, cost effective and customer-focused operations. They are a vertically integrated electric utility with generation, transmission and distribution operations. As the 4th largest municipal electric utility in Florida and the 22nd largest in the United States (of over 2,000), their 295 employees are dedicated to meeting the electric service needs of their customers.

South Mississippi Electric Power Association (SMEPA) is a Generation and Transmission cooperative that has been in business for more than 40 years. SMEPA began by meeting the wholesale power requirements of seven small electric power associations. SMEPA provides reliable, economical electric power for more than 412,000 homes and businesses served by their eleven Member systems.

Wolverine Power Supply Cooperative, Inc. (WPSC) is a generation and transmission electric cooperative headquartered in Cadillac, Michigan. Wolverine is owned by and supplies wholesale electric power to seven members: Cherryland Electric Cooperative, Great Lakes Energy, HomeWorks Tri-County Electric Cooperative, Midwest Energy Cooperative, Presque Isle Electric & Gas Co-op, Spartan Renewable Energy and Wolverine Power Marketing Cooperative. Wolverine members have served rural portions of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula for nearly 70 years and today, they provide electricity to more than 260,000 homes, farms and businesses.

OSI  provides open, state-of-the-art and high-performance automation solutions to utilities worldwide. These solutions include Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, Network Management Systems (NMS), Energy Management Systems (EMS), Distribution Management Systems (DMS), Outage Management Systems (OMS), Generation Management Systems (GMS), Substation Automation systems (SA); Data Warehousing and Historians, as well as individual software and hardware products and Smart Grid solutions for utility operations. OSI is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.

Infineon Launches ARM-Based Auto Bridge Drivers

Infineon announced at Electronica an ARM-based Embedded Power family of bridge drivers offering an unmatched level of integration to address the growing trend towards intelligent motor control for a wide range of automotive applications.

Infineon integrated on one chip a microcontroller using the ARM Cortex-M3 processor, as well as the nonvolatile memory, the analogue and mixed signal peripherals, the communication interfaces along with the mosfet gate drivers.

Visit the team at Electronics Weekly’s stand in Hall A6 – 569

Sample quantities of the first members of the Embedded Power family are available for the TLE987x series for three-phase (brushless DC) motors and the TLE986x series for two-phase (DC) motors.

Infineon combined its proprietary automotive qualified 130nm Smart Power manufacturing technology with its experience in motor control drivers to put the Embedded Power family in a standard QFN package of only 7x7mm. Where previous multi-chip designs needed a stand-alone microcontroller, a bridge driver and a LIN (local interconnect network) transceiver, automotive system suppliers now benefit from motor control designs of minimum external components count.

View Electronica 2014 – Latest News Roundup »

The Embedded Power products reduce the component count from today’s approximately more than 150 down to less than 30, allowing integration of all functions and associated external components for the motor control in a PCB area of merely 3cm². The Embedded Power family thus enables the integration of electronics close to the motor for true mechatronic designs.

“Smart motor control applications demand a large variety of sophisticated motor control schemes that are driven by energy efficiency, system cost reduction and comfort needs,” says Andreas Doll, vice-president and general manager, automotive body power at Infineon Technologies AG.

“Infineon addresses these design challenges with its new automotive qualified Embedded Power family for intelligent motor control using the ARM Cortex-M3 processor. Fostering the system-on-chip approach that combines a powerful microcontroller, the mosfet gate drivers along with all necessary sense, control and actuate functions, our scalable Embedded Power family makes automotive system suppliers benefit from reduced system costs, improved reliability and less system level complexity.”

Technical features of the TLE987x and TLE986x bridge drivers

Both, the TLE987x and the TLE986x, use the ARM Cortex TM-M3 processor. Their peripheral set includes a current sensor, a successive approximation 10-bit ADC synchronized with the capture and compare unit (CAPCOM6) for PWM (pulse width modulation) control and 16-bit timers.

A LIN transceiver is integrated to enable communication to the devices along with a number of general purpose I/Os.

Both series include an on-chip linear voltage regulator to supply external loads. Their flash memory is scalable from 36kB to 128kB. They operate from 5.4V up to 28V.

An integrated charge pump enables low voltage operation using only two external capacitors, resulting in a significant BoM reduction when compared with the commonly used voltage bootstrap techniques.

The bridge drivers feature programmable charging and discharging current. The patented current slope control technique optimises the system EMC behavior for a wide range of mosfets.

The products can withstand load dump conditions up to 40V while maintaining an extended supply voltage operating down to 3.0V where the microcontroller and the flash memory are fully functional.

The TLE987x series of bridge drivers addresses three-phase (BLDC) motor applications such as fuel pumps, HVAC blowers, engine cooling fans, water pumps as well as other pumps and fans.

It supports sensor-less and sensor based (including field-oriented control) BLDC motor applications addressed by LIN or controlled via PWM. Its LIN transceiver is compatible with LIN 2.2 and certified by IBEE-Zwickau and C&S Group.

It  includes six fully integrated NFET drivers optimised to drive a three-phase motor via six external power Nfets.

The TLE986x series is optimised to drive two-phase DC motors by integrating four Nfet drivers .It is suitable for applications such as sunroofs, power window lifts and generic smart motor control via Nfet H-bridge.

Infineon and third party vendors support the ARM Cortex-M3 based Embedded Power family of bridge drivers by a complete development tool chain. It includes compilers, debuggers, evaluation board, LIN low-level driver and configuration tool as well as example software code for motor control. Also, Infineon provides starter kits to support the design-in.

Engineering samples of the TLE987x and TLE986x bridge drivers in a space-saving VQFN-48 package are available with volume production planned to start in Q1 2015. For both series, there are several derivatives available, differing for example in system clock (24MHz or 40MHz) and flash sizes.

Source:-http://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/design/embedded-systems/141322-2014-11/

More on: Newbury Electronics Tracks Animals

Yesterday it was announced that Newbury Electronics is to start a new electronic design services division called Newbury Innovations, and that the team transferring to the new entity had already designed some interesting electronics, including tags for tracking wild animals.

Here is some more on those tags.

They were created for the Swansea Live Animal Monitoring (SLAM) group, led by Professor Rory Wilson at Swansea University, are the size of a stamp, and weigh 3g.

Dr Mark Holton of SLAM approached Newbury Electronics with initial designs in the spring. From this, Holton and the firm developed the concept to get the smallest PCB that would still work with multiple sensors – see below.

To date Newbury Electronics has supplied around 200 of the sensor/loggers along with several dozen bespoke GPS logger, and timed release modules.

“We have been working on data analysis algorithms which, together with these devices, will certainly place us as a significant competitor within the animal research market place, said Holton, who is also MD of Swansea University spin-out Wildbyte Technologies.

The list of animals so far fitted with the trackers includes: badgers, beavers, camels, eagles, vultures, condors, whale sharks, turtles and humans – the latter to aid psychology and sports injury recovery through movement analysis, said Newbury.

Most recently was monitoring the movement of turtles off the west coast of Africa.

In this case the sensors detect movement and heading from accelerometer and geomagnetic sensors, along with light, temperature and depth – sensors are either on-board or blugged into the board.

Up to 75 million data points recorded over three weeks has been analyses to give an insight into behaviour under (movement and orientation, and depth) and at the surface (+GPS) including duration of dives, the number of breaths taken and foraging patterns at depth.

‘Daily Diary’ tag

• Weight: ~2g +battery +housing)
• Size ~27x26x8mm
• Accelerometer: 3axis 13bit resolution +/-16g (3.9mg/LSB)
• Magnetometer: 3axis 12bit resolution +/-1.3Ga
• Thermometer: -40 to +85°C (0.1°C)
• Air pressure: 300 to 1,100hPa (0.01hPa steps) Not active in sealed housing
• Depth sensor: down to 200m (resolution ~1m)
• Light – light dependent resistor (12bit) for dark to daylight transition
• logging rate: 60Hz max

Sourec:-http://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/design/embedded-systems/newbury-electronics-tracks-animals-2014-11/

Latest Electronic Embedded Systems News

Hi-fi card for Raspberry Pi A and B plus models

Cirrus audio Raspberry PiElement14 has launched a second hi-fi audio card for Raspberry Pi, this time for the A+ and B+, called the Cirrus Logic Audio Card.

Previously it introduced a hi-fi card for the model A and B based on the same WM5102 chip – which was branded Wolfson until Cirrus bought Wolfson.

“The Cirrus Logic Audio Card offers Raspberry Pi A+ and B+ users the ability to input and output high definition audio, said Element14. “The card allows audio input using either line level analogue, stereo digital [SPDIF], or on-board digital microphones. Outputs are line, headset analogue outputs, and SPDIF.”

Application include internet radio streaming, audio recording and sound playback.

“The Cirrus Logic Audio Card brings all the features found on the previous ['Wolfson'] version of this card from Wolfson to the Raspberry Pi A+ and B+ models. It offers a similar level of flexibility as a PC soundcard,” said Claire Doyle, head of Raspberry Pi at Element14.

A bespoke Raspbian image, and more information, is available from Element14′s Raspberry Pi community website.  “We are using the latest raspbian image and have added all the Cirrus drivers to it and packaged it up to give our customers and community an easy path to using the card,” an element14 spokesman told Electronics Weekly.

Source:-http://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/design/embedded-systems/hi-fi-card-raspberry-pi-b-plus-models-2014-12/

ARM, Freescale and TI Sign Up for Qt Embedded

Qt-logoProcessor developers ARM, Freescale and Texas Instruments have joined the Qt Partner Programme.

This will significantly expand the availability of Qt-verified reference boards.

Qt is a pre-configured embedded device development environment with an optimised software stack which can be deployed on reference boards for the development of user interfaces (UIs) and applications.

The new partners include ARM, Boundary Devices, Freescale Semiconductor, Silica, Texas Instruments and Toradex.

“The addition of such prominent members of the embedded device ecosystem to the Qt Partner Program will enable developers of embedded devices to bring devices with innovative and modern interfaces to market faster than ever before,” said Juhapekka Niemi, v-p sales and marketing, Qt.

“The pressure on embedded device creators has increased dramatically over the years, with users demanding high-performance devices equipped with beautiful interfaces that run fluently at 60fps, while development cycles get shorter and these partnerships will help ease that pressure,” said Niemi.

There is also a cross-platform application and user interface development platform called Qt Enterprise Embedded, which includes a self-contained development environment and a software stack, called the Boot to Qt Software Stack, which is supplied in embedded Android and embedded Linux formats.

Target hardware includes Beagle Board xM, Raspberry Pi Model B and BeagleBone Black.


Source:-http://www.electronicsweekly.com/news/design/embedded-systems/arm-freescale-ti-sign-qt-embedded-2014-12/

Building Management System and Building Automation System Training Courses

Building Management System or commonly known as Building Automation System is a control system based on software & hardware installed in buildings in order to monitors and controls the building process equipments i.e Mechanical and Electrical equipment such as ventilation, lighting, power systems, fire systems, and systems. The software program is configured in an arranged manner using protocols such as C-BUS, PROFIBUS, and etc. Manufacturers are also manufacturing systems implemented using Internet Protocols and Open Standards such as DEVICENET, SOAP, XML, BACNET, LONWORKS and MODBUS.

Building Management System is implemented where large projects with complex Mechanical, HVAC, Electrical and Plumbing Systems is required. A Building Management System shows energy conservation of 40% of a building ; including lightning, this percentage reaches to 70%. Building Management System is one of the best systems to manage energy demands.

Building Management Systems are linked to Access Control (Turnstiles and Access door controlling of the building) Security systems like CCTV and Motion detectors. Building Management Systems also link with Fire Alarm Systems and Elevators monitoring. If there is any fire detection, the fire alarm panel shut off Dampers in the Ventilation System which stop Smoke Spreading and turn all the Elevators to the ground floor and park them in order to prevent people from using them in case of fire.

Building Management Systems require professionals from the following Streams

Mechanical Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Electrical & Electronics Engineer

Electronics & Communication Engineer

Civil Engineer

Designation of Building Automation Engineer 

BMS Services engineer

BMS Design engineer

BMS Commissioning Engineer

HVAC Engineer

BMS Application Engineer

Aye, Robot! Meat Processor Welcomes Automation

A deli meat and cheese producer finds that a robotic case packer is not so costly and complex after all, and it can handle automated inspection.

By Anne Marie Mohan, Automation World Contributing Writer

For Dietz & Watson (Dietz & Watson, http://dietzandwatson.com), the first time was the charm when it came to installing a robot at its Philadelphia headquarters and production facility. Dietz & Watson is a 75-year-old, family-owned company that produces more than 400 varieties of deli meat and cheese products sold around the U.S. and the world. Until recently the company had not considered using robotics in any of its four U.S. packaging facilities. But the successful installation of a robotic case packer at its Philadelphia plant has given the company a new perspective on the potential for automation in its operations.

“This is our first robotics installation,” says John Schoenfellinger, vice president of engineering. “We have not implemented robotics in other areas because of the diversity of our product mix. Costs and complexity are always a consideration. [But] this installation has proven that the complexity is no different than with any other production equipment, and the costs are justified by the reduced labor required and the increase in productivity.”

Case packing has been done manually on Dietz & Watson’s sliced deli-meat packaging lines. But when the company invested in a new, 144 pack per minute horizontal form/fill/seal vacuum packaging machine, the VisionPak from CP Packaging, it realized that it would not be possible to position enough people at the end of the machine in the space available to keep up with the VisionPak’s high speed. So the company chose an Osprey Case Packing System from JLS Automation (JLS, http://www.jlsautomation.com) equipped with two IRB 360 FlexPicker robots from ABB (ABB, http://www.abb.com).

One drawback to using an automated system in this application, however, was the degree of inspection required for each pack: On existing lines, operators check for leaking packages, and to ensure labels are printed with barcodes and date codes, before packs are placed into a case.
To address this need, JLS implemented—for the first time—its proprietary Package Integrity Validation Technology (PIVT). It integrates vacuum, vision and several other sensor technologies to detect seal contamination, leaks, pinholes and other issues that lead to loss of package integrity.
“The Osprey case packer they bought was intended to be downstream of their vacuum packaging machine,” says Craig Souser, JLS president/CEO. “So we set up the system to deal with the uneven flow of product [from the intermittent-motion machine] and orientation. That’s inherent with vision-guided robotics. But what really enabled this application was PIVT, because without that package inspection, automated case packing wasn’t viable.”

Installed in late March 2014, the Osprey handles 50 SKUs, featuring four different package weights, packed in four different case sizes. The case-packing machine is surrounded by stainless-steel guarding that, unlike Lexan material, can withstand the cleaning detergent used during washdown operations without discoloring.

Packing in action
Use of a vision-guided robot eliminates all product contact, product orientation and product manipulation, as well as case indexing functions, from the standard case packing system.
During operation, packages exit the intermittent-motion vacuum packaging machine in groups of nine and are spread out for picking on a gapping conveyor. After inspection by the Osprey, the packs are dynamically loaded into the case. Since the case does not stop, but is instead tracked through the system, only one adjustment to the side guide is required during changeover.

As far as changeover for package size, “it only requires recipe selection on the control screen,” Schoenfellinger says. The delta robot’s end-of-arm tooling (EOAT) comprises vacuum cups designed to be flexible enough so that they do not damage the packages.

Since installation, Dietz & Watson has accomplished all of its goals for the new system, says Schoenfellinger. In terms of speed, the system is running at 15-16 machine cycles per minute vs. the 10-12 cycles per minute achieved with manual case packing. This is a 30 percent increase in productivity with just one-third the labor, he says. In terms of accuracy, the machine provides 100 percent repeatability, and Dietz & Watson is seeing consistent quality through package leak detection and label, barcode and code-date detection.

“The system has been much easier to integrate into production lines than we had originally imagined,” Schoenfellinger admits—so much so that Dietz & Watson has purchased a second Osprey for installation on an existing vacuum packaging line. The company also plans investments in automation for other production areas, as well as for a $50 million expansion of its Philadelphia facility, announced in June 2014.