Building Automation Systems for Process Chillers | Building Automation Engineer Course at Sofcon

This touchscreen PLC is used in a process chiller and allows end users to control a chiller from anywhere in the world with a few clicks of a mouse.

With the growing influence of technology in other verticals such as the automotive industry, chiller manufacturers are embracing technologies that make plant-wide communication more efficient. Today, connectivity is the name of the game.

One emerging trend is the development of machine controls, thereby providing the ability to communicate across different platforms and with a building automation system (BAS). Broadly defined, a BAS is a centralized, interconnected network of hardware and software that monitors and controls the environment in all types of facilities and buildings. These systems control many types of equipment, including chillers, air-handling units, fan coil units and heat pump units.

The Language of Chillers There are three main networking platforms being used in the process chiller automation industry: Modbus. The granddaddy of all building automation system languages, Modbus was originally published by Modicon (now Schneider Electric) in 1979. BACnet. This automation language was developed under the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). LonWorks. This language was built on a protocol developed by the Echelon Corp.

With the advent of building automation systems, many functions can be controlled remotely, from lighting and sprinkler systems to security and safety controls. Many buildings can have as many as 10 different systems automating various functions. At its core, a building automation system monitors performance and device functions and alerts when there is a malfunction. It also can reduce energy and maintenance costs. If one has a well-run building automation system in place, energy expenditure can be reduced by maximizing the efficiency of the various pieces of equipment, including the process chiller.
A critical component of a building automation system is the controller. These are small computers used to control process equipment and building functions. Chiller manufacturers, usually slow to embrace technology, are incorporating machine controls into their infrastructure to communicate with these building automation systems. With these units, chillers now have the capability to remotely communicate with the buildings they are housed in. Programmable logic controllers (PLCs) integrated with a chiller system can communicate with buildings on behalf of the chiller.
But there is one big challenge with adding BAS connectivity: There are several “languages” being used in industry to “talk” to the equipment installed. A problem occurs when the process chiller is using one language, and the facility is communicating using a different language. Fortunately, translators on the market resolve this problem easily. For instance, one translator known as Babel Buster will translate from Modbus to LonWorks.
With a building automation system and technology equipped with remote access, a technician can communicate with a chiller that is 3,000 miles away. A lot of problems, including overall system failures, can be avoided with this simple communication system.
The emergence of building automation systems has certainly inspired a needed spark in chiller manufacturing. Innovation in this arena is already changing how chiller manufacturers do business. But there are other trends that are impacting the BAS industry itself:

• Wireless technology is quickly replacing traditionally wired infrastructure.
• Consolidation is occurring among BAS manufacturers.
• Controls are becoming a standard part of new equipment being built and brought to the construction site.

In the long run, there are many benefits to having machine controls integrated onto all industrial chillers, from reduction in management and infrastructure equipment costs to time and resource savings.


Source:-http://www.process-heating.com/articles/90435-building-automation-systems-for-process-chillers

IBASE introduces MI981 Mini-ITX Motherboard

December 26, 2014 - IBASE introduces MI981 Mini-ITX Motherboard with an Intel Q87 chipset and the new generation of Intel Core processors.

By integrating the 4th Generation Intel Core processors manufactured on 22nm process technology with 3-D tri-gate transistors, the MI981 provides more excellent computing and graphics performance and enhanced security over earlier platforms built with the 3rd Generation Intel Core processors. High-end graphics capabilities can be experienced with the available display interfaces, including VGA CRT, DVI-D, LVDS and Display Port. TPM version 1.2 helps assure computer platform integrity and iAMT 9.1, when used with a software management application, allows remote system monitoring, upgrading and repairing.

MI981 supports two DDR3-1600 SO-DIMM memory slots for a maximum capacity of 16GB. It provides advanced and essential I/O connections such as six USB 3.0, six USB 2.0, six serial ports, four SATA III ports and two Gigabit Ethernets. Adding expansion cards is made possible by two Mini PCI-E, one mSATA and one PCI-E(16x) slots.

MI981 FEATURES:

• 4th Generation Intel Core i7/i5/i3 Processor, up to 4.0GHz
• 2x DDR3-1600 SO-DIMM, Max 16GB
• Supports DVI-D,VGA,LVDS and DisplayPort
• 2x Intel PCI-E Gigabit LAN
• 6x USB3.0, 6x USB2.0, 6x COM, 4x SATA III
• 2x Mini PCI-E slots, 1x mSATA , 1x PCI-E(16x)
• Watchdog timer, Digital I/O, iAMT(9.1), TPM(1.2), iSMART3.0

Happy New Year to All of you | New Year's Day in India

New Year’s Day according to the Gregorian calendar (January 1) is one of the most popular occasions in India. Many people throughout India celebrate this festive occasion with loved ones or in large gatherings.

New Year's Day on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar is celebrated in many countries including India.

©iStockphoto.com/scampdesigns

What Do People do?

People in all parts of India dress colorfully and indulge in fun filled activities such as singing, playing games, dancing, and attending parties. Night clubs, movie theatres, resorts, restaurants and amusement parks are filled with people of all ages.
People greet and wish each other Happy New Year. Exchanging messages, greeting cards and gifts are part and parcel of the New Year celebration. The media covers many New Year events which are showcased on prime channels for most of the day. People who decide to stay indoors resort to these New Year shows for entertainment and fun. The age-old tradition of planning new resolutions for the coming year is a common sight. A few of the most popular resolutions include losing weight, developing good habits, and working hard.
Larger cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai organize live concerts which are attended by Bollywood stars and other well-known personalities. Large crowds gather to attend such shows, while some individuals prefer to celebrate with their close friends and family members. The fun filled occasion is considered a great opportunity to get closer to the loved ones in your life and to revive contact with lost friends. The idea is to wave goodbye to the year gone-by and welcome the New Year in the hope that it will invite truckloads of happiness and joy in everyone’s life.

Public Life

New Year’s Day on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar is a restricted holiday in India. Individuals can take a limited number of restricted holidays but government offices and most businesses remain open and public transport remains available. Most people are known to report late to work on January 1 due to late night celebrations.
The security is tightened in prime cities such as Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore as incidents of molestation and fights have been rising the last few years. The arrival of foreign tourists is at its peak during New Year’s Day on January 1, especially in locations such as Goa which is known to be a favorite tourist destination.

Background

The New Year signifies that the time has arrived to bid farewell to the by-gone year and to welcome the New Year. Traditionally, the New Year was celebrated on the first of March every year. However, this date was switched to January 1 as it is considered to have a more religious significance. With the growth of the western culture across the globe, New Year’s Day on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar has been one of India’s many celebrations. There are different opinions as to when New Year’s Day that falls on January 1 in the Gregorian calendar was first celebrated in India. Some say that it was observed when the British colonized India while others say that its popularity bloomed only after the 1940s.
It is important to note that different calendars are used among different groups in India so the New Year is celebrated at different times, based when it is marked in these calendars. This article is about New Year’s Day in the Gregorian calendar, which is celebrated worldwide and falls on January 1. Other New Year’s dates include Diwali (Hindu calendar).

Symbols

As such there are no materialistic symbols linked with this event in India however one gets to experience the vibrant colors and joyful atmosphere filled with parties, prayers and social feasts. People across India escalate their happiness with good music, dance, crackers and lighting.

About New Year's Day in other countries

New Year's Day Observances

Note: Individuals can take a limited number of restricted holidays but government offices and most businesses remain open. This system gives individuals the flexibility to take time off to celebrate a holiday within India's vast religious and cultural society.

Siemens Ltd. surpasses 100,000 milestone for energy-efficient industrial motors

Siemens Limited announced that it has surpassed a key milestone in manufacturing and delivering International Efficiency (IE) class industrial motors by handing the 100,000th motor to UltraTech Cement Ltd. in Mumbai. This translates to energy savings of 300GWh, which is equivalent to the power required by 80,000 average Indian households for an entire year, since the launch of the motors in January 2012.

• Becomes the first company in India to achieve this distinction for IE motors.
• Energy savings through the use of these motors is 300GWh, which is equivalent to power required by 80,000 average Indian households in an entire year.
• In 2012, Siemens was the first company in India to launch a complete range of locally-manufactured IE2 and IE3 efficiency class energy efficient motors.

 

Mr. Dirk Hoke, CEO, Large Drives, Siemens AG presenting the 100000th Motor to Mr.K.C.Sharma, Vice President E & I Projects, UltraTech Cement Ltd

Siemens Limited was the first company in India to launch locally-manufactured IE2 and IE3 efficiency class energy efficient industrial motors; IE3 is currently the highest efficiency class as recognized by Indian Standards. These motors are capable of offering energy savings of up to 10% depending on the frame sizes when used in place of standard effi-ciency (IE1) motors.

“Energy costs are steadily rising over the last few years and will continue to rise as con-sumption grows. This has compelled industrial units, especially those that rely heavily on processes, to invest in energy-efficient equipment like energy-efficient motors. The IE class energy efficient industrial motors from Siemens help customers improve their business performance, reduce lifecycle costs, and meet environmental regulations. The achievement of this milestone only reiterates the growing awareness and need for such motors by our customers,” says Bhaskar Mandal, Country Division Lead, Process Industries and Drives, Siemens India.

Source:-http://www.aandctoday.com/newsline/317-siemens-ltd-surpasses-100-000-milestone-for-energy-efficient-industrial-motors

Methodology work stream of Automation Industry: - Process stream of all the mechanization business are same as depicted beneath

1.Requirements: - There are distinctive necessities of robotized frameworks as indicated by the need of customers and industry. It might be utilized as a part of Manufacturing industry, Assembling, Load Distribution mechanized frameworks, Automated timing control circuits, for example, conveyer sashs, speed and procedure controllers and so on. A programmable rationale controller(plc's) can be customized and gathered as per particular application of work, such IC's are otherwise called Asic's(application particular incorporated circuits). Before amassing any controller gadget it ought to be checked and tried to satisfy the standards and the necessities of the work.

2.Design: - Designers need to outline the circuits according to the prerequisites; the configuration ought to be minimized and force proficient. The creator ought to remember the spot where mechanized frameworks must be introduced and configuration it appropriately. It needs implanted/Chip level programming, mimicking and testing before the usage.

3.Implementation: - Implementation comes after fruitful outlining and endorsed work methodology of the robotized frameworks. The creator/Assembler can just actualize/ Install/ Assemble the framework in the wake of taking regard from the customer were the frameworks must be conveyed.

4.Verification: - After the establishment of the robotized framework, it ought to be checked and confirmed, after the complete establishment it ought to be clarified to the customers and taking their 100% certification for fulfillment. It ought to be noted that mechanized machine parts need nonstop supervision, testing, dispatching and repaired at whatever point required.

5.Maintenance: - Maintaining the general proficiency of any mechanized industry obliges wellbeing checkup and upkeep of apparatus at normal interims of time, redesigning the frameworks as per the most recent innovation will enormously build the general effectiveness.

As the necessities of value yield is expanding, need of robotized frameworks are expanding step by step, there are numerous focal points for the organizations to pick mechanized frameworks as contrasted with manuals are as per the following:-

1.increased benefit with less work needed

2.increased Consistency and dependability

3.increased precision and accuracy

4.high volume generation

5.safer

6.energy effective

7.reduced downtime

8.improved quality

9.accountable and simple to handle

The main downsides of robotized frameworks are high introductory establishment costs, on the off chance that we search for long haul premise than it is more useful and financially savvy.

For smooth work stream in Automation businesses there are some key focuses:-

1.incorporation of new innovations, hypotheses and techniques to create the present modern procedure

2.optimizing the targets to be conveyed

3.research on perplexing mechanical procedure

4.coordination between the colleagues

5.creative colleagues

6.understanding and conveying yields as indicated by business process

7.proper information administration

8.process progression and Disaster recuperation

9.deep procedure examination

10.programming and designing the apparatuses

11.reporting to the unrivaled

12.security and security measures

In any modern environment the aforementioned key focuses ought to be remembered while working. Procedure stream of each industry may change as indicated by the need and methodology executed, But the essential procedure stream will stay same.

Motion Control Market in Midst of Record Year

December 16, 2014 – Global shipments for motion control products grew by nine percent to $2.3 billion in the first nine months of 2014, according to new statistics released by the Motion Control Association (MCA), the industry’s trade group.

“The strong growth in the market is impacting the entire automation industry. We’re seeing this reflected in the large increase of exhibitors and floor space at our upcoming Automate trade show (March 23-26, 2015 at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois)”, said Dana Whalls, Vice President of MCA. “Overall, the show is already 56% larger and motion control specific exhibitors are currently up 209% over the last show as motion control suppliers look to help more companies reap the benefits of adding automation technologies.”

“We’ve seen growth in each statistical category year to date,” said Alex Shikany, MCA Director of Market Analysis. “Through September, the strongest growth has been in the AC Motors category, at 59%. Sales of motion controllers have continued to rise and are up 36% over the same period last year. Motors, the largest statistical category, has grown seven percent, while actuators and mechanical systems are up 12%.”

Individually, the third quarter of 2014 followed a good first half with 14% growth to $794 million. The main growth categories for the third quarter were AC motors (101%), motion controllers (35%), and actuators/mechanical systems (20%).

MCA’s most recent survey of motion control manufacturers revealed that 59% of respondents believe that total shipments of motion control products will remain flat in the next six months, 38% believe the market will increase, and three percent expect it to decline.

MCA summarizes market results from suppliers and distributors in quarterly tracking reports and trend analysis reports. These reports examine orders and shipments by major product category quarterly and annually with helpful tables and graphics. Growth rates and book to bill ratios are provided for each product category. MCA also provides an economic indicator report, which enables report users to interpret quarterly statistics from the standpoint of macro-economic indicators by individual manufacturing industry, as identified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

All reports are available free of charge to all MCA members. Members providing data for the reports receive “full” versions of the reports, which are highly detailed examinations of order and shipment results. Non-participating members receive “abridged” reports, which contain shipment results. Members find the reports valuable as gauges of overall market performance and as benchmarks for assessing relative company performance.

About MCA
The Motion Control Association (MCA) is a global not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting the understanding and use of motion control technologies and developing business opportunities for mechanical and electronic (mechatronics) motion control companies.  Its members include manufacturers of complete motion control systems, component manufacturers, system integrators, distributors, end users, consulting firms, academic institutions and research groups directly involved with mechanical and electronic (mechatronics) motion control around the world.  MCA is part of the Association for Advancing Automation (A3).

About Association for Advancing Automation (A3)
The Association for Advancing Automation is the global advocate for the benefits of automating. A3 is the umbrella group for the Motion Control Association (MCA), Robotic Industries Association (RIA), and AIA – the vision and imaging association. MCA, RIA, and AIA combined represent 750 automation stakeholders from throughout the world.

B-Scada to supply HMI/SCADA Software to Indonesian Power Plant

August 26, 2014 - B-Scada to supply Enterprise HMI/SCADA software to Indonesian Power Plant. B

-Scada’s Indonesian partner, LDK, will be installing the software as a web monitoring solution for the new Senipah Gas Power Plant operated by PT. Kartanegara Energi Perkasa.

The Senipah Power Plant is an important part of the Indonesian government’s ongoing efforts to provide electricity to the rapidly growing East Kalimantan region of Indonesia. Today, approximately 70 million Indonesians live without electricity. The government plans to connect an additional 1.3 million households through the year 2025.

About B-Scada
B-Scada specializes in the compelling visualization of real-time data. Its visualization technology and SCADA products are deployed in manufacturing, power & utilities, transportation, petrochemical, building automation, and other fields of business where visualization of real time data is critical. B-Scada's in-house expertise and experience has provided them the opportunity to partner with companies from various vertical markets, and assist them to develop custom solutions that meet their specific needs. B-Scada's goal is to help clients transfer real-time production and operational data into actionable information through graphically-compelling, functional, and intuitive user interfaces.    

Source:-http://www.automation.com/portals/process-automation/scada-rtu/b-scada-to-supply-hmiscada-software-to-indonesian-power-plant