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The first Ethernet port is a real bargain since it comes embedded on the H2-DM1E CPU ($399) All Do-more CPUs also have one serial port built in to communicate with other control devices For more serial ports, add H2-SERIO-4 modules, with three ports per module ($176 each) Need more Ethernet? Segregate Do-more connection to Ethernet networks for security or isolation by adding an H2-ECOM100 module ($301 each)

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Name your devices Give your communication ports logical names and refer to those names in your program for ease and clarity. Define a custom protocol with an instruction set that lets you define a non-standard data exchange (serial or Ethernet!)

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Contents
A4 Industrial networking expands PLC functionality
Combining real-time Ethernet with visualization, control, and communication capabilities allows PLCs to open the door to a new level of visibility and control for manufacturers.

A8 Optimizing control panel design, construction

Modern control panel wiring methods can reduce the costs of manufacturing and ownership.

A4
On the cover
PLCs ensure manufacturing operations run smoothly by interfacing with sensors, machine guards, motion control systems, and advanced identification devicesand thats just for starters. Courtesy: Turck

A13 VFD bypasses and backups: Which should you use?

Advanced motor protection and consistent energy savings are possible with true redundancy.

C OMME NT
Of PLCs, control panels, and VFDs

A8

Jack Smith
Edit or

ick Morley is known as the father of the PLC because of his work at Bedford and Assocs. in 1968. Almost half a century later, the PLC is the mainstay of industrial automationin one form or another. Whether its a brick, micro, or a high-horsepower PAC, the PLC has been the workhorse in automation and manufacturing industries across the board for many years, to borrow from the words of the authors of this issues cover story. High-speed Ethernet allows bandwidth-hungry technology such as motion control and video to communicate with the systems that require their functionality. As the authors point out, Although PLCs opened the door for on-the-floor visual communication, it was their integration with networking devices that offered manufacturers a new level of visibility and control by combining real-time Ethernet with visualization, control,

and communication capabilities. The second article in this issue explains how advancements in modern control panel wiring methods can reduce the costs of manufacturing and ownership. By increasing the number of control panel components as well as simplifying the wiring that connects them, material, labor, and commissioning costs can be minimized, and construction time can be reduced. VFDs are among the devices that can interface with PLCs. The third article in this issue explains the history behind the need for bypasses. Although VFDs have become much more reliable than when they were first introduced, the bypass, which enabled users to operate motors without the VFD, remains today in one form or another. This article describes traditional and electronic bypasses as well as redundant VFD configurations.

Applied Automation

August 2013

A3

COVER STORY

Industrial networking expands PLC functionality

Combining real-time Ethernet with visualization, control, and communication capabilities allows PLCs to open the door to a new level of visibility and control for manufacturers.
By Randy Durick, Chris Vitale, and Matt Boudjouk, Turck
ing production quality and cost of operation. The benefits of the PLC are well known. Their contributions toward efficiency enhancement and the behind-thescenes support of industrial Ethernet make this heightened control possible. Together, these technologies make communication between humans and machine a seamless, profitable combination. Consisting of various protocols, industrial Ethernet was developed with deterministic capabilities to provide a cost-effective alternative to legacy automation systems. With advanced capabilities, sophisticated functionality, and simplified installation, the PLC is a cornerstone of modern manufacturing. However, to effectively use these devices, users must understand the crucial role networking plays and the individual requirements that must be considered for an effective solution. Together, they form a unified infrastructure that can extend from the administrative to control- and floor-level networks, offering inherent scalability to continue to meet growing industry demands.

he days when manpower served as the brain and brawn in manufacturing are long gone, while human-machine interaction has become commonplace on the factory floor. A prime example of this is the PLC, which has been the workhorse in automation and manufacturing industries across the board for many years. By interfacing with everything from sensors and machine guards to motion control and advanced identification devices, PLCs ensure operations run smoothly (see Figure 1). Through the flexibility offered with PLCs, manufacturers can manage multiple machines at onceachieving a higher level of integration and process automation machines and improvCourtesy: Turck

PLC technology breakdown

Since their inception, PLCs have become a keystone of industrial automation, often serving as a vital link between humans and machines. As control architecture continues shifting and network technology keeps advancing, these changes support integrated HMI-PLCs that leverage an established and portable programming environment. As a universal controller, PLCs can be programmed to perform a variety of tasksfrom starting and stopping motors to mathematical computing operations. With the processing power, data storage, and communication capabilities of todays modern computers, PLCs provide intelligent and rugged field-level application control (see Figure 2). PLCs are designed to act as miniature computers that can deliver reliable operation in various challenging environments, such as extreme temperatures, electrical noise, vibration, and shock. A PLC interacts with the environment it controls through its I/O. PLC inputs accept signals from many types of sensors, switches, and other control devices. The PLC makes decisions based on the values of these input signals with regard to the program thats written to leverage its power to make things happen in its environment. Historically, PLC programs have been created in ladder logica lan-

Figure 1: PLCs ensure manufacturing operations run smoothly by interfacing with sensors, machine guards, motion control systems, and advanced identification devicesand thats just for starters.

A4 August 2013

Applied Automation

Additionally, by combining control guage that closely resembles a relaywith distributed I/O, manufacturers based wiring schematic. However, can lower their total cost of operamodern PLC programming is not tion by streamlining data acquisition, limited to ladder logic. The results of communication, and factory-wide these decisions are sent to actuation connectivity. devices through the PLCs outputs. Networking: For PLCs to become In many cases, the inputs provide a networking tool, users must have feedback to the PLC to enable these the necessary bandwidth that allows decisions, while the outputs provide real-time industrial Ethernet. Because the results of these decisions in the connection and communication form of something that can change requirements are expanding, PLCs the process or environment. must increase support for multiple PLC advantages: Implementing network technologies. While there is PLCs offers numerous performance Figure 2: Processing power, data storage, no one-size-fits-all industrial network benefits, such as reduced hardware and communication capabilities make modfor all of the advanced I/O solutions, requirements, increased efficiencies, ern PLCs ideal solutions for delivering intelli- PLCs can connect the enterprise and less waste. Modern PLCs are layer to the plant as needed by highly customized solutions that can gent, rugged, field-level application control. accommodating multiple protocols. be tailored to individual control appliBecause network protocols add functionality, PLCs are cations while consuming less real estate on the factory necessary components for driving and supporting these floor (see Figure 3). additional functions. As a built-in controller, PLCs simplify installation Maintaining these industrial automation networks because they use less cabinet space. Also, visual displays continues to be a key component in ensuring these inteof many PLCs improve machine/operator interaction and grated system continue functioning. A reliable network is increase production efficiency. For example, local displays paramount. Therefore, maintaining network availability is coupled with easy-to-use interfaces on PLCs can provide crucial. This requires the system to support the necessimple instructions for machine operators as well as a sary bandwidth and high data transmission rates to meet means for data entry to support alarm monitoring and/or application specifications, as well as data protection during recipe management. maintenance operations and fast recoveries if connection Designed for easy maintenance and troubleshooting, failures occur. repairs are reduced to simply replacing modular, plug-in Along with speed and availability, redundancy is imporcomponents. The likelihood of faults and the time needed tant for continued performance and reliability. Prolonged to fix these errors is significantly reduced, eliminating the periods of unplanned system downtime can become a need to rewire panels and devices. Now, errors can be potential threat to plant productivity. However, redundancy corrected by retyping the logic. Additionally, fault detectechnologies not only provide msec-level network recovery, tion circuits and diagnostic indicators incorporated in but they can also substantially reduce deployment costs. each major component can tell whether the component Distributed control: Using distributed control allows is working properly. With the programming tool, any proparts of the automated system to be decentralized and grammed logic can be viewed to see if inputs or outputs dispersed throughout the system. This means that certain are on or off. portions of the system are controlled by separate controlExpanding PLC functionality with networking lers located close to the area of direct control. This allows multiple different form factors for a wide variety of appliAlthough PLCs opened the door for on-the-floor visual cation requirements. Further, by spreading the I/O data communication, it was their integration with networking across the application as appropriate (either in-cabinet devices that offered manufacturers a new level of visibility or on-machine), manufacturers are able to reduce their and control by combining real-time Ethernet with visualizaautomation and control footprint by reducing the number of tion, control, and communication capabilities. necessary components. To meet the growing operation needs of industrial autoDistributed control enables users to implement a flexible mation, networks continue to expand, offering monitoring modular design with the exact amount of I/O expansion and control capabilities in areas not previously possible. to be added when necessary, providing an inherent scalDevice networks are now using fieldbus-to-Ethernet ability for fast, cost-effective updates for future expansion. integration to develop enterprise-wide control networks. Distributed intelligence reduces any additional load on the Merging networking functionality with PLCs enables users PLC, and also allows the system to accommodate future to off-load main processor tasks for distributed control in functional requirements by enabling expansion while using the field, placing control-level devices closer to the action.
Courtesy: Turck

Applied Automation

August 2013 A5

COVER STORY
eterization, configuration, and the same PLC to control autoacyclic read/write operations. The mated applications. This means real-time (RT) channel is used users can enrich their systems by for standard cyclic data transfer expanding the size and functional and alarms. RT communicacapabilities, and still standardize tions bypass the standard TCP/ on PLC systems. IP interface to expedite the data During off-loading, some of exchange with PLCs. The third the control functions from the channel, isochronous real time, is main processor (either PLC or the high-speed channel used for PC-control) to the distributed motion control applications. I/Owhich are located either onmachine or in-cabinetreduce Combining networking and network traffic. This occurs PLCs in the field because through the distributed I/O, the main processor does not need to make requests of the Remote I/O: The oil and gas remote I/O for status of inputs industry deals with hazardous or to initiate an output. The diswork environments and depends Figure 3: Reduced hardware requirements, increased tributed I/O system with control/ on precision and reliability. For an efficiency, and less waste are among the numerous programmable functionality can application that not only needs benefits of implementing PLCs. handle certain tasks, relegating dependable performance, but communications to supervisory or status data to the main also must adapt to changing requirements and increasing processor. demands, traditional control solutions are not ideal, and By enabling remote I/O configurations, manufacturers instead require a modular solution that enables disascan achieve high-level connectivity with only a few I/O sembly and transportation. For oil and gas industries, it is points requiredeven in widespread areasproviding a essential to use innovative connectivity solutions that allow cost-effective control solution for diverse industries and for communication across great distances without sacrificapplications. In large facilities where extensive monitoring ing performance or being susceptible to environmental and control is necessary, it is not practical or cost-effective elements. These demands require a reliable marriage of to have a controller at each site. This would require a control devices, such as PLCs, and networking protocols. tedious and expensive installation process that would With these plants, the challenge is overcoming the widerequire each I/O point to be hardwired with cable running spread design of the facility, which requires the network to over long distances. For example, remote I/O systems can accommodate a large number of signals and still reduce the be used in acquiring data from remote plant or facility loca- wiring footprint while maintaining spare floor capacity. Using tions. Information such as cycle times, counts, duration, or distributed I/O systems that feature a hazardous area quick events can be sent back to the PLC for maintenance and disconnect wiring system provides a cost-effective answer management reporting. Additionally, hardwiring increases to a complex problem. The easy-to-configure systems the likelihood of errors, such as mis-wiring, which can deliver remote I/O functionality for processing applications. require excessive downtime to correct. A single Ethernet cable is capable of handling high traffic Advanced I/O capabilities: Networking technology has volume, transferring as many as 150 signals back to the expanded beyond standard digital input, digital output, PLC from the various remote sections of the plant. analog input, and analog output functionality. For example, Using a sophisticated connector system to terminate advanced I/O can include RFID technology, SSID for process instruments in the field consolidates those sigmotion and serial inputs, data logging, barcode, and 2D nals at a junction box for enhanced efficiency. Further, matrix identification systems. Smarter, more advanced I/O by implementing twisted shielded pair cables for signal produces greater amounts of data, which integrated PLCs transfer from the junction blocks to the PLC cabinet, and must be able to manage. armored single twisted pair cables to connect the junction Typical factory environments are looking for tighter block to the instruments, there is no longer the need to run control of their manufacturing process, which results in a all the cables back to the PLC individually. Instead, what need for more than discrete I/O. PLCs are configured with used to be eight wires has been combined into one single advanced I/O such as analog signal processing, temperacable. Because of the small size of the home run cable ture, and RFIDall of which consume considerably more receptacles, the size of the PLC cabinet, where all the sigbandwidth. nals eventually terminate, was also reduced. This results For example, PROFINET uses three different commuin additional cost savings. nication channels to exchange data with PLCs and other Additionally, to meet the individual needs of the oil and devices. The standard TCP/IP channel is used for paramgas market and its hazardous locations, these devices
Courtesy: Turck

A6 August 2013

Applied Automation

Figure 4: In this coal processing plant example, each conveyor belt features its own control cabinet that incorporates connectors, motorcircuit switches, and distributed I/O. The modular I/O stations transfer all the analog and digital signals to higher level PLCs that reflect the transport systems status.

must be properly mounted. Options are available that include Ethernet protocols with Division 2/Zone 2 approval, consolidating temperature, 4-20 mA, and discrete signals and sending them at high speeds to the PLC. Enhanced automation: A coal production plant has extensive transportation systems that run through the entire facility to transport the coal from its repository to the coal mills. This transport system must be reliable at all times to promote continued plant productivity. Consequently, automation is an obvious choice, but this requires countless sensors and actuators to be installed through the plant that must be managed and maintained. To meet these specific demands, using a modern fieldbus system for the signal transmission between the PLC and sensors/actuators can provide the necessary level of automation, control, and durability. Implementing a proper fieldbus system, one that features a modular design and offers rugged protection, will not only provide interferencefree communication between all devices, but also a high degree of data integrity, protection against vibration, and extensive diagnostic functionality. Consider an example of a coal plant that incorporates two transport stations, two coal mills, and a coal bunker from which the coal dust is blown into kilns. Among these stations, coal is transported via multiple conveyor belts, so it is crucial to keep detailed records as the product moves through the various steps. Each conveyor belt features its own control cabinet that incorporates connectors, motorcircuit switches, and distributed I/O (see Figure 4). The modular I/O stations transfer analog and digital signals to higher level PLCswhich reflect the transport systems status including parameters such as rate of feed, offset, distension, cracks, or fill level datathrough a networking protocol, such as DeviceNet. After evaluating the obtained

data, the PLC submits the plants status to the management information system. All this control can be implemented with just two fieldbus networks. Manufacturers are assured of continuous transportation of coal because of the reliable, efficient, and flexible fieldbus technology that provides error-proof production. Using an IP67-rated fieldbus system, this solution meets the high demands of the coal production industry, with simple maintenance and fast diagnostics, combined with easy and error-free installation and low wiring costsultimately, ensuring efficient and safe plant operationeven in harsh environments.

Conclusion
No two manufacturing environments are the same. However, manufacturers share a common drive to produce a high-quality product while maximizing efficiency, productivity, and profitability. The integration of control devices such as PLCs and advanced enterprise networks offers a proactive strategy for achieving these objectives. Todays networking technology delivers fast, secure, and reliable factory-wide data transfer. PLCs deliver increased diagnostic and communication functionality, providing an intelligent, low-maintenance system that delivers significant benefits. Now manufacturers can improve accuracy, provide faster production speeds, and minimize errors, as well as save on material and labor costs. Randy Durick is director of the Networks and Interfaces group and has 11 years of experience at Turck; Chris Vitale is senior product manager, Networks and has 13 years of experience at Turck; and Matt Boudjouk is product manager, Networks and Interfaces group and has five years of experience at Turck.

Applied Automation

August 2013 A7

Courtesy: Turck

PANEL BUILDING

Optimizing control panel design, construction

Modern control panel wiring methods can reduce the costs of manufacturing and ownership.

lobal pressures and decreased time-to-market challenge manufacturers to embrace Lean concepts and use innovations to maximize their competitive effectiveness. Recent technology advancements intended to modernize conventional control panel wiring are transforming how panels are designed, built, commissioned, and maintained (see Figure 1). Every year, the bar is raised on competitiveness. New technoloFigure 1: Recent control panel innovations offer gies, innovations, and more effecsignificant improvements over conventional tive manufacturing practices propel control panel wiring methods, which can reduce us to higher levels of productivity. the costs of manufacturing and ownership. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that labor productivity increased in 83% of the 86 manufacturing industries studIncreasing productivity ied in 2010, with 57% of these industries posting productivity gains of 6.1% or more as opposed to 2009, when The first step for increasing productivity for control 40% of industries recorded productivity losses. panel building operations is to understand how costs It is no surprise then that productivity is among the top are allocated to design, engineering, material, assembly, five priorities for companies. The CEO Institute reports that documentation, quality control testing, and commissionthe top five issues that keep CEOs awake at night include: ing. Material costs can range from 35% to 65% while 1. Improving productivity engineering, testing, and assembly costs make up the dif2. Reducing costs ference. Also, the costs for on-site installation and com3. Achieving operational efficiency missioning must be considered for system integration or 4. Managing increasing competition turnkey operations. 5. Achieving top line growth. Further, often-ignored, and hardly documented overhead costs are absorbedalthough they may actually So how do engineering managers translate these direcpertain to specific projects. Some of these costs relate tives to drive productivity and competiveness? Instilling a to preengineering, preliminary designs, and/or post order broader view of initiatives and looking at the total cost of service help or troubleshooting at a customers request. ownership over the investment cycleinstead of the initial Although considered good will, the time required increasproject costis crucial. Driving standardization and effies the cost of doing business. Increasingly, MOEMs are ciency wherever possible also helps. Increasing productivdiscovering that including some level of machine- and ity is no longer a voluntary objective; it is required for busi- control-panel diagnostics allows them to help customers ness survival because productivity gains help to insulate troubleshoot systems themselveswith a little guidance businesses from negative economic impacts. via a conference call instead of making a costly site visit.

A8 August 2013

Applied Automation

Courtesy: Eaton

By Richard P. Chung, Eaton

But how can a company gain a competitive advantage? The primary factors in establishing and maintaining a first-mover advantage are decreasing time-to-market and getting early feedback from customers/end users on prototype designs. For example, the U.S. automotive market is experiencing a growth period and is faced with the challenge of reducing time-to-market for new vehicle programs. What used to take 48 to 60 months from start of program to start of production is compressed to a 24- to 30-month cycle. In other words, machinery original equipment manufacturers (MOEMs) that used to have 40 to 60 weeks of lead time from contract to delivery are now challenged to deliver equipment in 20 to 30 weeks instead.

Time, material savings mean cost savings

Time reduction example
Conventional Wiring time Engineering time Testing time Device-level wiring system 269 min 115 min 46 min Savings 41 min 35 min 4 min 85% 70% 90%

any people say, Time is money. However, material is too. When it comes to engineering, assembling, and testing control panels, reducing either time or materials (or both) can reduce costs significantly. Here are two examples that illustrate how reducing time and materials can also reduce costs. In the time reduction example, the estimated time to wire motor starters, contactors, and pilot devices is 4 hours and 29 minutes. However, the estimate is only 41 minutes if a device-level wiring system is usedan 85% reduction in wiring time. Engineering and testing times were also reduced. In the material reduction example, an installation that consisted of 1,600 motor starters would have required 7.83 miles of control wiring. However, by using a device-level wiring system, only 0.45 mile of flat cable was used. Calculating the material cost of each method using $0.61/ft for flat cable and $0.14 for #14 AWG, the device-level wiring system saved more than $4,300. In addition, the calculated savings for wiring/assembly time was 22 man-days. Another significant benefit is the device-level wiring network allowed the system to be installed and commissioned without having to ring out a
Courtesy: Eaton

Material cost example

Flat cable Length (in miles) Length (in feet) Cost per foot Total cost Control wiring #14 AWG 0.45 2,362.00 $0.61 $1,441.00 7.83 41,339.00 $0.14 $5787.00

multitude of control wiring connections. This type of control system can also connect electronic motor starters to the system, which allows motor current and other loads to be monitored without having to add current transformers or analog input cards to the PLC. This feature could enable a higher level of predictive data monitoring that was prohibitively expensive in the past.
Courtesy: Eaton

Figure 2: Additional control panel construction time is required when wiring is bundled to door-mounted devices because wires must not restrict opening and closing the door.

Figure 3: Typically, control panels change over time to accommodate wire tracing, configuration/design modifications, the addition or removal of control or electrical components, or tapping into the control power supply.

Finding cost-reduction opportunities

But what is to be done after the best component price is negotiated and the smallest footprint and enclosure size is established? Further cost-reduction opportunities are limited by conventional hardwired control panels. With material costs a relative constant, the real opportunities for cost reduction exist in reducing control-panel engineering, testing, and assembly time. Perhaps creating a standardized layout or replacing hardwired pushbuttons with a touchscreen on a control network can minimize engineering time. For example, it is typically advantageous to use a touchscreen in designs with 10 or more pushbuttons. Additionally, even using spring-cage terminals instead of standard screw terminations can reduce wiring time by about 15%.

Applied Automation

August 2013 A9

PANEL BUILDING
Figure 4: Before industrial control networks or fieldbuses, control panel connections were hardwired using pointto-point wiring inside cabinets and home-run wiring to and from remote cabinets.
Courtesy: Eaton

Using wiring harnesses can speed assembly time and help eliminate wiring errors. However, this approach is practical only when constructing significant quantities of the same control panel. Automating mundane tasks such as wire stripping and marking can improve quality and consistency while saving time. However, this approach also requires a significant amount of repetitive panels to justify the payback. Establishing point-to-point wiring practices among assemblers can also help reduce testing and/ or troubleshooting time. While functional testing typically reduces the time required to check point-to-point wiring, when something goes wrong, it can still take an unpredictableand possibly an inordinateamount of time to locate and correct faults.

Challenges with hardwired systems

Hardwired control panels continue to serve the automation/control industry very well. However, they present certain challenges because of the intensive labor required to: Cut individual control wires to the proper lengths Strip the insulation Add wire identification markers Add ferrules at the ends of wires. A simple control panel with a PLC and about 100 I/O points typically requires a wiring schedule or chart to instruct the assembler how to connect the PLCs I/O modules to the corresponding contactor, pushbutton terminals, sensors, or other field devices. When more than one panel is required, a wiring schedule is an efficient way to provide wiring instructions and to ensure consistency. However, it requires engineering time to create the wiring schedule.

Also, with numerous wires in close proximity, wiring errors are likely. A wrong connection typically implies that there are multiple wiring errors. More often, a detailed schematic diagram is used, which requires the assembler to interpret the diagram and keep track of all the wiring by highlighting each wired connection as it is physically wired. This is a tedious but essential practice that consumes time but minimizes the chance of not making a wired connectionwhich would be more troublesome to troubleshoot during the functional test stage. When wiring is bundled to door-mounted devices, additional time is required to properly dress and bundle the wires in a way that does not restrict opening and closing the door, or does not damage the wiring bundle (see Figure 2). When wiring to small saddle-clamp-type connectors on pushbutton contact blocks, special steps must be taken to ensure that wires are inserted on the correct side of the saddle clamp, and to ensure proper electrical connections are made. Visibility and access become increasingly restrictive as component layout density grows or as pilot devices are added to the layout matrix. Finally, after the panel is wired, last-minute engineering/ design changes may be required. There may be control program modifications, or the customer may wish to add (or remove) components, features, or options. These changes must be accommodated before the control panels leave the shop. After the control panel is installed on-site, other challenges take over. Eventually, wiring duct covers may be removed to allow technicians to trace wires, control program modifications may be made, field devices may be installed requiring additional I/O wiring, or an added device/component may require wiring to be routed from the control power supply (see Figure 3). Wiring, layout, and control program changes usually go undocumented. Typically, drawings are seldom updated and control scheme and programming changes are not recorded. However, depending on the business arrange-

A10 August 2013

Applied Automation

Figure 5: Device-level wiring systems use smart modules that connect standard motor control components via flat cable to a gateway module, which connects to a standard fieldbus on the PLCs CPU.

ment, the machine builder may still be responsible for the control panel, regardless of the ad hoc changes that may occur in the field.

Improving controlpanel connection methods

How would reducing the number of point-to-point wires in a control cabinet affect productivity? Less wiring translates into less assembly time, fewer chances of making mistakes, less time required to check and test wiring connections, no time needed to create a wiring schedule, and more available control cabinet space. Remember when the connections in the control panel were hardwiredbefore industrial control networks or fieldbuses (see Figure 4)? Remember when the wiring between control panels consisted of home-run wiring to the main controller and I/O modules? Fieldbuses and remote I/O eliminated home-run wiring, which marked a major productivity shift in on-site control wiring and system installations. Although the various fieldbuses greatly improved system installation productivity, point-to-point wiring is still required within the cabinet to connect control components to I/O modules. While the elimination of home-run wiring to and from field devices has greatly improved productivity, that level of productivity has not been available for wiring within the control cabinet. What if control components could be connected to the PLCs CPU without point-to-point wiring or without the need for some of the I/O wiring? What if I/O could be distributed to the component level using an approach that is economically feasible, is functionally equivalent to pointto-point wiring (or better), and is well suited for the dense arrangement of control components normally found in a control panel? Consider a control panel wiring method that could: Connect standard motor-control components Eliminate most hardwiring Accelerate the engineering, assembly, testing, and commissioning processes Reduce control-cabinet space requirements Connect to industry-standard networks and fieldbuses.

Device-level wiring systems that use smart modules, which attach to standard motor control components, such as contactors, motor starters, and other control circuit devices, are now available. These smart modules connect via flat cable to a gateway module, which connects to a standard fieldbus on the PLCs CPU (see Figure 5). Device-level wiring systems that incorporate a power supply can help eliminate most of the control wiring from the PLCs I/O modules to motor starters and control circuit devices. The I/O typically associated with controlling motor starters and control circuit devices can also be eliminated. To understand the productivity, reliability, and economic advantages of using a smart-module-type devicelevel wiring system, compare its advantages to those of a conventionally wired control panel. A wiring duct in a typical conventionally wired panel with numerous control wires can be replaced with a flat multiconductor cable that serially connects the components (see Figure 6). Many of the PLCs I/O modules have been eliminated, which increases available panel space. Saving panel space can significantly reduce material costs when stainless-steel enclosures are required. Panel assembly time is also significantly reduced, and testing time is virtually eliminated because there is only one flat cable to check. Diagnostic LEDs on the communication modules indicate network status, which further accelerates testing and commissioning. From a maintenance perspective, a device-level wiring system has fewer connections that must be checked periodically for termination integrity. Dual-color LEDs on the wiring systems modules simplify troubleshooting. The modules also provide access to byte-level network signals to further aid diagnostic and troubleshooting efforts. Because a single flat cable connects control compo-

Applied Automation

August 2013 A11

Courtesy: Eaton

PANEL BUILDING
nents, field wiring modifications are less likely to occur. However, if and when they do, their presence is evident. This helps to protect the machine builders intellectual property, and to preserve the original craftsmanship and quality of the completed panel. Device-level wiring systems reduce engineering, design, assembly, and wiring time (see Time, material savings mean cost savings). They also simplify control connections, extend diagnostic capabilities to the device
Courtesy: Eaton

Figure 6: Device-level wiring systems use flat multiconductor cables to connect components, replacing bulky wiring ducts found in conventionally wired control panels.

level, and increase the reliability, consistency, and flexibility of the control scheme.

Let ProSoft Technologys Phased Migration Solutions upgrade your legacy control system to the modern era.
Legacy system networks include: DH+ Honeywell IPC-620 TI 505 Remote I/O Modicon S908 PROFIBUS GE Ethernet Global Data GE Genius I/O Allen-Bradley Remote I/O Fisher PROVOX Control I/O Siemens Industrial Ethernet

Control-panel connectivity the next generation

Whether connecting to dedicated/ discrete controllers or networks of PLCs, solutions that can improve control panel engineering, construction, testing, and commissioning are available now. At last, there is a device-level wiring system/network that optimizes control panel wiring the way fieldbuses revolutionized the industry nearly two decades ago. Device-level wiring systems enable engineers and designers to rethink traditional control panel layouts, allowing them to design modular, flexible, and compact control systems while providing advanced user diagnostics for commissioning and maintenance. Richard Chung is a product manager at Eaton. He has more than 25 years of experience in the control and automation industry.

Where Automation Connects +1-661-716-5100 www.prosoft-technology.com/migration

A S I A PA C I F I C | A F R I C A | E U R O P E | M I D D L E E A S T | L AT I N A M E R I C A | N O R T H A M E R I C A

A12 August 2013

Applied Automation

VFD REDUNDANCY

VFD bypasses and backups: Which should you use?

Advanced motor protection and consistent energy savings are possible with true redundancy.

By Tommy Trullinger
C er u s Indust r ial Inc., Hi l l sboro, O re .

Traditional bypass

A traditional bypass consists of a separate motor starter, mechanically interlocked with its companion riginally introduced as an efficient and effec- VFD output contactor in a way that allows only the VFD or the bypass to operate the motor at any given time. tive way to reduce energy consumption Most traditional bypasses default to manual operaby allowing motors to be run at different tion to engage the bypass. In other words, someone speeds, VFDs have become commonmust manually turn on the bypass in the event that the place in the HVAC industry. While there is VFD fails. A VFD fault relay can be used to start the no question that VFD technology helps save energy, bypass automatically based on a VFD fault, but only if unfortunately it was somewhat unreliable in the early the VFD is not damaged. Traditional bypasses are also years. The VFD bypass was introduced to ease conavailable in 2- or 3-contactor variations. A 3-contactor cerns around reliability, and it played a significant role bypass introduces an additional contactor or a VFD in the rise of VFD usage. isolation switch that disconnects A traditional mechanical the VFD from power supply. This bypass acts as a backup sysenables an electrician to completely tem to ensure equipment stays A traditional mechanical remove the VFD while the applicaoperational when or if a VFD bypass acts as a backup tion is running in bypass mode. fails. A bypass is essentially a However, this is not recommended motor starter that is built into system to ensure equipas it sets up the electrician to work (around) the VFD to maintain full in close proximity to high-voltage voltage (across the line) control ment stays operational wiring. A 2-contactor bypass is sufof the application. The backup when or if a VFD fails. ficient for most applications requirallows the application to run at ing a bypass and does not provide full speed until the problem with a complete VFD isolation. Also, the VFD can be addressed. keep in mind that local codes may restrict the actual The bypass, along with the VFD, have become configuration. staples of the typical HVAC configuration, and over the years have made their way into almost all consulting Common features of a traditional bypass include: engineers specifications. The problem is that the majorn Available in 2- or 3-contactor variations ity of specifications today still hang on to the idea that n Disconnect is typically integral bypasses are always needed. VFDs, like most electronn Hand, Off, Auto switch for VFD and bypass ics, have improved dramatically since they were first n VFD/Off/Bypass switch invented. Theyre more reliable now and have extremely n Manual bypass standard (auto relay available) low failure rates. Theyre also much more compact and n Thermal overload protection. economical than in years past. Recently, VFD manufacturers have developed new The traditional bypass is readily available. Other and improved bypasses, as well as motor drive packages with full redundant capabilities. Opinions abound advantages are that it is inexpensive in comparison to other backups, allows for BAS control, and is extremely about which backup or bypass should be used for reliable. various HVAC applications, but there are few guides On the downside, a traditional bypass offers no that provide a definitive answer. To better understand advanced motor protection, needs relays for automatic the selection process, its important to first look at the control, and has no soft-start capability. Communication pros and cons of the various bypasses and backups to the BAS is limited, communicating status/fault only. available.

Applied Automation

August 2013 A13

VFD REDUNDANCY
becoming more competitive, its only a matter of time before bypasses fade away as a viable choice, and dual VFD systems become the standard for critical applications. Most VFD manufacturers offer some type of packElectronic (smart) bypass aged redundant drive systems as part of their custom offering. This means they must be approached on a jobThe electronic bypass was recently introduced to by-job basis. address a number of concerns with built-in logic and Its important to understand that these packages advanced motor protection. This microprocessor-based require a level of customization bypass offers advanced features because they consist of more such as protection from phase Pros of redundant VFDs than just two VFDs. To maintain loss, ground fault, over/undertrue redundancy, extra power and voltage, and over/under power. include full redundancy, full control circuitry must be added. These protection features go far The standby VFD must be isobeyond what a traditional thermal control with backup VFD, lated from power while the primary overload provides. Electronic VFD is running to ensure both bypasses also typically include a and advanced motor proprimary and backup VFDs arent provision for a BAS to communitection all the time. damaged in the event of a power cate directly to the bypass in the surge or spike. To isolate the event of VFD failure. This should VFDs, mechanically interlocked be coordinated with the BAS softinput contactors should be added. Provisions must also ware manufacturer. The electronic bypass allows users be made to ensure that the backup VFD doesnt sit for to select certain conditions in which they want the extended periods without being periodically powered bypass to start automatically, and incorporates other up. VFD dc bus capacitors have a shelf life and can features that traditionally would only be supported by degrade without periodic charge cycles. The control the VFD (fault logging, delays, etc.). There are also system should provide scheduled alternation or charge electronic bypasses on the market that integrate full ANSI-grade power metering, and BACnet or other com- cycles for standby VFDs. The downside of the added power and control components is unfortunately an addimunications interfaces to allow for seamless control tional cost. and communications whether in VFD or bypass mode. Pros of redundant VFDs include full redundancy, full control with backup VFD, and advanced motor protecCommon features of an electronic bypass include: tion all the time. They provide consistent energy savings n Keypad with LED indication because VFD operation is maintained even when one n Communication card fails. However, they are more expensive than traditional n Advanced motor protection and electronic bypasses and have a larger footprint. n Common start/stop terminals n Firemans override Selection guide n Bypass fault logging n Selectable auto bypass When using a value engineering approach, considn Power failure modes. erations must be made to select the proper backup for various HVAC applications. From a purely economic On the positive side, electronic bypasses offer feastandpoint, this means in many cases the designer/ tures such as advanced motor protection, BAS commu- specifier should aim to limit the amount of downtime nications, logic to assist with troubleshooting, flexible rather than eliminate it completely for noncritical applicontrol features, and compact physical size. But these cations. In other words, the proper backup for some bypasses come at a higher cost. They also lack softapplications may be no backup at all. A VFD with a disstart capabilities and motor speed control in bypass connect makes sense for noncritical applications as long (60 Hz only). as steps are taken to ensure downtime is limited in the event of a failure. One approach would be to purchase Redundant drives a spare VFD in each frame size to keep on hand. This could easily be done with the funds saved from elimiRedundant VFDs are the logical next step in connating the bypass on all noncritical applications. Those trol for critical applications. They work on the principle savings can also be passed on to cover the cost of that if one VFD fails, full control and protection are redundant VFDs for critical applications. maintained by a second VFD that automatically takes The following is a series of questions to ask when over. Redundant VFDs are not a new concept; the idea making backup selections: has been around for years, but only recently has this 1. Is this a critical application (clean room, hospital concept become cost-effective. With the VFD market All energy savings are lost and consumption is not monitored in bypass mode. Finally, the traditional bypass offers 60 Hz operation only.

A14 August 2013

Applied Automation

operating room or ICU, data center, etc.)? If yes, specify redundant VFDs. If no, move to Question 2. 2. Is this noncritical application tied to fire alarm for smoke control? If yes, specify smart bypass (or traditional bypass with provision for firemans override). If no, specify a VFD with disconnect only. Bypass should not be used in some situations. For example, do not use bypass on supply fans. Doing so doesnt make sense for system control, and doesnt make sense economically. If the VFD is flipped to bypass, damage can be caused due to over-pressurization of ductwork. This is especially true for variable air volume systems. If balanced at 50 Hz, for example, major damage can occur if the VFD is bypassed at 60 Hz. If a bypass must be used, provisions should be in place to prevent damage in the bypass mode. Controls should ensure inline dampers are fully open, and a high-pressure limit switch should be added to cut off the VFD before damage occurs. If there is a return exhaust fan, this must be controlled in synchronization with the supply fan. Bypass should not be used on applications running

at frequencies over 60 Hz. Many of todays air handlers are running over 60 Hz. Switching to bypass on these systems will limit them to 60 Hz, which wont necessarily cause damage, but under-pressurization and poor performance may occur. In these instances, a better option would be a redundant VFD system. Its possible to use redundant VFDs sized for multiple loads on fan-arraytype applications. This way, full control is maintained if the primary VFD fails. In this type of installation, each motor must be individually protected by a separate overload, and the VFD overload must be disabled. Choosing among the many options for backups, bypasses, and motor drive packages can be confusing. To ease the selection process, remember to first carefully consider the advantages and disadvantages of each. Tommy Trullinger, HVAC product manager, has been with Cerus Industrial for three years, first as an application consultant and now product manager. He is a graduate of Concordia University in Portland Ore., and an affiliate member of ASHRAE.

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