IIoT Cloud

Making things work
as part of the IIoT
IIoT Cloud
IIoT-ready technologies
improve machine
controls
Summer Edition
The significance of
industrial networking
for the IIoT
Contents
3  Making things work as part of the IIoT
10  Modernizing Emergency Shutdown Systems in the Digital Era
19  IIoT-ready technologies improve machine controls
26  EcoStruxure™ Plant, IIoT-enabled architecture and platform
27  The significance of industrial networking for the IIoT
Content archive
30  ICS/IIoT taxonomy needed for cybersecurity
34  Defining the value of edge computing
37  Advanced algorithms for analytics on the edge
42  Leveraging process simulation throughout the plant lifecycle
50  How much control goes to the cloud?
55  How IoT and automation will transform how industries function
61  Integrating IIoT technologies to maximize facility operations
66  Connect the physical with the digital
72  Identifying IIoT risks and rewards
77  Implementing analytics for Big Data applications with PC-based control systems
Sponsored by
2
Making things work as part of the IIoT
Sensors are on the front line of the data gathering process, which is vital for the  Making things
work as part of the
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). IIoT
R eports show Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) concepts are now starting to be Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
adopted across manufacturing and other industries in earnest. Currently, there are Systems in the Digital
around seven billion IoT devices being connected with many more expected to follow. Era
Technologies such as cloud infrastructure, data processing and analytics, enterprise ap- improve machine
plications, augmented reality (AR) and collaborative robots are just some of the technol- controls
ogies that rely heavily on the process data which is provided by smart devices. However, EcoStruxure™
these smart devices – the ‘things’ of the Internet of Things (IoT) – do not always have to Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
be new devices. It is possible to give visibility to existing legacy devices for the purposes
platform
of improving overall equipment effectiveness (OEE); real-time performance monitoring;
offering a real-time warning mechanism; process analysis for predictive maintenance; or The significance of
just giving the control engineer greater visibility across the plant floor. All of those things for the IIoT
can help increase profits by avoiding downtime.
Content archive
“If you want to understand the basic difference in cost and time of a system with iso-
lated devices, and one that can collectively ‘speak’ to the systems used by the control
engineer, imagine when an error occurs in a system where sensors, actuators, processor,
machines, alarm systems are separate systems,” said Ivana Nikic, product marketing
engineer at Moxa. “It can take a long time for an engineer to go to the local superviso-
ry control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, gather data and then try to figure out
which part of the system is causing the problem. Further, there is no easy way to predict
whether a machine collected enough errors over time to fix it or replace it before the
downtime happens. “So, making the ‘things’ in the system smarter – by connecting them
3
 Making things
work as part of the
IIoT
Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
Systems in the Digital
Era
improve machine
controls
EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
The significance of
for the IIoT
and gathering their valuable data – is the first step towards successful IIoT solutions.”
Content archive
The use of smart devices also enables machine builders to offer effective remote trouble-
shooting services for their end-user customers, by having remote access to their ma-
chines to analyze performance data. “Data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI) are now
being used to study and adapt the manufacturing process automatically,” Nikic said.
IT/OT convergence
Issues that might make companies hesitant to invest in IIoT solutions include the interop-
erability of the industrial communication protocols and security concerns coming from
the need for information technology (IT) and Operational technology (OT) convergence. 4
To overcome this, it is important for industry to invest in their personnel. Industrial com-  Making things
work as part of the
munication equipment manufacturers can enable their devices and software to meet IIoT IIoT
requirements. They can provide hardened devices and can also educate users about the
Modernizing
different levels of cyber security protection. Emergency Shutdown
Era
Offering an example to demonstrate a successful IIoT implementation, Nikic said: “For one
metal processing manufacturer with over 400 compute numerical control (CNC) machines, IIoT-ready technologies
IIoT concepts were implemented in order to address the length of the production cycle and improve machine
controls
OEE challenges. The CNC machines and sensors were made smarter with the help of an IIoT
controller, making the OT data accessible to the MES for real time monitoring and this result- EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
ed in OEE increasing to 83%. It also enabled the adaptation of IIoT for further machine and
architecture and
process data analysis used for predictive maintenance and process optimization.” platform
The significance of
What’s changed for sensor requirements? industrial networking
According to Richard Amery, systems sales manager at Turck Banner end users’ require- for the IIoT
ments of their sensors today are not really that much different to what has been demand-
Content archive
ed of them over the past 30 years. “End users generally do not care how the information
is gathered or how it is processed. Users just want to know when component X on ma-
chine Y will need replacing or that greater efficiency can be achieved by changing from
A to B at 3pm on Wednesday,” he said.
When sensors were in their infancy, they were difficult to configure. To meet industry
demands sensor manufacturers needed to make their sensors very complex, in order to
differentiate far smaller process differences but also needed to make them easier to set
up and use. To achieve this, most sensors have been designed to gather large amounts
of data and are packed with intelligence to process the data and output a simple on/off 5
signal. Traditionally, however, this data has not left the sensor. Today this is starting to  Making things
work as part of the
change as the value of the data is recognized. IIoT
Modernizing
“The data required for IIoT projects has always been available but not often utilized Emergency Shutdown
– because the sensor output was directly controlling the process – it is, however, now Systems in the Digital
Era
possible to connect the sensor to a programmable logic controller (PLC) input to allow
its output to be recorded and time-stamped,” Amery said. IIoT-ready technologies
improve machine
controls
Looking to the future
Brendan O’Dowd, general manager at Analog Devices, believes the factory of tomorrow EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
will be more agile and responsive to demands, more automated, and more reliable. It will
architecture and
require fewer human operators and will face less disruption due to unplanned maintenance. platform
He puts this change down to the proliferation of miniature and high performance semicon-
The significance of
ductor sensors, alongside pervasive connectedness are creating a deluge of data on ma- industrial networking
chine and process performance. “There is now more potential than ever for new applications for the IIoT
of data analytics, such as machine health monitoring and preventive maintenance. At the
Content archive
same time, the increasing use of programmable hardware and software-defined electronics
functions enables rapid reconfigurations of factory processes and tools,” he said.
This proliferation of sensors is generating vast flows of real-time data. Legacy commu-
nication protocols between sensor nodes and PLCs – such as 4 to 20 mA control loops
– are giving way to ultrafast industrial variants of the Ethernet protocol, enabling increas-
ing integration of OT infrastructure in the factory with IT in the enterprise.
“In response to this new demand for high speed data transfer in the factory, machine
builders need to future-proof their system implementations, so that they support not 6
only the industrial Ethernet protocols in use today, but also the emerging time-sensitive  Making things
work as part of the
networking (TSN) variant of Ethernet, which is likely to become the standard wired net- IIoT
working technology for real-time industrial communications,” continued O’Dowd. “To
Modernizing
support this transition, Analog Devices provides an Ethernet platform which enables Emergency Shutdown
systems to swap from one Ethernet protocol to another without the need for hardware Systems in the Digital
Era
redesign.”
On the edge improve machine
controls
Getting the best from connected sensors and devices – the ‘things’ of the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT), requires data from every part of the enterprise to be collected EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
and turned into actionable information to make constant improvements. Importantly,
architecture and
much of the data comes from such devices that need to be computed for use in re- platform
al-time to be most effective.
The significance of
“Computing data in real-time requires the computing power to be placed at the ‘edge’ for the IIoT
of the infrastructure, said Greg Hookings, business development industrial automation at
Content archive
Stratus Technologies. “In the near future we estimate that between 40 and 60% of gen-
erated data will be analyzed in this way and stored locally – removing the latency from
cloud analytics and reducing the security implications of transferring business-critical
data to and from the cloud.”
One vital consideration – and a real challenge for many industrial managers – is the need
for IT skills and infrastructure to install and maintain the IT layer necessary to make the
most of IIoT. “This understanding is central to the Stratus approach to computing in the
industrial environment,” Hookings said. “The availability of IT proficiency at the applica-
tion layer is a major pinch-point for many manufacturers. Countering this, and offering 7
compute solutions that operate at the edge to unlock the real-time capability of IIoT at  Making things
work as part of the
the application level, where it is often most powerful, is vital. Edge solutions will inher- IIoT
ently improve security by reducing the amount of business critical information that is
Modernizing
sent to and from the cloud, and this helps reduce the security concerns so often cited as Emergency Shutdown
a considerable hurdle to digitization.” Systems in the Digital
Era
Budget implications IIoT-ready technologies

Looking at the obstacles businesses face looking to adopt new IIoT technologies, one of improve machine
controls
the principal concerns is undoubtedly budgeting for it. New innovations are often costli-
er to employ – at least until the technology becomes more readily available. However, it EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
is important to recognize that after the initial outlay, end users will see a return on their
architecture and
investment in the form of improved efficiencies and extended machine lifetimes. “One platform
cost-effective method of attaining these benefits is to retrofit smart edge computing de-
The significance of
vices to legacy machinery,” said Gavin Stoppel, product manager at Harting. “Businesses industrial networking
can undertake analysis at a relatively low cost by selecting a few machines at their facility for the IIoT
for digitalization. For example, Harting’s MICA (Modular Industry Computer Architecture)
Content archive
contains intelligent hardware, which provides direct data processing at machine level,
allowing businesses to collect and analyse their machine data.
“This information includes details such as machine operating temperatures and vibra-
tions, which allows the engineer to undertake predictive maintenance tasks. By closely
monitoring machine conditions, they can perform repairs before components break,
reducing downtime and increasing system lifespan. The advent of cloud computing also
enables engineers to monitor production and manage connections from anywhere in the
world,” continued Stoppel.
8
“Live manufacturing data can also be used to improve processes, monitor the quality of  Making things
work as part of the
products and employ flexible production methods,” Stoppel said. “By initially choosing IIoT
to retrofit just a few machines, businesses can then decide when they wish to scale up
Modernizing
the installation, allowing costs to be spread over a longer period and thorough planning Emergency Shutdown
to be undertaken. This approach ultimately allows businesses to focus on what they spe- Systems in the Digital
Era
cifically want to achieve from digitalization, helping them to revolutionize their facilities
and see the benefits of improved business performance.” IIoT-ready technologies
improve machine
controls
Data, data everywhere
With the exponential increase in the number of IoT-enabled devices, machines, and EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
gadgets, the quantity of data to be evaluated is growing, according to Hannes Nieder-
architecture and
hauser, CEO at Kontron. “However, data acquisition with unfiltered transfer to the cloud platform
is pointless. In Industrie 4.0 environments, reactions to sensor and actuator feedback
The significance of
will often be required in real time. Intelligent edge computing with compact, robust and industrial networking
increasingly powerful embedded boards and modules as well as industrial PCs, ensures for the IIoT
fast, reliable and uninterrupted data processing close to the point of origin, leaving the
Content archive
cloud to undertake different tasks.”
With the increasing performance of boards and modules, but also with the integration of
functions such as TSN, deterministic Ethernet networks become easier to set up and man-
age. Machines, plants and processes can be seamlessly integrated into the IT networks.
“Thanks to the OPC Foundation initiative to extend OPC UA and TSN from the IT level via
the controller level to the field level, this development will quickly gain momentum,” he said.
Suzanne Gill is editor, Control Engineering Europe. This article originally appeared on
the Control Engineering Europe website. 9
Modernizing Emergency Shutdown
Systems in the Digital Era Making things work as
part of the IIoT
7 steps to approval  Modernizing

Emergency
T he Digital Revolution. Industry 4.0. The Industrial Internet of Things. The 4th In- Shutdown Systems
dustrial Revolution. Call it what you will but today’s fast-accelerating technological in the Digital Era
evolution has forever changed the business of manufacturing. IIoT-ready technologies
improve machine
controls
There’s a lot to get excited about on the digital frontier. Organizations the world over
are investing vital resources into innovative technologies and practices as they embark EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
on a digital transformation journey towards the “digital promised land.” But when
architecture and
modernization takes over, what happens to existing industrial operation systems, espe- platform
cially the safety systems?
The significance of
Safety Systems on the Digital Landscape for the IIoT
Safety instruments systems (SIS) are often a victim of their own success. It’s been said
Content archive
that, “the best safety systems are the ones no one knows about!” Safety instrument-
ed systems for Emergency Shutdown (ESD), Fire and Gas (F&G), Burner Management
(BMS), High Integrity Pressure Protection (HIPPS), and the like are continuously per-
forming critical functions to keep operations, equipment, people, and profit safe.
They go about their business, 24/7, silently, in the background without anyone know-
ing. It is a testament to Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure™ Triconex® Safety Systems
(and other SIS) that many of the original systems installed in the late 1980s and early
1990s are still operating as safely and reliably today as they were on their first day of
operation.
10
Modernizing Emergency Shutdown Systems in the Digital Era
Making things work as

For safety professionals, this can be both a blessing and a curse. Because safety sys- part of the IIoT
tems continue to operate safely, engineers are challenged to obtain support and bud-
get approval to upgrade legacy safety systems as they approach the end of their useful  Modernizing
Emergency
life. By flying under the radar, how do safety systems compete for attention, money
Shutdown Systems
and resources? How do safety engineers join the caravan to the digital promised land, in the Digital Era
and why should they?
improve machine
Why Upset the Status Quo? controls
Short of failures that lead to unexpected downtime, the need to upgrade any safety
EcoStruxure™
system is often highly scrutinized and questioned. Searching for economic benefits to Plant, IIoT-enabled
justify a safety system upgrade or replacement has been a major issue for most enter- architecture and
platform
prises since the first generation of safety systems needed to be replaced with the next.
Many operational managers become frustrated with their plant’s lack of investment in The significance of
safety, leaving the facility to run on outdated safety systems that present a risk to the industrial networking
for the IIoT
business. Whether you work in operations, maintenance, support, or corporate engi-
neering, some of these excuses may sound familiar: Content archive
• “Everything is working fine. The safety systems are reliable. Why should we touch
them?”
• “The plant has never experienced an unexpected outage caused by the safety sys-
tem failure, so why change anything?”
• “Engineering is afraid to touch the safety system as they no longer have the exper-
tise, knowledge, or documentation.”
11

The combination of aging manufacturing assets and diminishing budgets has made part of the IIoT
this situation all too common in recent years. Capital improvement proposals for safety
systems are often rejected during the annual funding cycle in favor of other plant mod-  Modernizing
Emergency
ernizations, and safety professionals are forced to limp along for another year. Doing a
Shutdown Systems
“replacement in kind” provides little or no benefit. There needs to be additional value in the Digital Era
created for the business or else why upset the status quo?
improve machine
7 steps to win safety system modernization approval controls
In any digital transformation investment in safety systems is inevitable. Forward-think-
EcoStruxure™
ing manufacturers and business owners recognize that a change of one or more gener- Plant, IIoT-enabled
ations in hardware and software brings an opportunity to reap future financial benefits. architecture and
platform
To fully realize those benefits, the system upgrade or replacement must also perform
new and different functions — providing new value in the digital world. The significance of
for the IIoT
The justification for a safety system upgrade is seldom a single factor. Many consider-
ations combine to ultimately build a successful case for modernization. Here are seven Content archive
steps to build an effective business justification and win that all-important approval to
successfully secure money and resources for your new safety model.
Step 1 - Determine the funding approach

When considering funding requests for upgrades, the first step in the justification
process is to determine the initial funding request. Typically, there are two options for
consideration: request funding for the full project or request funding for a Front-End
Loading (FEL) study to better define the scope, budget, schedule, resources, risks and
other project details.
12

part of the IIoT
 Modernizing
Emergency
Shutdown Systems
in the Digital Era
improve machine
controls
EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
It’s critical to clearly define what success looks like. This should be tied to business
objectives and translate into measurable success indicator objectives. This is a great The significance of
way to begin engaging colleagues, peers, key stakeholders and others to start to gain industrial networking
for the IIoT
buy-in.
Content archive
Step 2 - Win hearts and minds to build consensus
A critical success factor in any safety system migration or upgrade project is to include
as many stakeholders as possible in developing the business case. Include parties with
a vested interest early in the process to fully understand and address their needs. This
not only helps build a solid case but also strengthens support for the project.
Talk to different parts of the organization and understand what challenges they have
with respect to the safety systems. Spend time with the operations team (bypass man-
agement, operational risk assessments, alarm management), maintenance teams (proof
testing, spares, repairs, maintenance), supply chain (commercial terms, support agree- 13

ments), process safety groups (periodic safety reviews, safety system audits) and engi- part of the IIoT
neering groups (changes, updates, modifications, expansions, etc.) Seeking their input
will be more impactful and the project will be more successful if the upgrade helps to  Modernizing
Emergency
alleviate some of their specific challenges or pain points.
Shutdown Systems
in the Digital Era
Talking with owners and users of safety system data is also important. With cyberse-
curity becoming an ever-increasing threat, the IT department is becoming a key stake-
improve machine
holder and must now be included (ignore at your peril!). controls
EcoStruxure™
Step 3 - Identify the best time to upgrade Plant, IIoT-enabled
It is important that the decision to upgrade your safety system is an educated one architecture and
platform
based on the full understanding of the financial impact, ROI, benefits, risks and poten-
tial consequences. In simple terms. there are only two choices to make: The significance of
for the IIoT
1. Sit and wait until something happens, then deal with it “As and When”
Content archive
14

2. Be proactive and develop a plan. Identifying the proper timing to undertake the part of the IIoT
upgrade
 Modernizing
Emergency
Timing is not an exact science. Whenever an element is out of balance, it can signal Shutdown Systems
that it is time to evaluate if an upgrade is necessary. in the Digital Era
Consider import factors such as: improve machine
controls
• Reliability • Total cost of ownership EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
• System performance • Availability of spares and expertise architecture and
platform
• Access to the equipment • Production needs The significance of

for the IIoT
• Downtime • Prioritization with other projects
Content archive
• Company directives • Standards compliance
• Cybersecurity • Support costs
• Equipment operating life and lifecycle*
*TIP: Ask your safety system vendor for a copy of their published lifecycle policy and
lifecycle status for each element of the safety system (every reputable safety system
vendor should have one). This is a useful trigger for when to upgrade.
15

part of the IIoT
 Modernizing
Emergency
Shutdown Systems
in the Digital Era
improve machine
controls
EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
Step 4 - Take a risk-based approach The significance of

A critical decision to keep an existing system (upgrade in place) or take it out and industrial networking
for the IIoT
replace with all new equipment (rip and replace) may be required. When considering
your options, it’s helpful to lay out and evaluate all risks associated with your options. Content archive
Ask your safety system vendor for a checklist to systematically determine the best ap-
proach.
Step 5 - Define the ROI

Many safety system upgrades are too often justified by the negative consequences,
i.e. a failure, loss of production, potential safety consequence, environmental impact,
increasing costs, etc. This alone seldom leads to a successful budget application.
In many cases, successful safety system upgrades are part of a larger vision or initiative 16

and deliver enormous upside. This is where your additional value calculations come in. part of the IIoT
It’s important to include modern functionality and capabilities in your full assessment.
Safety systems are integral to any digital transformation program and provide enor-  Modernizing
Emergency
mous ROI.
Shutdown Systems
in the Digital Era
Step 6 - Focus on the benefits, benefits and more benefits
The goal of the new project is not to compare old and new systems, but to compare
improve machine
project investments to their gains. In general, the outcome needs to create additional controls
value to the organization, either reducing bottom line costs, improving operating mar-
EcoStruxure™
gins or creating increased revenue—or all three. Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
This is where understanding all your stakeholders is essential. What is beneficial impact
for each organization, department, group and individual touched by the SIS? Many The significance of
benefits are clear and easily calculated with ROI and other accounting practices. Some industrial networking
for the IIoT
are more operational-improvement-driven; some are human resource-driven; and some
are unique to your own enterprise or process and circumstances. Content archive
Step 7 - Pitch to Win

Ultimately, success depends on the ability to sell the value to the decision makers.
Make sure that you put yourself and your request in the strongest winning position.
How do you make your pitch stand out and memorable? One scientifically proven way
to capture a listener’s attention and hold it is to tell stories.
Everyone loves a good story, even those who are data driven. Stories often have a
good guy and a bad guy. The morale of the story is good overcomes bad; so, use your 17

story to show how the upside and benefits (the good) defeat obsolescence, regulations part of the IIoT
and lack of expertise (the enemy).
 Modernizing
Emergency
Once you have your story laid out, don’t forget to:
Shutdown Systems
in the Digital Era
1. Practice, practice and practice, especially the first 2 minutes when you are probably
most nervous or uncomfortable.
improve machine
controls
2. Start strong—decisions are often made in the first 2-3 minutes when the audience
EcoStruxure™
decides to invest their time and carry on listening or to “check-out.” Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
The Time is Now
The digital era is here. Innovation that was only a pipedream a decade or so ago is The significance of
rapidly transforming manufacturing. Safety systems continue to be a critical to every industrial networking
for the IIoT
operation in their ability to drive measurable operation profitability improvements—
safely. Content archive
Make sure your business is safe, secure and able to embrace 21st
century digital technology by modernizing your emergency shut-
down systems. Tell your story, tell it well, and your audience will
listen.
Steve Elliott, Senior Director, Schneider Electric
18
improve machine controls Making things work as
part of the IIoT
Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies have the potential to improve Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
user benefits through diagnostics, prognostics and predictive maintenance. Systems in the Digital
Era
C onsider this scenario: An operator on a beer bottling line experiences a sudden equip-
ment shutdown. The operator has no need to access the programmable logic controller
(PLC) program or disrupt the network. Instead, the operator pulls out a smartphone, con-
 IIoT-ready
technologies
improve machine
nects to the machine’s pneumatic valve system, and pulls up a web page showing diagnostic controls
data on the equipment’s pneumatic system performance. It’s apparent a solenoid coil has EcoStruxure™
burned out in a directional control valve that controls one of the machine’s actuators. Within Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
minutes, a maintenance technician plugs in a new control valve and the bottling line is run- platform
ning again with little lost productivity or major control system intervention.
The significance of
This hypothetical example illustrates one of the many advantages new Industrial Internet of for the IIoT
Things (IIoT)-ready technologies can bring as they enter the machine control market. These
Content archive
technologies promise to improve user benefits with better diagnostics, prognostics and
predictive maintenance. As a result, users will experience increased productivity, decreased
downtime and reduced maintenance costs at unprecedented levels.
IIoT technologies are still in their infancy and currently are implemented in the machine
control environment on an ad hoc or opportunistic basis. In these experimental and pilot
applications, manufacturers are identifying small, focused production problems, and then
employ IIoT solutions at the foundation level to solve them. Gateways export data from the
machine’s control system for analysis and storage on-site or in the cloud. Analytics are run
remotely to better understand the problem and indicate a resolution.
19
IIoT-ready technologies improve machine controls

part of the IIoT
Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
Era
 IIoT-ready
technologies
improve machine
controls
EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
The significance of
for the IIoT
Content archive
IO-Link provides connectivity at the device

For example, a production supervisor might be
and sensor level and allows even the smallest
concerned about a machine’s peak energy usage. field devices and smart sensors to communi-
The equipment’s energy usage data is correlated with cate their diagnostic data for analysis to un-
derstand functional and system status. Image
other operating data pulled from smart sensors in- courtesy: Emerson Automation Solutions
stalled on the machine. With this analysis, the super-
20
visor can identify the time and operating factors when the spikes in power consumption occur.

Connected devices, machine backbone part of the IIoT
The pilot projects of today will lead to the plant-wide projects of tomorrow as new IIoT-en-
Modernizing
abled machines and networks reach the market. The new architectures will combine smart Emergency Shutdown
devices (such as sensors, input/output (I/O) modules, servo drives, robots, motor starters, Systems in the Digital
Era
etc.) with smart pneumatic valve systems incorporating industrial network interfaces, inte-
grated I/O and local analytics capability. These smarter connected devices will form the  IIoT-ready
technologies
backbone of the machines’ controls and have IIoT connectivity.
improve machine
controls
While industrial networking has been used in higher-level devices for decades, it’s been too
EcoStruxure™
expensive to integrate into small field-level sensors. Adding a point-to-point communica- Plant, IIoT-enabled
tions technology that uses existing cabling infrastructure, such as IO-Link communications, architecture and
platform
allows data extraction from smart sensors and devices.
The significance of
The combination of wireless connectivity, mobile devices and wireless diagnostics and prog- industrial networking
for the IIoT
nostics provides smart pneumatic manifolds with the analytical capabilities required for IIoT
applications. The technologies deliver data from the field devices (smart sensors) through Content archive
pneumatic manifolds into a machine control system.
This diagnostic and prognostic data also can be routed through a separate gateway and chan-
nel that isn’t a part of the control network. This allows external devices to collect, analyze and
act upon relevant process data efficiently without loading the control network with diagnostic
data. It also allows users to analyze this data without affecting the machine’s process or produc-
tion schedules. This IIoT-driven data analysis also can be retrofitted on existing machines.
Role of IO-Link
IO-Link (IEC 61131-9, a standard for sensor and actuator communications) allows even the 21

smallest field devices and part of the IIoT
smart sensors to communicate
Modernizing
their diagnostic data for anal- Emergency Shutdown
ysis to understand functional Systems in the Digital
Era
and system status. IO-Link
technology was conceived for  IIoT-ready
technologies
setting and changing function-
improve machine
al parameters on smart sen- controls
sors using the same existing
EcoStruxure™
connecting media. Today, it Plant, IIoT-enabled
has developed into a com- architecture and
munication technology that platform
allows control of non-sensor The significance of

New IIoT-enabled machines and networks reach industrial networking
devices such as proportional pressure regulators
the market. The new architectures will combine for the IIoT
and valve systems. smart devices with smart pneumatic valve systems
incorporating industrial network interfaces, inte- Content archive
grated I/O and local analytics capability. Image
IO-Link typically is used in conjunction with a
courtesy: Emerson Automation Solutions
communication gateway to higher-level industri-
al networks such as EtherNet/IP, Profinet, EtherCAT, etc., to allow network communication to
reach the lowest layer of the control system. Through these IO-Link master gateways, smart
devices can send diagnostic and prognostic data digitally to high-level processors for analy-
sis, which can take place in a local, on-site or cloud environment.
New modular fieldbus valve manifolds will have the added benefit of hosting multiple IO-Link
masters and act as a gateway to one Ethernet communication node. This eliminates the require-
ment to have a communication node for each IO-Link master, which reduces cost and complexity. 22

Due to the modular nature of today’s fieldbus manifolds, IO-Link master modules designed part of the IIoT
to integrate to a modular fieldbus valve manifold also can be distributed up to 30 meters
Modernizing
from the fieldbus communications node, allowing convenient placement of sensors and de- Emergency Shutdown
vices on the machine. The IO-Link master modules can incorporate auxiliary power connec- Systems in the Digital
Era
tors for each individual IO-Link channel to provide machine designers with increased flexibili-
ty, efficiency and additional safety options.  IIoT-ready
technologies
improve machine
Local Wi-Fi communication will be integrated on the pneumatic valve system to simplify controls
machine maintenance and commissioning. The user has easy data accessibility via any
EcoStruxure™
Wi-Fi-enabled mobile devices without needing to download any apps. The operator or Plant, IIoT-enabled
maintenance technician connects the mobile device to the Wi-Fi network and an HTML architecture and
web page with the machine’s analytical data is served up to the device in the appropriate platform
format. The significance of

for the IIoT
Plant-wide IIoT implementation
After local experimentation, IIoT technologies will be implemented more readily on a plant- Content archive
wide, operational level, and substantial benefits will be generated in machine uptime, opera-
tor safety, commissioning and product quality.
IIoT technology reduces machine downtime by allowing predictive maintenance, which

enables operators to identify and resolve problems in a planned and orderly fashion without
disrupting the production process. Prognostics allows real-time analysis with the capability
to continuously monitor the machine’s performance without adding overhead to the control
system. Directional control valves can be monitored for time, distance and the extent of their
lifecycles. The user is alerted when there are deviations from normal operating parameters.
Prognostics are a major step beyond preventive maintenance and facilitates the adjustment, 23

repair or replacement of a compo- part of the IIoT
nent before it creates an impact on
Modernizing
machine performance. Emergency Shutdown
Era
IO-Link communication technology
to work smarter, safer, better.
Innovation Days: 2019 Foxboro
allows low-level devices to commu-  IIoT-ready
nicate to high-level networks in a technologies
and Triconex User Groups improve machine
October 21-24, Austin, TX simple, but economic way. This also controls
brings industrial communication to
EcoStruxure™
even the smallest device, enabling Plant, IIoT-enabled
the promise of IIoT. architecture and
platform
Wireless connectivity also permits The significance of

maintenance personnel to monitor industrial networking
for the IIoT
pneumatic valve systems and their
connected devices in hard-to-reach Content archive
locations deep inside the machine.
Innovation Days: 2019 Foxboro and Triconex User
Groups explore the latest industrial automation and They can diagnose a wire break, an
safety technology through two dedicated programs
tailored to our users. Join hundreds of Schneider inoperable communications module
Electric customers, industrial automation and safety
experts, industry partners, technology experts, and or a failed valve coil without shutting
executives to create the future of process automation.
down the system or climbing around
#WhatsYourBoldIdea
schneider-electric.us/innovation-days
the equipment.
An IO-Link sensor’s status also can be

checked with a mobile device. The
new smart sensors alert the user if 24

they are broken and why they failed, which makes them much easier to fix. Sensor commis- part of the IIoT
sioning and replacement is simplified since the parameters already will be set with an .iodd
Modernizing
file.
Emergency Shutdown
The data generated from IIoT-enabled machines also can help diagnose problems that Era
impact product quality. For example, the data from a machine’s sensors might indicate one
 IIoT-ready
of its pneumatic cylinders is not fully extending. That erosion in movement potentially could technologies
cause deterioration in the manufactured product’s quality over time. The ability to under- improve machine
controls
stand a component is drifting out of specification before it affects product quality will be an
important advantage. EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
Better information for engineers platform
As these technologies begin appearing in machine control systems over the next few years,
The significance of
they will produce improved diagnostics, simplified commissioning, better safety and more industrial networking
consistent asset availability than before. These benefits will have important ramifications for for the IIoT
machine builders and end-user customers in the automotive, pharmaceutical manufacturing Content archive
and food and beverage industries.
Users will soon apply these technologies to solve the big problems in their manufacturing
systems. For the first time, these solutions will be based on data from lower-level sensors
measuring machine performance — and the data collected will automatically or systemati-
cally improve overall operations. Analyzing this new data will create relevant information that
allows machines to operate more efficiently and effectively with less downtime.
Steven Fales, product marketing manager, fieldbus electronics and valve systems, Emerson
Automation Solutions. 25
EcoStruxure™ Plant, IIoT-enabled architecture and platform

part of the IIoT
Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
Era
improve machine
controls
 EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled

architecture and
platform
The significance of
for the IIoT
Content archive
EcoStruxure™ Plant, IIoT-enabled

architecture and platform
Turn Industrial Automation into the profit engine of
your business. EcoStruxure™ Plant makes your job
easier while driving measurable operational profitability
improvements, safely.
26
The significance of industrial
networking for the IIoT Making things work as
part of the IIoT
The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) focuses on the role of the Industrial Modernizing
Internet of Things (IIoT) in industrial networking. Emergency Shutdown
Era
I ndustrial networking connects devices and systems and is critical to the Industrial Inter-
net of Things (IIoT). Application and deployment considerations—along with existing and
emerging technology options—adds complexity to network planning and technology selec-
improve machine
controls
tion according to the Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC) white paper “Industrial Networking
EcoStruxure™
Enabling IIoT Communication.” Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
When trying to understand and resolve networking issues, consider: platform
 The significance
1. Future IIoT scenarios high-level descriptions of requirements and design considerations of industrial
networking for the
can vary by industry.
IIoT
2. Various standards can apply and help.
3. The IIC is developing a technical document, the Industrial Internet Networking Frame- Content archive
work (IINF). The core element of the document will be a conceptual toolbox designed
to provide guidance for selecting the appropriate network infrastructure (see Figure 1).
The Networking Task Group (NTG), a sub-group under the IIC’s Technology Working Group,
is responsible for the three lower layers of the Industrial Internet Communication Stack as de-
fined in the Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework (IICF), which are identical to the lower
three layers of the OSI model: Physical layer, (data) link layer, and network layer.
In industrial automation, these layers are impacted by the transition from traditional field
27
The significance of industrial networking for the IIoT

part of the IIoT
Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
Era
improve machine
controls
EcoStruxure™
Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
platform
 The significance
of industrial
networking for the
IIoT
buses to Ethernet-based protocols. Such industrial Figure 1: A conceptual toolbox provides
methods and guidance for the selection of the Content archive
Ethernet technologies are defined by international
appropriate network infrastructure in a techni-
user groups such as Profibus Profinet Internation- cal document, the Industrial Internet Network-
al, ODVA (Ethernet/IP), the EtherCAT Technology ing Framework (IINF), which is under develop-
ment from the Industrial Internet Consortium
Group, the Ethernet Powerlink Standardization
(IIC). Image courtesy: IIC
Group and the CC-Link Partner Association (CLPA).
Some technologies use standard Ethernet without modifications to layers 1 and 2 of the
foundational IEEE 802.3 standard, whereas others define deviations in the data link layer.
These Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) standards define the physical
layer and data link layer’s media access control (MAC) of wired Ethernet. A set of common 28
The significance of industrial networking for the IIoT

and technology-specific definitions is made available through the International Electrotechni- part of the IIoT
cal Commission (IEC) 61158 and IEC 61784-5 series.
Modernizing
Emergency Shutdown
Companies implementing software stacks for these technologies or gateways to exchange Systems in the Digital
data between them or between industrial Ethernet network and fieldbus segments need Era
to follow the definitions by the user groups—especially those for the application layer. The IIoT-ready technologies
emergence of the IIoT and the possibility to perform advanced analytics in higher-level IT improve machine
systems have led the demand for interfaces providing access to additional data. Further- controls
more, for the sake of quick and reliable operational technology/information technology (OT/ EcoStruxure™
IT) integration, there is a request for standardized semantics, which is often implemented Plant, IIoT-enabled
architecture and
through an additional “user layer” performing the conversion to a rich data model. platform
Dr. Michael Hilgner, manager consortia and standards, TE Connectivity Germany GmbH,  The significance
of industrial
works on international standardization activities and industrial user groups in the areas of networking for the
industrial networks, fieldbuses and cabling systems. For the Industrial Internet Consortium IIoT
(IIC), a CFE Media content partner, he leads the smart manufacturing connectivity for Brown- Content archive
field Sensors Testbed, and contributes to several Industrie 4.0 working groups.
29
ICS/IIoT taxonomy needed for
cybersecurity
There is many opinions and beliefs on what an industrial control system (ICS)
is and what the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) comprises, which makes a
common understanding crucial.
T here have been many events and data points that show even people knowledgeable
in industrial control systems (ICS) and security are having difficulty communicating
together because we have different views and experiences on what an ICS is.
The latest example is Kaspersky’s Threat Landscape for Industrial Automation Systems H1
2018 report. The report stated that “42% of all machines had regular or full-time Internet
connections,” and based on the other statistics, a large percentage of that 42% were send-
ing and receiving email. In case you think Kaspersky isn’t looking at ICS, they characterized
the 320 computers in the survey as SCADA servers, historians, OPC gateways, engineering
workstations (EWS) and operator stations/human-machine interfaces (HMIs).
On the surface, that sounds crazy. We see almost no direct internet access from industri-
al control system (ICS) computers and certainly these computers are not receiving email.
Even taking into account that clients are obviously security conscious, since they are hiring
an expensive consultant to help them, those numbers were ludicrous.
On second thought, the computers that Kaspersky was monitoring likely were under the
broad ICS definition. They likely included building automation systems, which are often on
the corporate network, and are considered low-value ICS. This is a far cry from the ICSs that
run power plants, pipelines, large manufacturing plants, large water systems, and more.
30
ICS/IIoT taxonomy needed for cybersecurity
This demonstrates the chal-

lenge we have in communi-
cating effectively about ICS
when we use these broad
terms without some sort of
taxonomy.
Mounting confusion
There are even more import-
Image courtesy: CFE Media
ant areas where this large ICS
category inhibits effective communication and action including appropriate architecture,
security controls, regulation, and risk. And the confusion is getting worse.
DHS decided that medical devices, including those implanted in humans, are ICS. It’s go-
ing to be very difficult to proceed with solutions that encompass both an implanted medi-
cal device and a turbine DCS and safety system, except in the broadest, and not particular-
ly helpful way.
I’ve had an ongoing disagreement with ARC on their term Industrial Internet of Things
(IIoT). At first I thought they coined this to cover IoT devices and systems that connect
with what was traditionally called ICS. No. IIoT, in their definition, includes everything that
existed in the ICS world plus everything new in the IoT world that is industrial-related. ICS
and IIoT are likely here to stay and are as good as any to describe a broad category similar
to the term enterprise. They are not sufficient or helpful for productive discussions. Some-
thing more specific is needed.
31
ICS/IIoT taxonomy
The taxonomy doesn’t need to be perfect or overly detailed; it’s purpose is to assist in
effective communication.
Here are some possible categories:
• Value–What would be the consequence if integrity or availability of the ICS/IIoT is com-

promised
• Architecture–Classic Purdue model, IoT, classic + cloud?
• Maturity of ICSsec program–Huge difference in what should be done based on ma-

turity. This is one of the biggest issues today with asset owners just starting their ICSsec
efforts spending time and money on actions with minimal risk reduction.
• Sector/system type–This is the most obvious category. There are some sectors and sys-
tems that are homogenous while others, such as the chemical manufacturing, that have
significant variance between small and large manufacturers. My thought is you could
have three to five numbered sectors, and then place industries in one of those as appro-
priate. We could then discuss, for example, Sector 2 systems should deploy these securi-
ty controls or have these threats.
This is far from a complete list of possibilities.
The bundling of more and more sectors and systems into ICS/IIoT term is helpful only
32
in that it is increasing awareness and hopefully corresponding action. It is leading to un-

helpful and confusing discussions even amongst those active in ICS. Executives and those
peripherally involved in ICS will almost certainly be misled by “ICS” information that is
unrelated to their ICS.
We need an ICS/IIoT taxonomy.
Dale Peterson is the founder, chief executive and head catalyst of industry security pro-
vider Digital Bond. This content originally appeared on ISSSource.com. ISSSource is a CFE
Media content partner.
33
Defining the value of edge
computing
Explore the three important factors of deploying an edge computing solution.
W ith the growth in connected devices and machines, industrial enterprises are realizing
the need for an efficient way to manage large amounts of data, which in turn esca-
lates the importance of edge computing. As industrial technology becomes more complex
and devices become more powerful, edge computing is emerging as a valuable solution
for harnessing all this computing power for business value. Today, edge devices go beyond
basic automation, enabling industrial enterprises to perform an expanding array of advanced
computing and analytical tasks.
Many of these tasks have previously only been associated with the cloud. Organizations to-
day are finding they don’t have the connectivity required in their operational technology (OT)
infrastructure to send massive amounts of data to and from the cloud; nor do they have the
luxury of time. Latency issues impede the ability to act on data in real time. Therefore, having
this computing power at the edge can be more practical and cost-effective for organizations
with Big Data and real-time analytic needs.
Edge computing puts processing power closer to where measuring and decision-making oc-
cur in the control loop, and can greatly benefit industrial enterprises. Some emerging edge
computing solutions can give users the benefits of the cloud without the limitations and
vulnerabilities.
When evaluating these technologies, companies should look at these three critical compo-
nents to help ensure a successful, “cloud-like” edge computing deployment:
34
Defining the value of edge computing
1. The elimina-
tion of production
downtime
Uninterrupted production
and driving overall efficiency
will always be priorities for
gaining value with the Indus-
trial Internet of Things (IIoT).
To more efficiently distribute
workloads for mission critical
functions and real-time pro-
cessing, enterprises should
look to real-time analytics
platforms that process and Image courtesy: Ilya Pavlov
analyze data right where it is generated, at the
edge. Performing this automated decision-making as close as possible to the process itself
makes sense for applications such as advanced monitoring and diagnostics, real-time ma-
chine performance optimization, and predictive maintenance. Computing at the edge can
help industrial enterprises reduce unplanned downtime and ensure uninterrupted productiv-
ity, while driving cost efficiencies as a result.
2. The ability to analyze, act on and protect data in real-time

The more enterprises use data from automated systems and IIoT, the more critical data
becomes. In fact, the data produced may be an organization’s most valuable asset from their
IIoT efforts. Leveraging edge computing enables enterprises to find real-time value in critical
35
Defining the value of edge computing
data, without the latency associated with storing the information in a physical data center or
the cloud.
Because of its value, that data must be protected. This requires ensuring reliable infrastruc-
ture, predictive servicing, performance applications and secure connectivity. Enterprises will
need to protect their hardware while also addressing the need for unified edge infrastructure
to evolve their existing capabilities to make the best use of critical data.
3. Simplifies operations
With the rise of IIoT, industrial enterprises are blurring the line that separate the enterprise
data center and business systems (IT) from production automation systems (OT) and their
respective networks. This converged “hybrid OT professional” has a unique combination
of skills to bridge the gap separating the IT and OT worlds, thus reducing the burden on IT
teams along their organization’s IIoT transformation.
The growing adoption of IIoT is creating more demand for processing and data-intensive
computing at the edge. By merging IIoT applications and software along with comprehen-
sive predictive modeling capabilities, enterprises can unlock the next generation of edge
processing. Edge computing reduces production downtime and related costs, drives value
in critical data, and enables OT to lead the IIoT transformation, which minimizes the burden
on IT teams. Leveraging the power of edge computing will help enterprises succeed as they
take off on their IIoT journey.
Jason Andersen, vice president, business line management, Stratus Technologies. Stratus is
a CSIA member, a CFE Media content partner.
36
Advanced algorithms for
analytics on the edge
Substantial computing power in modern industrial PCs and cloud bandwidth
considerations make the case to analyze machine performance directly on
controllers, before the cloud.
T he debate between cloud and edge computing strategies remains a point of conten-
tion for many control engineers. However, most agree smart factories in an Industrie
4.0 context must efficiently collect, visualize, and analyze data from machines and produc-
tion lines to enhance equipment performance and production processes. Advanced ana-
lytics algorithms allow companies to sift through this mass of information, or Big Data, to
identify areas for improvement.
To some, edge computing devices seems to create an unnecessary step when all data can
be managed in the cloud with limitless space. Messaging queuing telemetry transport
(MQTT) encryption and data security built into the OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA)
specification ensures all data will remain secure while it’s being transferred. When it comes
to analytics and data management, however, edge computing presents important advan-
tages to monitor equipment health and maximize production uptime.
Because of the massive amount of data that modern machines can produce, bandwidth
can limit cloud computing or push costs outside of a set budget. New analytics software
strategies for PC-based controllers allow controls engineers to leverage advanced al-
gorithms locally in addition to data pre-processing and compression. As a result, a key
advance in analytical information is the concept to process data on the edge first, which
enables individual machines and lines to identify inefficiencies on their own, and make
37
Advanced algorithms for analytics on the edge
improvements before using the cloud for further The ability of edge devices to execute ad-
analysis across the enterprise. vanced, including preprocessing and com-
pression, helps reduce cloud storage require-
ments and unnecessary bandwidth utilization.
The cloud and data bandwidth Image courtesy: Beckhoff Automation
challenges
Depending on the service plan, running all analytics in the cloud can be expensive de-
pending on how much storage space is needed, but the more difficult proposition is trans-
ferring the data there in the first place. Managing bandwidth can create a serious issue for
factories, since the average Ethernet connection speed across the globe is 7.2 Mbps ac-
cording to the most recent connectivity report from Akamai.
38
When one machine sends data to the cloud, much less multiple machines, little-to-no
bandwidth is available for the rest of the operation. Kloepfer, Koch, Bartel and Friedmann
published two use cases to illustrate this point.
In the first use case, the structural dynamics of wind turbines using 50 sensors at a 100
hertz sampling rate required 2.8 Mbps bandwidth for standard javascript object notation
(JSON) to stream all data to the cloud. For the second case, asset condition monitoring
in intralogistics, used 20 sensors at a 1,000 hertz sampling rate and required 11.4 Mbps
JSON. This a relevant test since JSON is a common format to send data to the cloud or
across the web.
Without compressing or pre-processing mechanisms, an average 7.2 Mbps internet con-

nection cannot stream data from three or more large machines or from a full logistics
operation that requires advanced measurement, condition monitoring and production
traceability. A factory must use a much larger connection, multiple connections, or it can
leverage advanced analytics on the edge.
Edge devices and advanced algorithms

In the past, most programmable logic controllers (PLCs) were capable of controlling repet-
itive tasks in machines, but possessed the computing prowess of a smart toaster. Industrial
PCs (IPCs) feature ample storage and powerhouse processors, with four, or as many as 36
cores. The automation software packages for these IPCs run alongside Windows, and can
support third-party applications and can be accessed remotely. PC-based control software
can provide advanced algorithms to manage data, such as pre-processing, compression,
measurement, and condition monitoring. This does not require a separate, standalone
software platform. 39
Condition monitoring performs many operations such as converting raw accelerometer

data into the frequency domain locally. This can be done on an edge device or within
the actual machine controller’s PLC program. For example, when analyzing vibration, the
information is often collected as a 0 to 10 V or 4 to 20 mA signal. This can be changed to a
more usable format on the controller through a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm.
More extensive machine vibration evaluations are possible using DIN ISO 10816-3: Me-
chanical Vibration-Evaluation of machine vibration by measurements on non-rotating parts.
To monitor bearing life and other specific components, algorithms are available to add
to a PLC program to calculate the envelope spectrum first and then the power spectrum.
Many common machine conditions and predictive maintenance algorithms can be evaluat-
ed within the machine control, or on an edge device.
Automation software should offer built-in algorithms to process deterministic and stochas-
tic data. If the data is deterministic, controllers using pre-processing algorithms could send
certain values only upon a change. The recipient should know the mathematic correlation
and be able to reconstruct the original signal if desired. For stochastic data, the controller
can send statistical information such as the average value. Although the original signal is
unknown, the recipient can still use compressed, statistical information.
It also is possible to implement algorithms on the IPC to monitor process data over a set
sequence. This includes periodically writing input data according to a configured number
of learned points to a file or to a database. After storing standard values, such as torque
for a motion operation, algorithms compare cycle values against them. Ensuring data is
within a configured bandwidth creates a type of process window monitoring, which can
readjust immediately due to the real-time capability of a local controller. 40
Implementing a cloud and edge strategy

Running advanced algorithms on a local edge device reduces cloud bandwidth require-
ments and offers an efficient strategy for process optimization. However, that does not
mean an operation can or should disconnect from the cloud. In the age of the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT), it is essential to gather and access data across an operation, even
if many analysis and decision-making tasks can be completed on local hardware first.
To decide what needs to be sent to the cloud and what can be processed or pre-pro-
cessed locally, make sure to ask the following questions:
• What are the goals your operation wants to achieve through data acquisition in this
instance?
• Which data sets from which machines need to be analyzed in order to achieve these
goals?
• What types of data insights does the operation need to improve efficiency and profit-
ability?
Local monitoring with edge computing often works most efficiently to improve the oper-
ation of individual machines. However, the cloud provides the best platform to compare
separate machines, production lines or manufacturing sites against each other. Implement-
ing both allows an operation to maximize its capabilities.
Daymon Thompson is automation product manager, Beckhoff Automation, North America.

41
Leveraging process simulation
throughout the plant lifecycle
Using simulation for plant design, process automation system validation, and
operator training will help optimize plant operations.
D igital transformation is rapidly influencing the hydrocarbon processing industry. Up

to 60% of refining operations are spending more on digital technologies in 2018 and
67% believe a lack of digital solutions would reduce their competitive edge, according to
a research report by Accenture. While new software and hardware are being developed to
address this demand, established strategies also stand to play an important role in the dig-
ital revolution. The change will be in how these tools, such as operator training simulators,
are implemented, deployed, and used to achieve optimal plant performance.
Process simulation has been a key tool in the hydrocarbon industry for decades. Histori-
cally, simulators have been used in two key phases of the plant lifecycle. During the initial
design phase, steady-state models enable engineers to design and size key equipment
and ensure that heat and material balances are satisfied.
Much later in the lifecycle, when the plant is online, the operations staff uses dynamic op-
erator training simulators (OTS) to train new personnel and refresh the skills of experienced
workers. These activities occur in phase 3 and only part of phase 5 of the plant lifecycle
shown in Figure 1. This leaves many phases of engineering and operations without simula-
tor interaction.
Management can use high-fidelity simulation throughout the plant lifecycle to yield the
42
Leveraging process simulation throughout the plant lifecycle
greatest return on investment by treating the simulator as a digital copy of the physical
plant not limited to narrow use-cases. Advancements in computational technology have
filled the gap between design and operations so a full plant model of the highest fidelity
can be used simultaneously for engineering studies and operator training.
In bridging this gap, a much larger percentage of the plant lifecycle comes into scope and
unlocks the potential of the process simulator as a tool that covers the plant from design
to operation.
Static and dynamic

simulation models
Static process simulation software
is heavily relied upon during the
front-end engineering and design
(FEED) phase of brownfield and
greenfield projects. Comprehen-
sive plant models provide engi-
neers with a complete view of heat
and material balances for limiting
design cases and other operating
conditions. Additionally, simula-
Figure 1: A diagram shows a plant lifecycle’s
tion software is used to perform feasibility studies, key phases and where simulation can be used.
assess different process configurations, and iden- Courtesy: Honeywell
tify risks. Engineers can leverage this information

to ensure designs are safe, meet environmental regulations, and maximize the operational
and business performance of the asset (see Figure 1). 43
Generally, static simulation is a tool used most often during this stage of the plant lifecycle.
However, dynamic models can be useful for feasibility studies. Mature simulation software
allows the end user to seamlessly migrate from a static to a dynamic model. In this case,
services required to build the initial model are performed upfront, during the FEED phase.
This means that the benefits of the simulator can be realized in the downstream lifecycle
phases with minimal services investment.
Using simulation for plant design and process

automation system validation
While static models ensure operation at defined steady-state conditions, a dynamic sim-
ulator allows engineers to validate that the plant can successfully operate at every point
from black start to full capacity. Once the plant design has been finalized, engineers can
use the simulator to ensure the design is fit for purpose and all equipment can meet the
demands of the startup procedures and operational sequences.
By adhering to process and mechanical data sheets during the model development phase,
end users can be confident all equipment in the simulation matches that of its physical
counterpart in the field. With this knowledge, engineers can scrutinize every piece of
equipment in plant from individual piping segments to complex, multi-pass heat exchang-
ers. Additionally, with the ability to pre-program model scenarios, engineers can contin-
uously run the plant through defined operational procedures and examine the process
responses using incremental changes in the plant design.
While the benefits of examining the plant process with a simulator are immense, much of
the value is realized upon integration with the control system. After the design and testing
the controls, the simulator can provide an additional layer of process automation insight. 44
Most modern control systems have the ability to simulate values so rudimentary testing
can be performed on control loops. However, a high-fidelity simulator provides realistic
process responses that are almost impossible to replicate with empirical correlations.
Sophisticated modeling software is based on first principles, thus providing meaningful

insight into countless “what if” scenarios. The controls will be exposed to more advanced
testing that is more closely aligned with the actual plant response. This allows engineers to
identify potential problems early in the design phase before they become expensive and
time-consuming to correct.
The safety system’s validation and design is a vital part in the commissioning of any new fa-
cility. All production companies aim to minimize the number of safety incidents that occur
onsite. However, the reality is that safety systems are exercised so infrequently it may take
years for a flawed design or procedure to be recognized.
A simulator provides real-time process responses to allow users to scrutinize and dissect
safety schemes during abnormal operating conditions. Using defined operating scenarios,
users can run the plant through various upset conditions such as: compressor surge, de-
pressurization/flaring events, and total plant shutdown. This allows for an iterative process
wherein safety systems are constantly tested and upgraded to ensure all possible out-
comes are accounted for. Once changes have been proposed, the hazard and operability
(HAZOP) team can use the simulator to support studies and investigate the integrity of
planned designs.
Plant commissioning and startup in a virtual environment

While a simulator will not aid in constructing a new facility, the engineering staff can con- 45
tinue to use the simulator during this time to ensure commissioning and startup (CSU) is
as smooth as possible. Many pieces of the plant, from process equipment to controls and
alarming, are being exercised to their full functionality for the first time. Consequently,
many unforeseen issues are uncovered during this time that require immediate attention to
avoid lengthy and expensive delays.
However, the issues faced during the CSU can be addressed much earlier by performing
the CSU in a virtual environment. A virtual commissioning and startup (vCSU) that involves
all key stakeholders
will expose many
flaws and allow them
to be rectified in a
timely and controlled
manner. For exam-
ple, vCSU provides
engineers an op-
portunity to test
the detailed startup
procedure, fully
exercise the distrib-
uted control system
(DCS) human-ma-
chine interface
(HMI), validate alarm
Figure 2: Screenshot: An operator training
suppression, and tune vital control loops. Many of
46
simulation environment is available in Honey-
these activities are often crowded into an already well UniSim Operations. Courtesy: Honeywell
tight startup schedule leaving little room for error. This second layer of validation ensures
the assets handed off to operations have been validated and tested in an environment that
mirrors real life.
Plant operation and maintenance

The traditional role of custom-built plant simulators is in operator training. Many plants im-
plement programs that require their employees to follow extensive, simulator-based train-
ing regiments to maintain a certain level of training. The best practice in this area is track-
ing and recording the performance of board operators using training scenarios to evaluate
key performance indicators (KPIs) against plant standards. Additionally, management can
track their plant performance and see the efficacy of their hands-on training program in
real-time (see Figure 2).
Recent improvements to augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies have
extended simulator-based training to field operators. Workers can practice non-routine
tasks in the safety of a virtualized or mixed reality environment where instructors can guide
and teach along the way. This hands-on training approach leads to a safer and more com-
petent workforce.
For plants at a more mature stage of the lifecycle, a process simulator can benefit not only
operations, but the engineering department as well. In addition to serving as a platform
for operator training, this is a time for the simulator to shine as a predictive analytical tool.
Assuming management supports an evergreen approach towards simulator maintenance,

the model should continue to provide an accurate representation of plant dynamics and
responses, making it an appealing platform to propose and test process upgrades. Some 47
of the activities may include identifying facility bottlenecks, enhancing operating proce-
dures, and testing plant performance during novel grade transitions or other transient
scenarios.
A change that may require weeks to implement in the field can be accomplished almost
instantly, reducing the time between an idea’s genesis and it being tested and validated.
This accelerated cycle allows for more upgrades to be proposed and refined prior to im-
plementation in the field. Additionally, updated DCS, programmable logic controller (PLC)
and safety instrumented system (SIS) control logic may be loaded into the simulator system
to test the response of proposed upgrades.
Virtualization and cloud-based project execution

Due to the complexity and extensive breadth of simulation systems, they have historically
required a large software installation coupled with a sizeable hardware footprint. The work-
load associated with maintaining such a system can cause simulators to fall out of date and
thus, lose their one-to-one match with the physical plant. When this happens, the simulator
loses credibility in all the aforementioned activities.
To lower the burden of maintenance, simulation suppliers have trended towards virtual-
ization. This means the OTS network runs on virtual machines, which are hosted on either
local or off-premise servers. This approach eases system maintenance by allowing users
to easily backup and quickly restore systems in the event of hardware or software failure.
Virtualization also reduces the hardware footprint as entire networks can be hosted on one
server.
The next logical step in this trend is to move the host servers off-premise and into a cloud 48
environment. There is growing interest in using public and private cloud infrastructure as a
platform for implementing simulation. In this scenario, customers would be able to access
their plant model from anywhere in the world, with only limited hardware required to do
so. Additionally, suppliers would be able to easily provide remote support and be more
efficient overall.
As industrial digitization continues to revolutionize the hydrocarbon processing industry,

leveraging new and existing technologies to advance plant performance is critical. Al-
though process simulation is not a novel technology, progress in how simulators are imple-
mented and deployed can unlock new benefits to support a plant throughout its lifecycle.
By viewing a process simulator as the digital clone to the physical plant, users can explore
new avenues to leverage this technology and support all stages of the plant lifecycle.
Scott Michel is senior product marketing specialist, Honeywell. Edited by Emily Guenther,
associate content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com.
49
How much control goes
to the cloud?
Cloud computing is gaining ground as industrial plants become more efficient,
but it’s important to recognize where computing is needed and where it should
be taking place.
M any process engineers would be happy to apply the mantra “What happens in Vegas
stays in Vegas” principle to their systems, meaning, “What happens in operations
stays in operations.” To process engineers, all automation, control, and instrumentation
applications should stay in the plant. It’s more reliable and secure that way. And that’s the
way it was—until a few years ago. A shift is taking place.
In a drive for efficiency and having a competitive advantage, companies are turning to
cloud computing as a way to gather production data, crunch the numbers, and feed se-
lected results to management, to analysts, to suppliers, to vendors, and in some cases,
back to the plant. Call it the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industrie 4.0, or enhanced
supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), but the digital transformation of indus-
trial production is well underway.
Because this radically departs from the way things have been for decades, many questions
arise like: What about security? Are the connections reliable? Isn’t this just what we’ve al-
ways been doing, with a new name?
As companies move beyond the pilot stage and begin to implement full-scale IIoT and
Industrie 4.0 systems, another question often coming up is: How much control goes to the
cloud? Or, how much data processing should be done in the cloud? (Figure 1)
50
How much control goes to the cloud?
Cloud computing for industrial

systems
Some cloud-computing proponents assert that
the more computing that can be done in the
cloud, the better. However, that approach does
consider the realities of industrial control systems
(ICSs). It would be foolhardy to attempt low-level
or time-sensitive control from the cloud, as well
as most types of supervisory control. The security,
latency, and reliability of an internet connection
can’t match an in-plant network. Also, the volume
and rate of data pouring in from a typical indus-
trial system would consume enormous amounts
of cloud resources, resulting in a much higher
cost. Figure 1: How much control should
go to the cloud? Image courtesy:
Skkynet Cloud Systems Inc.
One of the latest trends in cloud computing isn’t in the
cloud at all, but at the edge. Edge computing can mean different things to different peo-
ple. From the viewpoint of an IIoT cloud, the edge is often considered to be the border
of the industrial system, such as the gateway that connects to the cloud. From within an
industrial control system itself, the edge could be a device, like a sensor, actuator, or per-
haps a remote terminal unit (RTU) out in the field that collects data from a number of de-
vices. However, the edge is defined, the idea is if processing power is inserted there, a lot
of time and money can be saved by filtering, conditioning, and aggregating data before it
is passed on to the next level of analysis.
51
Everything doesn’t have to be done in the cloud. In fact, most automation engineers would
agree it’s better to put computing power where it is needed. Local computing keeps re-
sponses closer to real-time, cuts bandwidth, and reduces the uncertainties of network
connections. Consider these four areas where processing can take place:
Device: Adding computing power at the device level can help reduce the amount of data
that needs to be sent to the plant’s upstream applications and the cloud by filtering or
conditioning the data at the source. In addition, processing at the device can abstract the
data from the different field protocols into a common protocol. This means upstream ap-
plications do not need to know the specific protocols of the field devices providing them
with information, which makes the data available to a wider range of clients.
Plant: Traditionally, this is where most industrial computing has taken place, with SCADA
and human-machine interface (HMI) systems providing supervisory control and visualiza-
tion. Now, to satisfy new requirements, these systems are increasingly being used to create
metadata, such as device status, connection status, and system health scores, as well as
target production tracking.
Gateway: Computing at the gateway is an effective way to apply the cost savings of data
reduction and conditioning to established infrastructure that may not be able to support
added computing resources themselves. If an organization doesn’t want to disrupt the
legacy system, adding data processing at the point where the data leaves the plant makes
sense. (Figure 2)
Cloud: When proper steps to reduce, manage, and enhance the quality of the data from
plant systems and remote devices is done at the source, cloud computing resources can 52
be used more effectively to aggregate data from

multiple locations, store and analyze the data,
and present it in a form best suited to the client
needs.
The latest generation of IIoT cloud services also

provides secure, bidirectional connections, which
allows the cloud to send data and analytics back
to authorized end users at any location. Not all
cloud services offer this, but the benefits can be
significant. Cloud services can store data on a
scale that can’t be matched by in-house systems.
Combining that with a broad range of cloud
analytics shows how integrating plant data and
cloud services can enhance process knowledge
and guidance.
Figure 2: Balance the data load
at each step of the process.
Industrial control, cloud services Image courtesy: Skkynet Cloud
Systems Inc.
Making the most of the new era of cloud services for indus-
trial control will depend on how the cloud data needs to be managed and the data that
needs to be received from the cloud. Applying resources at the appropriate level to con-
dition and optimize the data sent to the cloud will reduce costs and generate a quicker
round-trip time for analytical data supplied back to the plant. Abstracting the data from
multiple source protocols will make it available to more client applications in the plant and
in the cloud.
53
The days of “what happens in the plant stays in the plant” are numbered. Driving process
data into the cloud and getting meaningful answers back is already the goal of many inte-
gration projects. Balancing the data load at each step in the process seems to be the key
to a successful implementation and adding edge computing where it is needed will pull
things together.
Bob McIlvride is director of communications at Skkynet Cloud Systems Inc., a CSIA mem-
ber. The CSIA is a CFE Media content partner. Edited by Emily Guenther, associate content
manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com.
54
How IoT and automation will
transform how industries function
Technology Update: Internet of Things (IoT) is changing the future of automation
engineering and manufacturing. Learn the five areas driving IoT and why they’re
important.
D evelopment of the Internet of things (IoT) is considered as one of the major events
in modern day industrial revolution. Digital transformation has become inevitable
for majority of organizations wanting to achieve better productivity and management
of processes and assets.
As companies strive to earn larger market shares, manufacturers and engineers face
the challenge of creating innovative machines and systems. Industrial Internet of
Things (IIoT) assist them in providing high-speed and efficient systems in running flex-
ible production processes at affordable prices. Another basic challenge is the integra-
tion of these advanced systems for seamless applications. Design engineers and orig-
inal equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are using research and development (R&D) to
develop low cost solutions for the evolving demands.
Impact of IoT on automation

The IoT has entered the next stage of business, where the focus is primarily on inte-
gration and convergence across industrial verticals, compared to the prior initiation
of novel projects. Businesses are more focused on the value and goals than versatility
of the connected devices. Advancements taking place in IoT connected devices, plat-
forms, software, systems, apps, and connectivity among others is the key factor taken
into consideration. It is imperative for the manufacturers to possess or develop instru-
55
How IoT and automation will transform how industries function
ments and equipment with flexibility in design, movement, reusability, and intercon-
nectivity. Manufacturers increasingly rely on incorporation of subsystems and modular
components that can help improve the efficiency and eventually reduce manufacturing
costs.
IoT-enhanced
manufacturing
With applications
in healthcare, home
automation, and
building and con-
struction, IoT has
become ubiquitous.
The major challenge
for manufacturers
is to develop smooth communications to Figure 1: Germany is investing heavily in Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT) components, 2014-2025 as
enhance capacity and flexibility of actua-
shown in billions of U.S. dollars. Image courtesy:
tors, analyzers, and robotics. IoT-enabled Grand View Research Inc.
industrial automation can offer integration
of various commercial technologies across major industrial applications, such as with
programmable logic controllers (PLCs).
Management of the overwhelming amounts of data is a primary digitization concern.

Analysis and distribution of collected information and data is essential for OEMs to
derive predictive models. These models can assist end-users to reduce often costly
unplanned downtime. Along with the use of cloud, manufacturers need to program an 56
interface to read the data and present the most relevant information for the end user.
In this way, engineers can collaborate with automation suppliers without prior knowl-
edge of big data.
How IIoT is transforming manufacturing?

Increasing cost-effectiveness of cloud technologies, IoT, operations and maintenance
personnel are turning to IIoT by embedding more intelligent controls, sensors, and
smart switches. Industries need systems that can do predictive analysis and determine
the projected time of servicing. Researchers find that such abilities are capable of sig-
nificantly reducing overall maintenance costs of organizations and can reduce break-
downs.
Organizations are taking keen interest in integrating the three vital elements of busi-
ness: machinery, robotics, and humanpower. Traditional manufacturers are adopting
the advanced systems to reduce operational efforts and manufacturing costs.
Increasing adoption of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems has
been a sign of growth for traditional manufacturers. Traditional SCADA systems can-
not communicate with operations and logistics. This is where industrial IoT becomes
invaluable for businesses by moving data gathered beyond SCADA. IIoT can link all
aspects of manufacturing, including delivery, operations, sales, and inventory. IIoT con-
nections make the machines more autonomous and most importantly, they can coexist
with SCADA. This is expected to boost integration and eventually replace or integrate
data acquisition systems into the IoT.
57
Five areas driving

IoT
Global IIoT initiatives will
unlock approximately
$933.62 billion by 2025,
according to Grand View
Research. The need for re-
al-time information remains
the primary market driver,
and innovation is expect-
ed to propel IIoT demand.
Most companies focus on
databases to detect, cate-
gorize, and optimize pro-
cesses. Emerging regions Figure 2: Global Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in-
also are expected to witness impressive vestments will unlock approximately $933.62 billion by
2025, as Grand View Research shows in end use IIoT,
growth in coming years with increased in- 2016 (%). Image courtesy: Grand View Research Inc.
dustrialization and adoption of IoT across
all walks of life. Five major IIoT trends follow.
1. Security
Researchers expect security to be the primary IoT and IIoT concern. Threats like cyber-
attacks, data privacy, and data security threats from public and private networks and
devices are anticipated to be among major risk factors for industry. Major challenges
ahead of the organizations is to keep IIoT devices updated and secured throughout
58
their lifecycles. The key is to enable security patches and system updates for devices
that might sometimes have weak security systems and passwords.
2. Data intelligence
Increasing efforts to improve digital literacy is one major trend expected to emerge in
near future, across the board. Organizations are focused on investing in systems and
programs to ensure the right kind of data is collected. Preference for data quality over
data quantity is something that manufacturing organizations are careful about. Com-
panies are likely to hire data engineers and data scientists to figure out a way to gauge
the capabilities of major cloud service providers with the use of advanced tools.
3. Smart cities
Rising demand for connected infrastructure, autonomous technologies, and high pre-
cision location services can ensure rapid growth of IoT and for smart cities. This factor
is anticipated to boost the adoption of IoT and IIoT and is poised to improve infra-
structure services and applications. Integration of these systems can boost accuracy of
services, traffic lights, parking systems, security systems, and so on.
4. Business collaborations
While innovations like flexible machines and system integration continue, businesses
vigorously seek innovation. Most companies are engaging in business collaborations
and cooperative partnerships. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are expected to help
organizations develop advanced capabilities and work faster and smarter. Researchers
suggest M&A can assist in bringing analytics and digital capabilities under one roof
and provide a strong competitive edge to the businesses.
59
5. Advanced applications
Development of advanced applications, predictive maintenance, software upgrades,
next generation manufacturing, blockchain (an internet ledger that can be accessed
by all parties involved in transactions and that serves as a depository of transactions
among involved parties), and autonomous data centers are also expected to positively
influence the manufacturing and automation engineering industries for years to come.
Lack of data visibility across most existing businesses remains a hinderance. Data visi-
bility is one of the vital IIoT requirements. Another problem concerns system upgrade
costs. Data gathering and analysis and system upgrades can be extremely expensive
and also can disrupt routine operations. Researchers suggest that resolving these chal-
lenges can help IIoT reach its potential.
Rutuja Jathar is a technical writer/editor with Grand View Research Inc. Edited by
Mark T. Hoske, content manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, mhoske@cfemedia.
com.
60
Integrating IIoT technologies to
maximize facility operations
Gain valuable data insights by integrating operations, information technology
(IT) systems, and creating a more effective Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
solution.
C ontrol Engineering (CE) asked Michael Risse, vice president of Seeq, for advice on
how controls, automation, and instrumentation help with integration using In-
dustrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies. Integrating operations and information
technology (IT) systems can be made easier with the following considerations.
CE: When those in automation and operations consider integrating IIoT concepts,
what technologies are they most often talking about? Also, what technologies
should be considered but may be overlooked?
Risse: The basic components and systems of the IIoT have been a fact of life in indus-
trial automation and operations for decades: sensor, data collection, application, stor-
age, and analytics. What’s needed are insights to improve outcomes in terms of quality,
yield, margins, safety, etc.
Most of the promises of digitization transformation, IoT, etc., are about bringing that
opportunity for insight to things that didn’t have it (connected cars, smart refrigera-
tors, brilliant parking lots, etc.) to solve the same types of problems seen in industrial
plants and facilities by providing predictive analytics, operational insight and visibility
to things not in front of them via remote access. The next step is to extend the visible
range of results to partners, upstream (supply chain) and downstream (customer use)—
61
Integrating IIoT technologies to maximize facility operations
Providing subject matter experts with visual representations

and across organizations (x-plants).
of data allows them to interact directly to solve problems,
without the need for assistance from data scientists and IT
The IIoT is not the same old stuff in personnel. Image courtesy: Seeq Corp.
industrial applications because there are very significant innovations driving opportuni-
ties and lower cost such as:
• Cloud: connectivity, data collection, sharing, simplicity
• Sensors: more, cheaper, wireless, edge processing, OPC unified architecture (UA)
and message queuing telemetry transport (MQQT) protocol support 62
• Analytics: more data can now be used to provide much more insight by implement-
ing new approaches. Software platforms makes this possible by using technologies
such as Big Data, machine learning, open source, etc.
• Business models: remote monitoring of assets by vendors, selling thrust versus en-
gines, distributing risks.
CE: How can controls, automation, and instrumentation help with integration and
use of IIoT technologies?
Risse: Stick to a business case, start small and create value. Just don’t overthink this as
top down—IIoT projects often take too long and cost too much. Try to find a greenfield
in a brownfield scenario—something new in something existing (use case should de-
pend on what matters most—ingredient quality, energy use, emission compliance, etc.)
For example:
• Skunkworks: Raspberry Pi to track sensor data on wireless to inform/contextualize a

sensor.
• Midsize: cloud IIoT platform for disconnected data sets (remote assets) that expand
visible range for operators, or optimization context for engineers.
• High level: remote monitoring center to centralize operations.
CE: What value is being created and how, with integration of operations and in-
formation technology (IT) systems? 63
Risse: Value doesn’t have to be in dollars. It could be safety or any other priority for
the organization such as regulatory compliance. The value is in the time to insight to
improvement. Or, to put it another way: sooner means value, and the insight means
value, and the sooner the insight is the square of value (or multiplier) because it’s soon-
er (like area under the curve). How it’s created is insight.
Many vendors love to talk about sensors, wireless, and other technologies, but the
point of all this is improved outcomes through quicker insights and delivering the prof-
it impact of doing something better, sooner. Also, the value could be the same insight
an organization has been wanting to achieve for years. Now it’s profitable to do so
because the cost of achieving the insight went down (cheaper data storage, collection,
new analytics, faster insights). The IIoT is a point in progression in terms of lower costs
for most of the components in these types of systems.
CE: How can data analytics help make sense of existing data and the additional
information created when previously disparate systems are connected?
Risse: Data analytics is a huge help because one of the keys for successful IIoT im-
plementations is tapping the innovation in analytics technologies so subject matter
experts (SMEs) can find insights faster. This allows them to answer the questions they
have wanted to analyze but were just too hard/too long to do with traditional tools
such as spreadsheets.
So for existing data, there is untapped potential in data already collected no matter
where it resides. Data analytics can enable a bridge across data silos to simplify con-
textualization by putting data in its frame of reference. Previously this was done mostly 64
by hand, mostly by an SME in Microsoft Excel or as part of a massive information tech-

nology (IT) project. Now this can be done by any SME. With new data sources, this will
become even more of an issue. Perhaps an answer is data lakes or data roll ups for
multi-plant scenarios, but data collected in one place without analytics is just a bigger
headache than when it’s spread out.
CE: What other advice or tips would you offer on IIoT integration relevant for
Control Engineering subscribers?
Risse: Beware of all systems requiring new data storage. Typically, it’s not the data that
needs help; it’s the analysis of the data to produce insights. Starting small and soon
should not require undertaking some Big Data transformation/cloud movement effort.
There has to be a midpoint between hopelessly global (IT top down takes forever) and
mindlessly local (plant-by-plant skunkworks with disconnected and nonstandard tools
or approaches). This midpoint can be implemented by getting started now on existing
problems. Even if one tosses out a local project due to lack of success, it can inform
what you need to know and how you can make better decisions, and at very quickly
and with low implementation costs. If there are no local initiatives, competitors will
outperform laggards; so it’s best to get started sooner rather than later.
Michael Risse is vice president at Seeq Corp. Edited by Emily Guenther, associate con-
tent manager, Control Engineering, CFE Media, eguenther@cfemedia.com.
65
Connect the physical
with the digital
Leaders say, don’t let culture impede technology progress with the Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT).
B ridging the divide between the physical and the digital worlds, the Industrial Inter-
net of Things (IIoT) transforms how companies function and how work gets done,
based on gains in sensor and microcontroller technology, connectivity, and analytics.
These emerging technologies are also conceptualized as Industrie 4.0.
Businesses focus on operational excellence to streamline and tighten production pro-

cesses. Six Sigma techniques support these efforts. IIoT gives these companies an op-
portunity to go beyond Six Sigma, fool-proofing many activities and processes related
to operational efficiency.
These trends see support in a survey from L&T Technology Services and ARC Advisory
Group conducted at this year’s ARC Forum. Half the survey respondents were with large
corporations having more than $10 billion in revenue. According to the survey results,
57% of business leaders and organizations embrace IIoT for operations-related work.
Key focus areas for IIoT are to enable augmented operations, human-robot collabo-
ration, advanced digital-product development, data-driven control of operations, and
predictive maintenance.
Early adopter feedback shows that the transition to an IIoT ecosystem depends on
employee initiative. The survey also highlights that 42% of business leaders feel that
66
Connect the physical with the digital
organizational culture acts as an im- The positive impact of IIoT can be short-term operational
efficiency, but it also can have a long-term influence on
pediment to IIoT adoption. Capital ex- resource optimization, product design, and automation.
penditure concerns are also prevalent. Image courtesy: L&T Technology Services
While about 40% of organizations said their companies are at the pilot stage of evalu-
ating IIoT, 31% said they’re already in discussions with partners and ready for gains on
first-mover advantage. Predictive analytics and Integrated IIoT are key those adopting
IIoT.
67
Given the need

Let’s take a step back to discuss what really makes up an IIoT architecture. In IIoT sys-
tems, industrial assets and operations technology (OT) such as materials, machines, and
plant control systems, interconnect with information systems and technology (IT). Also
connected are users,
along with the enterprise
business processes and
technology (BT). Once
connectivity and system
data flow between OT-IT
and BT is accomplished,
data can be aggregated
and analytics applied.
As insights are gained,

IIoT connects industrial assets and operations
smart decision-making leads to intelligent
technology to information systems. Such an
industrial-operation and business models. approach allows data aggregation and insights.
While conventional IIoT frameworks are avail- Image courtesy: L&T Technology Services
able, a scalable and long-term approach integrates IT, OT, and BT. While IT deals with
increasingly large databases, OT is about physical devices and processes, and BT is
about business software applications.
Classifying the technologies in this fashion can help uncover challenges inherent in the
status quo. IIoT technologies can then allow companies to autonomously manage pro-
duction, integrate customer data with machine data, and harness the power of machine
68
learning. This in
turn can posi-
tively influence
operational effi-
ciency and fuel
innovation, while
improving qual-
ity, safety, and
productivity. Like
the remote man-
agement systems
applied in larges-
cale computing
An IIoT system includes sensors/chips, edge
and telecommunication domains, IIoT enables
gateway, IoT platform, cloud services, and data
management of the engineering value chain, analytics. Bringing together these disparate ele-
from the comfort of a centralized location. ments enables the system to be run as a managed
service. Image courtesy: L&T Technology Services
Two typical characteristics of any IIoT-based system include information processing on a

24×7 basis and real-time constraints imposed by the environment.
A comprehensive IIoT architecture might include sensors, for detecting events or

changes; edge gateways that aggregate and filter sensor data; IIoT cloud-enabled plat-
forms, including smart-signal aggregators and modelling algorithms; Big Data analytics,
including machine learning, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, data store, and
security. The entire system is meant to run as a managed service.
69
In addition, technology firms add IIoT value by offering managed engineering services
as a key building block of the IIoT system. Managed services comprise round-the-clock
remote monitoring, predictive maintenance using data analytics, and value engineering.
Thus, a new kind of build-operate-manage model will increasingly become the para-
digm for technology providers.
Case study examples

Business-process management and enterprise-resources planning integrate systems
and processes to a degree. The comprehensive structure enabled by IIoT takes further
steps. An IIoT-enabled framework can integrate processes starting from the product-de-
velopment stage through manufacturing to supply chains. Possible capabilities include
data-driven inventory, remote asset testing and inspection, data-driven quality control,
remote service, additive parts manufacturing, augmented operations, human-robot col-
laboration, and advanced digital-product development.
While IIoT is in the early stages of adoption, inspirational narratives abound. For in-
stance, a global construction company faced critical business challenges managing field
assets and equipment. This was addressed using IIoT technologies that in turn enabled
development of a remote asset performance management framework. The framework
covers 30,000 assets across 500 asset types. It delivered an estimated 12% improvement
in asset utilization. On-time asset availability will likely lower overall costs as well.
Services supporting the solution implementation included sensor identification, gate-

way selection, sensor-gateway commissioning, and on-boarding. Such an IIoT system
generates six gigabytes of data per day, deriving data intelligence from about 2,500
nodes. 70
In another instance, a consumer-goods manufacturer addressed the operational disrup-

tions caused by frequent compressor failures in its manufacturing plants using IIoT tech-
nologies. The system used predictive analytics to proactively estimate time to failure,
using anomaly indicators including temperature, current, vibration, and other parame-
ters. The model works at more than 70% inaccuracy and is estimated to result in annual
savings of about $500,000.
The impact to come

According to a report by McKinsey & Co. Inc, IIoT will have a potential economic impact
of up to $6.2 trillion by 2025. McKinsey lists IIoT as one of the key technologies capable
of economic transformation. The future will see continuing transformation of industry on
a global scale.
IIoT platforms will be a critical success factor for goods makers and services providers.
Industries that leverage IIoT to integrate data, machines, and people will see impacts
on productivity, efficiency, and operations. IIoT can be a life preserver in increasingly
stormy seas, providing an intelligent technology framework, with benefits for a compa-
ny, its partners, and customers.
Dr. Keshab Panda is CEO and managing director, L&T Technology Services. L&T Tech-
nology Services is a CFE Media content partner.
71
Identifying IIoT risks
and rewards
Integrators provide a safe passage to smart factory technology
I s your company ready to connect your equipment into one ecosystem? The Industrial
Internet of Things (IIoT) is a process of communication between equipment for indus-
trial manufacturing. It is often used to improve repeatability, traceability, quality control,
proactive maintenance, and safety through connectivity. You can assimilate disparate
systems into one efficient arrangement, but there are risks. Without a proper integration
process, you could open your company to security risks or resource availability issues.
The IIoT collects data from a network of equipment to automatically analyze and deliver re-
ports that can allow you to make better decisions faster and more efficiently. These systems
often share data in a cloud-based storage platform and give automated reports in real time.
Information technology implications

What are the potential risks for small- to medium-sized companies? How do we mini-
mize these risks? Before making the decision to jump in, it is important to consider your
specific internet-based cloud storage needs and your technological infrastructure.
1. Will cloud storage increase efficiency and effectiveness for my company?

2. What process will minimize my risk of security threats?
3. Do I have the resources to adapt and adopt the IIoT process?
Is it worth the security risk?

As with any online data storage, the potential for security breaches can be minimized
72
Manufacturing industry reaps cloud computing benefits
and mitigated, but never fully nullified. This reality A current evaluation of a plant’s existing IT
structure is a necessary first step in the IIoT
is among the first that any business must consider process. Courtesy: EPIC Systems Group
before making the decision to use an IIoT plat-
form.
A challenge of this network is that, traditionally, industrial automation systems have al-
most always been physically separated from business network systems; thereby making
them secure from remote threats. 73
Transferring an existing system to an IIoT system must include setting up firewalls to

protect data entering from external non-related sources. Firewalls would make it diffi-
cult to receive unwanted data so that the primary security concern is limited to unautho-
rized extraction of data—which should be addressed through the development of data
access protocols.
Regular security checks and maintenance should also be factored into a cost analysis.
According to EPIC Systems senior network administrator James Knight, “Security patch-
ing is important and should be done on a schedule. This is a process that should not be
skipped as it is common for new security threats to arise as vulnerabilities are discov-
ered. Consequently, this process should include not only computers, but also firmware
updates on network devices like switches.”
A well-segregated network that splits the IT and operational technology (OT) so they
don’t “touch” often eliminates a majority of concerns when it comes to making compro-
mises in security. However, access to all pertinent data emanating from the plant ma-
chinery and systems is vital to plant personnel. Investing in the proper devices to make
this possible will further the goals of both IT and OT.
With so many provisions to account for, the most important step is a current evaluation
of the IT structure. If smaller manufacturers wish to enhance their process automation
systems to include cloud-based storage, they will need to update their data security
systems as a first step to protection.
Project and maintenance resources

Another factor to consider is the IT department resources needed to carry out this sys- 74
tem transfer. Managing the transformation requires managing and understanding the
business objectives of both your IT specialists and systems engineers.
A major concern of many smaller entities is the possible downtime that might occur due
to the transfer. The lack of a capable operating system or in-house staff that can update
the system has the potential to cause major downtime between testing, system up-
dates, and regular maintenance schedules. Information such as the number of lines your
plant is operating, and how much of a handle you have on your systems monitoring is
vital to determining your plants need for an overhaul.
A transition to the IIoT requires a shift to new system setups, protocols, and possibly
complete equipment overhaul, updates, and security enhancements. Developing sys-
tems or networks that can facilitate the change in protocols is a vital step in the transi-
tion.
An update in hardware is a necessity so that data can be collected and transferred to of-
fice and/or management personnel and can help streamline decisions regarding various
performance measures.
Relying on a professional system integrator that works closely with an experienced

IT department to execute and manage the assimilation to the new system is ideal for
smaller firms that do not have the engineering or maintenance staff for the changeover.
Efficiency and effectiveness

A common misconception of entities that are considering digitizing is that a transfer to
a digitized system automatically equates to efficiency and effectiveness. At the onset, 75
that may seem an obvious conclusion; however, what happens when the capacity of a
plant does not lend itself to the resource demands of a new web-based set-up?
When using a machine that has a full operating system, companies should consider a
long-term service operating system. This helps to reduce downtime caused by updates,
but still provides security updates on a schedule that can be regulated and scheduled
specifically to avoid peak production hours.
To maintain an efficient use of storage space and time spent on analysis, maintaining a
clear segregation between input/output (I/O) data and the data that you want stored
on the cloud is imperative. There would not need to be an interruption between the
I/O connection to the programmable logic controller (PLC) for the IIoT system to be
installed and functional. In fact, the desire would be to keep that data separated due to
the monotony of the data and the amount of storage it could potentially take up.
Integration of cloud-based storage is often the right move for industrial manufactur-
ers in competitive industries, but small- to mid-sized manufacturers should seriously
weigh the costs of such an integration against the expected effectiveness. Questions
regarding security, staffing, training, existing performance challenges that need to be
addressed, as well as system maintenance cannot be overlooked when considering this
shift to the digitized industrial age.
Jason Baron is the power and controls group manager for EPIC Systems Group LLC.
76
Implementing analytics
for Big Data applications
with PC-based control systems
Control engineers can use PC-based control systems to take advantage of Big
Data analytics to help them make real-time insights for their companies in the
Internet of Things (IoT) era.
D emand for companies to reach the best decisions based on real-time data insights have
never been greater. The responsibility to apply the right technologies to make all this
happen often falls right at the feet of controls engineers. Fortunately, there are ways for them
to implement Big Data analytics that aren’t too far out of the comfort zone of programmable
logic controller (PLC) programmers if they use PC-based control systems.
As PC-based control platforms have evolved into the Internet of Things (IoT) era, the walls
have come down in terms of what the roles are for automation controllers in machines and
plants. As far back as the mid-90s, one PC-based controller could assume the combined
roles of PLC, motion controller, and human-machine interface (HMI). This eliminated pre-
viously existing costs and the inefficiencies of relying on multiple hardware, software, and
networking platforms. Today, it is possible for one industrial PC (IPC) to assume the roles of
IoT gateway, edge computing device, and data analytics platform.
While deploying analytics onboard machine controllers is more typical in edge computing
scenarios, additional analytics code developed in the same environment also can be run con-
currently in cloud services, such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS). Commu-
nication standards that arose first in the information technology (IT) world, such as message
77
Implementing analytics for Big Data applications with PC-based control systems
queuing telemetry
transport (MQTT),
are also at play
in manufacturing
environments today,
as well as the stan-
dards associated
with industrial ap-
plications like OPC
UA, which means
scalability is assured.
There are many

benefits to running
analytics software
directly on the machine controller as a supplement Communication standards that arose first in
the world of IT are at play in manufacturing
to higher-level, standalone platforms that may run in
environments today as are standards more
the cloud. However, the expertise and skillset of the commonly associated with industrial applica-
typical controls engineer may not overlap heavily yet tions. Image courtesy: Beckhoff Automation
with the latest IoT technologies finding their way into

manufacturing environments.
By applying Big Data analytics tools in the same engineering platform as the one used for
PLC, motion control, and HMI, engineers shorten their learning curve and stack the deck in
favor of successful implementations when many are rolling out pilot projects for their first
true Industrial IoT (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0 concepts. This also protects and enhances machine 78
builders and manufacturers’ intellectual property without giving away a new revenue stream
or competitive advantage to an IoT services provider or another third-party.
Using PC-based control technology, analytics code can be run within the overall machine
control code for online and offline analyses without missing any functionality or connectivity.
Graphical analytics sequences are developed in a software workbench, which can be con-
verted into IEC 61131-3 languages so the code is easy to understand by controls engineers
and PLC programmers and ensures that those analytics sequences have the ability to run in
the PLC for 24/7 monitoring. Fortunately, PC-based control systems are available and can
adopt computer science and IT programming tools.
This can be expanded to include any other software platform running on a PC. Further, PC-
based systems can enhance analytics applications for machine learning and optimization.
These powerful algorithms also can run in real-time alongside the PLC and motion control
on PC-based platforms. Regardless of the mix of tools needed to do the job, conducting as
much engineering work as possible in one environment is a solid advantage to ensure more
efficient project development.
Machine manufacturers who have implemented their machine application with this kind of
PC-based control technology do not need new tools to run the appropriate analyses. With
accompanying configuration tools, users of analytics toolsets offered in PC-based control
systems can sift through the data as analytics loggers acquire it.
Available software libraries contain function blocks for several types of cycle analysis such
as data classification, minimum, maximum, and average cycle times, value integrators, etc.
They also contain function blocks for threshold value monitoring, providing the ability to 79
document the number of threshold value violations. Other function blocks can analyze signal
amplitudes and store indicators such as maxima and minima.
Many variables can be selected from a large data package in order to graphically display
them, for example, with a “post-scope configuration” using software-based scope tools.
The configurator also provides some algorithms from the analytics PLC library to examine
the data offline for limit values or to perform runtime analyses of machine cycles. The total
running time of a machine cycle—the shortest, longest, and average running times—can be
determined easily. The results of any important data can be displayed on dashboards pro-
duced for the machine HMI and in dashboards viewed on other devices.
When surveying the current IoT solutions available in PC-based control architectures, PLC
programmers can create new platforms or retrofit existing systems in order to crack the Big
Data puzzle. This can be done without losing control of a major aspect of modern controls
design or by adding layers of complexity from standalone IoT and analytics systems.
Daymon Thompson, automation product manager, North America, Beckhoff Automation.

Edited by Chris Vavra, production editor, Control Engineering, cvavra@cfemedia.com.
80
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Making things work

as part of the IIoT

Budget implications IIoT-ready technologies

7 steps to approval  Modernizing

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Step 1 - Determine the funding approach

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• Access to the equipment • Production needs The significance of

• Company directives • Standards compliance

• Cybersecurity • Support costs

• Equipment operating life and lifecycle*

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Step 4 - Take a risk-based approach The significance of

Step 5 - Define the ROI

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Step 7 - Pitch to Win

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Steve Elliott, Senior Director, Schneider Electric

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IO-Link provides connectivity at the device

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allows control of non-sensor The significance of

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format. The significance of

IIoT technology reduces machine downtime by allowing predictive maintenance, which

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Wireless connectivity also permits The significance of

An IO-Link sensor’s status also can be

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EcoStruxure™ Plant, IIoT-enabled

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This demonstrates the chal-

Here are some possible categories:

• Value–What would be the consequence if integrity or availability of the ICS/IIoT is com-

• Architecture–Classic Purdue model, IoT, classic + cloud?

• Maturity of ICSsec program–Huge difference in what should be done based on ma-

This is far from a complete list of possibilities.

in that it is increasing awareness and hopefully corresponding action. It is leading to un-

We need an ICS/IIoT taxonomy.

2. The ability to analyze, act on and protect data in real-time

Without compressing or pre-processing mechanisms, an average 7.2 Mbps internet con-

Edge devices and advanced algorithms

Condition monitoring performs many operations such as converting raw accelerometer

Implementing a cloud and edge strategy

Daymon Thompson is automation product manager, Beckhoff Automation, North America.

D igital transformation is rapidly influencing the hydrocarbon processing industry. Up

Static and dynamic

tify risks. Engineers can leverage this information

Using simulation for plant design and process

Sophisticated modeling software is based on first principles, thus providing meaningful

Plant commissioning and startup in a virtual environment

Plant operation and maintenance

Assuming management supports an evergreen approach towards simulator maintenance,

Virtualization and cloud-based project execution

As industrial digitization continues to revolutionize the hydrocarbon processing industry,

Cloud computing for industrial

be used more effectively to aggregate data from

The latest generation of IIoT cloud services also