Hi

I tried searching for a forum where in i could get get some insight about what is the industry turning upto, like new technologies, innovations etc but could not find one. Like details on FDI or some automation companies (Honeywell i guess) using cloud computing, but could not find any details. So i think if we can have a discussion of these new innovations, then everyone will be able to learn something out of it.

Thanx

 

I think that one emerging trend is the penetration of existing IT technology into the automation field, 10 or more years after it becomes common everywhere else. A good example of that is Ethernet. Most newer automation network protocols use Ethernet one way or another. Another example is web technology. We see web pages being used for hardware configuration and HMI systems.

I would say that in the future knowing how to do basic web programming will be just as important as knowing how to do ladder programming. You'll also have to know how to work with web service protocols (e.g. JSON and XML) because your automation systems will have to integrate with other systems that use them.

The above are trends that I see happening now. On a more speculative note altogether, Apple has a very big product hit with their iPad. Other companies have seen this and are coming out with their own tablets using Android. There will be lots of competition in this market. Take an Android tablet design, leave out the battery and the wireless components, and add an Ethernet port. Leave out all the phone apps except for the web browser. Put some mounting holes in the case. You know have a very cheap web based operator interface panel with a high quality touch screen that you can have manufactured for you by multiple vendors who are already making large volumes of similar products on their existing production lines. I will be surprised if several companies don't have very successful HMI panels using this idea.

Take that same HMI Android tablet again. Load a soft logic system onto it. You now have a combined soft logic control system and HMI interface using commodity hardware in a form factor that you can easily mount in a machine.

Considering those Android tablets again - what about using standard off the shelf ones as maintenance and troubleshooting tools? Use a wireless interface to access hardware configuration web pages. What about web based live ladder logic display? It's all possible. The only limitation at present are the limitations of the automation hardware to communicate.

That should be something to think about.

 

OPC is a big player in today’s Industrial Automation world. What OPC is able to bring to the table is huge in terms of integration, real-time data sharing, archiving and analytics. Since the initial specifications back 1996, OPC is providing a solid integration standard between different communication protocols. Also it allows complete traceability at the bottom and middle layers' signal interfaces using TVQ stamping (Time, Quality, Value).

The impressing thing is what OPC has evolved to... from Windows dependent software (OPC classic - COM and DCOM based communication) to OS-independent (OPC UA) software. From just an integration standard ... to Data Historians, Data Buffering, Events Management, and Data Management. MatrikonOPC (I work for them ) have developed many products that fulfill that market need.

Another trend the automation industry is taking: is security solutions. After the recent cyber attacks, I think it became clear how crucial security is for critical control systems. OPC took the lead on cyber security and provided solutions to hardened any control system architecture.

Hope this was helpful.

Wassim Daoud
Global Solutions Architect
www.MatrikonOPC.com

 

Security is a major trend in industrial automation. It's everywhere....

Mike

 

> Security is a major trend in industrial automation. It's everywhere.... <

Yes I agree, security of Industrial Automation systems is going to be a major challenge for automation engineers in next ten years and its the price that we are going to pay for more & more exposure of these systems to IT World.

I see in future virus attacks on industrial control systems will be a nightmare for all automation guys living happily now .
The more popular automation system you have and be ready for more such attacks....

 

Agree with the fact that security of Industrial Automation systems is going to be a tough task in the years to come. Open architecture of OPC will have its share in this regard. Pl suggest how a opc connectivity can be effectively established through firewall as I had to dig a big hole in my firewall to bring opc servers out of my pcn into IT network

 

I think you've probably got it. You need a big hole in your firewall. You need to have sockets open that insecure software needs. And once on the IT network it can be available to God knows who.

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9207630/Google_accuses_Microsoft_of_copying_search_results

Regards
cww