- Modular automation has become easier to integrate into existing systems.
- Module type packages (MTP) for building modular automation capability into a process module can be integrated.
- Automation will be distributed where needed in the future rather than at a fixed location.
Modularization breaks down systems, plants, processes, and unit operations into standard, modular components, much like those popular children’s building bricks that can be mixed and matched freely to make any number of different creations. The concept centers around the pre-fabrication of specific and complete operational packages, which include the automation to control them. The ease of assembly this brings has led to major reductions in on-site work time, complexity and a reduction in the possibility of error.
As a concept, modular automation has been around for some time, with construction and shipping industries leading the way in early adoption. Until recently, however, its usage was confined to just a small number of examples in process industries, with no large rollouts.
However, thanks to advances in the automation technology that controls mechanical industrial equipment, modular automation has become easier to integrate into existing systems, which means it is beginning to be more widely adopted for use within industrial production lines.
This is a big change from the large-scale plant-wide automation systems that have been at the heart of production line control for decades and are designed to supervise and control entire production plants.
The aim is to modularize common unit operations into packages to allow customizing of both the products made and the production quantities, giving major competitive advantages in terms of flexibility and time to market. The concept also allows rapid changes in deployment of production assets, to make specific product types and volumes when and where needed.
NAMUR as a catalyst
Helping to move modular automation forward is done by NAMUR, an international user association based in Germany that focuses on automation technology and digitalization in process industries. The group was started 70 years ago to support the chemical industry, although it now covers other process industries as well.
NAMUR has led the fundamental efforts to develop standards which serve as a base for modular automation to be built upon in industrial plants. It sees increasing flexibility of production plants, using modularization, as a key tool to meet fast-changing market demands, especially for chemicals and pharmaceuticals.
MTP as a building block
A few years ago, NAMUR introduced the module type packages (MTP) standard for building modular automation capability into a process module (or PEA, process equipment assembly). The PEA includes the combined mechanical equipment and controller, and uses an MTP interface, which contains a vendor-neutral and functional description of the process module automation and can be generated by the engineering tool of the module.
Through a simple import of the MTP into the process control engineering of the production plant, the module can be integrated. This is described in the standard VDI-2658, which was developed in Germany, but is now being adopted as IEC 63280 for automation engineering of modular systems in the process industry.
The key benefit of using PEAs is it takes less time and on-site work to deploy production lines and equipment. So with the automation already integrated into the mechanical production equipment, as MTPs within the PEA, the actual deployment to get it running onsite is not difficult.
Flexibility to meet rapid changes in market demand has been a major driver, especially for the pharma and biopharma sectors where it is becoming common to make very small batch quantities of highly specialized products and medications. For highly-targeted individual treatments, for cancer patients for example, the batch size can even be as small as one specific medication or formula.
Pilot trials
A good example of what is on the horizon can be seen in an application for Bayer AG – this life sciences company successfully conducted a pilot study based on an MTP control sub systems and a modular configuration tool, running with a modular-enabled system for the orchestration.
This is the world’s first commercial modular-enabled process automation solution, and Bayer has publicly stated that it sees it as a first step in moving from monolithic automation systems covering the complete production plant to a more flexible and market-oriented plug and produce solution.
We are therefore steadily gaining the ability to confidently build up various PEA process blocks for steps such as evaporation, separation, filtration, polymerization, etc. We can now put these mobile building blocks together in the right order and configuration to precisely meet the market demand for whatever we want to make.
It is important to note that we usually talk about rising demand, but this can be equally relevant and valuable in times of falling demand, thus allowing capacity to be redeployed easily and cost effectively.
The modular automation sector now is using the term “numbering up” capacity instead of “scaling up,” reflecting the number of PEAs put into service to meet demand. The modular, flexible approach allows both regional redeployment as well as product-specific redeployment. This clearly offers much greater flexibility than would ever be possible using the large, fixed-plant infrastructure that most industrial processes are built upon today.
Instead of a distributed control system (DCS), automation will truly be distributed where needed in the future. With the control built into the PEA, it is not complicated to get production started. You add an Ethernet connection, power up and run.
This concept can easily be used for new greenfield lines, with the initial focus on the pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals and food and beverage sectors that will see benefits in both flexibility and time-to-market.
Brownfield upgrades, in particular unit operations, are also a potential area of application. For example, if environmental laws concerning water are being tightened up in a specific country there could be a strong business case for an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) to build a water treatment PEA module in a container, complete with MTP automation, that can be plugged into the process for easy and cost-efficient compliance.
Modular-enabled automation affords unprecedented agility to react quickly to market changes while keeping wastage and downtime to a minimum. It is an effective solution for a fast-moving world that needs to react in real-time to changing consumer habits and requirements.
Ralf Jeske is global product manager for ABB Automation, Germany. This article originally appeared on Control Engineering Europe’s website. Edited by Chris Vavra, associate editor, Control Engineering, CFE Media and Technology, .
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Keywords: process control, process equipment assembly
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While flexible manufacturing systems have been around for quite some time, industry changes have made it one of the most important paradigms for production in today’s landscape. Inherently, it improves efficiency and production costs through adaptability, but also empowers a made-to-order network with a high degree of personalization for customers. At its heart is a flexible control system, also sometimes referred to as a program logic control (PLC) system or flexible automation module (FAM). The latter devices are software-driven logic control systems offering an open and modular core for digital manufacturing and more advanced automation opportunities.
Where the machines and production hardware are designed to physically interface with stages of operation, flexible control systems essentially power the digital aspects, backed by intelligent software solutions. This definition is vague and makes it difficult to parse what’s happening behind the scenes for the layman, especially because flexible manufacturing is meant to be modular, scalable, and a far cry from more traditional production solutions. It’s not always powered by software either, as it’s entirely possible to define and create a practical flexible control system.
It boils down to, how do you design and create a flexible control system that truly complements a flexible manufacturing operation?
What Is a Flexible Control System?
You can’t build a better product without a core understanding of what it is and how it works. For that reason, it’s important to explore — however briefly — what a flexible control system does. They are often software-defined and driven devices that allow the core functionality of a machine or system to be assigned, refined, augmented, or updated to match the task at hand, and generally, they’re controlled via industrial automation solutions.
In short, they allow the main controller — a software automation solution — to adjust and reprogram the operation as necessary. The key to a flexible manufacturing system is a truly modular facility that can retool, as quickly as possible, to develop new products, parts, and beyond. So, while having software at the helm isn’t necessarily a requirement, it is extremely beneficial.
In smart factories, and with digital manufacturing operations, the controller is also a central data processing unit, empowering the facility through intelligent, information-specific action(s). The data it collects and processes is also passed through a remote control system, often in the cloud, to achieve seamless connectivity throughout the manufacturing plant — each machine is connected and networked with direct control afforded to the main system. It is a necessary component of Industry 4.0, where smart, data-driven facilities benefit from unprecedented levels of efficiency, output, and cost reductions.
At its simplest, a flexible control system allows manufacturers to adjust and adapt their operations to meet new production cycles.
Do They Work with Legacy Hardware?
The short answer is that yes, software-based flexible control systems can be interoperable with legacy production-line and manufacturing hardware solutions. During deployment, it’s critical to use a slow rollout process with proper testing for all machines and systems, and also to leverage the expertise of engineers with a strong background in manufacturing applications.
An excellent example is when integrating flexible controls into a push-pull or conduit assembly system. On a basic level, they exist to maneuver various mechanisms, whether it’s to lift heavy items or equipment or move packages greater distances. Typically, a push-pull consists of two separate cables designed to utilize a throttle-based system. They’re used for acceleration, braking, controls, rotation, and much more. Connecting a motion control system such as this to a more automated solution is not just possible, it’s super effective under the right conditions.
How to Create a Flexible Control System?
Before making any changes, you must consider the needs of the central system, including any past, present, and future applications. How long will the current system be in operation? How often will you need to adjust and update? Will you need access to both traditional and process manufacturing solutions, in the same system?
These aren’t the only questions you should be asking, of course, but they are some of the most important and will help decide how you move forward. You’ll definitely want someone with direct experience on the team, who has either recently, or in the past, worked with flexible control systems. They can help answer a lot of these questions and concerns, but they will also aid your team in carving a path forward.
Next, implementation is the goal. You can achieve success through the following guideline:
- Define and Understand – Take time to define the control philosophy and understand the process, as well as how the control system applies to the operation. Most strategies call for the creation and organization of a document called the Functional Design Specification, where all of this information is outlined. Additional documentation includes the Process Flow Diagram (PFD), Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), Control System Narratives, and so on.
- Develop the Control Model – To discern and define the interactions between the models — physical and procedural — the next logical step is to develop the control model with a flexible design in mind.
- Explore Segmentation – Unit boundary definitions, segmentation, and partitioning are all important aspects of a flexible environment. The control system is built to support and improve these things collectively. So, you’ll need to explore how the system will be deployed, related constraints, and also what kind of unit boundaries are in place.
- Create an Exception Handling Plan – Even with incredibly accurate definitions of a system, there will be instances where events happen outside of the standard or defined behaviors. You’ll need to be ready for these, but also you’ll need to have solutions in place to handle them appropriately, and promptly.
- Build the Prototype – Before you can test, you need a working prototype of the system in place. This also affords you ample time to revamp designs and planning if you notice complications, bottlenecks, and other potential concerns. After the prototype is available, begin testing and create a perpetual system of growth, stopping only when you’re happy with the results.
- Roll Out the System – Finally, it’s time to implement the live system which should be done as a slow rollout across the operation. By upgrading all at once you’re making it more challenging to identify obstacles, and more importantly which areas of the facility need the extra attention.
Computer-aided modeling can be extremely beneficial during many of these stages and is something to consider even with a strong team of experts and professionals at your behest.
Achieving the Ultimate Modularity
Flexible manufacturing cannot exist without the appropriate controls system in place, which is nothing short of a flexible control system. They are designed to be as modular as the rest of the equipment, allowing for quick retooling to match the current operation(s). The goal is to serve both a physical and procedural model, whether you’re talking about more traditional manufacturing techniques or something more advanced and automated implemented as part of Industry 4.0.
Flexible controls introduce a smarter, more contextual building-block approach to manufacturing and design. That leads to improvements in efficiency, output, customization, and so much more — including cost savings
Article by Emily Newton
Emily Newton is the Editor-in-Chief of Revolutionized. She has over four years experience covering the industrial sector.
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