Market fields structure & dynamics in industrial automation

There is a research tradition in the economics of standards which addresses standards wars, antitrust concerns or positive externalities from standards. Recent research has also dealt with the process characteristics of standardisation, de facto standard-setting consortia and intellectual property concerns in the technology specification or implementation phase. Nonetheless, there are no studies which analyse capabilities, comparative industry dynamics or incentive structures sufficiently in the context of standard-setting. In my study, I address the characteristics of collaborative research and standard-setting as a new mode of deploying assets beyond motivations well-known from R&D consortia or market alliances. On the basis of a case study of a leading user organisation in the market for industrial automation technology, but also a descriptive network analysis of cross-community affiliations, I demonstrate that there must be a paradoxical relationship between cooperation and competition. More precisely, I explain how there can be a dual relationship between value creation and value capture respecting exploration and exploitation. My case study emphasises the dynamics between knowledge stocks (knowledge alignment, narrowing and deepening) produced by collaborative standard setting and innovation; it also sheds light on an evolutional relationship between the exploration of assets and use cases and each firm's exploitation activities in the market. I derive standard-setting capabilities from an empirical analysis of membership structures, policies and incumbent firm characteristics in selected, but leading, user organisations. The results are as follows: the market for industrial automation technology is characterised by collaboration on standards, high technology influences of other industries and network effects on standards. Further, system integrators play a decisive role in value creation in the customer-specific business case. Standard-setting activities appear to be loosely coupled to the products offered on the market. Core leaders in world standards in industrial automation own a variety of assets and they are affiliated to many standard-setting communities rather than exclusively committed to a few standards. Furthermore, their R&D ratios outperform those of peripheral members and experience in standard-setting processes can be assumed. Standard-setting communities specify common core concepts as the basis for the development of each member's proprietary products, complementary technologies and industrial services. From a knowledge-based perspective, the targeted disclosure of certain knowledge can be used to achieve high innovation returns through systemic products which add proprietary features to open standards. Finally, the interplay between exploitation and exploration respecting the deployment of standard-setting capabilities linked to cooperative, pre-competitive processes leads to an evolution in common technology owned and exploited by the standard-setting community as a particular kind of innovation ecosystem. --standard-setting,innovation,industry dynamics and context,industrial automation

A conformance test framework for the DeviceNet fieldbus

The DeviceNet fieldbus technology is introduced and discussed. DeviceNet is an open standard fieldbus which uses the proven Controller Area Network technology. As an open standard fieldbus, the device conformance is extremely important to ensure smooth operation. The error management in DeviceNet protocol is highlighted and an error injection technique is devised to test the implementation under test for the correct error-recovery conformance. The designed Error Frame Generator prototype allows the error management and recovery of DeviceNet implementations to be conformance tested. The Error Frame Generator can also be used in other Controller Area Network based protocols. In addition, an automated Conformance Test Engine framework has been defined for realising the conformance testing of DeviceNet implementations. Automated conformance test is used to achieve consistent and reliable test results, apart from the benefits in time and personnel savings. This involves the investigations and feasibility studies in adapting the ISO 9646 conformance test standards for use in DeviceNet fieldbus. The Unique Input/Output sequences method is used for the generation of DeviceNet conformance tests. The Unique Input/Output method does not require a fully specified protocol specification and gives shorter test sequences, since only specific state information is needed. As conformance testing addresses only the protocol verification, it is foreseen that formal method validation of the DeviceNet protocol must be performed at some stage to validate the DeviceNet specification

Introduction to industrial control networks

An industrial control network is a system of interconnected equipment used to monitor and control physical equipment in industrial environments. These networks differ quite significantly from traditional enterprise networks due to the specific requirements of their operation. Despite the functional differences between industrial and enterprise networks, a growing integration between the two has been observed. The technology in use in industrial networks is also beginning to display a greater reliance on Ethernet and web standards, especially at higher levels of the network architecture. This has resulted in a situation where engineers involved in the design and maintenance of control networks must be familiar with both traditional enterprise concerns, such as network security, as well as traditional industrial concerns such as determinism and response time. This paper highlights some of the differences between enterprise and industrial networks, presents a brief history of industrial networking, gives a high level explanation of some operations specific to industrial networks, provides an overview of the popular protocols in use and describes current research topics. The purpose of this paper is to serve as an introduction to industrial control networks, aimed specifically at those who have had minimal exposure to the field, but have some familiarity with conventional computer networks.http://ieeexplore.ieee.org/xpl/RecentIssue.jsp?punumber=9739hb2016Electrical, Electronic and Computer Engineerin

Web service control of component-based agile manufacturing systems

Current global business competition has resulted in significant challenges for manufacturing and production sectors focused on shorter product lifecyc1es, more diverse and customized products as well as cost pressures from competitors and customers. To remain competitive, manufacturers, particularly in automotive industry, require the next generation of manufacturing paradigms supporting flexible and reconfigurable production systems that allow quick system changeovers for various types of products. In addition, closer integration of shop floor and business systems is required as indicated by the research efforts in investigating "Agile and Collaborative Manufacturing Systems" in supporting the production unit throughout the manufacturing lifecycles. The integration of a business enterprise with its shop-floor and lifecycle supply partners is currently only achieved through complex proprietary solutions due to differences in technology, particularly between automation and business systems. The situation is further complicated by the diverse types of automation control devices employed. Recently, the emerging technology of Service Oriented Architecture's (SOA's) and Web Services (WS) has been demonstrated and proved successful in linking business applications. The adoption of this Web Services approach at the automation level, that would enable a seamless integration of business enterprise and a shop-floor system, is an active research topic within the automotive domain. If successful, reconfigurable automation systems formed by a network of collaborative autonomous and open control platform in distributed, loosely coupled manufacturing environment can be realized through a unifying platform of WS interfaces for devices communication. The adoption of SOA- Web Services on embedded automation devices can be achieved employing Device Profile for Web Services (DPWS) protocols which encapsulate device control functionality as provided services (e.g. device I/O operation, device state notification, device discovery) and business application interfaces into physical control components of machining automation. This novel approach supports the possibility of integrating pervasive enterprise applications through unifying Web Services interfaces and neutral Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) message communication between control systems and business applications over standard Ethernet-Local Area Networks (LAN's). In addition, the re-configurability of the automation system is enhanced via the utilisation of Web Services throughout an automated control, build, installation, test, maintenance and reuse system lifecycle via device self-discovery provided by the DPWS protocol...cont'd

Implementation of Computer Control in Control Loop Process

Process Control refers to the application of control technology components in order to achieve greater process stability, improved product specifications and yield, and to increase efficiency. In this work, in implementing a process control, Fieldbus technology is used on a simple control loop process. In definition, Fieldbus is a digital, two way communication link between controls where this technology is different with the 4-20mA Analog communication. The process control of desired plant is identified and depicted using P&ID. Then it is converted to the Function Block Diagram, by which the process control loop can be configured using SMAR SYSCON SYSTEM CONFIGURA TOR & ICONICS GEN32 Enterprise Edition. All related instruments and devices are initialized and configured using the same application. Finally, the performance of the process control using Fieldbus communication is monitore

FOUNDATION FIELDBUS 1NTEROPERABILITY TESTING

This report is to discuss about the research and testing of Basic Interoperability Testing for Foundation Fieldbus system. The Foundation Fieldbus is the new protocol that used in the PETRONAS process plant. Since that, PETRONAS personnel get lack of training in handling this new system. Devices that used in Foundation Fieldbus system can not work or interoperate with the devices from different manufacturers. This project is to perform the interoperability testing and the result will be used as the reference for Foundation Ficldbus system for PETRONAS personnel that handling this new system. Besides, the purpose of this project is to find out interoperability devices with the manufacturers system. The methodology towards achieving the objectives includes the theoretical and technical research, and testing the system and devices. Research and understanding of the project is very important. Some procedure needs to follow to get the desired result and accuracy and consistency of the result need to take to the consideration. The specific system need to conduct for the basic interoperability testing is Honeywell system. The tasks that should be done under this Basic Interoperability Test are device commissioning, device decommissioning, online device replacement, physical layer diagnostics, calibration function checks, and online parameter downloads. From this test, all the devices that had been tested were successfully done. The research for the Foundation Ficldbus should continuously perform to improve the system from time to time and the analysis of result and reports will use for a future research

WinCC, profibus and profinet systems for teaching purposes

This thesis project is a continuation of multiple projects that first began in 2011. In 2011, Murdoch University procured the following new technologies to introduce into the Industrial Computer Systems Engineering (ICSE) major under their Bachelor of Engineering Honours undergraduate degree: • two industrial networking standards (Profibus and Profinet), • remote network monitoring or supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) control software (SIMATIC WinCC) and, • variable speed drives Before these technologies could be taught, they first had to be learnt and understood. To achieve this, since 2011, students have been working with these technologies and producing learning materials to assist future students. The primary objectives of this phase were to: i) Research, assemble, review and simplify existing project materials and, ii) Design and create learning modules which encapsulate the existing project materials in the form of ‘Lab guides’ to be used in the ICSE Laboratory Room. These materials will be used in the ENG448 SCADA and Systems Architecture Unit commencing in Semester One of 2017. These primary objectives were achieved, with the actual learning modules delivered to the project supervisor electronically. This report begins by introducing readers to the background of the project, its motivation and objectives for this phase in sections one and two. Readers are then informed about the various new technologies that will be taught in the learning modules in section three and then outlined as to the approach/methodology used in achieving the project objectives in section four. The learning modules are then discussed with specific hardware/software being introduced during each relevant learning module in section five

A service-oriented approach to embedded component-based manufacturing automation

This thesis is focused on the application of Component-Based (CB) technology to shop oor devices using a Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) and Web Services (WS) for the purpose of realising future generation agile manufacturing systems. The environment of manufacturing enterprises is now characterised by frequently changing market demands, time-to-market pressure, continuously emerging new technologies and global competition. Under these circumstances, manufacturing systems need to be agile and automation systems need to support this agility. More speci cally, an open, exible automation environment with plug and play connectivity is needed. Technically, this requires the easy connectivity of hardware devices and software components from di erent vendors. Functionally, there is a need of interoperability and integration of control functions on di erent hierarchical levels ranging from eld level to various higher level applications such as process control and operations management services. [Continues.