DeviceNet reliability assessment using physical and data link layer parameters

Since the 1990s, the increasing deployments of networked automation systems led to increased manufacturing productivity, improved interchangeability of devices from different vendors, facilitated flexibility and reconfigurability for various applications and improved reliability, while reducing installation and maintenance costs. However, the reliability of a network has great impact on the reliability of a networked automation system. This paper presents a novel network reliability assessment method that provides diagnostic and prognostic information for DeviceNet. This work proposes a hybrid network error analysis method using combined physical and datalink layer features to provide complete communication log information. Furthermore, a network/node time to failure (bus-off) prediction algorithm was developed based on the analysis of the patterns of the interrupted packets on the network. The method developed in this study can be used for network reliability evaluation and diagnosis, facilitating better network maintenance decision making. A laboratory testbed was constructed and the experiments on network and node time to failure were conducted to demonstrate the concept. Experimental results show that the proposed method can fully reconstruct the communication log, and predict the network/node bus-off time successfully. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/78241/1/1131_ftp.pd

An Approach to remote process monitoring and control

The purpose of this thesis is to present an approach to remote monitoring and operation of distributed real time process control systems. Conventional monitoring of process control systems currently requires a great deal of close supervision from trained personnel located on-site. In many cases, researchers, developers or maintenance personnel cannot be at every location where such a system is installed. Currently, a standardized architecture for remote access to such systems is not available. In addition, most of these systems are very expensive and under-utilized. Researchers would benefit by having access to different parts of a system concurrently The benefits of a layered architecture for remote process monitoring and control will be analyzed through the use of a demonstration system that was realized to examine the real time performance of the interconnection mechanisms between the process controller(s) and the system monitoring interfaces. Low level, real-time process control is achieved by using specialized networking schemes called fieldbusses to interconnect all control devices. In this system, fieldbus controllers will also assume the role of servers connected to the Internet, in order to make device information available to any local or remote clients. In the proposed architecture, remote clients are user interfaces, implemented as JAVA applets, which can be accessed with a web browser. The proposed system architecture allows for client interfaces to gain remote access to various types of fieldbusses transparently

Effectiveness of OPC for systems integration in the process control information architecture

A Process is defined as the progression to some particular end or objective through a logical and orderly sequence of events. Various devices (e.g., actuators, limit switches, motors, sensors, etc.) play a significant role in making sure that the process attains its objective (e.g., maintaining the furnace temperature within an acceptable limit). To do these things effectively, manufacturers need to access data from the plant floor or devices and integrate those into their control applications, which maybe one of the off the shelf tools such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Distributed Control System (DCS), or Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). A number of vendors have devised their own Data Acquisition Networks or Process Control Architectures (e.g., PROFIBUS, DEVICENET, INTERBUS, ETHERNET I/P, etc.) that claim to be open to or interoperable with a number of third party devices or products that make process data available to the Process or Business Management level. In reality this is far from what it is claimed to be. Due to the problem of interoperability, a manufacturer is forced to be bound, either with the solutions provided by a single vendor or with the writing of a driver for each hardware device that is accessed by a process application. Today\u27s manufacturers are looking for advanced distributed object technologies that allow for seamless exchange of information across plant networks as a means of integrating the islands of automation that exist in their manufacturing operations. OLE for Process Control (OPC) works to significantly reduce the time, cost, and effort required in writing custom interfaces for hundreds of different intelligent devices and networks in use today. The objective of this thesis is to explore the OLE for Process Control (OPC) technology in depth by highlighting its need in industry and by using the OPC technology in an application in which data from a process controlled by Siemens Simatic S7 PLC are shared with a client application running in LabVTEW6i

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

A Diagnostics Model for Industrial Communications Networks

Over the past twenty years industrial communications networks have become common place in most industrial plants. The high availability of these networks is crucial in smooth plant operations. Therefore local and remote diagnostics of these networks is of primary importance in solving any existing or emerging network problems. Users for most part consider the “plant networks” as black boxes, and often not sure of the actual health of the networks. The major part of the work outlined in this research concentrates on the proposed “Network Diagnostics Model” for local and remote monitoring. The main objective of the research is to aid the establishment of tools and techniques for diagnosis of the industrial networks, with particular emphasis on PROFIBUS and PROFINET. Additionally this research has resulted in development of a number of devices to aid in network diagnostics. The work outlined in this submission contributes to the developments in the area of online diagnostics systems. The development work was conducted in the following phases: 1. Development of Function Block (FB) for diagnosing PROFIBUS network for implementation on PLC. 2. Development of OPC server for diagnosing PROFIBUS network for implementation on PC. 3. Development of a web based diagnostic software for multiple fieldbuses for implementation on imbedded XP platform. 4. Development of OPC server for diagnosing PROFINET network for implementation on PC 5. Conformance testing of masters (PLC) in PROFIBUS network to increase the health of the network. 6. Use of diagnostics tools for performance analysis of fieldbuses networks for high performance applications. The research work outlined in this submission has made a significant and coherent contribution to online diagnostics of fieldbus communications networks, and has paved the way for the introduction of the online diagnostics devices to the market place. It has shown that the proposed model provides a uniform framework for research and development of diagnostics tools and techniques for fieldbus networks. Organizations that use fieldbus should consider installing advanced online diagnostic systems to boost maintenance efficiency and reduce operating costs, and maintain the availability of plant resources. Based on the experience gained over a number of years a multilayer model is proposed for future development of diagnostics tools

Development of RFID Based Smart Sensor Prototype for Wireless Industrial Monitoring and Control

The Purpose of this paper is to present one of the various wireless technologies currently available for industrial monitoring and control. Applications of wireless data transmission are universal. In industrial automation, the benefits of adopting wireless technologies in eliminating the needs for cables in hard to reach areas within the plant, increasing data availability and quality and monitoring and controlling remote assets, that otherwise were inaccessible. Radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is commonly used for object or animal identification and tracking. This article explores the feasibility of its use in a rapid solution to wireless real time monitoring of industry. A prototype system for wireless industrial monitoring and control was developed using a commercially available 12.5 GHZ RFID passive tags. Various parameters are sensed by respective sensors (Slaves), which are then monitored by low power, high performance, 8bit AVR microcontroller. Monitored signals are then sent to the RFID tag or transponder unit, hence the smart feature of the sensor. A receiving unit (Interrogator) emits an electromagnetic field which when detected by passive RFID tag causes it to transfer sensor information (data stored in memory) to the interrogator. Interrogator detects these parameters and sends them to the data collection PC (Master Unit). The architecture of the developed wireless sensor prototype allows for additional RFID tags (Slave Units) to be integrated into it without changes to the sensor designs. Design also provides means to update operating and monitoring parameters as well as sensors/RF link specific firmware modules ‘over - the - air’