21
May

Too Simple? Too Complex? You decide.

A few days ago, a gentleman by the name of Nagendra Kainthola (an Engineer from India) made a post in the “Automation Group” of LinkedIn.  His post was valid, succinct, and “on-topic” for the group. And I quote, “Can anyone suggest a [cheap] alternative for Light Curtains.”  A Light Curtain if you don’t know, is a visible or invisible (IR)  beam which protects a dangerous area, and shuts a machine off when anyone breaks the beam thus protecting the unknowing or unwary. (Preoccupied?)

Safety Light Curtain

Safety Light Curtain

To my surprise, there were many people who responded. At last count, 36. These ran the gambit from ultra-simplistic, to ultra-fargin’ unbelievable responses and suggestions. Most, IMHO missed the point of being “inexpensive”. This gentleman is from India probably  was constrained by some budget as was indicated by his words.

Of the 36+ postings, my favorite was from Barry Payne, an acquaintance who IMHO was “dead on the mark”.  And I quote, “A Door“.
Typical Application
Some of the postings were just plain remarkable in that they were either  expensive or total overkill.  Come on! Mr. Kainthola recognized the need for safety, he knew a “light curtain” was probably the best device for the application, but was just looking for something not as expensive.  Just for when you hadn’t figured it out, anything with the word “Safety” in the title is going to be very expensive.  Just like anything with the letters BMW will cost considerably more than it is really worth. Or like a  Fendi Selleria – a brand of handbags for women – starting at around $5,000 to over $38,000. Get my point?

So, in answer to  my Mr. Payne’s post, here is my response.  I hope you enjoy it.

Barry, I love your response. Some readers might have had the thought you were “going for the humor”, but it seems to me you have hit upon “THE answer” for an evolving logic process. After Edison started electrocuting small animals (which evolved to the Electric Chair – still used in some states), electrical workers, and electric users were acutely aware of the dangers. If we had just stuck with “survival of the fittest/weeding out the dumb ones”, there would be no need for safety protocols.

However, we humans cannot leave well enough alone, so we end up installing your “doors”, or gates and/or fences, to ‘protect” the dumb (or perhaps better stated: innocent) ones. Likewise, as “new/better” mice defeat each new/better mousetrap, people (and small animals) still sometimes surpass safety precautions and end up ‘fried’. Is the answer building better mice traps? (A feat accomplished by designing more and more intricate and sophisticated safety devices)? Perhaps; perhaps not.

My suggestion is just to install “chips” in every human (and small animal) which activate in ANY dangerous situation, and immobilize the occupant. The (chip) occupant is “freed’ only when a Supervisor comes and resets the chip! (We (probably) have the technology.)

Where does one draw the line? Somewhere ‘between’ Edison’s experiments and my proposed chip? Probably. But…. Nobody wants to be (dare I use the word) “Liable”? So, enter “the lawyers”. Couple this with greed. Here is an example: “My {insert relationship here} ignored the Warning on the door, picked the lock, went right by the screaming siren and flashing red light, over-rode the locking mechanical disconnect, opened the steel door equipped with yet another; “Warning: High Voltage” sign), by-passed the Safety Light Curtain, caressed the buss bars and “zapped themselves into oblivion”. So now, I want YOU to pay ME (the survivor) for loss of income and the grief that YOU – (you bad person) caused ME. Oh, and pay my lawyer, too.”
Protected Robot
Perhaps I am either too calloused (a privilege of the aged), or too much of an advocate of Darwinism, but I am inclined to say your door Barry, may very well be the answer. Inexpensive, comprehensive! Do this, not for the human element (they should be able to read and understand the posted Warning Signs, but for the sake of the small animals who obviously cannot read and don’t have any money.

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12
April

Hitachi project on track and gathering speed (From The Northern Echo)

PLANES, TRAINS, and AUTOMOBILES  (and PLCs and VFDs, etc. etc. etc.)
Hitachi, as you probably know, makes a lot of ‘stuff’.  If they don’t make “it”, they most likely have made parts for “it”.  Obviously we are mostly interested in Hitachi PLCs and VFDs – but who would have thought the people who made your Plasma Television, also makes – TRAINS?

Oh yea, Trains!  But this is no steam locomotive here, my friend.  Read on…

=+=+=+=+=+=+==+=+=+=+=+==+=+=+=+=+==+=+=+=+=+==+=+=+=+=+=

Hitachi’s New Train Assembly Plant and on-site Rail System

The Northern Echo  revealed a project that will bring train building back to the cradle of the railways is about to shift up a gear with a recruitment drive and archaeology work planned, .

The first detailed plans for Hitachi’s new train assembly plant and on-site rail system in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham have also been unveiled as the scale of the landmark project starts to emerge.

An image released by the company which shows how the train will look

http://bit.ly/XwQPGT

An image released by the company which shows how the train will look.

via Hitachi project on track and gathering speed (From The Northern Echo).

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5
April

“Engineering Objects”: Good – Bad – or Ugly?

ftp://lighthouseplcs.com/public_html/public_html/images/Robot-Arms-Head-Wall-Peek.jpgJan/Feb 2012 InTech(ISA Magazine) included a Web Exclusive article written by Carlos M. Delgado, P.E. All the way through reading, I was filled by a extremely wide range of emotions. “Emotions”? From a guy like me? If you know me (which you probably don’t), you would know that I am very passionate about anything pertaining to the Electrical or Instrumentation disciplines. If you care to read the article for yourself, by all means help yourself: http://bit.ly/10mGYDz .

First, in case you weren’t all that interested or didn’t have the time to read the full article, allow me to share my take on the subject.

Meet “Don the Weldor” (yes, I spelled that correctly – a welder is a machine). Don was a consummate professional. Using vernacular I learned later in life, Don could weld anything from “the crack of dawn to a broken heart”. This, was at a time when welding aluminum was like pure fargin’ magic. Don could weld aluminum better than most in his profession could weld structural steel.

As our (Electrical/Instrumentation) shop was right next to the Mechanics shop, we had the normal amount of interaction as one might expect. I remember clearly one day right after lunch as Don was preparing to get back to work, a young man – just starting out as a Mechanic’s Helper – approached Don. Don stopped to see what this young man wanted. I overheard the young man say “Hey Don, when you get a few minutes, would you show me how to weld?”

At first, it seems like a reasonable request, right? Don was the best, so why not go to the best to pick up some knowledge. So in a way, it was a compliment. Don’s reaction? First, veins started popping out on Don’s throat area. Next, the welding helmet dropped to the floor. Arms went straight (down) and even through the thick leather weldor’s gloves one could see his fists curling tight. Don’s eyes bulged out; I thought Don’s head was going to explode. Knowing Don, I knew what was about to happen (as similar incidents had happened to me).

At the top of Don’s lungs (loud, even for a small man), he began to verbally assault the young man and without ever touching or using foul language, beat the young man down nearing the point of tears. Here is the fuse; “Hey Don, when you get a few minutes, would you show me how to weld?” Don spent a lifetime perfecting his craft and honing his skills. This man in his mid-50′s learned how to weld in the army. He had been welding ever since – longer than the young man had been alive. Now this impudent youngster was demeaning this lifetime of accumulated knowledge to something easily learned during a coffee break.

We’ll get back to Don, but first back to the ISA Intech article.
TQM. Total Quality Management: based on the premise that the quality of products and processes is the responsibility of everyone involved with the creation or consumption of the products or services offered by an organization, requiring the involvement of management, workforce, suppliers, and customers, to meet or exceed customer expectations. (Thanks, Wikipedia). As an offspring (my words) “engineering objects,” also called easy-to-use knowledge containers, can help engineering companies face these challenges in a simple but interdisciplinary coordinated manner. I think it is important to realize that “Engineering Objects” springs from TQM. In my own (way dumbed down) words, I’ll use the example in the article, a pump. Let’s say that “Don_Clone_#1″ is a Process Engineer. He and his team come up with the parameters they feel necessary for this particular pump to do its part in the overall process. They pour all their knowledge about said pump into a – let’s use a plastic bucket like you get from Home Depot. So far we have things like Process Flow requirements, Pump Curves, HP requirements and such in the bucket.

“Don_Clone_#2″, the Mechanical Engineer comes along, looks in the bucket, and add her take on what pump meets the needed requirements and could contain information about nominal capacity, capacity curves, and coupling.. “Don_Clone_#3 is the Electrical Engineer. Like the other disciplines mentioned, his contribution to the bucket is similar to the others. Let’s call them “Objects“; this object will have layers of electrical information including: type of starter, power, voltage, phases, and electrical diagram.

Finally we get to “Don_Clone_#4″, The Automation Expert. The contribution in this automation object will have layers of information including : input and output (I/O) requirements, control descriptions, human machine interface (HMI) and programmable logic controller (PLC) tag databases, HMI dynamic symbols, computer aided design (CAD) symbols, and PLC code. Compatibility with other disciplines’ modifiers is also important. In this case, the object is compatible with electrical and mechanical modifiers. So there is our little orange bucket. Nice! Now what the hell do we do with it? More importantly, why did we spend ALL that time and effort (not to mention salary dollars)?

Here is what it comes down to. (AARP will love this.) “Engineering Objects” – are part of TQM as mentioned above. Engineering companies competing in the global economy face many challenges. One such challenge is the need for the industry’s highly specialized, aging workforce
to transfer knowledge to those replacing them as they enter retirement. [Personal Note: When I was 20 years old, that statement would not have affected me at all. 40 years later, I get a bitter taste in my mouth. I'll explain later.] Knowledge transfer practices help satisfy this need, although implementing such practices can be a challenging and complex process for companies. Using “engineering objects,” also called easy-to-use knowledge containers, can help engineering companies face these challenges in a simple but interdisciplinary coordinated manner.

I am not unsympathetic to the plight of the plant engineering team. The InTech article had some good points.


Common issues in performing engineering work

  • Not capitalizing on previous work – It is common to see engineers invest time developing systems from scratch instead of reusing parts of a past successful project. While this is more common among entry-level engineers, newly hired seasoned engineers could be making similar mistakes by using their previous job’s standards instead of using the current company’s standard. In both scenarios, chances are engineers have to redo work according to the current company standards.
  • Investing excessive time for applicable examples – Past projects were not intended to be libraries for future use. Therefore, in order to reuse past project sections, engineers must spend time investigating the context of these past systems to decide if these projects should be reused, modified, or avoided.
  • Learning from past mistakes – Learning from past mistakes is good, but it is optimal to learn from well defined, usable standards. Global competitiveness, higher expectations, and shorter deadlines force engineers to do more work and complete it faster, leaving little time to sharpen tools or create new ones.
  • Getting bored – It is common practice to assign repetitive or boring tasks to entry-level engineers or interns. These tasks have a high margin of error and can discourage young people from pursuing a career in engineering.
  • Losing the knowledge of our most talented people David W. DeLong’s book Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce discusses this:”

 

[back to Personal Note from Above] It takes something like TQM and Engineering Objects to come along to “appreciate” the common man/woman who has this “vast repository of knowledge”. Yet still – In my experience – Company managers just don’t get it. How many times have you heard of an instance where someone with vast knowledge was replaced by two or three younger (little knowledge) people that work collectively for the same wage as the SME (Subject Matter Expert) who had 15 or 20 years with the company? The reason I got the bad taste in my mouth was because this whole thing was like a horrible science fiction movie to me. “Well, this biological unit will soon cease to function, so let’s extract knowledge containers from her brain that we can later share among the newcomers!” If the SME is so important, how about a little appreciation, a little compensation, and a little respect? Maybe you see it differently. Maybe you are in a situation where you get this kind of respect. If so, good for you. I bet you are 1 in 20 though.

I’ll close this with an excerpt from David W. DeLong’s book “Lost Knowledge: Confronting the Threat of an Aging Workforce”.

“You would have to have been living on the moon over the last few years not to know that baby boomers are fast approaching retirement age … lots of them have built up a tremendous amount of knowledge about how things work, how to get things done, and who to go to when problems arise. In some cases, this practical knowledge will be extremely hard to replace because it has been developed in an era of unprecedented technological and scientific advances …

“Leaders who fail to confront this threat will increasingly be held accountable for jeopardizing the future viability of their organizations. In the long term, you cannot compete effectively in the knowledge economy unless you are serious about knowledge retention.”

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8
February

Why China may not be the World’s Factory for Much Longer

An individual named Mike Elgan made a Google+ post recently, entitled “Why China may not be the world’s factory for much longer”.  Give it a look, then pop on back here.

Stäubl Robot Arm(WMV)       Stäubli High Speed(MP4)       YouTube

 

Okay… so I watched the YouTube because [a] it was Friday afternoon, [b] I was supposed to be working, [c] who doesn’t like robots, and [d] well, “d” needs a bit of explanation.

[d] Most of our customers have ‘robots’ in their facilities of one type or another.  Hitachi even makes robots (in case you didn’t know).  The image below is of a ASTACO-SoRa which was jointly developed by Hitachi Engineering & Services and Hitachi Construction Machinery.  It was developed to join the Fukushima Daiichi cleanup effort. According to WNN – World Nuclear News, “Robots are frequently used in nuclear and other industries to access difficult-to-reach or highly contaminated areas. At Fukushima, robots have been used to survey the damage inflicted on the plant after the 2011 tsunami and are being developed to undertake more complex tasks.”

Hitachi_ASTACO-SoRa

I don’t have any problem with ‘robots’, except perhaps HAL 9000 or LORE, Mr. DATA’s evil twin. Even they enjoy a certain following.  But back to “d”.  (Don’t worry; I’ll do my best to tie this all together.) As I mentioned in the 2nd paragraph, many of our customers have “robots” in their facilities. To the best of my knowledge, none are on a par with LORE or Mr. DATA. (yet).  They are pretty much like a non-verbal HAL9000 with an arm.  I don’t know of any talking robot (arms), but if my stupid Smartphone can talk, I know they could if we wanted them to.  OK, so these arms and to a greater extent the equipment they support or are part of, have moved to China. China! First it was Mexico, and then China. Along with them, went the jobs that go hand in (robot) hand.  Most blue blooded Americans deplore the fact that “our” jobs have moved overseas.  As do I; As do I.

The video-article I mentioned at the beginning intimated that fast robots were going to take away the “Title” of manufacturing center for the world. A couple of things bothered me about that statement.  First, who says China doesn’t have access to robot arms like the one shown in the video?  Next, the video article seemed to intimate that the “Title” would come back to the U.S.  Granted it didn’t say that directly. It would be nice if it is true, wouldn’t you agree?

So I tried to mentally digest all this information, and this is what I came up with.  The underlining theme seems to be that robots can do things that human cannot, and even things we can do – they can do it faster.  Although Mr. Elgan rather glosses over the point, China now hold the “title’. The video-article suggests by inference that the U.S. can regain the “Title”.  How?  By using the fast robots!  So, how does that help with U.S. employment?  Robots coming back to the U.S. to help us regain the title? So what? Wouldn’t you agree it would be better to be – I don’t know… 5th place but have more people employed? Around the time I was born, the unemployment rate was at a record low of 2.50%.  According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the record high was 10.8% (1982).  Currently (Feb. 2013) we are at 7.9%.

I entered the workforce right at the time Modicon was first installing PLCs at Detroit.  All the tradesmen complained that these infernal contraptions were going to eliminate all our jobs.  I kept waiting.  Guess what?  It didn’t happen. The few, whose jobs were eliminated, were transferred to other positions which became available because of the increased production.  Really?  Think about that.  Automation, increased employment rather than diminished as the opinion of the day portrayed.  Now, China has a lot of people, unless Mr. Oshell, my High School teacher on “Current Events” lied to me.  So if China has a lot of people, why did they need our machinery?  Oh… I get it.  They wanted the title of “The World’s Manufacturer”.  Boy that will make your head spin.  So what is it – the mass population – or the automation – that earns a country the coveted “Title”?

I try to be as factual as possible, and I did a bit more research on the Worlds Fastest Robot.  Now this is important, so pay attention.  The robot (arm), was made by a global company called Staubli.  Global – that means the world.  Staubli has factory all over the world.  I will interject here that this is really not that uncommon – Staubli isn’t the only one.  Pop in on the Hitachi GLOBAL website, for example.  So this robot arm which symbolizes the possibility of obtaining the “Title” – was manufactured in (wait for it) Australia.  By a Global company.

Conclusion. Having ventured down this mental high-way from the U.S. to Mexico to China, from Detroit to Canberra and on to Fukushima Daiichi, this is what I deduce.  If it isn’t overtly obvious, we have become Global.  I don’t think it matters what country grants citizenship to ‘the fastest robot in the world”.  We will be wearing sneakers from South Korea, using computers made in Taiwan, having most everything in our homes made in China, Fuel Oil from Russia, and Crude Oil from every part of the planet, the list goes on: And on.  Ultimately, what does it really matter who made what; who has the “Title”; who will put that fastest robot arm to good use?  The neighborhood bully once said to me, “Put up or shut up”.  That black eye really hurt.  So what?  Well, if we want the coveted “Title”; we are going to have to work for it. Hard.  With the best tools available like the robot that started all this dialog. “Put up or shut up”.  For the record, I work (indirectly) for a Global company.  A very good, very responsible company. Their CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) philosophy is dedicated to “Contributing to a Sustainable Society as a good Corporate Citizen.”  That said, Hitachi has manufacturing facilities around the world producing an unimaginable diversity of top quality products.  And they sell their wares to the same countries that you or I would.  Just like Staubli.

I am going to get up out of my office chair made in China, slip on my handmade shoes (Potosi, Missouri), grab my Utah wife, jump in my U.S. made Ford truck with a Power Stroke engine made in Lisle, Illinois,  burn up some Diesel fuel from God knows where, and go eat some Thai food.  Maybe a Mexican cerveza like Corona would go down well. 

RobotArmie_Sayonara

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29
January

Prepare for the coming wave of process safety system migration.

Traffic Lights

Traffic LightsExperts contend approximately $8 billion of the installed base of legacy process safety systems will need to be migrated to current technology. Replacing or migrating process safety systems, however, carries with it a unique set of concerns and considerations.Click Here to read the full article now. [From ISA Automation Community]

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29
October

Some thoughts regarding the latest models of Hitachi Inverters.

Hitachi InvertersYou probably can, but I can’t keep up with the style changes from Detroit.  When I was (ahem) younger, the Chevy Malibu was a really cool car.  I had sort of forgotten about it when a few years back Chevy re-released the “Malibu”. The Dodge Challenger has been released three times.  Both the Ford Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro are on their fifth generations.  For heaven sakes, the Volkswagen Beetle was even re-released.  Again.

So why do manufacturers of auto’s, TV’s, PLCs, or VFDs change models so often?   Well money, obviously.
I wonder if it is the Manufacturer’s money – or some Marketing Guru who is justifying his position and building his empire?  Just kidding.  Just kidding.  We all know it is the Marketing guy.

You’ve got to keep up with the Jones’s.  (Tell me you are not too old to remember them.  They lived right next door to June and Ward Cleaver.)  But… it is a lot better if the Jones’s are trying to keep up with - you!  Remember  your GrandFather always telling you “the Early Bird gets the Marketing Advantage? Something like that anyway..so what if my Grandpa was a weirdo  ;-(    So everybody wants to be the first to market.

In terms of  ”product life cycle”, all that is the front end.  What about the back end?  In my opinion (hey! Its my Blog, I’m entitled to an opinion.  As soon as Mrs. Davis tells me what it is.), there are several factors in play.  Products can become ‘obsolete’ from:

  • Changes in technology:  i.e. Darlington Transistors replaced by Insulated Gate Bi-polar Transistors (IGBT).
  • Obsolescence of component parts:  If you can’t get the crazy little stuff inside, what are  you supposed to do?  Redesign? If you are going to do that, you might as well redesign a whole new model utilizing existing - or better yet new – technology.
  • Changes in Fashion or Style. Color Preferences. Fads.
  • Environmental – i.e. Freon, Lead in paint/glass, Asbestos in – everything. Not to forget the three 3-letter ones: CFC, DDT, and uh… oh yea;  TNT. (Well, think about it!  Do you want your neighbor using TNT to trim his hedges?  I didn’t think so.)
  • Here is a good one!  In 1932 a guy named Bernard London came up with this idea  - and put it into a pamphlet.   Self explanatory, its title was “Ending the Depression through Planned Obsolescence”.  I’ll let that one soak in.
  • The 2009 “Business Insider” has an interesting list of 21 things that became Obsolete [just] this Decade.

Inverters – yes, even Hitachi Inverters, are no exception to this phenomena.  Blame it on the Marketing Guy if you want to (I know I do).  Or, what-ever turns your crank (remember ‘cranks’ on ice-cream makers, cranks on the first (gas motor) washing machines, or cranks on the front of automobiles?  What about the cranks or levers outside in back of the Church Organ pumping air?

So to help, here is a little run-down of the (current as of 2012)  Hitachi Inverter line-up.

[Insert applause]

  • The Hitachi X200 VFD is ideal for fan and pump applications up to 10 horsepower. This simple, compact variable frequency drive offers an automatic energy-saving function and is ideal for basic applications. I’ve heard it described as “Plug and Play” referring to its capacity to simply replace a Motor Starter. 3-wire in/3 wires out.
  • The Hitachi WJ200 vector AC drive is available from 1/8 to 20 horsepower and is ideal for conveyor and lift machine applications.  It offers high starting torque (200% or greater) and is easy to use.  This model is special to us here at  Lighthouse PLCs Inc. as we are the only Hitachi Authorized Dealer that can deliver this model customized to deliver 1,000 HZ (rather than the standard 400 HZ).  1KHZ can spin a 2-pole motor at 60,000RPM!  Not good on a conveyor belt, but damn handy on an Industrial Router!  Full Factory Warranty, to boot!
  • Speaking of conveyors, the Hitachi SJ700 is a high performance AC drive that is popular with conveyor and crane applications. Available from 1/2 to 600 hp and includes many useful functions including high starting torque.
  • The Hitachi L700 was designed for fan and pump plus conveyor applications. This variable frequency drive is available up to 200 hp.  I’ll have to check * (or maybe one of  you can tell me before Hitachi finds out that I don’t know), but it is either the SJ700 or the L700 that is Elevator rated, like the SJ300 of old.

Change.  ”The only Universal Constant.”  Change can be scary, but it can also be exciting – even exhilarating!  When I found out you could use a laptop to configure a VFD, I was pretty exhilarated   It seemed that in my past life I always ended up – upside down in some tight crevasse keying in parameter changes.  Having read the display upside down, I was surprised when someone said the displays were in English.  Upside down, they looked like – well, like Japanese Kana to me.  (Like I could tell, eh!?!)

Laptops – Configuration Software.  Totally Awesome, Dude!  (I just lost half of you, didn’t I?  Sorry.)  Did  you know that Hitachi G I V E S away the configuration software?  Gives!  As in FREE!  All you have to do is buy the cable!   Let me tell you how simple it is.   You ‘pop’ out the front display panel – remove this little double-ended phone-jack thingie (don’t lose it or put it in  your lunch-box).  Then you plug the cable in there and the other end into your USB (1.1 or 2.0) port.  I’ll spend a little more time on this in a future blog, because there is one other Totally Awesome.. ok, there is another really useful tool available to you using this cable.

So there  you have it in under 1,000 words – the * almost complete run-down of the current Hitachi Inverter models!    Enjoy!

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10
October

VFD Harmonics & Harmonic VFDs

Variable Frequency Drives and HarmonicsVariable frequency drives (VFD’s) are commonly used with motors to improve operation and efficiency. Drives and drive systems offer numerous benefits such as adjustable operating speed, controlled starting current and acceleration, and energy savings on the load. VFD’s can, however, contribute to power quality issues such as harmonics.Most all manufacturers’ VFD’s are alike in that they use a rectifier, dc bus, and an inverter, or similar topology. The VFD changes output voltage frequency and magnitude to vary the speed, power, and torque of a connected induction motor to meet load conditions. In general, low voltage six-pulse drives contribute to higher harmonics in the 5th and 7th orders. Twelve and eighteen-pulse drives contribute to harmonic problems, however the problematic frequencies are shifted to higher orders. Drives manufacturers also offer units with an active front end to control multiple harmonic orders.

via Arteche Newsletter – Harmonics -

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16
September

A funny thing happened on my way to the Forum…

According to “Wiki”, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart.   While obviously not in that same hemisphere, a funny thing did happen to ME on the way to the..  Excel Forum.  Yea, Yea, I know.   But I really needed to find how to do a particular function.  I did what every learned person like myself does in this type of situation – I went to the Library.  Then I went straight to a comfy quiet corner, pulled out my laptop (free WiFi) and started to Google.

The only place I could find what I needed, was the “Excel Forum” (because I only ever look at the top two listings).  Well, you can’t just “jump” in and poke around.  You have to register.  Sometimes I mind, sometimes I don’t mind.  You are probably no different.  I only started ‘liking’ the whole registering thing after we started up this blog.  You see, we didn’t have all the “holes” plugged, and Boy-Howdy (don’t Google that – look in the Urban Dictionary) how the flood gates opened.   Do you remember the movie “The Mummy” (1999 with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz, when [spoiler alert] just near the end when the pyramid collapses in on itself, all the doors seal up and the Scarab beetles come out in waves and waves?  I’ve got to tell you I had to ask my (grown) kids what some of the stuff was.  And it just kept pouring in like the wave after wave of Scarab Beetles.  I’m not a prude, but man!  After a stint the USN, working in a coal mine, at the pipeline, a high-line, and some other yummie places, I had no idea!   Even “Boy-Howdy” would blush.

Back to my story.  Anyway (my Dad would always start his stories like that.  “Anyway…”) I ended up at the Excel Forum.  And “Yes” I did register.  As I did so, my mind took me back to the early days before the IBM PC.  I had a HP Computer made for like Engineers and Surveyors, that had – as one of the programs, a spreadsheet called “VisiCalc”.   (You can look VisiCalc up in the Urban Dictionary, too!)   Quoting, “Visicalc quickly became the first killer app”.    Well, as a sort of wannabe but not really (yet) an Engineer, I was totally blown away by this program.  It opened my mind as to what a computer was – and could really do, and how powerful and wonderful that was!

Although this particular blog entry is not specifically about my favorite subject – no, not that – Programmable Logic Controllers, I still think it is relevant.  “Why”, you may well ask?  It is easy to get “caught up” in the hardware side of control. (IMNSHO)  ( I had another incident recently where my eyes were (re)opened.  I’ll share it someday. )  Honestly, I have had customers – intelligent and supposedly competent people – actually say to me “What?  These have to be programmed! They don’t already come with the program installed?“  

Anyway, here is my application to join the esteemed ranks of the Excel Forum  (BTW, it really is a good source of info – I don’t mean to imply otherwise).  I hope you find some humor in it.  Somewhere.

—————————————————————————————————–

Hello! My name is Timothy, and I’m a recovering VisiCalc user. [Group: "Hi Timothy"]
(This seems rather reminiscent an AA or NA meeting, doesn’t it?)
My story ? OK – long before Excel came into being, I became addicted [head hung low] to VisiCalc. Little did we know back then VisiCalc was “a starter” addiction, much like *they* say Marijuana is. (or was that Cocaine?).
Anyway, I was still using VisiCalc when the company for which I was working ‘standardized’ on Lotus 1-2-3. (There is always a “next step”, right?) Lotus 1-2-3 : Oh yea! Hard Core, man! We all soon became totally *high* on Lotus!  But, things change. [Insert Frowny Face]  New company – new Supreme Deities emerge (i.e. IT) – a new software (Excel) become the mandated  Dogma (excuse me, meant to say “standard”). My heart at that time still belonged to VisiCalc, and I actually felt ‘disloyal’ using Lotus. What was I to do having Excel forced on me? (I did occasionally sneak back to a HP-85 I had hidden away in a private sanctuary – far from prying eyes, so I could just key myself into a glassy-eyed oblivion with VisiCalc). But Now? Going to a (ahem) MS Product!?!  Why, I felt like a “grey coat” joining up with the “blue coats”. (Same emotions as when switching from “Word Perfect” to “Word”.) But that basic (spreadsheet) addiction kept growing and eventually I came to embrace Excel. I’m now on my (?) fifth permutation. So, although I’m still a recovering VisiCalc addict – (which is, BTW – the *true* fountain from which all modern spreadsheets evolved), my exacerbated and increasing needs (and requirement for a steady income) have locked me in to Excel. So bear with me new Forum friends! My needs are old fashioned, simplistic and rarely shared. Please don’t make fun of me when I ask stupid questions. That’s all I ask. OH! And thanks for letting me join your organization! Timothy D (Tennessee33)

p.s. I actually do have the HP-85 – haven’t turned it on for a while though.
p.p.s.  I never did find the answer I was looking for in the Excel Forum.  I was so sure….

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18
January

News Releases : Hitachi America, Ltd.

WSJ200 Inverters

Hitachi WJ200 with EzCOM

A new EzCOM peer-to-peer communications function is standard and allows multiple WJ200s to share data. One drive is designated as the “administrator,” and controls the network. Other drives on the network can be master or slave, with masters able to write data to any designated slave(s). Master/slave roles are rotated under the control of the administrator automatically. Up to 8 masters can reside on the network, and up to 32 drives (up to 247 drives, if external signal repeaters are used). The administrator can be master or slave also. EzCOM allows for creation of sophisticated coordinated systems without any additional external hardware or programming. via News Releases : Hitachi America, Ltd.    (As seen in DrivesMag.com)

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29
December

Hitachi Inverter : Current Line-Up

Lately I’ve been getting the occasional email where the writer is unclear which Inverter models are current. The confusion stems from a certain “sect” whose motives and agendas are jealously guarded and cloaked in a shroud of mystery. I am taking a risk here, but I’ll tell you what I know.

As new (electronic) components become available – not to mention whole new technologies – this “sect” (who allegedly call themselves “Manufacturers”), are quick to be the first of their rank and file to gather what they can of the new items.  They then incorporate these items into the best parts of their previous “thingy-gizmos” and come up with a newer, better, faster, (greener?)  thingy-gizmos.  Then the race is on to beat the others in presenting these new(er) items to people who need them, in an arena the Sect refers to as “the Market”.  (If you aren’t keeping up with me, then you probably have never seen the television series “Survivor”).  Anyway, this is seemingly all done in an attempt to gain “tokens” (no “immunity idol” here, Skippy!).
As I reflect I think the whole goal here has something to do with Tokens; yes, Tokens… and Pie.  Whoever receives the most Tokens gets a) the most “bragging rights”, b) more “pie” from the Market, and c) the” Token$” themselves).  “Pie” is of course, its own reward.  Anyway, this enterprise is viscous at best – certainly not for the faint-hearted.  Nevertheless, that’s the game – that is how it is played.   Now, if you repeat any this information and mention my name, I will deny everything. And you will get a severe “time-out”.

So “Yes Virginia”, it is hard to keep up with model changes. In that light, here is a quick rundown of discontinued Hitachi Inverters, and each replacement:

• SJ100 was replaced by SJ200 which is now replaced by the Hitachi WJ200 series.
• SJ300 is replaced by the Hitachi SJ700 series.
• L200 series has been replaced by the Hitachi X200 series.
• L300 is now replaced by the Hitachi L700 series.

Hitachi has released upgraded high performance drives for many of their older series. Overall these new variable speed motor drives are not only higher performance… they also cost less!

This clears up any confusion. The “sect” name and agenda is still secret. You and I have never met. You liked the older models, but now you can’t wait to get your hands on the NEW Hitachi Inverters from Lighthouse PLCs, Inc. These are not the Droids you are looking for.

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28
September

Programmable Logic Controller : EH-150 : Features : Hitachi Industrial Equipment Systems


The compact and stylish EH-150 meets various automation requirements

EH-150

As many as 704 I/O points can be configured on the EH-150, which is only 462.5 mm (W) × 100 mm (H) × 109 mm (D) in size.

The EH-150′ s compact size helps reduce machine size and save installation space, and its bright color and sleek design adds aesthetic appeal to the entire system.

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8
December

“Old mindsets inhibit new growth” – or “You gotta love Jim.”

Jim Pinto. Whether you agree or disagree with this man, his articles make you think. Now, I am not going to plagurize Jim  –  I wantyou read the article Jim wrote, with the title I borrowed above.  (I have previously used his work in another blog – with his permission – he is sort of a hero of mine).  So go read the article, then get back here so we can finish up.

http://www.isa.org/intech/Channel_201011

Having been in nearly every tier of a corporate business structure, I think there is something in Jim’s article that is applicable to nearly everyone (I’m sure there is someone out there, but I can’t think who that might be).

Mr. Pinto’s article is looking at the “big picture”, referring to growth of technology as a whole, growth of Industry – well, you have read the article (right?).  I think Jim is right on the mark with this one.  You can see how a “old” mindset can become self-fulfilling.  How many companies have you worked for, that were fueled by this kind of mentality? 

The opening paragraph (in the article you were supposed to read) is awesome. 
“It is strange how some companies do the same-old, same-old things they used to do, and expect success. A decade ago, they were successful, so they follow the same plans, expecting success. When business declines, they blame the poor economy and wait for “the good old days” to return. They are stuck in the old mindset.”

I like this article though because I believe its theme runs true, clear down to the man on the street (or tech on the plant floor – my “homies”).  Let’s take Jim’s content intended for that big picture, and reduce it down to a wallet sized photo.  For years my “mantra” has been, “Embrace the Technology”. What does that mean? Well, piggy-backing on Jim’s article, if you don’t stay on top of your game, what happens?  What happens when a star athlete doesn’t stay on top of his/her game? (I think some of them end up on DWTS. Just a personal observation.)  So, perhaps it starts with each one of us.

So, does your old mindset inhibit (your) new growth? 

The pessimist in me is tugging at my mental coat-sleeve, and is trying to remind me that “you either get it, or you don’t”.   I have a bad feeling he (er.. it) might be right.   “Embrace the Technology”  The problem is, that either people knew what I was talking about, or they gave me that incredible “deer in the headlights” look.   (You know who you are…)

For me, this article was sort of a wake-up call.  I need to keep a positive mental attitude, and use that mindset as a spring-board to grow in the areas in which I am involved.  Then perhaps, I too can contribute to that “bigger picture”.  I hope Jim’s article (and maybe this blog)  inspires you as well (no glassy deer eyes allowed).  Dare I be so bold as to close with (I know you feel this coming), “Embrace the Technology, so that your old mindset doesn’t inhibit (your) new growth. 

Jim Pinto, Founder, and past President and CEO of Action Instruments. By his own account, he is a “Technology Futurist, Angel Investor, Speaker, Writer/Author, Industrial Automation Commentator, Analyst & Consultant”. That should about sum it up – but it doesn’t. No, not really, because that could be mistaken for an obituary – and this man is far from “the end” (I hope, because you may have gathered he is sort of a hero of mine). He is the author if two books, and industry commentator, and a widely read writer – (see JimPinto.com eNews). He has a direct circulation of about 7,000 Industry Specialists, plus another 14,000 to 20,000 readers on the web. For more good stuff from Jim, go to JimPinto.com .

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24
November

Will the next generation of HMI be web friendly?

Imagine a scenario where you are at your kids soccer event, and  your smartphone vibrates in your pocket.  You touch here and there, and within microseconds a mock-up of a  HMI screen pops up.  The touchscreen indicates a warning – a filter needs cleaned on this machine.  You are responsible for the machine, so you “flip” some “pages”; then touch a couple of “buttons”.  Valves on the machine (maybe downtown or on the opposite side of the world) open and close and the plugged filter gets back-flushed. The alarm is silenced.  The machine is back is service and you didn’t even miss your kid kicking the winning goal.

Science Fiction?  Nope! Today’s Reality.  You may or may not be familiar with the OPC® Foundation.  (Visit our Wiki if you are unfamiliar with OPC.)  Quoting from a recent article, “From the OPC Foundation perspective, plants using OPC UA* are now opening devices [on all levels of the enterprise] up to complete and secure interoperable data exchange. These plants are leveraging OPC UA’?s power to not only access data at faster rates and more reliably than before, but now have the ability to do more with that data. Archiving and trending is no longer all that can be accomplished. Thanks to OPC UA’?s built in web services, corporations can now share critical data securely over mobile devices and to multiple operators via the web. Imagine multiple operators having the ability to manipulate process data from multiple geographic locations in real-time.”
To understand how this works, you first need to get “comfortable” with the notion that current technology is moving away from HMI’s and other similar monitoring applications operating behind the corporate firewall – to interfacing with the web (or in the vernacular of the trade – the “Cloud”).  Large portions of these controlling/monitoring applications can reside in the Internet space called the “cloud.”  Smaller applications living behind the firewall can feed data update to “Cloud Services.”   Cloud Services can include such functions as: reporting, logging and alarming.  All of these can reside online in the Cloud.  The unique feature about where these applications reside is that they can be accessed with a simple web browser.  Data sources like OPC UA are specifically designed to feed data securely and reliable into the cloud environment and therefore free the HMI being physically connected to a workstation or machine.
OK, so it can work.  But what about security?  Security is often the biggest concern and barrier to entry for using the Cloud. The thought of sensitive data living outside of the corporate network makes some shake in their boots. In actuality, the sensitive data is probably safer hosted in the cloud than hosted on the typical network of an average company who thinks their network is secure. The plant-floor data can be sent securely to the Cloud using the built-in security of OPC UA; and then more traditional web-based security can be applied to restrict access to the content/data based on authorization etc.
So why would you want to follow this trend?  We all know (or think we know) Cloud computing will never replace terminals directly on the factory floor; however web-based HMIs can provide huge benefits for back office and management of the facility. Imagine for a moment the cost savings in simply sharing the streaming data from OPC UA Servers over the Internet via browser based HMIs. Think about the initial cost savings of not having to install terminals, and simply installing PCs with Internet access. The cost savings are almost instantly realizable. Furthermore, if you Keep thinking about the time and cost of setting up and deploying a monitoring application in a traditional method. The words ?time consuming? and ?error prone? often come to mine. If large portions of the application we?re pre-installed in the Cloud then the complexity of deploying such applications would be considerably reduced. Most of the HMI Services could be run on hosted computers located within the Cloud with the user interface for the application being strictly web based. OPC UA Clients could access the application on the road, from within the factory and from mobile devices.
I felt inclined to write this article to illustrate that the everyday technology that we use is constantly evolving and that there are cutting edge companies (like those within the OPC Foundation) who embrace the technology.  If you know me, or have read any of my articles, you know my by-line is “Embrace the Technology”.  Think of how your life has changed: Life as we know it – is resultant from a web-based world.  It logically follows that a technology that is available, innovative, scalable enough to withstand future needs (I’m talking laptop years, not human or butterfly years), is going to “filter” into your professional life.   The engineers of tomorrow have already embraced the web and there is no doubt that they are loking at the processes in place today, and wondering how they can improve them for tomorrow.
For more information on OPC UA technology please navigate to www.opcfoundation.org.
* [NOTE: UA = Unified Architecture]
SideNote: Are you a little skepticle that your Blackberry could actually control your batch process? This blog uses WordPress – an open source Content Management System (CMS).  To write this article, I used my (wireless) laptop to access WordPress.  WordPress has a new app for my Android.  Using the built-in camera, I “scanned” a square barcode much like UPS uses, and the WordPress mobile app loaded in my DROIDX.
This article was written on my smartphone.
This may not seem to you like “Proof in the pudding” and you still might not want to turn your Industrial Printer over to your iPhone, but it does go to show how far we have come.

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3
November

“Illegitimi non carborundum”

“Illegitimi non carborundum”…is a mock-Latin aphorism meaning “Don’t let the bastards grind you down”.  According to Wikipedia this phrase was coined by British Army Intelligence in WWII.  “Vinegar” Joe Stillwell, a  US Army General adopted it as his personal motto.  It was popularized in the 1964 Presidential campaign by none other than Barry Goldwater.  (Are you old enough to remember AuH2O (Gold+Water) and K7UGA – his USAF callsign?)  I’ve still got my  “In your heart you know he is right” campaign button.

Anyway, I haven’t been blogging for a while due to an unbelievable inundation of spam, trash, listing of porn site in comments, and so on and so on.  Frankly it (a) made me mad, and (b) made me mad, and (c) really discouraged me, and (d) did I mention it made me mad?  So I gave up.

I don’t know if there was one specific incident that made me decide to pick blogging back up, unless it was the support of all you who appreciate having a site where you can find pertinent and timely information on Hitachi PLC (and VFD) products.  Thanks to you for the encouragement.

There really is a lot going on that I would like to share with you.  As the only Authorized Distributor of Hitachi PLC products for North America, we feel really motivated to do our best for you “actual” Hitachi PLC users.

So, to you “bastards” who want to promote your porn site or adult sex toys, to hell with you – go find someplace else to bother people who are legitimately trying to do what is right and just make a living (and maybe even leaving the world a little better for having been here).

So, to everybody else – “Thank You” for your continued support!
Timothy Davis

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30
September

Lighthouse Horizons: Volume 1 – Issue 1

Hitachi PLC Production passes 25 year mark.

Hitachi Ltd., in Japan has been a world leader in PLC products and industrial automation systems for more than 25 years. A world wide sales and serve network along with factory supported centers are read yto assist you with your Hitachi PLC Needs.

Hitachi PLCs were developed with special consideration for network abilities, international standards and the reduction of EMC noise. Due to an extensive array of commands, excellent communication capabilities and high flexibility, each series established a new standard in its class upon introduction. The ANY-BUS®-system ensures compatibility with industry standard fieldbus systems.

Meet the Hitachi EH-150Meet the EH-150

Features:

  1. Two communication ports are provided as standard in the small-size CPU.
  2. A memory board that can read and write programs can be loaded in the CPU. (EH-CPU316A, 516, 548).
  3. The compact and stylish EH-150 meets various automation requirements.
  4. The modern connection capability incorporated as a standard feature allows for 38.4kbps high-seed communication (EH-CPU208A, 316A, 516, 548)
  5. The state-of-the-art technologies and functions realized high-speed processing of complicated control.
  6. Compatibility with H series PLC utilizes valuable existing user programs
  7. The EH-150 is easy to maintain even after installed in a machine.

What this means for you…

…the EH-150 Series is considered a true power pack. Based on a 32 bit-microprocessor structure, the outstanding power of the CPU and various I/O modules allow the adaptation to a wide range of applications, e.g. in the packaging and food industry.

Hitachi Web Controller proves a Hit!

Web ControllerThe Hitachi Web Controller combines the advantage of standard Web and IT technology integrated in a compact PLC. Result is an all-in-one controller which offers a wide range of application possibilities.

  • Embedded web server
  • Email Sending Function
  • ASR Message Communication
  • Self-Created Web Pages
  • Conficugration via Web Browser
  • PLC Functionality
  • Various Serial Communication
  • IEC 61131-3 Programming
  • 32 bit-RISC-Processor

Micro-EH

Micro-EH Features:MICRO-EH

  1. High performance in a small size
  2. User-friendliness
  3. Compatability with E/EH series PLC
  4. Conformity to global standards
  5. Network compatibility
  6. Environmental friendliness
  7. Ne relsase of 20/40/64-point types

General Specifications

  • 10 to 320 I/O
  • Analog data processing
  • 0.9 ?s / binary instruction
  • Expandable
  • IEC 61131-3 programming
  • PWM and pulse train outputs
  • Interrupt inputs
  • 32 bit-RISC-processor
  • High-speed counter inputs
  • Real-time clock

Hitachi EHV: The Next Generation PLC

EHVThe EHV CPU is compatibile with a variety of open networks and through use of the onboard Ethernet interface may be linked to higher-level information processing systems as well as other PLC systems.

In the area of automation, the necessity of networking and communications is becoming ever more significant alongside the increasing demand for smaller and faster systems. The developed HEV Series meets these requirements through its small footprint, the communication interfaces which are provided as standard and its enormous memory capacity.

  • High-Speed Processing; 20ns per binary instruction
  • Large capacity program memory; max 768 kByte
  • 7-Segment LED Display
  • Integrated Ethernet, Serial and USB communications ports
  • Large capacity comment memory; max 1 MByte

Imagine being able to actually store your tag/label/comments INSIDE the PLC memory. The plant floor Electrician’s dream finally comes true!

Lighthouse Horizons: Volume 1 – Issue 1

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