Saving Time Is Not Magic, It's Method

We love the magic in fiction such as the enchanted staffs, doors, swords, shirts, rope, cloaks, the rings, seeing-stones, and other Enchanted Objects in The Lord of the Rings that enable the seemingly impossible. It is technology, really. In real life we love technology and queue overnight to be the first to be bestowed with the magical superpowers of the latest smart phone. But what enchanted devices and what magical attributes might we see in automation? Will the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0 make them materialize? Here are my personal thoughts:

What if you could connect more than 30 instruments with almost 100 real-time I/O signals in a single system card? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted card? More devices and signals per card result in lower system cost and smaller footprint, and saves time. Connecting all signals in a device for full device functionality results in greater visibility for operators and enables more sophisticated control strategies.

What if you could get all electric actuator / Motor Operated Valve (MOV) signals on only 2 screw terminals instead of 40? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted electric actuator? All the real-time control and feedback signals over a 1 pair of wires instead of 16 result in dramatically lower cost for wiring, marshalling, and I/O cards, a smaller system footprint, and saves time. Connecting all device signals for full device functionality provides feedback for operators and better diagnostics for maintenance which results in reduced maintenance cost and greater availability. More sophisticated control strategies are also made possible.

What if you could get all on-off valve signals plus diagnostics on just 2 wires? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted on-off valve? The solenoid and feedback signals sharing 1 pair of wires instead of 3 results in lower cost for wiring, marshalling, and I/O cards, a smaller system footprint, and saves time. Intelligent on-off valve diagnostics alarms if the valve has a problem resulting in lower maintenance cost, greater availability, and saves time.

What if you could get position feedback from all valves and instant alarm if performance degrades? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted valve positioner? Transmitting position feedback in real-time on the same single pair of wires for every valve results in lower cost, enabling more sophisticated control strategies, feedback for operators, and historizing for troubleshooting. Continuous performance diagnostics in turn is a driver for tighter control, lower maintenance cost, greater availability, and saving time.

What if you could measure level with custody transfer accuracy on a single pair of wires? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted level transmitter? High-power two-wire radar level transmitter enables fast update. Wide bandwidth is resistant to interfering echoes providing reliable trouble free operation. Advanced signal processing ensures higher accuracy compliant to the latest standards.

What if you could indicate values from many hard to access devices at eyelevel? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted indicator? An all-digital remote indicator conveniently displays information from many transmitters and valves making field operators more productive and save time.

What if you could connect a field mounted gas chromatograph and sampling validation sensors on a single pair of wires? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted gas chromatograph? Shared wiring results in lower cost and saves time. A fully instrumented sampling system validates the samples.

What if you could connect all the transmitters on a storage tank on only two wires? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted tank gauging system? Power and all signals for radar level, pressure, multipoint temperature and bottom water level transmitters sharing the same single pair of wires results in lower cost and saves time. Storage tanks can be fully instrumented to provide manual valve position feedback, roof tilt and water pooling detection, hydrocarbon leak and spill detection, secondary overfill prevention, and saves time.

What if you could measure 8 temperature points in a single instrument over a single pair of wires? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted temperature transmitter? Multiple temperature sensors on one transmitter would result in lower cost thanks to fewer transmitters, less wiring, and less I/O cards. It also saves time and reduces footprint. Shorter sensor wires results in greater accuracy.

What if you could upgrade all field instruments by firmware download from a central location enhancing functionality to keep field instruments evergreen? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted device? Enhancing diagnostics for maintenance result in even lower maintenance cost and even greater availability. Adding new functions enables more sophisticated control strategies. Enhancing analytics helps operations. Saves time by not having to go to the field.

What if the devices in a control loop were time-synchronized for tighter control? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted control loop? With a virtual controller in the field instrument a valve positioner can perform fast control with an adjacent transmitter resulting in reduced process variability in turn translating into higher quality and greater throughput. That is, real-time “Fog Computing” close to sensors and actuators.

What if you could compute mass flow internally in a DP transmitter for local indication? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted DP transmitter? Internal virtual flow computer uses pressure and temperature from adjacent transmitters resulting in lower cost. Local flow indication results in easy field operation. It is real-time “Fog Computing” close to sensors and actuators.

What if you could connect more devices and signals to the junction box without adding I/O cards, home run cable, or modifying marshalling by making the changes from software, not hardware? Wouldn’t that be enchanted marshalling cabinet? Such Virtual Marshalling result in lower cost and save time as there is more flexibility to accommodate design changes quickly.

What if you could use cable between two pressure transmitters instead of remote seal capillary tubes or impulse lines? Wouldn’t that be enchanted remote seals? Such virtual remote seals result in lower cost, better accuracy and stability, greater robustness, faster response, and saves time.

You can do it today

With a digital ecosystem based on FOUNDATION fieldbus and WirelessHART the above interface card, MOV, on-off valve, valve positioner, radar level transmitter, remote indicator, GC, tank gauging system, multi-input transmitter, time synchronization, virtual controller, virtual flow computer, virtual marshalling, and virtual remote seals are already available and plants are taking advantage of them. You can go ahead and specify all of the above enchanted devices for your next project. It can’t be done with 4-20 mA and on-off technology. It requires an all-digital plant architecture. This ability for new kinds of devices to be created and adopted in plants is one of the beauties of all-digital technology.

What the Future Has Install for Plants That Are Prepared

What enchanted devices are possible, but not yet available, yet inevitable? Here are some enchanted devices that I can think of when the limitations of 4-20 mA and on-off device platforms are removed. Many customers have told me they are looking for these types of devices.

What if auto-ranging sensors extended measurement rangeability? Transmitters will have multiple sensors of different range, switching automatically for maximum rangeability. Wouldn’t that be an enchanted transmitter? This would result in lower cost installation, greater accuracy and stability, fewer process penetrations, and save time.

What if the display is lit also on two-wire field instruments? Even a loop powered device will have backlit LCD. Wouldn’t that be an enchanted device? Easier to read display would result in more productive field work.

What if only two wires were required for an Automatic Overfill Prevention System (AOPS)? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted protection system? SIL-rated radar level transmitter will share signal and power on a single pair of wires with other AOPS devices. This would result in lower cost and saved time. Existing storage tanks can easily be upgraded.

What if only two wires were required for a condition monitoring system? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted condition monitoring system? Vibration, temperature, and pressure transmitters will share a single pair of wires. This would result in lower cost and saved time. More power will be available for the vibration transmitter enabling continuous operation for faster problem detection like cavitation. This would result in greater reliability.

What if only two wires were required for large Coriolis flow meters? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted mass flow meter? Coriolis flow meters will use only two wires, even for sizes larger than 3”. This would result in lower cost and save time. More power will be available for the flow tube resulting in higher accuracy.

What if only two wires were required for a flow metering system? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted flow metering system? Ultrasonic flow, pressure, and temperature transmitters will share a single pair wires for signals and power. This would result in lower cost and save time. Faster digital communication would result in faster response.

What if the instrument department is alerted if problems occur in a gearbox? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted gearbox? An intelligent gearbox will have multiple sensors and embedded software for diagnostics. This would result in lower maintenance cost, greater availability, and saved time.

What if the instrument department is alerted if there is buildup on the level switch tuning fork? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted level switch? Diagnostics in an intelligent level switch will be able to detect build-up on the tuning fork and can be used to distinguish between products. This would result in lower maintenance cost, greater availability, greater visibility for operators, and saved time.

What if only two wires were required for large size magnetic flow meters? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted mag-flow meter? A mag-flow meter will use a single pair of wires even for sizes over 8”. This would result in lower cost and save time. More power will be available for the flow tube resulting in greater noise immunity and support for low conductivity.

What if only two wires were required for a mass flow metering system? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted metering system? Coriolis mass flow, pressure, and temperature transmitter will share the same pair of wires. This would result in lower cost and save time. Faster digital communication with pressure and temperature transmitters will result in faster response. More power will be available for the flow tube resulting in higher accuracy.

What if only two wires were required for a vibration transmitter with multiple sensors? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted vibration transmitter? Signals for three axis and temperature will share a single pair of wires. This would result in lower cost and save time enabling vibration monitoring to be deployed on every pump, fan, motor, gearbox etc. The transmitter will use standard vibration sensors and will have continuous sampling to capture pump cavitation quickly to ensure greater availability

What if Coriolis meter measure and compensate for pressure and temperature? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted mass flow meter? Multivariable Coriolis flow meter will have internal pressure and temperature sensors for compensation. This would result in lower cost thanks to fewer transmitters, less wiring, as well as greater accuracy and stability, saved time, fewer process penetrations, and faster response. Operators and process engineers will get better visibility into the process.

What if a multivariable DP flow transmitter computes flow correction coefficients internally? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted DP transmitter? Embedded computation will calculate the flow correction coefficients when fluid properties are changed. This would result in easier commissioning, saved time, and there will be no need for special companion software.

What if a level transmitter also measures interface level, pressure, and temperature? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted level transmitter? Multivariable guided wave radar level transmitters will have internal pressure and temperature sensors. This would result in lower cost thanks to fewer transmitters, less wiring, and less I/O channels. Fewer process penetrations are required and time is saved. Operators and process engineers will get better visibility into the process.

What if a vortex flow transmitter also measures pressure and temperature? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted flow meter? A multivariable vortex flow meter will have internal pressure and temperature sensors. This would result in lower cost thanks to fewer transmitters, less wiring, and less I/O channels. Fewer process penetrations are required and time is saved. Operators and process engineers will get better visibility into the process. The Vortex flow transmitter will compute mass flow also for superheated steam using the pressure.

What if a level transmitter also measures pressure and temperature? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted level transmitter? A multivariable radar level transmitter will have internal pressure and temperature sensors. This would result in lower cost thanks to fewer transmitters, less wiring, and less I/O channels. Fewer process penetrations are required and time is saved. Operators and process engineers will get better visibility into the process.

What if activation of a safety shower or an eyewash alerts first aiders? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted safety shower? Safety showers and eyewash stations will alarm the operators for first aid assistance if activated. This would result in improved personnel safety. It will be possible to reset locally if you were just rinsing your boots.

What if only two wires were required for large size ultrasonic flow meters? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted ultrasonic flow meter? Ultrasonic flow meters will use a single pair of wires even for sizes larger than 8" for low pressure gas and 12” for liquids. This would result in lower cost and save time.

What if external information uncovers valve problems not seen before, sooner? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted valve positioner? An all-digital control valve positioner will receive external information in real-time like process PV such as flow or pressure as well as external sensor information such as vibration and temperature. In turn, valve diagnostic software will use the information to correlate and detect problems sooner. This would result in lower maintenance cost, greater availability, and will save time.

What if systems automatically upload the DD file from the field instrument, so you don’t have to look for it? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted system? Devices will have their DD file stored onboard and the systems will automatically retrieve the DD file from the instrument. This would result in reduced commissioning time, faster device replacement, and it saves time.

What if only two wires were required for multiple fire & gas detectors? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted detector? Detectors for flame, smoke, heat, combustible gas, toxic gas, gas leak, air particles, and manual call station will share a single pair of wires with other devices. Hazardous area power will be provided over the same two wires. This would result in lower cost and save time. Detectors will use standard SIL-rated protocol resulting in no single vendor lock-in and single common infrastructure for all detectors.

What if a level switch shared the same wires as other devices? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted level switch? An intelligent level switch will be multi-dropped with other devices on the same SIL-rated bus. This would result in lower cost and save time. Diagnostics will be able to detect problems with the level switch. This would result in lower maintenance cost, greater availability, greater visibility for operators, and save time.

What if online stores sold device feature enhancements? Wouldn’t that be an enchanted store? Web stores will license optional advanced diagnostics in existing devices as and when plants need it and manufacturers improve their product. This would result in even lower maintenance cost and even greater availability. Online stores will license optional function blocks; the “apps” of automation. This would result in more sophisticated control strategies

Is Your Plant Ready?

The devices in this second part are not available yet so unfortunately you cannot specify these requirements yet. However, what you can do is to build your next plant with a system architecture that is ready to use these devices as soon as they become available. Therefore, make sure to build your next system around FOUNDATION fieldbus and WirelessHART. Unless you have a system supporting wireless and fieldbus this cannot become a reality. Don’t just see fieldbus and wireless as another way to connect the same old transmitter or valve. You must see the digital ecosystem as an enabler for entirely new devices the world has never seen before. In the consumer world, deployment of GSM networks gave us mobile phones, but eventually led to the smart phone and tablet, but also the demise of photographic film and video tapes; a total transformation of the photo and video industry. Even computers are used less. Nobody predicted that.

Anyway, these are just some of the likely devices I can think of for the digital ecosystem. Many other clever devices will be invented to solve unsolved problems around plants and ensure certainty of outcome for projects. Considering the dramatic transformation that has taken place with digital telephony and digital photography, these ideas are not farfetched at all. See further explanation on fieldbus in this brochure:

https://www.fieldbus.org/images/stories/technology/aboutthetechology/overview/fieldbus_brochure.pdf

Next, think of the “adjacent possible”, all that can be done using these new enchanted devices and how that will benefit us.

Well, that’s my personal opinion. What enchanted devices can you dream up? If you are interested in how the digital ecosystem is transforming process automation click “Follow” by my photo. Let me know what you think of this essay by providing your feedback below, and click “Like” if you found this useful.

I will be presenting this and more at the Automation India Week 2015 in Mumbai, India, on 26th October.