national instruments corporation 1 automation developers forum · • different systems require...

1© National Instruments Corporation Automation Developers Forum

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�Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.�

�Vincent Van Gogh

Intro about “next big thing”

Automation Developers Forum ni.com/forum

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Automation in Manufacturing

� Automation has increased plant efficiency and worker output

� PC-based technology has dramatically increased the efficiency of plants

� Increased adoption of advanced automation technologies bolsters U.S. manufacturing

Looking back over the past 5 decades, no one will argue that automation has been the biggest factor affecting the manufacturing business worldwide directly because of the productivity gains it has enabled. This increase in productivity has changed not only the capabilities of manufacturing, but the economic architecture of the industry as well (China job losses)

In conjunction with the continuing evolution of factory automation, the advance of PC technology into automation has only served to ramp up the advancement of automation technology.

The results of this combination have been playing out over the past couple of years, as can be seen by the Institute for Supply Management’s PMI Index (www.ism.ws), which at start of 2005 had shown growth in US manufacturing for the 20th consecutive month.

© National Instruments Corporation Automation Developers Forum

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Manufacturing Output per Labor Hour

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

2004

US Manufacturing Sector Productivity Index

Source: U.S. Department of LaborBureau of Labor Statistics

Note how productivity chart is on a consistent rise from 1960 until the early 1990s. Right about the time that PC technology starting infiltrating manufacturing automation products. Then you can see how the graph nearly goes vertical after that point. Note too that it stayed vertical even during the downturn years between 2000-2003. The technological underpinning of PC-based automation helped keep U.S. manufacturing strong and positioned for the rebound we’ve now been experiencing the past two years.


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Exponential Increase in Processor Performance

Itanium® 2, 1.6 GHz

Itanium® 2, 1GHz

Xeon�, 2.8GHz

Pentium® 4, 1.5 GHz

Pentium® III, 733MHz

Pentium® II, 300 MHz

Pentium®, 66MHzIntel486�, 50 MHz

Intel386�, 33MHz8088, 8 MHz4004, 108kHz1.00E+03

5.00E+07

1.00E+08

1.50E+08

2.00E+08

2.50E+08

3.00E+08

3.50E+08

4.00E+08

4.50E+08

Jun-68 Dec-73 May-79 Nov-84 May-90 Oct-95 Apr-01 Oct-06

# of

Tra

nsis

tors

Source: Intel Corporation

Interesting chart comparison when you look at processor performance. The real uptickin this chart happens in late 90s early 2000s as we moved from MHz to GHz capability. When you recall the angle of productivity output on the last chart it wasn’t nearly this steep—the reason being that many of the capabilities of the newest technologies have yet to be incorporated or used effectively in manufacturing. That’s what we’ll be talking about today.

The uptick on this chart coincides with introduction of the P4 processor, which debuted with 42 million transistors and circuit lines of 0.18 microns. Intel's first microprocessor, the 4004, ran at 108 kilohertz (108,000 hertz), compared to the Intel Pentium 4 processor's initial speed of 1.5 gigahertz (1.5 billion hertz). If automobile speed had increased similarly over the same period, you could now drive from San Francisco to New York in about 13 seconds.


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Exponential Increase in Communications Speed

1978 1988 1991 1993 19971982 2000 2004

Mbps

0

100

200

500

1000:

50

:

2000:

:

10,000

:

10Mb Shared100MbShared

100MbSwitch

1Gb

10Gb

1200 baud

Here again, you see a similar uptick as in the last chart—this on dealing with communications speed. The big factors here have been gigabit Ethernet and fiberoptic.

According to a March 2005 study released by CE 81% said they used Ethernet TCP/IP in plants in the past year and 84% plant to install in the next 12 months—with that overlap in numbers, you can see that many of the plants that have used Ethernet TCP/IP are planning to expand their use of it. Despite an abundance of naysayers just a few years ago Ethernet has proven itself on the plant floor.


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Technology Trends�Dumb� Devices

Proprietary BusesWired Interfaces

Monolithic SystemsDedicated Data Communication

Dedicated ControllersMultiple Tools

Fixed point processorsOff Line Reports

Embedded IntelligenceEthernet, USB, 1394Wireless NetworksModular SystemsWeb AccessMultifunction ControllersCommon Development ToolFloating point processorsReal-Time Information

Advanced I/O

Advanced Processing

AdvancedCommunication

What have all of these PC technology advances wrought? A number of things that have been very beneficial to manufacturing, most notably greater device intelligence, wireless networks and devices, modular systems, Web access to devices and systems, real-time info available whenever and wherever it’s needed.

These trends can also be grouped into three main areas of improvements: advancement in I/O, advancements in processing, or advancements in communication.


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Challenges with Specialized Tools

� Specialized tools require experts to install, difficult to integrate

� Plants install systems but do not use them effectively� 90% of plants do not use information from their predictive

diagnostics tools � Emerson Process Management

� Companies install maintenance software without a clear idea of what they are trying to achieve.

� ABB

All these new tools have demonstrated their upside—but require a very specialized set of skills not only to implement but to use effectively.

The quotes here from Emerson and ABB, taken from the January issue of Control Engineering speak to this issue.

We’re at an inflection point now in getting productivity to mimic the uptick the technologies have undergone. The technology curve has both outpaced our capacity to understand and implement these new technologies to their greatest effect and, in many cases, outpaced expenditure capabilities.

To bridge the gap and take the next steps toward increased productivity, what’s needed are tools that incorporate the advantages of these newer technologies but exist within the currently installed and understood framework.


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Smart Camera

Manufacturing Operation

Motion / Drive

SCADA

PLCProcess

Controller

Consider a typical plant … like the consumer products plant shown here.

As is usually the case, this plant houses a variety of different industrial applications

All of which must act together to deliver a high quality product on-time and cost effectively.

There is the PROCESS AREA where raw materials are converted into product for the consumer.

In a typical sequence that is repeated across many different industries.

When you examine the set up, you’ll see…

• Different controllers for different applications

• Different networks and operator interface for different controllers �Separate gateways for communication to plant systems

• These different systems are often incompatible because of embedded hardware components instead of COTS and/or closed software which means lower performance & higher costs

As a result, you get user organizations divided by technologies -- Inefficient

Taken as a whole this illustrates the point from the last slide that

• Different systems require different people with specific knowledge to support each system


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Production issues

Ranked #1

� Optimizing existing production operations 72%

� Open compatibility of systems for production optimization 56%

Source: Control Engineering survey, 2004

With that being the typical set-up in plants, what are we talking about when it comes to moving forward with more advanced technologies when we seem so bogged down in the technologies we already have in place …

CE survey in 2004, responded to by more than 850 readers, showed that the issue of biggest significance when it came to buying new devices or systems was optimization of existing operations. Not wholesale replacement of automation/control systems or purchases for green field sites, but optimizing existing operations. This response ranked #1 compared to issues such as ability to assess capability-to-promise, regulatory requirements, make-to-demand vs. make-to-stock, and corporate standardization initiatives.

In another area of the survey asking about reader concerns with specific devices or systems under consideration for purchase, the majority said that open compatibility with existing systems was their biggest concern.

Also of note in the survey is that, when it comes to buying devices or systems to optimize existing operations, 44% of respondents said that management decisions had a great bearing on the final purchase. Based on the previous slide noting that 90% of plants don’t use information from their installed predictive systems and that companies are often installing maintenance software without a clear idea of what they plan to achieve indicates a big disconnect between purchases and actual use. And that disconnect can most often be traced to the problems mentioned in the plant floor slide illustrating the issues of closed software, different networks and operator interfaces, and generally incompatible systems.


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PLCs

Embedded (PC-104, custom hardware,

ASIC, FPGA)

Capa

bilit

y and

Flex

ibilit

y

Complexity and price of development

National Instruments Real-Time and FPGA

Automation Tools for the Engineer

Basic Automation

Full Plant AutomationCo

mpl

exity

of A

pplic

atio

n

Training and Experience

Advanced Automation (Vision, vibration monitoring,

control algorithms, machine control)

Companies need a common set of software tools that allow them to easily integrate new technologies into their existing plants

This allows their “in-house” experts to install the technology intelligently to optimize local processes

Note: “in-house” could be plant engineer or contracted integrator with good understanding of plant operations or working in close concert with plant engineers

BUILD: There are tools accessible to engineers today that have a relatively low learning curve to perform basic automation. Many of these tools use configuration based interfaces or simple IEC programming languages. To perform very advanced tasks, such as automating a full plant, another set of tools exists that requires a much higher level of training and experience.

The next generation of productivity gains will focus on making existing installations more efficient and will address more complex applications, such as vibration monitoring, machine vision, and IT integration. To realize these gains, tools are needed that are designed to perform advanced applications but are accessible to plant engineers instead of specialists.


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Integrated Motion, Vision, I/O Packaging Machine

Sorting tables

Operator screen

Panel with Controller

In-feed conveyor

Power condition and motor drives

Vision system

Let’s look at an example where these tools have been implemented to solve a problem. In this case, a vision system was needed to identify and properly place a can lid seal, which lead to the development of this machine to replace a manual operation that created a production bottleneck—not to mention being an undesirable job. The location of the can lid seal had to be set so that it would not obscure any text or graphics. This is key because there are so many different types of can label types used in this facility, only the bar code could be used as a fiducial mark for the orientation of the can to ensure proper placement of the lid seal. Once the bar code is located, reading it is a relatively straightforward process for the vision system.

The entire machine is built upon a table base that houses a rotary indexing table, pneumatic accumulator, electrical panels, operator interface and all associated mechanisms. It is inserted into a conveyor line that feeds canned product from the packaging machines. A take away conveyor moves the cans after processing to sorting tables where they are inspected and packed for shipment. To be an effective part of the process, the machine had to support and average cycle time of 1.4 seconds.


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Automation Tools for Machine BuildersUnderserved by PLCs� Requires higher

performance and easier programming for advanced applications.

Overwhelmed by custom design� Need easier programming,

lower cost/faster development

PLCs

Capa

bilit

y and

Fl

exib

ility


Customizable Controller

Embedded (PC/104, custom hardware,

ASIC, FPGA)

Machine builders today have two tools options. The first option is to use standard automation equipment, such as PLCs. However, machine builders often require more customization than they can get from a PLC. The other option is to create a custom control system using embedded technology. These integrators need a tool that provides additional flexibility and capability but does not require immense investment (both in up-front development and in revision and maintenance).


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Advanced I/O and Processing

� 500 kHz sine wave� Measure signal on blade� Stop blade if contact with

hands is detected

Another example of the application of these tools can be seen in a machine designed by a company called SawStop. The machine is designed to reduce injuries. Incorporating advanced I/O and advanced processing, the machine generates a 500kHz sine wave and then transmits it over a saw blade. The peak-to-peak amplitude of the 500 kHz signal on the blade is computed in volts as a function of time. If the blade comes in contact with a finger, the amplitude of the voltage will decrease and the system will engage a brake pawl to stop the blade quickly enough, as this video shows, to prevent amputation.


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PLCs

Embedded (PC-104, custom hardware,

ASIC, FPGA)

Capa

bilit

y and

Flex

ibilit

y


National Instruments Real-Time and FPGA

Automation Tools for the Engineer

Traditional Automation Tools

Custom Designed Automation ToolsCo

mpl

exity

of A

pplic

atio

n

Training and Experience

PAC

These tools that I have been referring to are commonly known as programmable automation controllers—or PACs—which are a combination of PC and PLC technology. More on that will be explained shortly. The bottom line is that PACs offer:

• Multi-domain functionality including logic, motion, drives, and process on a single platform

• Single multi-discipline development platform

• Use software tools that allow design by process flow across several machines or process units

• Open, modular architectures that mirror industry applications

• Employ de-facto standards for network interfaces, languages, etc. allowingdata exchange as part of networked, multi-vendor systems


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The Term�Automation suppliers continue to improve the PLC to serve

market opportunities and specific user needs. Additional functionalities have allowed a new class of system to emerge. Programmable Automation Controllers offer open industry standards, extended domain functionality, a common development platform, and advanced capabilities. ARC Advisory Group has coined this new term to help users define their application needs and manufacturers to more clearly communicate the capabilities of their products.�

-- Craig Resnick, ARC Advisory Group

Craig’s quote here underscores my comments at the beginning of my presentation about how the next big thing is always an extension of what has existed before…rarely, if ever, coming out of left field. The PAC is really an extension of the PLC that bridges basic and advanced automation capabilities by bringing the advanced capabilities offered by PC technology directly into the PLC and making it accessible in PLC terms, thus mitigating the specialization that’s been required of manufacturers wanting to take full advantage of newer technologies to stay competitive.


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PACTypical Manufacturing Line

PAC

PAC

PACPAC

� Multiple Control Disciplines �One Software Environment

� Ethernet for data sharing

� PC, PLC, and embedded components

� Open software

If we again consider the plant environment shown earlier, you can see that programmable automation controllers can handle the work previously managed by the motion and drive controllers, the SCADA system, the process controller, the camera and the PLC, while also handling multiple control disciplines in one open software environment, sharing data between PACs using Ethernet.


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Typical Industrial Control System

�PLC �local I/O, majority

digital I/O�PC

�HMI, logging, advanced control, communication, supervisory control

Fieldbus

PLC

Enterprise and Web

Ethernet

PC

Examine a typical control system today with programmable controllers, a distributed fieldbus, PCs, and connectivity to the enterprise system. In today’s industrial control systems, PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) and PCs (Personal Computers) both play vital roles in control, HMI/SCADA, connectivity, and more.

PLCs are specialized industrial computers first introduced in the 1960s to replace relay banks for digital control. PLCs are physically rugged and designed for reliable real time operation.

PCs are general-purpose computers initially designed to handle a variety of non-real time applications. Because of their powerful processing capacity, networking capability and graphical interfaces, PCs play a key role for supervisory and advanced control, HMI, data logging, and enterprise communication.

Note that PLCs and PCs are both computers that are designed for very different purposes. Let’s take a look at the architectures of these computers to see how they compare.


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PLC Architecture

Processor

Memory

I/O Module

I/O Module

I/O Module

I/O ModuleI/O Communication Bus

Real-TimeOS

Vendor-defined SW

Vendor-defined SW� Specific control architecture� Difficult for tasks such as multi-loop, logging, high speed,

or analog I/O� Highly reliable

The basic architectures of a PLC and our PACs are very similar. However, with the availability of high performance PC components suitable for industrial environments, we have created controllers with PLC-like ruggedness and PC architecture for performance and openness. This opens a new range of applications for engineers who struggled with the limitations of their software and hardware when using PLCs, industrial PCs, PC-104, or custom hardware. Because LabVIEW is a full featured programming language engineers can now combine traditional PLC-like control and more complex or integrated control tasks.

If you pull the case off a PLC and look at the architecture you will find 5 main components. The PLC will have a processor to run the control code. The processor in PLCs will vary from manufacturer to manufacturer but many popular PLCs today use fixed point 16 and 32 bit microprocessors such as the Motorola 680xx family. The second component is a bank of memory. The memory section stores (electronically) retrievable digital information. The processor will use the memory bank to temporarily store data while the control code runs. The memory is also used to store the PLC program. The third component is a battery backup used to maintain the control code stored in memory when the PLC is disconnected from power, some vendors use various ICs to protect the program without a battery backup. The fourth component is I/O modules used for analog and digital input and output, motion control, and communication. Finally the PLC will have a serial or parallel I/O communication bus that allows the processor to transfer data with the I/O modules.

The other half of a controller is the software. Internally the PLC will use a real-time operating system. A real-time operating system is the foundation for the software running on the PLC and provides reliability and stability for the controller. The real-time operating system will run code written in the PLC programming language. There are a variety of programming languages available for PLC programming. In general they all have a rigid scanning architecture where inputs are transferred to memory, the programmers code is executed, housekeeping is done, and outputs are updated. The programmer only modifies the control code and does not modify the scanner architecture. This design has been used successfully for decades to create reliable, simple applications but can be limiting for complex applications.


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PC Architecture

Processor

Memory

I/O Module

I/O Module

I/O Module

I/O ModuleI/O Communication Bus

GeneralOS

Open SW

Open SW� General programming language� Flexibility for multi-loop, logging, high speed, and analog I/O� Low reliability

If we now look at a PC architecture. The internal components of a PC are very similar with a processor, memory, a way to store program information, I/O modules, and an I/O communication bus. However, because of the exponential rate of performance improvements in processors, communications, memory, and storage; the PC which uses commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) components, has a few differences. The PC will use a more powerful floating point processor and will also include more memory making it well suited for complex computations. It will also include non-volatile memory instead of a battery backup. This allows the PLC to store large programs and to perform operations such as datalogging.

If we examine the PC software, we will see that the PC uses a general purpose operating system such as Windows. This makes it capable of running many software programs but also makes it less reliable and stable. The PC also has the capability to run software created with open programming languages. These languages do not include the rigid scanning architecture common to PLC software. This unbounded software may makes simple application development more demanding, but can be crucial for some custom or complex applications.


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PAC Architecture� Ruggedness and reliability of PLC� Software capabilities of PC� Modular and diverse I/O

With a number of vendors producing Programmable Automation Controllers, PACs are increasingly being included into control systems today. Since the PAC provides many of the functions that traditionally required both a PC and a PLC, engineers have found that when they add onto existing systems they can instead add a PAC. Another popular application for PACs is to serve a as a machine controller. When built into a machine they can provide high speed control, data logging, a web interface, motion control, and vision integration with one software and hardware platform.


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Flexible Open Software

Rugged Modular HardwareControllerI/O Communication

PAC: Combination of Software and Hardware

Data InterfaceControl and Analysis Functions Real-Time OS

Analog &Digital I/O

FloatingPoint

ProcessorEthernet

CustomHardware

(FPGA)

FieldbusInterfaceMotion Vision Memory Non-Vol

Storage

ControlAlgorithms

DataLogging

3rd PartyCode

SignalAnalysis HMI

I/O andSystem Timing

ExecutionPriorities

MultipleLoop

OperationEnterprise

PACs include the capability to perform I/O, communications, motion control, and machine vision. When coupled with the high performance floating point processor and non-volatile memory, PACs provide a solid hardware platform for measurement and control.

However, the key to unlocking the power of the PAC is the software. PAC software must provide the stability and reliability of the real-time operating system to handle I/O and system timing, execution priorities and to enable multi-loop execution. The software must also offer a breadth of control and analysis functions. This should include typical control functions such as digital logic, and PID, and less common control algorithms such as fuzzy logic and the capability to run model based control. The software must provide the analysis algorithms for machine vision and motion control, the capability to log data, to communicate over the network, and the ability to import code from other languages and simulation packages.


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Multiple Control Disciplines � One Software Environment

Bits per Channel

1 bit

8 bits

16 bits

2.4 Mbits

1 Hz 1kHz 1MHzLoop Rate

40 kHz

24 bitsPC

Performance

PLC Performance

Custom IC Performance

PAC SW Coverage

Machine Vision

Custom CircuitControl

VibrationMonitoring

Motion

Discrete

Process

Batch

Traditionally control has required numerous control platforms each with it’s own specialized software. Today a PAC, running one common software can perform operations that previously would have required a PLC, PC, or custom circuit.


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Reduce impact of slugs in flow lines caused by operational changes such as start-ups, and thereby reduce costs, lower maintenance and increase productivity of oil platforms.

Oil platform

Slug

Shell Oil � S3 Slug Suppression System

�The complexity of the control algorithms made existing PLC and DCS tools impractical.�

Gert Haandrikman, Shell Global Services

Slugging Behavior of PipelinesPipelines transport oil and natural gas from off-shore wells to a shore side refinery. Ideally, a pipeline would contain a homogeneous amount of natural gas and oil. In a single pipeline, however, segregated flow of liquid and gas may cause problems. Operational changes, such as start-up and production increase, can create large liquid slugs. Liquid slugs at the outlet of pipelines or flowline/riser systems may result in large oil and gas production losses.

Suppressing and Controlling SlugsThe S 3 , developed by Shell Global Solutions and licensed to Dril-Quip for marketing, sales, and manufacture, consists of a miniseparator positioned between the riser top and the normal first-stage separator. The miniseparator has two outlets - one for the gas flow and one for the liquid flow. Valves control both outlet flows, which receive their signals from a control system. This control system uses LabVIEW Real-Time software and FieldPoint distributed I/O. Shell developed a control strategy that not only suppresses severe slugging, but also controls transient slugs without gas surges.

Accurate Control SystemThe circuitry, as used in the S 3 control system, comprises a redundant section of National Instruments FieldPoint 2010 real-time controllers. The FieldPoint 2010 provides information for gathering and control, which also includes serial interface communication to existing control systems (ECS). We can also use the serial interface communication to remotely control set points and modes of operation. With this redundancy built in, the availability of the system is 99.95 percent, assuming a 4 hr repair period for any downtime.Shell programmed the entire application in National Instruments LabVIEW. For the control algorithms, they applied standard LabVIEW PID algorithms, plus additional algorithms to ensure correct and fast control of the slug suppression system when modes of control are changing. “Implementation in existing PLC and DCS tools is not straightforward because of the complexity of these additional control algorithms, but LabVIEW provided the correct set of tools and abstractions. During the development of the application, we could test ideas quickly and easily and analyze applicability with LabVIEW. This process significantly improved the research and development speed for the S 3 . Additionally, instead of hiring a specialist, we could build applications in LabVIEW with only two days of training.”


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PAC Platform

� PACs provide a foundation for automation and easier integration of multiple technologies� Advanced I/O

� High speed I/O, new sensors and actuators� Vision and precision motion control

� Advanced Processing� High speed and custom control

� Advanced Communications� HMI and Web

PACs really provide a platform for implementing systems that require advanced I/O, advanced processing, or advanced communication.


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Agenda� Session 1: Software technologies provide advanced

capabilities and performance� Session 2: Evolutions in I/O: what's new from pneumatics

to smart sensors� Session 3: Integrating machine vision and custom motion

control into new and existing systems� Session 4: The future of communication: operator

interfaces, Ethernet, buses, and wireless

Today we will explore these three areas advancement in a series of four sessions.

The first session will focus on software.

The second session will focus on I/O, sensors and actuators.

The third session will focus on vision and motion.

The fourth session will focus on communications.


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Flexible Open Software

Rugged Modular HardwareControllerI/O Communication

PAC � Combination of Software and Hardware

Data InterfaceControl and Analysis Functions Real-Time OS

Analog &Digital I/O

FloatingPoint

ProcessorEthernet

CustomHardware

(FPGA)

FieldbusInterfaceMotion Vision Memory Non-Vol

Storage

ControlAlgorithms

DataLogging

3rd PartyCode

SignalAnalysis HMI

I/O andSystem Timing

ExecutionPriorities

MultipleLoop

OperationEnterprise

The key to creating a reliable measurement and control system is the software. In the next session we will explore the advantages and disadvantages of real-time and general purpose operating systems.


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