NOVEMBER 2018

Inside:
 Fieldbus networking & IIoT p2
 Choose the right condition
monitoring accelerometer p7
 In the news p11

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 PRODUCTIVITY AND BEST PRACTICES: EDITOR’S COLUMN
Kevin Parker
Senior Contributing Editor

On the road to the digital enterprise

Decide where to go, use a map to get there

A
bout two years ago, at Emerson Automation
Solutions’ Exchange user conference, execu-
tive managers said they’d come to realize the
substantial levels of support industrial companies would
need to get started on the Industrial Internet of Things
(IIoT), or, as it might be characterized, their digital
transformation.
At this year’s Emerson Exchange, held in October,
what followed from that realization became clearer.
“When a company acquire a pro-
cess control system, it knows what
analytics, and products. The implementation team stand-
ing behind it includes more than 80 solutions architects
and analytics integration engineers, backed by a project
and service engineering workforce that exceeds 8,400.
Emerson was a leader in introducing wireless networks
in industrial environments. Today it has deployed more
than 37,000 wireless network installations and more than
175 integrated reliability platforms and applications.
Emerson partners with Microsoft for its Azure cloud
environment. Digitalization efforts
emphasize operations technology

‘
it intends to do with it,” said Peter (OT) and information technology (IT)
Zornio, Emerson Automation’s chief Involve IT in OT collaboration. Zornio advised engi-
technology officer. “It’s not quite the neers to involve IT in projects from
same with IIoT. It may not be as clear
projects from the the start, even if just as a matter of

’
where to start.” courtesy.
start.
In an Emerson study of industry
leaders, while all respondents were Industrial-strength validation
actively conducting digitalization pilot Timothy White, director, reliability-
projects, only 21% had moved beyond that stage into based maintenance project, with offshore drilling rig
enacting new operating standards. Only 20% of respon- provider, Ensco, validated Zornio’s remarks. In recent
dents said they had a vision for moving forward, while years Ensco launched its predictive intelligence center to
90% agreed that having a clear roadmap was important. eliminate unplanned drilling rig and drilling ship down-
time, with a focus on top drives, blow-out preventers,
Rules of the road thrusters, pipe handling systems, and draw works.
In response to this acknowledged need, at this year’s Sensor data is collected using an OSIsoft Pi data his-
event Emerson announced a digital transformation road- torian at the Houston-based center. Analytics determine
map supported by consulting and implementation services. asset health and predict its trajectory.
The roadmap focuses on business drivers and business Because the energy sector was slow to get started
enablers. Drivers look at capabilities relative to industry with digitalization, White said, “It stands to gain the
benchmarks, including for production management, reli- most from these emerging technologies.”
ability and maintenance, safety and security, and energy Digitalization barriers, continued White, include “lots
and emissions. Enablers focus on capabilities in organi- of old iron,”control systems not based on open systems,
zational effectiveness, systems, and data integration. needs for more sensors that must be zone-1 certified,
A company might start by focusing on pumps or on and cybersecurity uncertainties. He didn’t avoid the
asset reliability more generally. Another approach might cultural barriers involved either, which include personnel
drive adoption of cloud technologies and analytics. assuming digitalization means “big brother just wants to
An operational certainty consulting group delivers watch us.”
services from jump-start workshops to deep-dive change The big announcement at the event, of course, was
management and deployment of digital toolsets. The Emerson’s acquisition of GE Intelligent Platforms and its
Emerson Plantweb digital ecosystem includes software, line of programmable logic controllers. IIoT
www.controleng.com/IIoT Industrial Internet of Things NOVEMBER 2018 | 1
FIELDBUS NETWORKING AND IIoT
Bring IIoT capabilities
to refineries and process plants
The first step may be changing device-level networking practices
By Dan Carlson
A
s the digital transforma-
tion of process industries
has unfolded the last few
years, wireless device-level networks
are an important implementation
element, extending the reach of
higher-level networks to the process
itself. The Internet connotes wireless
Ethernet such as Wi-Fi, but process
industry complexes have enormous
populations of field instruments and
actuators using analog and digital
fieldbus communication. Wi-Fi has
not been adopted for these devices,
and there are no signs of a change in
that direction.
Figure 1. Starting in the upper-left corner, different types of instrumentation applications
can be evaluated to determine if they are suitable for WirelessHART devices.
2 | NOVEMBER 2018 IIoT For Engineers
What has happened is the adoption
of wireless communication for device-
level networks. The leading protocol
for this purpose is WirelessHART,
which has grown steadily in hardware
availability and deployments since its
first release in 2007, and its adoption
as global standard IEC 62591 in 2010.
Emerson Automation Solutions
uses WirelessHART, but since it is a
global standard, all devices certified
by the FieldComm group interoperate
regardless of the supplier. Emerson
was an early adopter and has pro-
vided equipment using WirelessHART
since its inception. Its transmitters
and gateways are installed on more
than 38,900 networks. This record
of service puts to rest any questions
about WirelessHART reliability and
performance.
In the real world
WirelessHART deployments reduce
instrumentation installation costs by
eliminating expensive cabling. The
cost of adding a wired instrument in
a refinery can range from $5,000 to
$50,000. Avoiding that cost should
be welcome. Nonetheless, the heavy
refining and petrochemical industries
don’t adopt new technologies on a
whim, even if promised a cost reduc-
tion of 75%. Given the potential
harmful consequences of a bad deci-
sion related to something as complex
as the Industrial Internet of Things
(IIoT), or even WirelessHART, it must
be reviewed extensively beforehand.
Internal teams try to think through
the risks and the pros and cons of
a new technology. They consider
where appropriate applications can
and should be used, along with areas
where they should be avoided.
Early on, many companies had to
be convinced that WirelessHART was
as reliable and easy to work with as
advertised, so they often launched
small deployments in the least criti-
cal parts of their plants to prove the
concept. Nowadays, few users go
to such lengths, but some still need
convincing.
Emerson works with end-user
companies on technology review
www.controleng.com/IIoT
programs for WirelessHART. Some
questions and discussion points are
specific to a company or site, while
other, more universal considerations,
also have emerged. To help those
considering WirelessHART and larger
IIoT concepts, some of these points
are outlined below.
What is WirelessHART?
IEC 62591 WirelessHART was
developed by the HART Communi-
cation Foundation (now part of the
FieldComm Group). This wireless
protocol is based on the traditional
4-20 mA wired HART protocol. It
leverages existing instrumentation
practices for deploying and main-
taining instrumentation, but without
the traditional cost of running signal
wires and supporting infrastructure,
including junction boxes, cable trays,
marshalling cabinets, and others.
WirelessHART networks use the
2.4 GHz spectrum, with up to 15
channels able to operate simultane-
ously and coexist with each other.
It also coexists with IEEE 802.11
Wi-Fi systems operating in the same
spectrum. All transmissions through
the network are encrypted, with ad-
ditional security features available on
the gateway for secure integration
into the host system.
The key infrastructure requirement
for a WirelessHART network is a
gateway that manages the wireless
network. It also integrates process
data and diagnostic data into the
host system via a hardwired Modbus
RTU, Modbus TCP, OPC, HART IP, or
Ethernet IP connection—as well as
with other vendor-specific protocols.
Application selection
WirelessHART’s primary purpose is
to eliminate wired infrastructure and
associated costs and installation time.
Where can wireless instruments be
used most effectively?
www.controleng.com/IIoT
Reading the selection flow chart
(Figure 1) begins in the upper left-
hand corner. There’s consensus
that safety applications should be
avoided. As reliable as WirelessHART
is, safety-instrumented systems (SISs)
or instrumented protective functions
(IPFs) should remain wired. From there
it gets less clear.
What if the application is a control
loop? The conventional wisdom here
says wired again, but many are not
so quick to dismiss wireless. Not all
Rosemount 3051S
pressure transmitter
Internal Power Module Life
Update Rate Battery Life
(seconds) (years)
1 0.6
2 1.3
4 2.2
8 3.7
16 5.8
32 8.6
60 10
Chart 1. A transmitter can determine how
significantly the update rate affects bat-
tery life.
control loops are critical, and criti-
cal alarms are not always involved,
so many plants are willing to explore
wireless in these situations. For the
“Battery life greater than X years”
decision block, the “X” depends on
transmitter specifications and the
plant tolerance for replacing batteries.
Deciding whether to proceed should
be made under an exception-approval
procedure that facilitates exploration
of promising applications otherwise
deemed borderline.
If the application is second level
on the chart, the questions relate to
mechanics. If the device update rate
occurs every five seconds or less,
power consumption is too high and
power module life too short (Chart 1).
The usual rule-of-thumb suggests the
fastest refresh rate for a wireless
transmitter should be eight seconds.
Applications demanding an almost
constant refresh rate also are likely
deemed critical enough to need a
wired instrument. Field experience
suggests most WirelessHART users go
with much longer refresh rates, often
60 seconds, to minimize power con-
sumption. At that rate, the internal
power module can easily last 10 years.
The next question determines if a
wireless transmitter is available. This
can be defined as a self-contained
wireless transmitter operating from an
internal power supply. Naturally this
entails a sensor and transmitter com-
bination with low power consumption
available from an instrumentation
supplier as a packaged unit. The
options available have grown enor-
mously since WirelessHART’s introduc-
tion. Instrumentation vendors have
made great strides in improving power
consumption characteristics.
Battery life is not equal across the
board, which brings up the next point:
Is battery life greater than “X” years?
The value for X will depend upon the
plant’s tolerance for spending main-
tenance time changing batteries, and
few maintenance managers seem in-
terested in anything unable to operate
reliably for less than five years.
However, moving back to the earlier
box, not every type of process instru-
ment is suitable for battery power,
hence the question: Can an adapter
be used? A WirelessHART adapter can
be added to any HART 5.0 or newer
device. The adapter sends the primary
process variable and additional data to
the host system via the gateway.
In some cases, an adapter is added
to instruments already wired via 4-20
mA to capture secondary variables
and diagnostic data. In other situa-
tions, adapters are added to instru-
ments such as a Coriolis flow meters,
IIoT For Engineers NOVEMBER 2018 | 3
 FIELDBUS NETWORKING AND IIoT
where power consumption is too high
for internal battery power. Adapters
usually don’t have internal power,
so in some cases it may be necessary
to provide wiring to the instrument
and an adapter setup to carry power,
although not to carry the signal. This
usually is not a problem. In most pro-
cess plants a suitable instrumentation-
grade dc power source is available
near the installation.
Thus, if the application is appro-
priate and the mechanical issues
solvable, WirelessHART device use can
proceed. It may seem the winnowing-
out process is too severe, but in real-
world environments, the number of
practical applications often is higher
than initially expected.
Gateway requirements
In basic terms, the gateway re-
ceives data from the WirelessHART
instruments and conveys it to the
Figure 2. Redundant gateways add reliability to the
larger network and integrate to host systems using
a variety of hardwired connections.
4 | NOVEMBER 2018 IIoT For Engineers
larger plant networks and host
system. Since this represents a single
point of failure for the instruments
communicating with that gateway,
most plants use a redundant system
(Figure 2). Because gateways inte-
grate into plant networks different
ways, this area requires review.
The growing availability of Wire-
lessHART equipment condition
monitoring sensors, such as the vibra-
tion and bearing condition sensors
deployed on critical rotating equip-
ment, should also be considered. Sen-
sor data usually does not need to go
to the main automation host system
since the data doesn’t affect process
control. Where data from all sorts of
devices—both monitoring and pro-
cess—come in through one gateway,
a plant may divert some data to the
control room while other data goes to
maintenance department platforms,
such as for asset management.
As WirelessHART networks get
larger to cover more areas, most
plants adopt multiple networks run
in parallel. Keeping similar devices
associated with each other makes
it easier to send data to the right
destination. This segmentation must
be approached methodically to ensure
appropriate numbers of devices are
on each network to support effective
meshing, with enough redundant
paths for individual transmitters to
communicate with each other.
Distance and network density
WirelessHART uses self-organizing
mesh networking. Individual wireless
devices automatically communicate
with each other and adjust communi-
cation paths to use each other as data
relay points, if a given device cannot
reach the gateway directly. Conse-
quently, the more devices within reach
of each other, the more reliable the
communication. The system engineer-
ing guideline IEC 62591 WirelessHART
provides an in-depth discussion of net-
working mechanics and is an excellent
reference manual. By following a few
basic best practices, most plants can
expect reliability of more than 99%.
Getting more positive performance
data depends on using network diag-
nostic tools provided by the gateway
manufacturer. These tools indicate
how communication paths formed,
as well as their reliability. If there are
parts of the network where meshing
opportunities are too few, an addi-
tional transmitter can be inserted.
WirelessHART radio transmissions are
robust and can cover long distances,
despite their low power use, but are
subject to limitations. The massive steel
structures common to refineries and
chemical plants must be considered,
and the conditions under which signals
are reflected or absorbed can be dif-
ficult to predict. Site surveys to plot
www.controleng.com/IIoT
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FIELDBUS NETWORKING AND IIoT

suitable transmission paths can be help-
ful, but network performance analysis is
best. Use of a wireless planning tool can
help evaluate a facility against deploy-
ment industry best practices.
Rules of thumb developed by one
refinery links viable transmission
| PC11-48USA |
distance to equipment density, as
follows:
• Heavy obstruction: 100 ft.—
Typical heavy-density plant envi-
ronment, too congested to drive a
truck through the area.
• Medium obstruction: 250 ft.—
Less dense process areas, lots of
space between equipment and
infrastructure.
• Light obstruction: 500 ft.—Typi-
cal of tank farms where there are
big obstructions but with lots of
space between.
• Clear line of site: 750 ft.—The

maximum distance is possible

when the antenna is mounted
Meet the smallest Industrial PC above obstructions, and the angle
of the terrain change is less than
from Beckhoff. 5 degrees. Specialized antennas
help span even longer distances.
The ultra-compact C6015 IPC for automation and IoT.
These are guidelines. Actual results
40 mm may vary, but the estimates should
provide realistic expectations.

Being a champion
The smartest software cannot over-
come physical hardware constraints.
Distributed control systems (DCSs)
and asset management platforms tend
82 mm

to be large and monolithic but are now

supplemented and replaced by smaller,
less overhead-intensive systems using
mobile devices and the Cloud.
While the same app should reach a
wired device to acquire similar data,
the communication path may be too
complex to be practicable.
Therefore, the value proposition
www.beckhoff.us/C6015 for WirelessHART is growing in the
With the ultra-compact C6015 Industrial PC, Beckhoff has again expanded the IIoT age. To the cost savings associ-
application possibilities of PC-based control. Wherever space or cost limita- ated with eliminating wiring, add the
tions previously prevented the use of a PC-based control solution, this new IPC advantages of easier accessibility. This
generation offers an excellent price-to-performance ratio in an extremely compact may be more difficult to quantify, but
housing. With up to 4 CPU cores, low weight and unprecedented installation it delivers quick payback for many ap-
flexibility, the C6015 is universally applicable in automation, visualization and
plications. IIoT
communication tasks. It is also ideal for use as an IoT gateway.
Processor: Intel® Atom™, 1, 2 or 4 cores
Dan Carlson is a solution architect
Interfaces: 2 Ethernet, 1 DisplayPort, 2 USB
Main memory: up to 4 GB DDR3L RAM at Emerson Automation Solutions.
Housing: Die-cast aluminum-zinc alloy He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics
Dimensions (W x H x D): 82 x 82 x 40 mm from Carleton College, and a Master
of Business Administration from the
University of Minnesota.

6 | NOVEMBER 2018 IIoT For Engineers

SENSING 4.0
Choose the right accelerometer
Comparing vibration sensor technologies for condition monitoring
By Bjorn Ryden
A
ccelerometers are used
for condition monitoring of
heavy, high-end machinery
such as windmills, industrial pumps,
compressors, and HVAC systems.
More recently, though, trends
toward digital transformation have
increased the call to develop accel-
erometers for high-volume, smaller
machinery. This includes applications
such as machine spindles, conveyor
belts, sorting tables, and machine
tools. Doing so, however, requires
not only better predictive mainte-
nance but an ability to more effec-
tively manage machine downtime
to enhance the customer experience
and overall profitability.
These changing market dynam-
ics have heightened the need to
choose the optimal accelerometer
for industrial condition monitoring
Figure 1. Compression
mode designs are
assembled by stressing
the piezoelectric crystal
into compression. Shear
mode designs typically
have an annular shear
crystal and annular
mass that are secured
to a support post. All
images courtesy: TE
Connectivity
www.controleng.com/IIoT
applications: piezoelectric (PE)
accelerometers or variable capaci-
tance (VC) sensors. To support the
decision-making process, the follow-
ing is a review of these two different
technologies. Select specification
parameters are used to compare
functionalities—all of which are
critical to deliver long-term, reliable,
stable, and accurate performance.
Piezoelectric vibration sensors
PE accelerometers incorporate
self-generating piezoelectric crystals
and provide a signal when stressed
by external excitation caused by
vibrating machinery. Most PE sensors
are based on lead zirconate titanate
ceramics (also called PZT), which are
poled to align the dipoles and make
the crystals piezoelectric. PZT crystals
are ideal for condition-monitoring
applications since they offer wide
temperature range, broad dynamic
range, and wide frequency band-
width (usable to >20kHz).
In today’s market, there are primar-
ily two types of PE accelerometer
designs: compression mode and
shear mode.
Compression mode designs are
assembled by stressing the PE crys-
tal into compression—typically by
loading a mass on top of the crystal
and applying a preload force. These
‘
Trends toward digital
transformation have
increased the call to
develop accelerometers
for high-volume, smaller
’
machinery.
IIoT For Engineers NOVEMBER 2018 | 7
 SENSING 4.0
designs are outdated and becoming
less popular due to their performance
limitations, as the constructions are
susceptible to mounting base strain
and higher thermal drifts.
Shear mode designs typically have
an annular shear crystal and annular
mass that are secured to a support
post. This design offers superior per-
formance because the base is isolated,
and with less susceptibility to thermal
stresses, stability is improved. Most
PE accelerometers offered today are
shear mode designs as this is clearly
the more effective choice.
Variable capacitance sensors
VC sensors derive the accelera-
tion measurement from a change in
capacitance of a seismic mass moving
between two parallel capacitor plates.
The change in capacitance is directly
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‘
Most PE accelerometers
offered today are shear
’
mode designs.
proportional to the applied accelera-
tion. VC accelerometers require an
integrated circuit to be closely coupled
to the sensing element to convert the
very small capacitance changes into a
voltage output. This conversion pro-
cess often results in a poor signal-to-
noise ratio and limited dynamic range.
The VC sensors typically are manu-
factured from silicon wafers and are
fabricated into miniature micro-
electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)
chips.
As indicated earlier, a meaningful
comparative review of PE accelerom-
eters and wide bandwidth MEMS VC
accelerometers requires deploying
critical performance specifications.
With both accelerometers having a
full-scale range of ±50 G-forces (g),
these specifications include: wide
frequency response; measurement
resolution and dynamic range; long
term stability with minimum drift;
operating temperature range; pack-
aging options and ease of installa-
tion; and sensor output options.
Wide frequency response
The frequency response of the ac-
celerometers was tested on a
SPEKTRA GmbH CS18 HF high
frequency calibration shaker with a
range of 5Hz to 20kHz. The sensors
were mounted securely to ensure ac-
curate results over the full test range.
Two sensors of each technology, PE
and MEMS VC, were tested to ensure
the results were consistent.
A maximum ±1dB amplitude
deviation was assumed as the us-
able bandwidth although a tighter
deviation of ±5% is often used for
bandwidth tolerance. The data indi-
cates that the VC MEMS sensor has a
usable bandwidth up to 3kHz while
the PE sensor has a usable bandwidth
>10kHz (this particular PE sensor was
within specification up to 14kHz). It is
worth noting that the low-frequency
cut-off for the PE sensor was at 2Hz
while the MEMS sensor responded
down to zero Hz since it is a direct
current response device.
Measurement resolution
and dynamic range
To determine the measurement
resolution and dynamic range of the
piezoelectric and VC MEMS sensors,
the samples were tested in a noise-
isolated chamber with state-of-the-
8 | NOVEMBER 2018 IIoT For Engineers
Table 1. Residual noise comparison at various bandwidth
Model 0.03~300Hz V-rms 0.03~1KHz V-rms 0.03~3KHz V-rms 0.03~10KHz V-rms
PE#1 24.2 30.8 39.5 57.6
PE#2 25.1 31.7 38.6 56.3
MEMS#1 377.6 405.2 412.7 498.2
MEMS#1 415.7 430.2 453.9 532.1

Table 2. Measurement resolution comparison

Model Resolution Residual noise Spectral noise Dynamic range Resolution
mg-rms V-rms g-rms/Hz dB bit

PE#1 1.4 57.6 14.4 88 14.6

PE#2 1.4 56.3 14.1 88 14.6
MEMS#1 12.5 498.2 124.6 69 11.5
MEMS#1 13.3 532.1 133.0 69 11.5

art measurement equipment capable Table 3. Accelerometer feature comparison

of micro-g measurement resolution. Key Parameter Piezoelectric MEMS VC
The units were installed in the same
Wide frequency response √ -
chamber and tested at the same
Long term signal stability √ -
time to eliminate errors from outside
Dynamic range √ -
environmental interference.
Operating temp range √ √
The measurements were con-
Packaging options √ √
ducted at four distinct bandwidth
settings and the residual noise was Ease of installation √ √

measured at each setting. The re- Sensor output options √ √

sults are detailed in Table 1.
The measurement resolution and
dynamic range were calculated
based on a 0.03-10kHz bandwidth
and are detailed in Table 2. The
resolution of the PE sensors is ap-
proximately nine times better than
the VC MEMS sensors. This results
in a significantly better dynamic
range which enables the end user to
detect potential problems at a much
earlier stage.
Long-term stability, minimum drift
With more than 30 years of field
installations, the long-term stability
of PE sensors has been well demon-
strated. PE crystals are known to be
inherently stable with long-term drift
parameters dependent on the crystal
formulation used. While quartz offers
the best long-term stability in any
PE accelerometer, it is rarely used in
condition monitoring applications due
to limited output and cost. Instead,
PZT crystals are most commonly used
in PE accelerometers and are increas-
ingly becoming the choice for crystal
in most applications.
VC MEMS accelerometers also have
wide specification limits for long-term
drift depending on the MEMS design
structure. A bulk micromachined
MEMS sensor will have the best long-
term drift but also will be significantly
more expensive. As a result, they are
typically used only in inertial applica-
tions. As a result, MEMS vendors offer
surface micromachined VC MEMS
sensors for condition monitoring,
which are much less expensive but
sacrifice measurement resolution and
long-term stability.
Operating temperature range
The operating temperature ranges
for PE and VC MEMS accelerometers
are comparable. Both sensors are
equipped to work within condition
monitoring applications where the typi-
cal environment spans from -40°C to
125°C. In certain extreme installations
where a higher temperature range sen-
sor may be required, a charge mode
PE sensor would be the recommended
choice. Charge mode PE accelerom-
eters that do not include an onboard
charge converter circuit can be used
for temperatures exceeding 700°C.
Packaging options and
ease of installation
For condition monitoring installa-
tions in smaller machinery, the size
and mounting options can become
IIoT For Engineers NOVEMBER 2018 | 9
SENSING 4.0
an important factor in choosing an
accelerometer. Larger machinery typi-
cally uses an external stud-mounted
accelerometer but for machinery with
smaller bearings and rotating shafts,
an embedded or miniature accelerom-
eter is necessary.
Most VC MEMS accelerometers are
offered in a surface-mount technology
package which is ideal for high-
volume printed circuit board assembly.
The VC MEMS sensors are also offered
in small sizes to create more packag-
ing options.
This piezoelectric circuit board mountable
accelerometer is designed for machine
health monitoring and preventive mainte-
nance applications.
PE accelerometers are offered in
various configurations. The SMT
mount version is available, similar to
VC MEMS, but the size of the SMT
package typically is larger than VC
MEMS designs. PE accelerometers
also are offered in rugged TO-5 can
packages with a stainless-steel hous-
ing. These designs allow for direct
mounting to bearing housings or
embedded installations.
Sensor output options
Depending on installation and ap-
plication, a choice of sensor output
signal options may be necessary.
Most current predictive maintenance
installations require an analog signal
from the sensor, allowing the end
user to decide which parameters to
monitor for a particular piece of ma-
chinery. Typically, the signal output is
driven by the data acquisition or PLC
interface and an analog output (±2V
or ±5V) is the most common choice.
For installations requiring long cable
lengths, however, loop-powered
4-20mA sensors are also common.
As Industrie 4.0 focuses on
automation and data exchange to
reshape manufacturing technolo-
gies, digital factories are the future.
Digital output signals will become
more common, as will smart sensors
with onboard microprocessors, to
give end users the information they
10 | NOVEMBER 2018 IIoT For Engineers
need to make immediate mainte-
nance decisions. These output signal
options will be available in both PE
and VC MEMS sensor technologies.
The clear choice
Based on this analysis, PE sensors
are the obvious choice for condition
monitoring installations, given their
proven technologies, reliability, and
long-term stability. What’s more, the
embedded PE accelerometers are
ideal for both low- to high-speed ma-
chinery, given their wide frequency
response and ability to offer a better
signal resolution for earlier failure
detection. IIoT
Bjorn Ryden is a global product
manager for vibration sensors at TE
Connectivity.
Terms and definitions
 Wide frequency response: To detect all possible failure modes in the machin-
ery, for bearing monitoring the frequency response of the accelerometer should
be 40 to 50 times the shaft revolutions per minute. For fans and gearboxes, the
minimum upper limit of the accelerometer should be 4 to 5 times the blade pass-
ing frequency.
 Measurement resolution and dynamic range: The measurement resolution
of a vibration sensor is a function of the amplitude of the output signal in relation
to the broadband noise of the onboard electronics. An accelerometer with superi-
or signal output allows for the measurement of smaller vibration levels in the ma-
chinery, enabling the end user to predict a fault much earlier than a sensor with a
lower dynamic range. As a rule, the output signal should be 10 times higher than
the noise level of the sensor for the output to be a reliable measurement.
 Long-term stability: Long-term drift is a shift in the sensitivity or zero output
measurement (zero output drift applies to MEMS sensors only). A shift in the sen-
sitivity of the accelerometer could trigger a false alarm over time in the monitor-
ing application, while a shift in the zero-output measurement can have the same
effect. Since piezoelectric sensors do not have a direct current response, they are
not susceptible to zero drift, only sensitivity drift. A MEMS VC sensor can have
both zero and sensitivity drifts over time.

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 IN THE NEWS
Analytics with context
is something to talk about
Derived information supports root-cause analysis and performance monitoring
T
rendMiner, a self-service
industrial analytics software
company, recently intro-
duced a set of capabilities called Con-
textHub. Serving as an extension to
TrendMiner’s TrendHub, ContextHub
is built around the structure of OSIsoft
PI event frames and asset framework,
broadening use and usefulness of
contextual information for root-cause
analysis and operational performance
monitoring.
ContextHub is a repository, search
engine, and collaboration platform
for context items that can be neatly
aligned to assets, processes, and
events. This platform can be con-
figured to requirements, so that the
context itself becomes a powerful da-
taset that can be both visualized and
analyzed; it also serves as a starting
point for time-series analytics.
TrendMiner, a Software AG compa-
ny, delivers self-service data analytics to
optimize process performance in indus-
tries such as chemical, petrochemical,
Situational context can be quantified as a data set that can be visualized and analyzed. Image courtesy: TrendMiner
12 | NOVEMBER 2018 IIoT For Engineers
oil & gas, pharmaceutical, metals &
mining, and process manufacturing.
The company was founded in 2008,
with global headquarters in Hasselt,
Belgium, and offices in the Nether-
lands, Germany, Spain, and the U.S.
Robotics provider launches
spatial intelligence platform
Humatics Corp., a pioneer in
microlocation products, announced
the commercial launch of its Spatial
Intelligence platform. The platform
comprises radio-frequency beacons
deployed in a constellation, mobile
sensors, and a software suite. To-
gether, these ultra-precise positioning
products revolutionize how robots
and industrial automation equipment
locate themselves, navigate through
complex environments, and collabo-
rate with people.
The first platform offerings include
1) the KinetIQ 300 system localizes
mobile objects in 2-D and 3-D within
2 cm of precision at ranges up to 500
meters, 2) the KinetIQ 100 system
measures distances with 2 cm of
precision at ranges up to 500 meters,
and 3) The KinetIQ OS is a suite of
spatial intelligence software provid-
ing provisioning, monitoring, and
data analytics services along with an
extensible application programming
interface (API).
Industrial applications could include:
• Automated guided vehicle (AGV)
and mobile robot navigation
• Industrial vehicle tracking, collision
avoidance, and platooning
• Tool tracking
• Crane positioning
• Drone navigation
• Digital twin and other IIoT
applications.
“The ability to precisely and wire-
lessly locate objects at distances be-
yond one meter is a difficult challenge
in today’s industrial environments. We
www.controleng.com/IIoT
look forward to partnering with Hu-
matics to solve applications in material
handling and intra-logistics vehicles,
including mobile robots, AGVs, lift
trucks, and cranes,” said Norbert
Popp, vice president of product man-
agement at Balluff, a leading sensor
manufacturer.
Regarding vehicle guidance systems,
it is well known that magnetic tape
and fiducial-based systems are inflex-
ible and damage-prone, while light
detection and ranging (LiDAR) systems
are expensive and restricted to indoor,
structured environments. On the other
hand, the Humatics platform enables
route changes without remapping or
infrastructure adjustments. It works in
indoor and outdoor environments, re-
gardless of weather conditions. Finally,
it allows for navigation in constantly
changing environments where vision
systems degrade.
Applications available as SaaS
offering on Microsoft Azure
Seeq Corp. announced availability
of its analytics solutions delivered via
software as a service (SaaS) on Micro-
soft Azure. Seeq enables engineers
and scientists in process manufactur-
ing organizations to analyze, predict,
collaborate, and share insights to im-
prove production outcomes. Custom-
ers include companies in the oil & gas,
pharmaceutical, chemical, and other
process industries.
“The move to Cloud platforms for
advanced analytics on large manufac-
turing data sets is clearly underway
and will only accelerate,” said Michael
Risse, vice president at Seeq Corp.
“Our goal is to ensure our customers
have the advantages of Seeq insights
on their Cloud platform of choice.”
Seeq is already run by customers on
Azure and includes support for Azure-
www.controleng.com/IIoT
specific features such as
Azure Directory Service.
Seeq will now offer its
SaaS applications on Azure
to address customer interest
in Cloud-based analytics so-
lutions. Shell, headquartered
in The Hague, Netherlands,
is an example. Shell will
be providing cloud-
based access to Seeq for its process
engineers and experts working with
OSIsoft PI data.
“Easy Cloud-based access to Seeq
by our engineers will enable faster
insights and reporting on our key real-
time data,” said Johan Krebbers, IT
CTO of Shell.
Recent releases of Seeq have
focused on enabling larger deploy-
ments through scalability features and
making the Seeq applications easier to
use. R20 features, released this sum-
mer, include the ability to have live
updates to Seeq Topics, which publish
insights from Seeq to other users; ex-
panded machine learning functionality
for customers doing predictive analyt-
ics with Seeq; and deliver an improved
query model for customers accessing
contextual data from SQL-based data
sources to provide faster connections
to Big Data sources.
Support for MQTT announced
wolfSSL, a provider of security
and connectivity solutions for sen-
sor and Industrial Internet of Things
(IIoT) markets, announced the release
of wolfMQTT support for message
queuing telemetry transport (MQTT)
v5.0, a client implementation of the
MQTT protocol that provides light-
weight, portable, and secure publish/
subscribe messaging for developers
of connected applications. Developed
from scratch and written in native
The ability to tap analytics for predictive
and root-cause analysis equips engineers for
greater productivity. Image courtesy: Seeq
C, wolfMQTT has a compiled size of
only 3.6 kilobytes and is available for
use under commercial or open source
(GPLv2) licenses.
By design, MQTT relies solely on the
transmission control protocol (TCP) to
limit overhead exchanges in resource-
constrained embedded devices but
offers no provisions for security or
encryption. Based on the MQTT v5.0
specification and supporting quality of
service levels 0-2, wolfMQTT provides
secure sockets layer/transport layer
security (SSL/TLS) encryption through
the wolfSSL library, adding as little
as 20-30 kilobytes when paired with
hardware acceleration to prevent
eavesdropping and man-in-the-middle
attacks. In addition, techniques like TLS
session resumption can further reduce
connection costs for sensor devices or
other platforms with limited resources.
At less than 1,200 lines of code,
wolfMQTT is very portable with
minimal external dependencies,
making the library easy to compile
across multiple platforms. wolfMQTT
supports Linux, Microsoft Window,
Apple OS X, FreeRTOS, and other op-
erating systems, as well as a range of
chipsets from leading silicon vendors,
including ARM, Analog Devices, Intel,
Microchip, NXP, STMicroelectronics,
and Texas Instruments. IIoT
IIoT For Engineers NOVEMBER 2018 | 13
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