Plant Maintenance


 Advances in intelligent motor control centres now allow for the detailed diagnostics needed to improve maintenance schedules and reduce downtime. Sean Ottewell reports.


 Les progrès réalisés dans les centres de contrôle informatique des moteurs permettent actuellement, grâce aux diagnostics détaillés nécessaires, d’améliorer les programmes de maintenance et de réduire les heures improductives. Article de Sean Ottewell.


 Fortschritte in intelligenten Steuerverteilern berücksichtigen nun die ausführliche Diagnose, die zur Verbesserung von Wartungsplänen und zur Verringerung von Ausfallzeiten erforderlich ist. Ein Bericht von Sean Ottewell.


Intelligent motor centres help reduce downtime


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eeping manufacturing processes running smoothly often hinges on the ability of engineers to access real- time production data. Fortunately, advanced monitoring and sensing


technologies that integrate smart devices, device-level networks and software into motor control centres now exist, allowing manufacturers to capture and use equipment and process data. Today’s intelligent motor control centres (MCCs)


offer a textbook example of this, with an integrated design that delivers real-time monitoring and detailed diagnostics to help improve productivity and maximise critical asset availability. These systems occupy a prominent role in control schemes, housing a comprehensive array of control and monitoring devices, and a built-in network that opens up access to process data from virtually every corner of the plant. MCCs have moved rapidly to include the


latest component technologies. Integrating these advanced technologies presents a major opportunity for manufacturers to transform islands of data into useful information. Now Rockwell Automation has published a white paper which explains how advanced MCCs provide process application users with critical information that ultimately helps to minimise - and prevent - downtime. Inte


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r nte y t ufact uring y provides an overview of the


industry drivers and evolution of MCCs, including technology considerations, configuration methods, networking advantages, as well as costs and benefits gained from real-world application examples.


The intelligent MCC Distinguishing itself from a standard unit, the intelligent MCC integrates three major system components – communications, hardware and software. While early versions of MCCs with communication networks contained variations of these elements, today’s solutions leverage a harmonised design that deliberately integrates these elements into a unified solution. Furthermore, with a lower installation cost than traditional MCCs, plus the protective, monitoring and troubleshooting advantages, integrating intelligent MCCs presents a major opportunity for manufacturers to capture and use equipment and process data to improve productivity and maximise asset availability (Fig. 1). Traditionally, MCCs consisted of primarily


electromechanical components with hard-wired connections. These components remain the


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workhorses of MCCs, but advances in solid-state technology are ushering in a wave of more intelligent, programmable devices that do more than just turn on and off a motor. These include variable frequency drives, solid-state starters and electronic overload relays. Today’s MCCs monitor motor current and thermal capacity, perform protective troubleshooting functions, and provide detailed diagnostics to help avert downtime. Distinguishing itself from a standard unit, the intelligent MCC integrates three major system components – communications, hardware and software.


A reliable, robust network The communication network lies at the heart of an intelligent MCC. Therefore, it’s important to implement the right network. The trend toward open networks offers clear and well-documented advantages. In general, the network should provide adequate throughput (up to 500 kbps), offer a low cost per node, and be accepted by a wide range of suppliers and users. The best choice is a robust, reliable network, such as DeviceNet, which provides ease of configuration advantages and superb diagnostic capabilities. Users also should consider differences in network


media. Because of the way data is handled for various applications, most facilities require multiple networks. However, providing seamless communication from one network to the next can present a major obstacle when using different network protocols. Using a range of network protocols is similar


to dialing a three-way telephone call from the US to extensions in France and Japan. Just because the phone rings on the opposite end and someone answers doesn’t mean all parties can understand one another without a translator. A common language is needed for conversation. This is where a common application layer,


such as the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP), proves to be a major differentiator. CIP is a single, media independent platform that provides seamless communications between plant-floor devices and enterprise-level systems. This allows manufacturers to integrate control, configuration and data collection across multiple networks, getting real-time information to where and when it is needed. The CIP networks including DeviceNet,


ControlNet and EtherNet/IP - are open networks that share the CIP at their upper levels while remaining media independent at lower levels. This allows manufacturers to specify the best network for each application and eliminate costly gateways when


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