EXHIBITIONS On the way to the intelligent factory D
igitalisation is seizing hold of companies and is revolutionising them. But this is just
the beginning – its full potential will unfold in the Industry 4.0, the next and fourth industrial revolution. As a consequence, valves are increasingly fitted with digital actuators, providing users with increases in sales, higher efficiencies and savings. The pressure on valve, actuator and automation manufacturers to become part of the vision of an intelligent factory is growing. Mechanics and electrics alone won’t be enough for companies to stay competitive in the long run. Intensive collection and analysis of data using data-centric services, IT solutions and software alone make further optimization of productivity possible. Who is able to offer the industry components with added digital value can be more competitive.
Improving efficiency, saving costs
Digitalisation offers a great outlook: according to a study by “PricewaterCoopers” and “Strategy&”, German companies see an average annual growth of 2.5 percent thanks to digitalisation and networking of their product and service portfolios. Furthermore, the 235 companies asked in the study see their efficiency improved by an average of 3.3 percent per year, and cost savings of 2.6 percent. By 2020, the study claims that over 80 percent of the value chain will show a high degree of digitalisation.
Siemens also sees digitalisation as a decisive lever for growth in the industry. It promises, states the technology corporation, higher levels of productivity, efficiency and flexibility. A company’s entire value chain needs to be mapped digitally. Siemens has therefore made digitalisation one of its key issues for the future. Valve, drive
28 IMT June 2015
and automation manufacturers are also prioritising data collection and analysis for their products. Digitalisation here means remote control, automated processes and diagnostics.
Intelligent and digital actuators
The intelligent and digital actuator on the mechanical valve creates the digital know-how. “Here, electronic controls as well as integrated sensors play the main role”, explains Marcus Geigle, Senior Executive Strategic Business Unit Compression Technology at Hoerbiger Ventilwerke. During operation, position and torque of the drive are measure, as well as temperature, humidity and barometric pressure. “So-called value landscapes can be created hereby. Based on values, individual valves or a group of valves can be controlled, serviced or corrected – on site or through remote access”. As Hoerbiger continues data is processed either in the service control centre or the operations centre inside or outside of the
plant. One example of direct data handling at a valve is the security-related function of the smart partial stroke test, which the company has implemented in its “Trivax” product. “Next to the mechanical movability, the torque can for example also be measured, allowing to check movability of the valve. A classic application for an automated and digitalised valve drive,” states Geigle.
Exchanging information The times are over when the position of a pneumatic globe valve could only be seen directly on the indicator. “Digitalisation today makes the valve transparent through its electronic actuator, by continuously collecting data and utilising it by intelligently assessing it,” also emphasises Peter Arzbach, director of product management and marketing at Samson AG. This makes it possible to evaluate data, allowing an analytic view of the valve. “In the future the data will be increasingly summarised with data from the environment. More detailed statements can be
www.internationalmetaltube.com
made, going beyond the simple assessment of the actual state of a valve, which in the end can be used to increase plant availability”. User expectations for valves already are high. “On the one hand valves need to transmit information to the overall system,” explains Arzbach. On the other hand, they must also be able to receive information from the system, as well as collect information themselves, in order “to create an added value”.
Digitalisation of control valves
The digitalisation of pneumatic valves is already under way, preparing the ground for the industry 4.0. However, there still is potential: “in the case of shut-off valves it will take a while until the current high level of digitalisation of control valves has been reached,” believes Samson’s Arzbach. They are still mostly being fitted classically, with magnetic valves and/ or limit switches. In summary, the outlook is very good for manufacturers of valves
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40