New pressure valves for flexible, accurate control for high-precision manufacturing
Emerson has released its new AVENTICS™ Series 625 Sentronic proportional pressure control valves (FIG. 1). With a control deviation of < 0.5%, the new valves are designed to deliver highly accurate, electronic proportional pressure control and provide the flexibility needed to support sophisticated pneumatic control engineering applications.
Data acquisition software (DaS) included with Series 625 Sentronic valves also makes it possible to quickly start up, monitor and control valves directly on a PC.
Series 625 Sentronic valves are engineered to precisely control pressure, flowrate, power, speed, distance and angular positions. As part of the AVENTICS portfolio of cylinders, valves, air preparation and pressure regulators, the Series 625 Sentronic is a core technology for factory automation.
Four valve sizes from 1 mm–20 mm support a comprehensive range of flowrates, from 55 liters (l)/min–4,700 l/min. Pressure capabilities range from vacuum levels up to 50 bar, which can reduce the overall number of valves required for a machine design.
The housing material is available in brass, aluminum or stainless steel, and sealing material in nitrile (NBR) or fluoroelastomer (FKM) options. There are also three sets of connectors: M12 5-pin, M12 8-pin and M16 7-pin.
As development and manufacturing phases continue to get shorter, fast startup procedures and reliable, controllable manufacturing processes are more important than ever. Using the DaS software, operators can diagnose, control, repair or individually configure valves. They can also perform cascade controls when applications require exceptional precision and other complex control loops. The expanded range of diagnostic and monitoring functions include input pressure, commanded pressure, internal temperature and ethernet communication.
For more information, visit AVENTICS Series 625 Proportional Pressure Control Valve | Emerson.
Boost analog I/O flexibility with new multifunctional terminal
With the EL4374 EtherCAT Terminal, Beckhoff has introduced a powerful analog I/O module to increase system flexibility and simplify parts management. The EL4374 is a multipurpose, combined input/output for -10/0 to +10 V or -20/0/+4 to +20 mA signals that can be used for standard automation tasks at a rate of 1 ksps per channel.
The ability to measure such a wide range of signals enables companies to use a single terminal in place of multiple specialized terminals, reducing cost and space requirements in I/O systems. As a result, engineers can easily adapt to evolving application requirements and stock fewer part numbers while improving readiness for unforeseen challenges and future application changes.
The EL4374 terminal (FIG. 2) combines two analog inputs and two analog outputs in a compact 12-mm housing. Engineers can individually parameterize these channels for current or voltage mode using Beckhoff’s TwinCAT 3 automation software. The analog inputs and outputs are digitized with a resolution of 16 bits and transmitted to the higher-level automation device under galvanic isolation.
With a signal measuring range of +107% of the nominal range, the EL4374 terminal also supports commissioning with sensor values in the limit range and evaluation in accordance with NAMUR NE43. The outputs can provide up to 107% of the nominal value. In addition, the high output power allows a load of up to 750 Ω at 20 mA.
For more information, visit EL4374 EtherCAT Terminal.
Process Automation Device Information Model (PA-DIM) working group introduces extensions to standard with release of Version 1.1
The co-owners of PA-DIM—including FDT Group, FieldComm Group, ISA 100 WCI, NAMUR, ODVA, OPC Foundation, PROFIBUS and PROFINET International, VDMA and ZVEI—have released PA-DIM Version 1.1 specification. This release, a testament to collective efforts, includes expanded device type support for process analyzers and an enhanced basic hierarchy structure with new extensions, benefiting the industrial user and vendor manufacturing community.
The PA-DIM specification aims to improve information standardization for process automation applications. All co-owners work together to support a unified information model that seamlessly integrates operational technology (OT) data exchange with information technology (IT) systems and other higher-level applications. This model includes core parameters, capabilities, status, and diagnostic data based on the NAMUR Open Architecture (NOA) initiative. It allows users to access and interpret device information consistently, regardless of the fieldbus protocol, device type, or manufacturer, enhancing Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) architectures.
With the release of PA-DIM Version 1.1, the standard has been enhanced to introduce new extensions and features, further empowering users with comprehensive device integration capabilities.
Key highlights of the PA-DIM Version 1.1 specification include:
Expanded device-type support for process analyzers, including total organic carbon (TOC), continuous gas and pH. This extension broadens the scope of the standard, enabling seamless integration and management of analytical instruments within process automation systems.
Enhancement of the basic hierarchy structure to include new extensions such as device condition sets, signal condition sets and signal calibration. These extensions give users greater flexibility and functionality in representing device information, including attributes such as type, timestamp and calibrated values.
PA-DIM facilitates various applications, such as:
Providing/receiving information to/from human-machine interfaces (HMIs), information apps and reporting apps.
Supporting inventory management and remote monitoring applications.
Enabling real-time control applications, such as reading process values and setting parameters.
Device configuration and parameterization.
Configuring device security and monitoring its current hardening status.
Providing information for device dashboards.
For more information and to download Version 1.1, visit www.fdtgroup.org/pa-dim; www.fieldcommgroup.org/pa-dim; www.odva.org/pa-dim; www.opcfoundation.org/pa-dim; and www.profibus.com/pa-dim.
New HMI/SCADA capabilities and pricing structure
AVEVA, a global leader in industrial software driving digital transformation and sustainability, has released updated capabilities and commercial models for its award-winning InTouch Unlimited HMI/supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software. New features, optimized commercial models and pricing make it easier for end users, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and systems integrators (SIs) to develop and scale HMI/SCADA applications from edge-to-cloud, with the ability to incorporate analytics and CONNECT, AVEVA’s industrial intelligence platform.
AVEVA InTouch Unlimited empowers system integrators with a comprehensive suite of HMI/SCADA technology. It is an all-inclusive licensing package available in perpetual and subscription models with unlimited tags, clients and scalability. The InTouch Unlimited package features comprehensive process historian and reporting functionality, equipping users with the ability to collect and unlock the value of data sourced at the edge, and from multiple plants and systems spanning the enterprise. The modernized development tools are now available free of charge and include prebuilt templates to accelerate design productivity, as well as simplified tag and application development workflow leveraging industry standard protocols such as OPC-UA and MQTT.
SIs and users can easily develop, deploy and scale HMI/SCADA applications using InTouch Unlimited. As a component of the broader AVEVA Operations Control software portfolio, InTouch Unlimited can utilize hybrid-cloud architecture to easily integrate artificial intelligence (AI) features such as predictive quality, throughput and energy efficiency into traditional HMI/SCADA applications. By pairing AVEVA Operations Control with CONNECT, developers can consolidate operations data from various production lines, plants and value chains. This provides a centralized view of operations and allows the system to scale with business growth without the need for application redevelopment.
For more information, visit AVEVA™ InTouch HMI | AVEVA. A trial of AVEVA InTouch Unlimited is available at AVEVA™ InTouch HMI Trial.
New pre-engineered vapor recovery units (VRUs) enhance EPA Quad O compliance
SCS Technologies, a leading provider of carbon dioxide (CO2 ) measurement systems, methane VRUs and petroleum lease automatic custody transfer (LACT) units, has launched a new line of pre-engineered VRUs that are configurable to meet unique customer needs at a cost-efficient price.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Quad O standard aims to aggressively reduce methane emissions and other air pollutants from oil and natural gas production. To help customers meet this rapidly approaching EPA deadline, the company has developed its newest pre-engineered VRUs to help producers quickly acquire and configure units with required components at a significantly lower cost than fully custom options.
While the EPA’s Quad O regulation initially focused on monitoring and reducing methane emissions from new oil and natural gas sources, it now includes requirements for constructed, modified or reconstructed sources and stringent standards for existing sources. This update impacts > 1 MM existing oil and natural gas wells, 2,000 gas compressor stations and more than 500 natural gas processing plants.
SCS Technologies’ pre-engineered VRUs help oil and gas companies comply with Quad O and include the following benefits:
Pre-engineered equipment sized for optimal performance: An enhanced range of features compared to a standard VRU.
Custom VRU with short lead time: Quickly receives tailored solutions to meet specific needs.
Avoid early upsizing: Avoids cost and inconvenience by choosing equipment that is appropriately sized from the start.
New design for easy access to core components: Simplifies maintenance, reduces downtime and increases safety.
Warranty-backed craftsmanship: Ensures reliability and quality assurance with industry-leading warranty protection.
For more information, visit https://www.scstechglobal.com/vru. HP
