ABB Motion - Experts & Thought Leaders

B&R offers the X2X+ backplane bus as an option, increasing the performance of the X20 system by a factor of four. And because all existing X20 I/O modules are already compatible with X2X+, all it takes to build more powerful machines are bus modules. Cost-effective standard The advantages of this new bus are particularly apparent in applications that involve many I/O modules or high data volume but where short cycle times are imperative. It is even possible to set up two separate cycle times so that less time-critical data is transported more slowly and generates less network and processor load. In this way, complex high-speed processes can be controlled reliably using cost-effective standard hardware. High sampling rates X2X+ enables faster data transfer and up to four times faster response times. In combination with this higher bandwidth, large amounts of data can be handled better, and higher sampling rates can be achieved. This is an advantage when measuring vibration, for example, and results in more accurate condition monitoring across the board.

A new digital service from ABB will enable industrial operators to maximize energy efficiency and boost sustainability, by identifying motor-driven equipment in their facilities, with the best energy-saving potential. The ABB Ability Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisal service will draw on data measured from fleets of digitally connected electric motors and variable speed drives (VSDs), in order to show where and how much energy can be saved, by upgrading to the latest high-efficiency technologies. Industrial operators can then make data-driven decisions, when prioritizing investments. Upgrading to energy-efficient technology Upgrading to energy-efficient technology is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to lower energy consumption and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Across the world’s 300 million industrial motor-driven systems, there is potential to cut global electricity demand, by up to 10 percent, by switching to high-efficiency systems.  ABB developed the new Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisal service to provide clarity" Adrian Guggisberg, the Division President of ABB Motion, said “The challenge for an industrial operator is knowing where to start in a fleet of hundreds of electrical motors. ABB developed the new Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisal service to provide clarity, by analyzing motor data and identifying where businesses should focus investment, to maximize energy efficiency gains that reduce operating costs and CO2 emissions.” ABB’s Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisal service One operator that is reaping the benefits is Waggeryd Cell, a pulp mill in southern Sweden, with industry-renowned energy efficiency. It wanted to further improve the efficiency of its energy-intensive process, by building on its ABB Ability Condition Monitoring system. This draws data from digitally-connected motors in refiners, process pumps, fans and conveyor belts. Under the new Digital Powertrain Energy Appraisal service, ABB’s experts used data from the same sources to identify the ten motors with the most potential for improving energy efficiency. Waggeryd has now prioritized replacement of six of these motors, in order to cut energy consumption, as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Plug-and-play approach to simplify Assessments Traditionally, an energy efficiency appraisal requires time-consuming manual collection and evaluation of data, and covers only the largest motor-driven systems on a site, as these are typically seen as having most potential for saving energy. However, this could overlook significant energy-saving opportunities for electric powertrains that are smaller, less accessible or where energy-saving potential is not obvious. The new digital appraisal service uses a plug-and-play approach to simplify energy efficiency assessments, by pulling operational data remotely from across an entire fleet of digitally connected motors. This provides much deeper insight into the business case and carbon footprint benefits of upgrading to high-efficiency motor-driven systems, while being much safer and faster.

The Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group, in collaboration with B&R Industrial Automation, ABB Robotics, Utthunga, and Tata Technologies, held a virtual conference titled 'Smart Industry Conference 2021'. Sixth edition The sixth edition of the flagship conference was designed to benefit the Indian manufacturing companies that are shaping Industry 4.0. Frost & Sullivan was the knowledge partner of the conference. The one-day virtual conference was held on August 19, 2021, and was attended by more than one hundred delegates.  Core agenda of the conference The core agenda of the conference was to look beyond the cutting edge to inspire Indian manufacturers Attendees from across the manufacturing ecosystem witnessed various topics covering technology, innovation, and open communication standards. The core agenda of the conference was to look beyond the cutting edge to inspire Indian manufacturers and construct the next level of Industry 4.0. Smart industry implementation Through its keynote address, three presentations, and one panel discussion, the conference provided a platform for the challenges and solutions of smart industry implementation. The conference focused on the journey of digital transformation towards smart, connected devices with security, analytics, and cloud solutions. Rahul Sharma, Director of Industrial Practice at Frost & Sullivan, delivered the keynote on "Trends and technologies shaping the Indian manufacturing ecosystem," which focused on the preparedness of Indian manufacturers and the readiness of consumers to adopt the various digital mediums. Sustainability perspective He also spoke on the sustainability perspective for manufacturing transformation in India, noting that sustainability should be the most significant theme of any organization. According to Sharma, sustainability needs to be seen on four dimensions; People, Partnership, Process, and Planet, and the mark of a sustainably matured organization successfully interweaving digital transformation strategy with sustainability. Staying competitive new business and economic environment The event's panel discussions focused on the connected ecosystem and digital strategies Well-received by the delegates, the event's panel discussions focused on the connected ecosystem and digital strategies and the way forward for the Indian manufacturing industry to become competitive in the new business environment. The panel discussion topic was addressed by panelists Vinay Rajagopal, ISV, IoT & Embedded Technology Lead, Red Hat; Guruprasad S, Associate Vice President, ABB; and Jhankar Dutta, Managing Director, B&R India. Opportunities for factories The panelists discussed that the businesses' new realities have made stakeholders revisit their operations, supply chain, and customer engagement strategies. Advanced automation, robotics, and the latest Industrial IoT technologies are unfolding new opportunities for factories to become more innovative and profitable. The discussion helped identify easy ways to optimize processes, improve productivity, and make shopfloors smart. Identifying low-hanging fruits and harnessing them at the right time will be crucial to achieving industry goals. Digital culture The panelists agreed that the connection between machines, processes, and people is essential to building a digital culture supported by a data-driven model. But with the looming threat of cyberattacks and data breaches, prioritization of cybersecurity is crucial to preventing profound business impacts. Well-defined strategies, targeted preparation, and alignment with industry standards are the needs of the hour. Achieving operational excellence The presentations covered the topics of connected factories, implementation possibilities, and solutions The conference also hosted several technical presentations, including "Democratizing manufacturing via OPC UA" by Smitha Rao, Cofounder and OPC Expert, Utthunga Technologies, and Connected manufacturing and its significance in a digital world" by Niraj Tyagi, HEAD COE MES Enterprise Solutions, Tata Technologies, amongst others. The presentations covered the topics of connected factories, implementation possibilities, and solutions, stressing the critical aspects of automation, digitalization, m2m communications, interoperability, big data analytics, and new business models. Real-time industrial communication The conference concluded with a presentation titled "New era in real-time industrial communication for smart factories" by Ranjithkumar, B&R, heralding the next phase of unified real-time communication invading the shopfloor to prepare for the digital future. The conference served as an ideal platform for understanding the latest technology trends and helped draw a roadmap for Indian manufacturers to become globally competitive. With an exciting lineup of topics and knowledge exchange, delegates received helpful guidance on the practical application of these state-of-the-art technologies in all the key sectors.