May 2023 Volume 5

AUTOMATION

Moving Existing Automation Technology Into The Industry 4.0 Generation By Michael O’Toole

and organize information to be shared with plant dashboards, data collection and predictive analysis tools commonly housed on a company network. If a company is to be successful in this rapidly growing new industrial norm, having a capable and widespread plan to make PLC expertise easily accessible and transferable is essential. I know many people that have been to PLC training courses. I have conducted some PLC training courses myself. The trainees often learn how to execute specific tasks on a specific type of PLC. Then, upon returning to the daily work routine, which often does not involve PLC work, they frequently allow the new-found knowledge to go stale. What’s worse, the newly trained technician is usually confronted not with the latest software version on which they were freshly trained, but a myriad of mixed PLC technologies from varying eras and multiple vendor platforms. It is very common for me to see a plant operation that will need to support Allen Bradley (Rockwell Automation) and Siemens PLC hardware. Each different PLC needs its own licensed software package. A typical plant may have 3 Rockwell Software platforms to support without even considering the Siemens software variants. Allen Bradley hardware found in a plant can be 90’s generation PLC5, 1990’s/2000 generation SLC500, and the multiple platforms of newer ControlLogix/CompactLogix technology. In many of these cases, not only is the correct software package needed to communicate with the device, but also the correct VERSION of software is required to connect. Some versions are not backwards compatible. Siemens has the older Step 7 Classic and multiple versions of the newer TIA Portal software. So, how is a company supposed to manage all this diverse technology, software packages, and know-how in an environment of frequent personnel turnover? I have recently taken a new approach to training for PLC technology. The paradigm of training a few individuals to be the PLC gurus in the factory works well with a stable workforce. However, this workforce stability is increasingly not present. Even if there is a stable and experienced workforce in our post-COVID world, the PLC gurus in many factories are asked to manage much more than just the PLC technology in the plant and are often overwhelmed when asked to integrate Industry 4.0 migration into their already busy schedule. So, taking a process approach, the PLC technology tasks can alleviate some of the problems encountered in having a training program without proper subsequent hands-on experience and in-plant and documentation of hands-on interactions. Most machines are configured and fully programmed at the time of commissioning. Once in production, the PLC program code usually does not need more development or attention unless

In many of the factories I visit it is usually only one or a few people that are entrusted to be the knowledgebase of all things related to PLC and automation technology plant wide. In manufacturing environments today Industry 4.0 and a collection of IIoT device data is critical to stay efficient and competitive. PLC processors are the most common conduit for data available from automated machines and machine sensors. Predictive maintenance, uptime, and overall operating efficiency are just some of the data that can be gained with the right team to use the PLC conduit to collect

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