IEN: How can/will the sector answer industry demand for increased automation and flexibility?
Berner: Via embedded solutions and open protocols.
IEN: Will distributed control architectures continue to displace centralized controls?
Berner: I think we will be seeing a lot more shared local control -- physically small processors controlling specific portions of an application communicating with each other for the purpose of HMI and data sharing.
IEN: What innovations are in store for users of equipment, systems and peripherals?
Berner: Automation equipment will more and more begin to innovate in the way of utilizing off the shelf computer technology in the equipment.
IEN: What enhancements can be expected in the software that powers motion technology?
Berner: I am going to go out on a limb here and tell you what I would like to see as a software enhancement to motion controllers as well as I/O controls. I am putting on my customer hat, so bear with me.
As a potential automation customer I want to purchase a control that has the programming, communication, and HMI applications all residing on the controller itself, and I expect it to fully utilize all hardware solutions available in the PC and embedded control arena. I want to be able to browse to this application from anywhere, whether that is local or from 10 states away. I want to be able to program the unit, select my communications, and utilize HMI capability as well, all via my browser. I want my controller to come out of the box ready to rock and roll. I don''t want to have to worry about maintaining software agreements and licensing. I don''t want to care what the unit is running for an operating system. I think Entivity came a long way toward this goal with their studio product, but requiring their product to run on a very high level Windows platform is very limiting and they do not utilize web capability. The guys at the beginning of the PC control revolution only got it half right.
Our controls don''t have to run on Windows, but they do need to be able to link with Windows applications very easily. So if a Linux or QNX solution can be browsed to via Explorer, set up, programmed, and operated - well, then you really have something, don''t you. Then you have something that if priced competitively approaches making automation equipment a commodity. No one has really done it yet. I don''t even know if anyone is seriously working on it. It''s an innovation whose time has come.
IEN: How much progress has been made in resolving software and hardware debugging issues? Documentation challenges? Installation headaches?
Berner: I guess I would have to say that that depends on the provider. As long as you have products that require external software to program and set up, you will have these issues ongoing. This is why an out-of-box solution that doesn''t require software apart from the application that is in the box is the way I see our industry progressing.
IEN: What advances do you see in plant floor connectivity? Open standards? Data sharing?
Berner: While there will continue to be open protocols available such as DeviceNet and Modbus TCP due to the demand of the customer, the investment money of the large players will continue to be geared toward making innovations around their proprietary protocols. While manufacturers such as Allen Bradley, for instance, want to provide open systems for their customers, they want to offer more power and capability around their proprietary protocols. They obviously still wish to lock their customers into their solution.
I expect the large players to continue to do parallel development with more focus toward their own proprietary protocols and smaller manufacturers with fewer resources will focus much more on open protocols and the ability it gives them to penetrate and gain market share. It''s a chess game where the big boys have everything to lose and the smaller guys have everything to gain. However, since the customer will continue to demand open technologies, that is where the growth will be.
IEN: Will embedded servers play more of a role in motion control?
Berner: Yes! While many of the motion control manufacturers seem to be lagging behind in such development, just as they did in the utilization of DeviceNet and Ethernet communication, I believe their customers will drag them kicking and screaming to it. While this innovation to their products provides nothing in the area of the actual motion operations, it provides utilities and tools that the customer is demanding. You cannot purchase a new car without a stereo. Even though the stereo has nothing to do with the operation of the automobile, can you picture anyone purchasing an automobile that didn''t come with a stereo as standard equipment? The guys who want to sell more cars are going to provide the stereo.
One of the problems that many automation vendors have is the fact that their management personnel are largely made up of people who have never integrated or been responsible for an automation application from start to finish themselves. Many of them are not capable of playing the role of their customers. People who have never done an entire project start to finish can''t understand why someone would need or want a particular enhancement. It''s easy to look at something and say they don''t need it, therefore I won''t provide it. I think a lot of automation equipment providers need to grasp hold of the fact that in the U.S., you not only provide the customers what they need, but you also have to give them what they want! If you don''t give customers what they want they are going find someone who will.
IEN: Where are other R & D hot spots?
Berner: One hot spot I see in the future that there has not been much buzz about yet is USB. If you have noticed, you can''t purchase very many laptops with 9 Pin connectors anymore, and it won''t be long before you cannot find a new laptop with a 9 pin serial port. Since many automation customers use laptops to download and retrieve programs to and from their PLCs and motion controls, USB is a logical enhancement to these products. I mean, I can buy a processor board with 2 LAN connections, 2 USB connections, 2 PS2 ports, an LPT port, a CF or micro drive slot and a 200 Mhz fanless processor for $150. I believe you''re going to start to see more utilization of USB on PLCs, motion controllers, and any other automation products that have a processor and require communication.
IEN: Will wireless play a role in motion?
Berner: Wireless will not play a role in high level motion control applications themselves, but will play a role in communicating from these controls to other applications.
IEN: Is Internet-based control gaining any traction?
Berner: Yes, Internet-based control is gaining traction and it will continue to do so. It is inevitable that this market will grow; how large and how fast is obviously a debatable point. The level of usage will be mainly around HMI and data collection.
IEN: How can companies maintain legacy equipment with advanced motion technology, in the spirit of the lean enterprise?
Berner: An interesting question and it ties into the previous question regarding open standards and data sharing. The utilization of open protocols is very effective in updating legacy equipment. This is another reason why the open control market will continue to gain ground. If a customer has a legacy Allen Bradley or GE PLC communicating via a closed protocol to a legacy motion control, this customer can now add more advanced motion control to their system without purchasing the entire solution from Allen Bradley or GE. The customer can utilize DeviceNet, for example, and communicate to a Bosch Rexroth motion control solution. This makes it possible for the customer to shop many available solutions for the best performing, most economical solution to their application.