EPN Industrial Automation Blog

Tested safety

The partnership between Wind River and Isagraf, announced on SPS/IPC/DRIVES 2011, is taking form. The former RTOS company receives know-how on validated SIL 3 solutions while Isagraf's safety software is being integrated in common products.

Process control with a Historian

Even industrial automation systems follow the general trend towards more functionality. A new version of a common process control platform has the potential to make some additional systems unnecessary.

The threat is back

Remember Stuxnet, anyone? It never became totally clear who was behind – speculations range from the CIA to Mossad to the flying spaghetti monster; at least two of these might be interested in Stuxnet's main target, Iranian nuclear facilities with neglected Windows installations. Now, parts of Stuxnet's code seem to have been recycled in a different type of malware, a trojan horse.

Siemens and Samba

Strange times: traditionally Hardware-oriented companies are currently looking towards Software. For some, this may be a mistake, but in the area of industrial automation, a fitting software solution might just smoothly top off the portfolio.

Free access to field devices

Specialists in fieldbus technologies don’t usually give anything away for free, neither as in free beer nor as in free speech, to quote Richard Stallman. Since manufacturers often even charge extra for supplying the (standard) software driver necessary to operate the devices they sell, any exception of that policy is remarkable.

From Bus to Bus

In most cases traditional fieldbuses have been replaced by Ethernet-based solutions or demoted to inferior tasks. This could result in systems with three different Ethernet protocols and various subordinate fieldbuses. Modern automation components need to take care of those issues.

EDDL enhanced

Field devices like valve positioners, radar level transmitters and bus diagnostics modules from different manufacturers often work together with EDDL (Electronic Device Description Language). Its latest enhancements are now being incorporated into the second edition of the IEC 61804-3 international standard.

Safety through security

Strangely enough, many serious studies indicate that industrial networks seem to be easier to penetrate than »consumer« networks. Just try scanning the Wifi networks in or around the factory of your choice with your iPhone and log in with »1234« »autumn« or »password«. It works frighteningly often.

embedded world 2011: Virtual Android

The smartphone operating system Android is very versatile, but you wouldn’t want it causing havoc in safety critical systems. However, if you can’t do without and no safer alternative like Blackberry OS or iOS around, virtualization can keep your system clean.

embedded world 2011: The industrial touch

Ruggedized touch panel computers can serve as control front ends for industrial networking systems. However, the usually delicate touch screens have to withstand all kinds of mistreatment.