2016 Ohio Craft Brewers Conference

Brewery AutomationGetting 80% of the way with 20% the $$$

Presented by

John Blystone, PEElectrical & Controls Supervisor

What we will cover• Why Automate?• The traditional ($$$) way• The new ($) ways• Who / What / When / How• Compare and contrast

2016 Ohio Craft Brewers Conference

Brewery AutomationGetting 80% of the way with 20% the $$$

Presented by

John Blystone, PEElectrical & Controls Supervisor

About Me

John Blystone, PEEducation

• BS Electrical EngineeringThe University of Akron, May 2005

• MBA StudentOhio University, Expected Graduation 2017

Certification• Professional Engineer, State of Ohio (PE 78408)• International Society of Automation Controls Systems Engineer

Experience• 2 years, MT Systems – automating chemical and foundry equipment• 4 years, Louis Perry & Associates – automating rubber and coal power equipment• 3 years, Midlands Millroom Supply – automating more rubber equipment• 2 years, Great Lakes Brewing Company – automating beer equipment

Personal• Like beer, but love scotch – Islay single-malts especially• TOTAL geek – think XL-sized Sheldon Cooper with marginally better social skills

Why Automate?

Speed• Maximize equipment utilization• Maximize employee skill utilization• Keep operator/brewer focused on value-added tasks

Quality / Repeatability• Same thing every time (alarm and stop if not)• Easy to log data in one form or another (future diagnostics)

Perfect your Process• With higher sample size (speed), repeatability,

and data – you WILL learn things• Allow for higher sample rates

(average density/temp/pH over an entire process)

The two extremes

We are going to look at the extremes, then touch on in-betweens

Performance / Capability / Uptime

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The test case

Had to pick something for apples-to-apples comparison

Digital Inputs 48

Digital Outputs 32

Analog Inputs 16

Analog Outputs 8

Temperature Inputs 8

Assuming:

24 VDC Digital InputsRelay Outputs

4-20 mA Analog I/OT/C Temperature inputs (no RTD)

The traditional way

The wonderful, reliable, expensive PLC!

Current brewhouse program using 840 kB of 2 MB (using 1756-L71 processor, SLC I/O)

Scanning all code once every 6.5 milliseconds, or about 153 times per second.

Type # # of Cards Cost per Card Sub Total

Digital Inputs 48 3 (16 per) $382 $1,146.00

Digital Outputs 32 2 (16 per) $682 $1,364.00

Analog Inputs 16 2 (8 per) $1160 $2,320.00

Analog Outputs 8 1 (8 per) $2130 $2,130.00

Temperature Inputs 8 1 (8 per) $2250 $2,250.00

Total $9,210.00

The traditional way

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!!

That was only I/O cards!

We need a rack, power supply, Ethernet card, and the processor itself!

Description Cost

Previous Page Total $9,210

13-slot Rack $791

Rack Power Supply $1,220

Ethernet Card $2,370

1x Processor $5,790

Total $25,381

The traditional way

Typically programmed with Ladder Logic – unique to industrial automation!

The traditional way

Most common AB HMI option – PV+…at ~$12k!!!

The traditional way

Who programs these things?• Hire an engineering or automation consultant• Typically $100 to $140 an hour (consulting)• All relatively easy for another engineer to pick

up and modify in the future

Why would you go this way?• You expect 3-shift 365 operation (minimal downtime)• You need online editing (no downtime for software changes)• You want or need a high level of complexity• You want or need a large number of I/O devices• You foresee any of the above relatively soon

The new way

Arduino Introduction

Arduino (company) started in Italy in 2005

Goal to make affordable microprocessors

Whole range of processors and add-on cards

Additional I/O available thanks to I2C network

The new way

Intel GalileoArduino compatible

10/100 Ethernet built in

512 kB available for program

SD card offers 32 GB storage

Powered via 5 VDC “wall wort”

The new way

What about I/O?

ERE for I2C I/O!www.ereshop.com

Type # # of Cards Cost per Card Sub Total

Digital Inputs 48 6 (8 per) $24.81 $148.86

Digital Outputs 32 4 (8 per) $38.41 $153.64

Analog Inputs 16 4 (4 per) $37.16 $148.64

Analog Outputs 8 8 (1 per) $45.99 $367.92

Temperature Inputs 8 2 (4 per)* $37.16 + (4*$117) $1,010.32

Total $1,829.38

*NOTE – Temp Inputs using AI and Omega DRSL-TEMP signal conditioners

The new way

BUT WAIT, THERE’S MORE!!!

That was only I/O cards!

We need…NOT MUCH ELSE!!!

Description Cost

Previous Page Total $1,829.38

5 VDC power supply $10.00

1x Processor $79.95

Total $1,919.33

The new way

Programmed with FREE software

Large number of HS and college students familiar with this software RIGHT NOW!

The new way

What about an HMI?

Raspberry Pi with Processing!

Hardware ~$100, free software!

Software environment similar to Arduino

Raspberry Pi with GenLogic!

Hardware ~$100, ~$100 software

Professional looking, easier, still relatively low $

The new way

Who programs these things?• In-house talent with minimal training• Consulting (Eng. Student) ~$15/hr• Not very easy for most “average engineers” to

pick up and modify• Documentation key – check out Fritzing

Why would you go this way?• You don’t need 3-shift 365 operation• You can deal with process interruptions for program changes• You are OK with simple automation, relatively slow processes• You don’t need a large number of I/O devices

The new way(s)

MANY more similar low-cost options!

F. Dangerous Lee from Actual Brewing (Columbus) uses

Embedded Control Concepts

The new way(s)

ECC’s BCS-462 DetailsI/O

8 Temperature Inputs (NTC Thermistor only)8 Digital inputs

18 Digital Outputs (6 PWM capable)

Data LoggingBuilt-in, Web-configured – from 1.1 Hours (@1s) to 2.8 Years (@ 6h)

ProgrammingBuilt-in, free, Web-based!

Finite State Machine8 FSM’s, each with 8 states – also web-configured

COST - $279.95

The new way(s)

Who?

Engineers or Technicians

Typically consultants at first, takes a while to justify cost for full-time

College students or electronics geeks

May find people on staff with more than enough tech savvy to handle

EITHER WAY

You’ll want a qualified person (engineer?) to design and implement Emergency Stops (e-stops), possibly guide panel

design (for future upgrade from Arduino to PLC), etc.

What?

EITHER WAY

You’ll want a qualified person (engineer?) to design and implement Emergency Stops (e-stops)!

BUY QUALITY INSTRUMENTS

Your software is only as good as the information it’s getting. Instruments can last a long time, and will be the major

factor in reliability, precision, repeatability, etc.

SPEND ON DESIGN AND DOCUMENTATION

The low-cost option is meant as a gateway – plan on the future upgrade during implementation! Marginal additional cost, MUCH less headache

to keep running and upgrade later!

When?

NOW!

At least start considering now what this will look like if you ever think you’ll

want it in the future.

Every system, device, tank you put in –just a couple minutes of thought

regarding “how can I automate this” can make a big difference!

How?

How you approach this is critical!

Automation helps keep the skilled operators doing what they love by alleviating the repeat, mundane tasks and is a tool that will help them make more, better beer!

The popular narrative pits machine versus human – focus on how the machine helps us do what we want to be doing and are good at, and alleviate the things we don’t like and find boring

Final words of wisdom

Data and Knowledge lead to understanding, understanding allows for control (which leads to more data and a better understanding)

Never build a robot you can’t catch (AKA Proper e-stops are VERY important)

The internet is a great source of information – and mis-information.

Check your sources. (See right)

Final word of caution

Questions?