Three case studies, one covering a water company's use of PROFIBUS, the others describing how PROFINET is being used in ship control and also the production of concrete products where safety and wireless are both deployed.
KOREA / WATER: Korea Water Resource Corporation (K-Water) has selected PROFIBUS as its standard fieldbus.
It previously investigated all available fieldbuses, to compare their specifications and the level of support from vendors. Technical consulting and working level committees were set up to consider the options and PROFIBUS was chosen because it is the leading fieldbus based on an open standard, with a wide range of products, vendors and applications, plus worldwide support.
With recent demands for open competition and standardization in the water industry, cost savings have become an important issue. However, conventional hard wired I/O systems for remote control cannot avoid unnecessary complexities, which increase installation and maintenance costs year by year.
It was to overcome these difficulties that K-Water implemented PROFIBUS in its Filtration plant, thereby slimming the entire automation system and saving 30% in installation costs alone.
The filtration process comprises several filter beds, each bed including motor valves (inlet, outlet, reverse washing, surface washing, way-out and drain valves) with local instruments (level and turbidity). The conventional RCS - which included a hard-wired Filter Control Console (FCC) for local operation - was replaced by the much slimmer PROFIBUS system with a Local Operator’s Station (LOS). This led to cost savings through the removal of the ineffective FCC and its repeated hard-wiring problems The diagrams right illustrate the extent of the slimming down process.
The PROFIBUS system enabled a customized PROFICAPTAIN unit from PROCENTEC to be used. During normal operations, the LOS is operated as an HMI. If the RCS encounters problems, or local operation is necessary, the LOS can control local devices directly over PROFIBUS.
By connecting the LOS through a wireless mobile PC, operators can also monitor measurements and work directly in front of field devices such as actuators and meters (below right).
Currently, K-Water is expanding its PROFIBUS applications to include water sourcing, pressurizing, total filtration, diverging points, and supply plants.
Beginning in 2009, K-Water plans to apply redundant PROFIBUS systems for even more reliable control.
At present, the system is configured with PROFIBUS using serial communications. However, K-Water is now considering the use of PROFINET as an alternative once sufficient devices and components are available from Korean suppliers. Korea PROFIBUS Association:chays@profibus.co.kr
POLAND / CONCRETE PRODUCTS: ELTUR-WAPORE, based in the south western part of Poland, is a manufacturer of concrete products such as bricks, paving slabs, etc.
Their production line is divided into a series of stations, as shown in the diagram right. These include: a station for preparing raw materials; a forming station; a drying room; a final line, which includes packaging and dispatch. Between stations, raw materials and finished products are transported via conveyers. There are also some moving trolleys. Production is fully automated, with no staff involved.
Each station works independently but there is a common control system, plus a critical safety system and emergency shut down for the whole line.
Traditional emergency shut down systems were deemed too complicated so it was decided that a better solution would be to use SIMATIC F-PLC and PROFINET with PROFIsafe.
The local PLC controls the main parts of line via PROFINET modules and, using specially implemented safety functions, PROFIsafe secures its own part of line and send signals to the next PLCs in line with any ‘emergency status signals to avoid collisions in an emergency.
The other advantage of the system is that it provides the possibility to control and secure the moving elements via wireless modules. SCALANCE wireless access points and clients are used, again based on PROFINET with PROFIsafe on WiFi.
Emergency signals are communicated from the local F-I/O via radio to the F-PLC.
Everything is monitored and controlled from the control room using WinCC. The result? A safety system for emergency shut down, radio for wireless connection – and a highly automation production system as a complete solution. SIEMENS
NORWAY/ SHIP CONTROL: The Ulstein group, part of the Norwegian Ulstein Mekaniske Verksted Holding AS, is involved in ship construction and control systems. Their main business is building ships for servicing drilling platforms, as well as multi-purpose ships that are equipped with the Ulstein IAS automation system manufactured and integrated by Ulstein Elektro AS.
The core of the solution in the Bourbon Mistral (pictured above right) consists of automation components from Phoenix Contact based on PROFINET.
The ‘brain’ is an Inline Controller ILC 390 PN 2TX-IB with interfaces to Ethernet and PROFINET-based ‘nerve’ systems.
The redundant, modular automation architecture is capable of controlling all on-board systems, including freight, ballast, energy distribution, alarm and monitoring functions, water, heating, air conditioning, air, pumps and winches. Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol and Fast Ring Detection is used to ensure backup switchover of less than 500ms. “We consider the Ulstein IAS to be a breakthrough in ship automation”, says Ulstein employee Geir Haddal (below left). “The system is simple to operate and has been optimized for cost-efficient integration into ships.”
The software is based on the PC Worx engineering tool, so Ulstein can develop its own software modules which can then be adapted to customer requirements quickly and easily. “By using PROFINET, Ulstein IAS becomes highly flexible and easily scalable”, declares Ulstein’s Trond Liavaag (far right). “A further advantage is its modular setup, enabling efficient control of processes. In addition the system is capable of processing large amounts of data at a very high speed.” PHOENIX CONTACT
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KOREA / WATER
However, conventional hard wired I/O systems for remote control cannot avoid unnecessary complexities, which increase installation and maintenance costs year by year.
It was to overcome these difficulties that K-Water implemented PROFIBUS in its Filtration plant, thereby slimming the entire automation system and saving 30% in installation costs alone.
The filtration process comprises several filter beds, each bed including motor valves (inlet, outlet, reverse washing, surface washing, way-out and drain valves) with local instruments (level and turbidity). The conventional RCS - which included a hard-wired Filter Control Console (FCC) for local operation - was replaced by the much slimmer PROFIBUS system with a Local Operator’s Station (LOS). 
This led to cost savings through the removal of the ineffective FCC and its repeated hard-wiring problems The diagrams right illustrate the extent of the slimming down process.
The PROFIBUS system enabled a customized PROFICAPTAIN unit from PROCENTEC to be used. During normal operations, the LOS is operated as an HMI. If the RCS encounters problems, or local operation is necessary, the LOS can control local devices directly over PROFIBUS.
By connecting the LOS through a wireless mobile PC, operators can also monitor measurements and work directly in front of field devices such as actuators and meters (below right).
Currently, K-Water is expanding its PROFIBUS applications to include water sourcing, pressurizing, total filtration, diverging points, and supply plants.
Beginning in 2009, K-Water plans to apply redundant PROFIBUS systems for even more reliable control.
At present, the system is configured with PROFIBUS using serial communications. 
However, K-Water is now considering the use of PROFINET as an alternative once sufficient devices and components are available from Korean suppliers. Korea PROFIBUS Association: chays@profibus.co.kr
POLAND / CONCRETE PRODUCTS
SCALANCE wireless access points and clients are used, again based on PROFINET with PROFIsafe on WiFi.
Emergency signals are communicated from the local F-I/O via radio to the F-PLC.
Everything is monitored and controlled from the control room using WinCC. The result? A safety system for emergency shut down, radio for wireless connection – and a highly automation production system as a complete solution. 
NORWAY/ SHIP CONTROL
The software is based on the PC Worx engineering tool, so Ulstein can develop its own software modules which can then be adapted to customer requirements quickly and easily. “By using PROFINET, Ulstein IAS becomes highly flexible and easily scalable”, declares Ulstein’s Trond Liavaag (far right). “A further advantage is its modular setup, enabling efficient control of processes. In addition the system is capable of processing large amounts of data at a very high speed.” 
