Phoenix Contact Takes Over Specialist for Industrial Communication Technology

From | April 26, 2017

Phoenix Contact and Etherwan to develop products for Industrie 4.0

Phoenix Contact takes over the Taiwanese company Etherwan System Inc. The company which is located in New-Taipei is a manufacturer for Ethernet communication technology in automation.

The takeover enriches the position of the Phoenix Contact Group in the area of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and Industrie 4.0, which was already strengthened by the takeover of the Canadian Perle Systems Inc. in fall 2016.

Etherwan was founded in California in 1996. The main site has been in New-Taipei in Taiwan for 20 years.

Here, hardware components such as media converters and Ethernet switches for so-called “hardened Ethernet solutions” are developed, manufactured and sold by around 170 employees.

Software is also included in the portfolio of the company. The US headquarters is located in Anaheim, CA, where more than 20 people are employed.

Phoenix Contact and Etherwan have already been cooperating successfully for 15 years.

The cooperation started with the development of a portfolio of products for the use of Ethernet in industrial communication. This successful cooperation will now be intensified in the joint undertaking in order to launch further product ranges acc. to the requirements of Industrie 4.0 and to develop the competence center of network technology of the Phoenix Contact Group together.

“Industrial communication is a key technology for the digitalization”, says Roland Bent, CTO of Phoenix Contact.

“Etherwan and Phoenix Contact complement each other perfectly with their different strengths in different markets and different industrial industries. Now, we have achieved a global appearance and product portfolio to effectively conquer further markets.”

The corporate name remains unchanged; the same applies to the sites.

In Taiwan, the close proximity to chip manufacturers, technology suppliers, and other manufacturers is a great advantage.

“Industrial communication is a key technology for the digitalization”

The existing Supervisory Board will be extended by Jack Nehlig, President of Phoenix Contact Inc., Harrisburg/ USA and Martin Mueller, Vice President of the Business Unit I/O and Networks at Phoenix Contact, Bad Pyrmont/ Germany as well as Marcus Boeker, Head of Acquisitions of Phoenix Contact , Blomberg/ Germany.

The transaction is subject to approval by the local Investment Commission Taiwan.

Frank Stürenberg Speaks On Developments for Phoenix Contact in 2016 and into 2017

From | April 25, 2017

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CEO Chairman of the Board, Mr. Frank Stürenberg

“In 2016, Phoenix Contact could generate a sales growth of 3.2 percent. Compared to the industry surely not bad. However, our planned target of six percent could not be achieved also due to exchange rate effects,” CEO Chairman of the Executive Board, Frank Stührenberg, explained Phoenix Contact´s economic development in the last year at the press conference.

With it, the turnover of the Company Group increased to 1.977 billion euros.

“In Italy, Russia and India for example, we could achieve a very positive sales growth between 12-17 percent,” Stührenberg explained the diverse market development.

Thanks to the dynamic growth in the electromobility market, the subsidiary Phoenix Contact E-Mobility even achieved a sales growth of 70 percent”.

The manufacturer of industrial electronics invested 150 million euros in the development of the Company Group in 2016. 500 new employees joined the company last year.

“In Italy, Russia and India for example, we could achieve a very positive sales growth between 12-17 percent,”

For the current year, Phoenix Contact expects an increase in turnover of around 6.5 percent.

Stührenberg is confident: “In the first quarter of 2017, we have already recorded a very good increase in sales of more than 12 percent. In 2017, we will exceed the 2 billion euros threshold”.

Around 150 million euros will be invested in the national and international development by the company also this year.

At the site in Milan, Italy, for example, additional sales and training capacities with approx. 6,000 m² will be established.

In India, the production and logistics capacities will be expanded with an investment of 5 million euros.

“In 2017, we will exceed the 2 billion euros threshold”

At the site in Blomberg, the size of the laboratory of Phoenix Testlab, the test lab and certification institute for technical products will be doubled to 4,000 m².

Also, shares in companies are increasingly included in the investments. At the beginning of April, the company took over Mauell Netzleittechnik GmbH from Velbert to 100 percent. With the integration of the automation specialist in energy networks in the Company Group, Phoenix Contact continues its sustainable growth strategy in the energy market.

Just recently, Phoenix Contact has also taken over the Taiwanese company Etherwan System Inc., a manufacturer of Ethernet communication technology in automation.

Both companies have already successfully cooperated for 15 years.

With it, Phoenix Contact significantly strengthens its network technology, a key technology for digitalization.

In February, the Phoenix Contact Group took a share in SmartB Energy Management GmbH, a start-up company for energy management in commercial buildings from Berlin via Phoenix Contact Innovation Ventures GmbH. Their software solution makes energy consumption transparent up to the device level.

On April 24, the Hannover Messe which is seen as a trend indicator of the economy will start. This year, the partner country will be Poland. “Our production site there has become the largest production site outside Germany and is the center for the production of modular terminal blocks and cabling solutions,” Stührenberg explained the importance. “Our site in Nowy Tomysl is the major employer in the region.”

This year, the partner country will be Poland. “Our production site there has become the largest production site outside Germany and is the center for the production of modular terminal blocks and cabling solutions,” Stührenberg explained the importance.

“Our production site there has become the largest production site outside Germany”

Phoenix Contact as the solution provider for electrical engineering, electronics, and automation will present its innovations and trend-setting technologies in Hannover on an exhibition area of approx. 2,500 m².

At the heart of the exhibition appearance, there are solutions for the digitalization which focus on the task fields of Industrie 4.0 such as easy operation, secure communication, adjustability or a seamless digital description of the products.

With the open control platform PLCnext, which is the focus of the presentation in Hannover, Phoenix Contact initiates a paradigm shift towards open source-based control solutions for Industrie 4.0.

“Traditionally, the Hannover Messe is the most important trade fair for us,” Stührenberg confirms. “This year, we will present more than 100 innovations and welcome visiting delegations from 50 countries with more than 1,200 visitors”.

More than just Providing Data: Implementing IIOT in Water Management

From eexin | April 21, 2017

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The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) is creating huge opportunities in the water and wastewater industries, adding value to both the utility and the consumer.

Connected machines are reshaping the way these utilities operate, allowing them to make smarter and more informed decisions. By driving up innovation, water utilities are driving down cost.

Diagram of how a water treatment plant conducts its everyday activity

Relationship between Data and Water Management

Treating water and wastewater requires chemical processes that can now be monitored more accurately using digital data collection.

These digital transformations are taking the guesswork out of chemical processing and allow utilities to optimize a number of chlorine dollars spent to maintain safe levels — saving time, money and empowering operators to make fewer mistakes.

Spurred on by IIOT and Big Data collection, SaaS applications are also implemented which could provide analysis on the wastewater process and accurate calculations on the wastewater clarifier tank performance.

Technologies such as these could also allow businesses to receive alerts and notifications when a failure might arise, predicting when a sludge will overflow and be released.

Real-time data, accessible anywhere, anytime before failure happens.

Problems and Prediction – Pre-empting probable issues

This kind of problem causes environmental issues and fines that can run into millions of dollars. It will also be able to predict a thickening failure, which is when the effluent doesn’t settle correctly and creates a costly sludge blanket in the tank.

Predictive analytics are also solving monitoring problems that were not previously possible for utilities.

For example, there are a large number of pumps that are commonly found within water facilities, and digitized data is making it possible for companies to accurately predict when these pumps might fail — ahead of time.

Even water pumps are fitted with digital technology for data retrieval

It’s similar to the predictive analytic technology used in jet engine checks between airline flights. This cloud-based application easily connects to pumps and helps companies avoid costly and inconvenient failures, allowing engineers to schedule controlled maintenance rather than reactive maintenance.

Partnerships between technology companies and utility companies are facilitating innovation.

Safety procedures are also being monitored and enforced more closely by keeping track of them using digitized technology.

By working closely with our clients, we realize that more informed data could also be used as a reminder to employees regarding protocol procedures when dangerous chlorine leaks are detected. The safety procedure is sent to a worker’s device to be confirmed before access to the contaminated area is granted.

The safety procedure is sent to a worker’s device to be confirmed before access to the contaminated area is granted.

Public swimming pools in danger of chlorine

Public swimming pools are at risk of chlorine contamination which would have adverse effects on health.

At Phoenix Contact, we offer industrial platforms that enable asset performance management on an industrial scale. For water utilities, our products can help organize time-series data to monitor asset functionality.

Software and Hardware to manage your Water Management needs

Building close relationships with utility companies would facilitate innovation and allow us to develop solutions to become cleaner and more efficient at a rapid pace.

It truly is a transformative time in the industry, and the results couldn’t be more pure — better drinking water for everyone.

For more information on the products used for water management, visit the link here, or get in touch with us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg.

The Smart Grid: How automation empowers the future of Electricity

From jasonsoh | April 21, 2017

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Smart Grid plans for the future and beyond

Exemplary model of the future Smart Grid – Automation in Electricity

The “smart grid” is a rapidly growing set of technologies, processes, devices and applications that affect and enhance the traditional electric grid.

These advances are partially driven by exponentially growing demands worldwide for energy as expressed in a commonly repeated statistic that “global electricity demand is expected to increase 75% by 2030.”

What’s happening with the smart grid also reflects developments made in communications, from Internet to cellular to wireless, as well as higher expectations from consumers regarding energy availability, rising energy costs and access to their energy information.

A smarter grid will also help integrate renewable energy including wind and solar into the energy mix.

Defining the Smart Grid

To understand the smart grid, you first need to get familiar with the 125-year-old electric grid. Most people don’t think about where the electricity they’re using comes from or how it gets to their homes and offices.

The electric grid consists of several main touchpoints in an overall system that gets electricity from creation to the end user:

The main touchpoints for electricity include:

Generation — the creation of electrons that make up electricity.
Transmission — moving high-voltage power from generators at power plants through transmission lines, reducing it down to 12,000 volts.
Distribution — where transformers convert power to the 110 volts running in residentials
Retail — the metering, monitoring, and measuring of power usage that results in a bill to the consumer from a utility company.
Customer/Consumption — the end user experience with the power.

Diagram of how a conventional grid looks like

Smart grid technologies and innovations occur at — and can affect — any and all steps of the electricity ecosystem. Some are more focused on the utility side while others address the customer.

Smart Grid Developments

In the “old days” up until the last 10 to 15 years, utility workers — meter readers — were deployed into neighborhoods to read and write down data retrieved from energy meters in people’s back yards.

The first major change to this process came in the form of Automatic Meter Reading (AMR), through which meters communicate via a one-way signal to a truck that is driven through neighborhoods to collect data.

Collecting data used to be arduous and manual. Requiring long man-hours.

With advancement in technology, there’s the Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) going beyond just reading meters and sending data to utilities — it also sends information back to the home and to the consumer.

AMI systems, automatic data across channels

With AMI, information can be transmitted to individual homeowners as well as utility offices for record purposes.

Smart meters aren’t effective without some kind of communications method to transmit data such as cellular, Wi-Fi or other wireless protocols.

Unlike cellular systems such as GSM and GDMA, Phoenix Contact’s wireless system isn’t optimized for tens of users but instead for tens of thousands of “users” that are in actuality devices, such as meters and sensors.

Our system is designed for extremely long-range and broad coverage so utility companies can deploy these communication networks more cheaply and reach more devices more effectively.

Other interesting developments in the Smart Grid would be the availability of web portals and dashboards that present aggregated power usage data in ways that are understood even by laypersons.

Such software and services, connecting to the Internet display real-time data about the power consumption via a short-range wireless system.

Information like these was never thought of before and it can assist in regulating power consumption in homes or in industrial plants, saving tons from electricity wastage.

Eventually, with systems like this along with “time-of-day pricing,” you will know exactly how much money you’re spending down to the minute, and you’ll be able to modify your behavior to use your appliances at different times.

Or better yet, you’ll benefit from an automated system that regulates usage for you based on your usage habits and peak usage times to run certain appliances at “cheaper” times of the day.

Global Smart Grid Adoption is Going Strong

Smart grid adoption is happening across the globe. Examples are:

Toronto, Ontario, Canada— Ontario was the first province in Canada to introduce what is referred to as “time-of-use pricing.” The system is said to have 100% smart meter deployment.
Texas, U.S.— The electricity market in the state of Texas has been deregulated, and the state has close to a 100% saturation of smart meters along with an automated system to give customers their energy usage data through smart grid technology and web portals.
Scandinavia— At 100% penetration, citizens of Sweden and Finland are seeing the benefits of the smart grid, including in-home smart technologies.

While the United States may be spending the most money on smart grid tech innovation and deployment, other countries making significant headway with implementation include Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe, including Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom and France.

In Asia, while Japan and South Korea are already heavily invested in the smart grid, China is poised to become a major investor. Asia and Latin America are seen as emerging smart grid markets as they roll out smart meter programs in India and Brazil.

Japan is moving towards smart electrical grids

Electric cables in Japan

In future, for Smart Grid technology to further grow exponentially, the following implementations need to be considered:

Data connection between demand (when you turn a light on) and generation (energy being created in a power plant). If you can get more granular data about usage, you can better forecast energy needs and usage, which then can be applied to create more efficient energy generation.

Electricity storage. When there’s low energy demand, excess energy should be able to be stored and then accessed or discharged during peak usage periods. For an example of storage on a small scale, consider an electric vehicle — when turned off and plugged in, it’s storing energy to be used during the day when the car is running.

Automated energy efficiency for consumers. Businesses do not usually have the time or inclination to proactively make their offices, factories and other environments more energy-efficient. In order to reduce energy usage and shift grid load, we need more services that automatically make smarter energy choices.

The private market needs to step up to the plate. Instead of relying on government-sponsored programs, the private sector needs to develop products and/or services that can be easily packaged and delivered to consumers. For example, a telecom company could add an energy efficiency program to its offerings, adding a commercial layer to the smart grid so it becomes more accessible to consumers.

Regardless of where the innovations are coming from, smart grid infrastructure serves utilities and consumers by leveraging information technology to bring advanced communications to a previously “dumb” network.

By putting a greater emphasis on information retrieval, aggregation, reporting and analysis, the potential to save on energy and modify energy consumption behavior can benefit everyone.

Feel free to contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg to find out more!

Industry 4.0: Turning Ideas into Revolution

From | April 12, 2017

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In the previous post, we discussed a little on the origins of IIOT (Industrial Internet of Things) and case studies of how IIOT have helped various industries.

A point to note, is that IIOT was not an initiative that sparked a revolution today. In fact, IIOT is part of a concept which derived from the German idea of “Industrie 4.0”, or rather, the Fouth Industrial Revolution.

Advent of Industry 4.0

The “Industry 4.0” initiative was constructed as a strategic plan by Germany back in 2006 to promote computerization in manufacturing.

In July 2010, the German’s government cabinet decided to accelerate the strategy by introducing the High-Tech Strategy 2020, which aims to focus the country’s research and innovative policy on inspiring projects related to scientific and technological developments over a span of ten to fifteen years.¹

Source: https://www.hightech-strategie.de/de/The-new-High-Tech-Strategy-390.php

Germany has certainly come a long way.

The High-Tech strategy can be summarized as moving Germany forward, to become a worldwide innovation leader. By strengthening Germany’s position as a leading industrial and exporting nation, Germany believes that innovative solutions are factors that drive prosperity and increases their quality of life.

Hence, by leveraging on the idea of Industry 4.0, Germany could achieve their long-term goal of High-Tech Strategy 2020.

Back to Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 is a vision of integrated industry implemented by leveraging computing, software, and Internet technologies. The 4.0 refers to the idea of a fourth industrial revolution:

First: production mechanization using water and steam power
Second: mass production (Henry Ford often cited as the innovator)
Third: digital revolution (e.g., machine tool numerical control, programmable logic controllers, direct digital control, and enterprise resource planning)
Fourth: Industry 4.0 leveraging cyber-physical systems, embedded computing, Internet of Things technologies.

The German strategy highlights cooperation between industry and science to promote closer links between knowledge and skills. In the final report for Industrie 4.0 entitled “Recommendations for Implementing the Strategic Initiative INDUSTRIE 4.0”, it describes using Internet of Things technologies, communications, and web services in manufacturing.

It makes it possible to create networks incorporating the entire manufacturing processes, converting factories into smart environments for tomorrow.

Vision for Industry 4.0

Industry 4.0 – The future of industrialization, empowered by technology and the internet

The vision of Industry 4.0 is to achieve higher productivity, efficiency, and self-managing production processes where people, machines, equipment, logistics systems, and work-in-process components communicate and cooperate with each other directly.

The main goal is to produce low-cost mass production to achieve make-to-order manufacturing of quantity by leveraging embedded processing and communications. Production and logistics processes are integrated intelligently, creating a real-time lean manufacturing ecosystem that boasts efficiency and flexibility.

This will help facilitate smart value-creation chains that include all of the life-cycle phases of the product – from the initial product idea, development, production and usage, to maintenance and recycling. This allows the business to constantly make improvements, based on informed decisions.

Industrialization towards 21st century and beyond.

Data derived from the supply chains make it possible to optimize production steps and the entire value chain. For example, comprehensive real-time information enables companies to react during production such as anticipating the availability of certain raw materials based on price, quality, and other factors for optimal efficiency.

Data extrapolated could also be shared across company boundaries, to save resources and energy.

The digitization of industry is forecasted to foster new business models and present great opportunities for small- and medium-size enterprises. Currently, majority of the companies are already adopting this idea.

Benefits of utilizing Industry 4.0

Gone are the days of factory lines.

Asynchronous manufacturing

Traditional assembly manufacturing lines are synchronous, with predefined workflows based on production work orders running in enterprise business systems. Production steps are centrally communicated to each manufacturing station synchronized by the assembly line.

In Industry 4.0 however, is based on asynchronous manufacturing, with components in the production flow using auto identification technology to inform each machine and operator what needs to be done to produce the customized end product at each step of the production process.

Just like Humans, Machines have to be flexible.

Highly Flexible Machines

The usage of highly adaptable and flexible machines is another aspect of Industry 4.0. This achieves a highly flexible, lean, and agile production process enabling a variety of different products to be produced in the same production facility.

Profitable mass customization allows the production of small lots (even as small as single unique items) due to the ability to rapidly configure machines to adapt to customer-supplied specifications and additive manufacturing.

Manual Data Entry, a thing of the past. Slower data processing = less productive

Analytics

Other than relying on flexible and adaptable machines, Industry 4.0 systems capture a wide range of data that can be used to improve performance and productivity through analytics.

Analytics are used in a number of ways, including real-time predictive maintenance, which helps manufacturing companies avoid interruption in production by machine failures—directly improving asset utilization. With analytics, businesses can make informed decisions on production operations, improving productivity and energy efficiency.

Technology, empowering the future and beyond

Technology

The application of the Industry 4.0 vision is turning into a reality with technological advances driven by the Internet of Things which includes open software platforms, open communications, and powerful embedded processors.

Industry 4.0 uses the term cyber-physical systems (CPS) to describe the interaction of physical and computing, including embedded intelligence at all levels, including machines, sensors, actuators, production parts, subassemblies, and products being produced.

CPS is composed of physical entities, such as mechanisms controlled or monitored by computer-based algorithms. A current example of the application of CPS is mechatronic drive systems that use processors and communications embedded in motor drives to accomplish coordinated operations in a packaging machine without physical gearing. This saves significant cost, providing greater flexibility and improved reliability.

Proliferation of Industry 4.0

The fundamental reason behind shifting towards Industry 4.0 is the realization that pursuing low labor costs is no longer a strategy. Staying competitive and flexible can only be accomplished by adopting the latest technology – in this case, banking on automation.

Historically, if we were to refer to the Second Industrial Revolution, Henry Ford pioneered the assembly line method of producing automobiles.

Automobiles were only available to the affluent back in the days but by manufacturing an affordable car by means of simplifying the process from 12 hours to a mere 93 minutes, Ford, with its Model T, commanded a 48 percent share of the automobile market.

Competitors knew that they had to implement such technology of assembly lines or be at risk of bankruptcy if they could not compete.

With Ford’s revolutionary strategy in 1914, the U.S continued to contribute to 48 percent of the world’s automobile throughout the 60’s. By 1997 however, Japan took over, producing 21 percent of automobiles. The success of the Japanese automotive manufacturers was attributed to advanced manufacturing methods, aggressive automation and widely use of robotics (Currently, Japan has 323 robots per 10,000 people).²

Source: https://ifr.org/worldrobotics

Robots are solving the issue of manpower in Japan

At that time, U.S automakers had access to similar technologies and methods but did not pursue them until compelled by economic factors.

In 2014, Japan had 13 percent share, just below Germany at number 1 at 23 percent. U.S remains at 9%, a shadow of its former self, considering the 48 percent in 1960.³

Source: Harvard Atlas of Economic Complexity

Because of this example, manufacturers around the world are accrediting the success of automation as factors in producing products with precision and consistent quality.

In 2014, China was the single largest market for industrial robot sales. Based on the present rate of robot adoption, within two years, it would be predicted that there will be more industrial robots in Chinese factories working hand in hand with manual workforce than in the European Union or the U.S.

Conclusion

Based on historical data and countless of analytics on the web, as a business, there’s no escaping Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things. Businesses must be prepared to usher this new technology and adopt it, if not soon. Competition is high especially with globalization and the need to produce low-cost products at high quality.

In Germany, such initiatives are being supported by the government. Japan, India, and China are following closely behind.

The question is, can Southeast Asia keep up and from it emerge companies who will pioneer new technological innovations?

Interested to find out more? Get in touch with us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg!

The Future of Industries: How the Internet of Things empower Businesses

From melisasundari | April 11, 2017

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IOT brings technology and Human together

What is the Internet of Things (IOT)Internet of Things

Internet of Things (IoT) is a process in which human, machines and devices are connected to one another via a data network or the Internet in order to collect and process data automatically for the purpose of improving efficiency, accuracy and economic benefit in addition to reducing human intervention.

With the proliferation of wireless devices and development of technology, IoT is becoming a feature of our lives and provide opportunities for numerous automated and value-added applications, such as using mobile phones to control air-conditioning at home or using iris/fingerprint for security purposes.

So how could it help businesses?

The potential benefits of automation in terms of productivity and economic growth is obvious. For some, it encourages creative thinking and provides opportunities to develop new skills. For others, automation poses a threat when manual jobs are replaced by machines.

Take for example – Human Resources (HR) processes used to involve an enormous amount of clerical and administration work.

Big data, retrieved remotely

Automation and Cloud Based solutions

With the cloud-based solutions of today and tomorrow, many of these processes such as attendance, leave and payroll can be automated and standardized. Not only will this enable jobs to be processed at the quickest and lowest cost possible, data collected can be broken down into meaningful intelligence for analytical purposes.

This will enable HR to focus on more strategic tasks such as talent management and employee engagement that requires a wider range of soft skills such as relationship building – the areas that truly need the human touch.

Incorporating devices, people, and networks

The Future is Now

IoT is developing rapidly and the technology is affecting our interaction with “things” around us, making it possible for unparalleled opportunities and services to be developed across diverse industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, energy management, transportation, finance, healthcare, retail, telecommunication and IT.

Automation will undoubtedly improve human lives and increase workplace efficiency, and completely change the way we commute, communicate and collaborate. Many manual jobs may become obsolete or outdated as IoT evolves, however, many experts believes that new job roles and expertise will emerge, and there are a number of potential inhibitors where certain jobs requiring human interaction that machines, for the foreseeable future at least, will not be able to replace human.

Humans are still needed for technology

Link between Machines and Humans

Therefore, “Human” will not be removed from Human Resources entirely as there will be growth in field services, asset management, robotic maintenance, remote diagnostics, and analytics expertise, which will take a human being to understand how to interpret and act on insights they have identified.

IoT will change the way businesses operate today. With the emergence of new technological innovation, companies need to ensure that its workforce is retrained, retooled, recalibrated and newly hired to transition the company towards a research-based, innovative-yet-analytical mindset for decision-making, regardless of job tier in order to compete in the new knowledge-based economy.

Interested to find out more? Get in touch with us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg!

Radioline: The only Wireless System you need

From William Tan | March 29, 2017

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Finding it difficult to avoid the cost of laying long cables?

Fed up of laying long, 5km cables just to establish communication signals across your site?

Have issues optimizing your plant’s communication to get better monitoring and control?

Look no further! Say no to messy, cluttered and costly cables and say hello to wireless technology.

Introducing Phoenix Contact’s RADIOLINE Wireless Technology!

Radioline

Phoenix Contact provides an INNOVATIVE way to upgrade and optimize industrial plants while eliminating costly cables and unnecessary downtimes.

No programming, no software. Less hassle, more productivity.

Phoenix Contact Radioline Wireless I/O mapping at the turn of a wheel allows for easy deployment in extensive plants – without any programming or complex configuration.

Don’t be fooled by the colorful arrows, they’re not wires mind you but wireless signals transmitting across the RADIOLINE units.

It allows modular extension of every station up to 32 I/O-modules per station (hot-swappable) and creates multiple network structures up to 250 stations (yes, you heard it. Up to 250 stations! Impressive).

Radioline T-Bus

Phoenix Contact Radioline is THE wireless product for large systems.

So if you have a large system or a big plant to manage, Radioline is the answer.

Again did we also mention that the Radioline does not need any software or programming? Yes we did. By simply turning the thumbwheel, the Radioline is ready to go.

By simply turning the thumbwheel, the Radioline is ready to go.

No complicated software. Just easy thumb action.

Just watch this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrL6Lob8tnA

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If she could do it, you could too!

Thanks to the Trusted Wireless 2.0 technology using 868 MHz, 900 MHz, and 2.4 GHz radio frequency, Phoenix Contact Radioline is the ideal choice for reliable use in industrial environments up to 5 km of signal communications.

Cables are a thing of the past and they cannot withstand demanding environments, not to mention the effort and cost in installing them.

Stop wasting time and money. Get in touch with us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg and make the switch to Phoenix Contact’s Radioline TODAY.

Industrial Internet of Things: Revolutionizing the way Business is Done

From | March 29, 2017

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Industrial Internet of Things

The Internet of Things(IoE) is taking the world by storm. If you’ve been to industrial seminars or read articles online, you’ll come to realize that there’s a lot of buzz in regards to this new age term.

So what exactly is the Internet of Things (IoT)? How industries are implementing it in their work processes and most importantly, what it means to you as a business?

I am assuming that you do not have any idea about this concept. If you do, you can jump straight to our other blog articles on IIoT (in the coming weeks).

Do note that in this article we shall dive into the basic terminology of IoT/IIoT and then we shall dissect how it’s applicable to various industries. They key takeaway here is to form a self-realization about how you should start to plan your business for this revolution.

Why are we advocating IIOT?

At Phoenix Contact we build innovations that speak volumes. Our mission is to help clients and businesses alike achieve productivity and efficiency through cost saving and ground-breaking solutions.

Our clients who have transitioned towards the concepts of IIOT including Big Data and M2M have seen tremendous changes in the way their business is being run. And we hope to share as much awareness and knowledge, in the simplest possible way.

As such we have customized solutions if you’re planning to gear your business for IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things).

Be warn that this concept is not new and chances are you know of businesses who are already transiting towards this new technology even as we speak. So if you’re ready to understand more on IIoT, I suggest reading on.

Next stop, the Internet.

Birth of the Internet

For those of you who may not know, the term IoT corresponds to the birth of the internet. During its infancy, the internet was an exclusive place for selected members to have access to information.

As it experiences growth and widespread usages, the internet brought a wave of ideas along with it such as globalization, wireless technology, and data-driven analytics (in real time). This has enabled us to share data across borders, reducing the need to be physically present.

So what is IOT?

While the internet is basically a medium where we search for information, IoT, on the other hand, is a channel where we gather information regarding a specific thing.

Things such as having a heart monitor implant on a person or perhaps a biochip transponder in an animal or even a vehicle with built-in sensors to alert the driver about incoming objects. In short, anything that can be assigned an IP address and renders the ability to transfer data over a network is considered an IoT.

To make it simpler, IoT is basically a term where machines can talk to each other and then allow humans to read those data because of their communications.

Kevin Ashton, cofounder and executive director of the Auto-ID Center at MIT, first mentioned the Internet of Things in a presentation he made to Procter & Gamble in 1999. Here’s how Ashton explains the potential of the Internet of Things:

“Today, computers — and, therefore, the internet — are almost wholly dependent on human beings for information. Nearly all of the roughly 50 petabytes (a petabyte is 1,024 terabytes) of data available on the internet were first captured and created by human beings by typing, pressing a record button, taking a digital picture or scanning a bar code.

The problem is, people have limited time, attention and accuracy — all of which means they are not very good at capturing data about things in the real world. If we had computers that knew everything there was to know about things — using data they gathered without any help from us — we would be able to track and count everything and greatly reduce waste, loss and cost. We would know when things needed replacing, repairing or recalling and whether they were fresh or past their best.”

How is IoT important for businesses?

Before we explore how important it is, we must first understand through case studies and applications of IoT in everyday business dealings.

The first known application of IoT was in the early 1980s. Programmers at Carnegie Melon University connected a Coke machine over the internet.

The purpose was to monitor the status of the machine and determine the stocks of coke so that they could decide whether to make the trip to the vending machine.

Although this experiment was small scale, it manages to identify the true essence of IoT – which is to allow machines to gather data so that we could make informed decisions.

The first IOT is your every day vending machine

So what’s the difference between IoT (Internet of Things) and IIot (Industrial Internet of Things)?

As said, IoT is generally anything that you connect the internet to, enabling you to govern and extract data from.

IIoT, on the other hand, is a manifestation of IoT but, instead of a singular product or process, IIoT is more large scale and permits different machines working on other tasks to communicate with other machines, working on separate tasks.

In short, it’s IoT, but industrial sized. That means you’ll have software and data engineers working hand in hand with your automation and process engineers.

IOT or not to IOT, that is the question

Successful applications of IIoT:

As said IoT allowed humans to interpret data from the machine to machine communication (M2M). Today, everything from household appliances to manufacturing production makes use of IoT.

Examples of how Phoenix Contact has enabled IIoT:

Using digitization, manufacturing companies are getting data through digital, which allows for intelligent decisions and flexibility. Learn more.
Through a common protocol such as IEC61850 to facilitate communication across different“Intelligent Electronic Devices (IED)” in manufacturing plants that uses different communication devices. Learn More.
Using technology such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) in water systems to transmit remote data back to central control (data such as water quality levels for example). Learn More.

IIoT can be and have been utilized in industries below:

Building Infrastructure – Example: Smart Lighting
Automotive Industry – Example: Vehicle Auto-diagnosis
Solar and Wind Energy Industry – Example: Photovoltaic Installations
Oil and Gas – Example: Monitoring of water, oil and gas levels in storage tanks and cisterns
Transportation – Example: Estimated time of arrival for public transport systems

These are just some examples of where internet technology can be unified with engineering technology to provide seamless data supplied.

The applications are endless.

In the next article, we will be sharing practical applications of IIoT based on products that we suggest and provide insights on how to utilize them.

We shall also dive into the other keywords surrounding IIoT such as Industrie 4.0, M2M and SCADA.

A point to note: Businesses are slowly paving the way towards integrating cloud-based technology in their processes to allow for cost reducing, data-backed and consistent decision making.

If you wish to find out more, speak to our IIoT specialist regarding how your business can benefit from IIoT and the technology needed to get started on.

CUT, STRIP and CRIMP wires with no effort

From | March 22, 2017

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Cut, Strip and Crimp Wires – Electrical wiring is integral in any building construction, electrical maintenance or rewiring works.

In today’s highly competitive market, businesses are looking for efficient shortcuts to hasten the task on hand.

If a particular task can be completed half the time at half the cost (or manpower), businesses can definitely reap the advantages.

QUALITY + CONSISTENCY

Problems facing Electricians and Technicians

Often the case for anyone and everyone, productivity is key in maintaining good client relationships and pair that with consistency, your business could go a long way.

Whether it’s in building construction, electrical maintenance or anything which requires electricity, there’s one thing that gets on everybody’s nerve – Wires. Wires, cables, cords or lines – Whatever you call them, they can be a menace.

“Of course I know what I’m doing. I’m an engineer”.

Cutting, Stripping and Crimping wires.

It’s a painstaking and laborious task. Admit it, we know. Even with extreme patience and discipline, there’s no other way around it.

Wire maintenance is a known problem and the task can be daunting especially for large scale projects.

Using conventional tools (or primitive ones) such as pliers, wire strippers and wire crimpers takes little or no effort if it’s just a small scale task but it could be a nightmare for electricians and engineers especially if they have to complete a rewiring task for the whole building!

“Martin, we have a wiring issue” (Courtesy: Warner Bros)

Here at Phoenix Contact our mission is not to just produce innovative stuff but, we want to bear your pains.

By understanding engineering pains could we then build better things to solve common problems.

Ok, before we identify the problems, let’s take a look at the current tools we have today:

Cutting Wires

Recognize this guy?

Tools from the stone age.

If you’re a technician or electrician this would already be an extension of your arms. This is a wire cutter and no rocket science needed. It cuts wires.

If you’re cutting wires for a living you know that it’s a pretty much a simple task. Snip and you cut the wires into two. But what if you have to cut long stretches of wires at the exact lengths.

Now imagine if you have to cut rolls and rolls of electrical cables at specific measurements within a limited timeframe.

Stripping Wires

Okay, so if you’re not into cutting wires, surely you would have to strip wires right?

At some point when you’re dealing with electrical cables, you may need to strip them.

Here comes this dude here:

You can surely find this tool in a museum

Maybe you can picture yourself cutting spools of wires. After all, anyone could do it with a pair of scissors or penknife.

But how about stripping wires?

Stripping wires require more dedication and accuracy. Not only do you need to be extra careful to not break the sensitive insides of the wire, you also need to apply delicate pressure to tear apart the rubber insulation.

You’ve imagined cutting rolls and rolls of wire. Now imagine stripping rolls and rolls of wire.

Talk about having a bad day.

Crimping Wires

If you’re dealing with electricity, or in general wires, you would know that cutting and stripping wires are just the tip of the iceberg.

We haven’t got to the fun part yet – Wire Crimping!

Manual Crimping is a hassle

Cutting seems like child’s play while stripping take a little more effort. But there’s just no denying that crimping keeps you awake at night.

Crimping wires is an art form that requires extreme dedication. If done wrongly you’ll be having a loose ferrule and that’s not good if you have a rewiring job with thousands of wires terminating at various points.

Locating just that loose wire (or bad crimping job) amongst the thousand of termination points could be a hassle and could double the effort. And using a manual crimping tool could be child’s play at first but after awhile you’ll get hand aches and sore fingers.

Complicated and hard work right?

Anyone could crimp a wire but to crimp multiple wires is just insane. The next thing you know, you’ll be looking like this man over here:

“Come with me if you want to Crimp”. (Courtesy: Orion Pictures)

So if we were to sum it up, imagine if you have to CUT, STRIP and CRIMP rolls and rolls of wires. Even if you outsource the job, it’s going to cost you.

Other than cost, you also have to factor in the time taken to cut wires (ensuring they’re evenly cut into exact lengths), crimp (to ensure they’re securely attached to the ferrules) and strip them (being careful enough to not cut more than intended) – Phew!

Cost and time aside, you’re also facing safety issues and also ensuring quality so that your client becomes a returning client each and every time.

Solutions to Everyday Problems

As said earlier, we hear your pains and then translate that into solutions.

Over at Phoenix Contact we have introduced revolutionary productivity tools to solve your wiring woes (all at a fraction of the cost!).

We present to you the A-Team for Wire Maintenance! (Drumroll….)

Bad boys, bad boys…Whatchu gonna do

The CUTFOX10 (The wirecutter)

The CUTFOX10 cuts almost any wire and is ideal for heavy duty cable trimming activities. With a user-friendly display and safety mechanism, the CUTFOX10 is built for speed and usability.

Steps on using the CUTFOX10:

All one needs to do is placed the wires onto the rollers of the CUTFOX10 and then close the covers.
Set the desired length and quantity on the user-friendly display (and it comes in multiple languages so do learn a new foreign language or two).

Once you press the Start button (which is the green button – how convenient!), the CUTFOX10 will cut the desired length and required quantities of your wires. It’s that simple!

Features	Benefits
HUD display	No prior knowledge needed to operate
Cuts conductor, cables and similar profiles	Cuts wires in a matter of seconds
Easy operation	Automatically cuts to the desired length with a push of a button

The WF1000 (The stripper)

Don’t let the name fool you. This weapon is a must have in your arsenal for stripping cables, even those with special insulation types. Since it is built to specifically strip wires, the WF1000 also does partial stripping and also ensures that pressure points on sensitive insulation are avoided. With just a touch of a button, you can strip cables with diameters ranging from 0.08mm² to 6 mm².

Again, we make it in such a way that you can use the machine in 3 easy steps:

All one needs to do is turn the knob to the desired diameters (we even provide the dimensions on top of the machine for quick reference).

Once you’re happy with the configuration, insert those wires into the WF1000.

Enjoy the detailed cut, you deserve it (it’s actually only 2 steps but we’ll make step 3 serves as a reminder of your success).

Features	Benefits
Wire dimension diagram on machine	Fast reference without requiring third party reference
Easy to operate controls – knobs for diameter adjustments	Strips wires with precision without physical strength
Built for wire stripping in mind	Strips almost any type of wires, even those heavy insulated ones

The CF500 (The Crimp)

While the WF1000 strips, the CF500 was made to Crimp wires. With a range of crimping die dimensions, it crimps various types of cables. With a build in protective cover and step pedal for easy operation, the CF500 is designed for safety and convenience.

By now you should already know that we simplify the usage within 3 simple steps:

Apply the correct die for the crimping job. As seen in the picture below, it only takes 45 seconds with the use of our specialized Hex Key (you heard that right, only 45 seconds).

Once the desired die has been bolted, attached the enclosure to ensure maximum safety when using the device (without the protective cover attached,the machine would cease to operate). With the die and enclosure secured, you then need to press the buttons on the display.

Once you’re satisfied with the configuration, it’s time to crimp! Insert the wire into the mouth of the die and let your feet do the pressing (with our crimping tools, we let your hands do other important tasks – like having a sandwich while your foot does the labor).

And there you go folks! You have your wires crimped at half the time and half the effort (or should I say, quarter the time, quarter the effort). Say goodbye to working overtime.

Features	Benefits
Build in display and buttons	Crimps within seconds, with a simple touch of a button
Safety enclosure	Won’t operate if the enclosure or the die is loose.
Multiple die for multiple crimping jobs	List of accesories and compatibility with various ferrule designs

So in summary we’ve got tools that cut, strip and crimp your wires, turning meaningless chores into passionate hobbies.

BUT WAIT! There’s more!

In some cases, you might need strip and crimp at the same time and utilizing two different machines could take time (and it might cost you to have two separate machines).

Well, we hear you! Say no more!

The CF1000 (2 in 1 Strip/Crimp Behemoth)

While Phoenix Contact carries two different devices for Stripping and Crimping, with the CF1000, it incorporates both activities into a single powerful machine. The user-friendly interface and easy operation make daunting task seemed effortless. The CF1000 is built to withstand heavy duty and prolong usages.

This monster of a machine can be summed up in 3 easy steps (never more, never less):

Depending on whether you’re stripping or crimping, you can just flip the appropriate switches (there are only two options so no room for mistakes there) and then set the knob to the desired diameter for stripping.

If you’re stripping, you could insert the wires in the hole and witness magic happen before your eyes. If you’re crimping and stripping, you need to dump the ferrules in the turbine-like bowl at the top of the machine. And then, naturally, magic happens when you insert the wire into the hole.

And you’re done! Once the wires have been inserted (either stripping or crimping), you’ll get the end result.

Features	Benefits
Easy navigation	Option to Crimp or Strip wires in seconds
1000 conductors can be processed an hour	Easy to use, no prior knowledge needed
Built for heavy duty, long hours	Comes with accessories to meet your industrial demands

The CF3000 (2 in 1 Strip/Crimp on-the-go)

Unlike the CF1000, Phoenix Contact’s CF3000 model is made with mobility in mind. While the CF1000 is ideal for industrial usage, the CF3000 allows both Stripping and Crimping on the go. Users only need to feed the reel of ferrules and the CF3000 will crimp/strip cables within a matter of seconds – just like a machine gun.

I’ll show you (no stranger here. In 3 easy steps):

Open the safety hatch and slide the safety panel. Insert the box of ferrules of your choice on to the safety panel shown below.

Just like bullets on a machine gun, load the ferrules (or ammo as I call it) into the feed fixture as shown below. Once you’ve load the ferrules till you no longer can, that means you’re good to go.

With the ferrules primed and ready, it’s time to put this baby to the test. Close the safety hatch and then you can start inserting the wires into the hole shown below. Be amaze at how fast the wires are being stripped and crimped.

Features	Benefits
Portable and lightweight	Easy to use, no prior knowledge needed
1200 conductors can be processed an hour	Option to Crimp or Strip wires in seconds
Safe and secure usage	Comes with different ferrules and accessories for on the go wire maintenance

FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The CF1000 and The CF3000 may not look identical but their functions are similar, they both Strip and Crimp your cable within seconds. The only difference is that the CF1000 is great for industrial usage and requires a compression tank fitted into the machine. The CF3000, however, requires only electricity.

With that said, the CF3000 requires manual insertion of the ferrules to start the crimping process, whereas with the CF1000, you can pour in a whole box of ferrules and the job can commence.

So you see folks if you have any wire woes look no further. Phoenix Contact has the solution.

With business picking up you need to ensure that you concentrate more on customer servicing and the actual wiring job rather than menial task such as cutting, stripping and crimping wires.

Our products are made in Germany so expect the best in terms of quality and precision. They’re also built for safety and easy usage so anyone can get a head start.

Why Phoenix Contact’s Productivity Tools?

Saves time and effort – by relying on technology to automate task.
Provides consistent quality– preset your measurements and let the machines cut, strip and crimp to precise results.
User-friendly – Electricians, Technicians and even students have used our tools.

Schools and laboratories have used it, building contractors have used it, major global companies have used it and now, you could too!

*Psst…Did we say that it’s on promotion now?

For more information on our products, visit our promotional website below:

Cut, Strip, Crimp Promotion

Phoenix Contact Has Industrial PCs (IPC) Too!

From Wayne Yang | March 9, 2017

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Phoenix Contact has come a long way with our IPC. Yes! Industrial PCs. We have always been known for our terminal blocks and other passive components such as relays and PCB connectors. However, Phoenix Contact is not a name one would link to IPCs.

Source: Ontario Power Station

Embarking on a drive to introduce active components during the 1970’s, the ‘Second Industrial Revolution’, success was achieved in the European Automotive market since it was a period of rapid growth. With the mass production of cars fueling industrial progress, our INTERBUS range of automation products soon elevated Phoenix Contact to become a household name in the European Automotive Industry.

Unfortunately, the same success could not be replicated in Asia. With Japan being the only player in the past 5 decades and in recent times China, Thailand and Malaysia, the Phoenix Contact name did not really catch on in Southeast Asia for Automation products such as the Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC). Nevertheless, in the last two decades, Phoenix Contact continued to develope a wide range of automation products targeted at other industries.

One such industry is the Power Industry.

More Than Just Terminal Blocks

In one of our recent roadshows, we found out that a hydroelectric dam managed by the local utilities authority was expanding with two new plants. Our customer was in need of our components such as digital display, measuring instrument, relays, terminal blocks etc…and we provided them with samples to test.

During the engagement with the project team, we realised that they were in need of an Industrial PC to use with their software to drive the Power Management System. We proposed our product but the team was skeptical if our IPC would be compatible with their software. They have had no prior experiences with our IPCs.

Consequently, we loaned them a sample for testing. Reformatting our IPC to install a fresh copy of their software, our hardware was connected and tested with their system. The team concluded that our IPC was 100% compatible with their software.

Why Phoenix Contact’s IPC?

Phoenix Contact’s IPC was chosen not just because it was 100% compatible with our customer’s software but because of our teams dedication to ensuring that our customers would be successful integrating our products into their system.

Throughout the testing, our team provided close support and technical assistance to help streamline their engineering and design process.

What Products Do We Recommend?

EMPro Energy Meter

Measuring instrument – EEM-MA600 – 2901366 : For measurement and indication of electrical parameters (voltage, current, frequency, etc) in which voltage and frequency are converted to analog outputs to feedback to Power distribution system for generator control.

Digital Display

Digital display – FA MCR-D-TUI-UI-2REL-UP – 2907064: For the measurement and indication of generator bearing and winding temperature via RTDs. Relay outputs from digital display triggered upon reaching temperature threshold.

Industrial PC

Industrial PC – BL PPC 7000 – 2701398 – For the running and operation of the Power distribution software.

Relay Module

Relay Module – PR2-RSC3-LDP-24DC/2X21 – 2834643: Used as interposing relay which requires at least 10A.

Our team is dedicated to helping you to find the products that best fit your requirements. If you are successful, we are successful. Contact us at marketing@phoenixcontact.com.sg and we will gladly visit you to let you know more about our products and services.