Service centre in China. Zhou, Yao (Managing Director, HIMA China

Supporting customers in southeast China.

Peter Sieber opens new centre with a flourish!
(left:Zhou, Yao (MD HIMA China)

The HIMA Group has a high installed base in southeast China and supports customers with safety engineering and lifecycle services to operate their plants safely and efficiently, and to achieve added value through the digitalization of functional safety. They have now opened a new Service Center in Zhanjiang, Guangdong (CN)

The safety expert has a clear strategy to further expand customer partnerships. This Service Centre has been opened to provide even better support to customers in southeastern China and in particular to the new BASF Verbund site in Zhanjiang, where HIMA solutions are going to be used. By utilising the latest digital technologies and applying the highest safety standards, HIMA is supporting BASF at this site, which will be built into a role model for smart manufacturing and sustainable production.

"The opening of the new service center is another important milestone for the HIMA Group and follows our strategy, to strengthen our customer partnerships and to support first-class-safety solutions close to our customers", says Jörg de la Motte, CEO of HIMA Group.

Digital tools made available by HIMA in combination with a jointly developed security concept are the baseline for effective implementation of a safety management system being compliant with national Chinese and international safety and security standards.

“This new service center aims to provide our customer the best lifecyle services. BASF Zhanjiang Verbund site will be the most important focus of this service center. It will cover the service needs from southeast of China as well.”, emphasized Yao Zhou, Managing Director of HIMA China.

The opening ceremony was kicked off by Peter Sieber, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at HIMA Group and former Managing Director of HIMA China. “I’m pleased that HIMA China is growing their business on solid steps. The opening of the Zhanjiang Service Center marks another important milestone of the development of HIMA in China”, he said.

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#HIMA #PAuto #Safety #China

Calibration & maintenance service partner announced.

esz AG calibration & metrology and Anritsu Corporation have signed an agreement to appoint esz AG as a new, official Anritsu Certified Service Partner (ACSP). Under the agreement, esz AG will perform DAkkS and ISO17025 calibrations of Anritsu systems in Germany and Europe. In addition, esz AG will also offer functional testing, maintenance, repair and recalibration services for this equipment in the future.

Murray Coleman, Anritsu’s Head of Customer Service for the EMEA region, said: "We are confident that the partnership with esz AG will provide our customers in Germany and Europe with the highest level of customer satisfaction. They will benefit from esz AG's long experience and expertise in calibration, as well as Anritsu's close support and product knowledge."
 

The ACSP contract currently covers the following device types: Power Meters & Sensors; Instacal & RF Components; Counter/Counter Modules; Signal Generators; Spectrum Analysers; OSA & OTDR; Vector Network Analysers; SiteMaster; and Short-Range Wireless Tester. The range of devices covered by esz AG is set to expand in the future.

"We are very pleased that Anritsu has selected esz AG calibration & metrology as a certified partner in Germany and Europe. With our decades of experience as a calibration and service provider, we offer Anritsu customers a high-quality service," said Daniel Herrmann, managing director of sales and marketing at esz AG. "The partnership expands our technical knowledge of Anritsu's solutions and strengthens our position as a calibration and maintenance specialist in Europe."

@Anritsu @AnritsuEMEA @esz_ag @NapierPR #Europe #TandM

Service contracts expanded.

Signal Group has announced the launch of a new flexible range of service contracts, which enable customers to determine the level of service required. “No two companies are the same,” explains Signal Group Service Manager Roy Kinslow, “so it makes sense for us to offer a tiered-package approach to service contracts.

“Our gas analysers are designed and built for accurate and reliable measurements, but in order to optimise performance, it is necessary to establish a planned maintenance and calibration routine. These new flexible service contracts therefore offer customers the ability to build resilience into their monitoring work; developing plans for unforeseen events and avoiding downtime.”

Each of the different service levels include full technical support via phone and email, but customers are able to choose whether their plan should also include features such as scheduled site visits and emergency call-outs. Each service plan also provides extra discount on spares and consumables.

@GasAnalysers @_Enviro_News #PAuto #TandM

Service to process industry completely changed.

Process Insights Inc., has enhanced its customer support with the launch of GO Remote Connected Service (GO).

Joe Schwab, Chief Commercial Officer, Process Insights said, “GO Remote Connected Service has completely changed the way we help customers around the globe, providing a faster, more efficient and productive service as well as being able to identify problems before they become major threats to the facility."

GO is an intelligent, safe, fast, and efficient service that minimizes unexpected downtime, and provides reliable support around the clock, globally. Customers will benefit from this state-of-the-art service by being able to access industry-specific technical support from a team of experts from any device. Customers can use GO whenever it is needed, ensuring a timely response. Information is shared in real-time, and accessed via smart devices and apps, reducing travel time and costs.

The new service works on multiple smart devices, including Realwear. It is easily configurable and customizable to individual specific requirements. Operating remotely allows technicians to access real-time monitoring, analysis, and status of systems.

Traditionally, service would have been performed by technicians via an onsite visit, and only after the fault or total failure occurred. With the GO, a robust, safe remote service solution, now service technicians can access real-time monitoring, analysis, and status, easily to track service history, and download service reports.

This preventative maintenance solution means that potential major malfunctions can be identified in advance, reducing the need for unexpected shutdowns in industrial facilities, also sparing personnel and travel expense.

Utilizing Process Insights’ GO software, customers can track service history, download reports, schedule maintenance visits, track orders, view contract details, and manage deliverables. 

Download App.

Scott Fleishner, General Manager for Process Insights – The Americas, stated “we have best-in-class experts on hand to help with emergency support, as well as general advice and maintenance. This all leads to seamless, proactive support where and when needed, and affords our customers immediate access to our experts. It’s all about reducing downtime.”

@ProcessInsights @codacomms #PAuto 

Remote valve service!

Remote Assistance service is supported by augmented reality to deliver secure and cost-effective real-time expert valve repair

Emerson has announced its new Remote Assistance service capability to help plant operators immediately respond to industrial valve issues by using augmented reality (AR) technology. The AR technology uses a robust, secure channel certified as ISO 27001-compliant. Valve repairs are advised and guided by Emerson experts as part of the company’s expanding Connected Services portfolio in its Plantweb™ digital ecosystem.

“Our customers are supporting critical infrastructure through the global health crisis that we’re experiencing, but they still encounter issues where they need outside help. We’re able to continue our promise of support while protecting essential on-site staff and Emerson technicians through the use of this technology,” said Clint Schneider, director of Emerson’s digital valve services.

Using a mobile device, plant personnel can securely share their field of view through the AR software as Emerson valve experts help troubleshoot and solve valve problems. Step-by-step instructions are overlaid in the field-user’s application to support installation, calibration or repair actions.

Valves play a key role in reducing variability and increasing reliability in production because they touch so many areas of operations. In any given process facility, there could be hundreds to thousands of valves in operation. Depending on the criticality and the application, the maintenance plans could vary from daily monitoring to less-frequent inspections and repairs. Ensuring valves meet operational standards requires detailed record-keeping and right-skilled talent to oversee the repair.

Real-time video communication enables users to resolve issues faster and minimise instruction errors that often occur with audio-only support while eliminating travel time and the cost of getting technicians to the work site. In addition, operators can expand their in-house knowledge base and staff skillsets through on-the-job troubleshooting guidance and recommendations to remediate issues, up to and including oversight of the final repair.

The Remote Assistance service is available for Emerson valve, actuator and regulator product portfolios – and in some instances can cover non-Emerson products, as some Emerson technicians have extensive backgrounds in repairing products from other manufacturers.

Plantweb leverages IIoT technologies, software and services to expand digital intelligence throughout a workforce, enhancing workflows and processes to provide personnel with the insights needed to accelerate performance improvement.

#PAuto @EMR_Automation @Emerson_News @HHC_Lewis

Service centre opened!

Advantech has opened its new Japan Service Center located in Fukuoka Prefecture. With the completed acquisition of OMRON Nohgata shares in February 2019, now known as Advantech Technologies Japan (ATJ), and it has the largest campus in Advantech group. The Advantech Japan Service center will embrace OMRON Nohgata’s quality of excellence, own fully enough expandable size of its warehouse and see production capacity nearly tripled, helping Advantech drive regional growth and meet customers’ growing Industry 4.0 needs through “Configured Order to Service (CTOS)”.

According to Mike Koike, President of Advantech Japan “The Advantech Japan service center in Nohgata leverages the CTOS know-how and Advantech brand for the same global standard of excellence offered in other regions like the U.S. and EU under Advantech in-house operation.”

In the production area of the plant, Advantech practices Industry 4.0 with highly customized CTOS Manufacturing Execution System (iCTOS MES), with real-time data monitoring, to help managers take action, speed improvement cycles and support a high degree of product customization.

This new CTOS production plant will enable Advantech to offer custom assembly of equipment ranging from an industrial-grade small edge, desktop, panel, and rack-mounted PCs, up to server assembly. Advantech will also provide custom assembly including GPU cards required for acceleration of AI and computing processing and FA/industrial applications, frame grabber card for camera input, AI/IoT, selection of sensor input and output cards needed to suit customer needs in the IoT era.

In addition to the new CTOS production plant, the logistics warehouse will also be integrated into this plant, and the Advantech Group will operate as a production and logistics base in Japan, out of 27 countries around the world. In this way, we will provide the world-class technology of Advantech, a global brand, with the fine quality of Made in Japan. In addition, by having logistics functions, it will be possible to quickly respond to the needs and demands of Japanese customers.

#PAuto #TandM #Japan @AdvantechIA @iAutomation_EU

Strain gauge bonding service.

Applied Measurements offer a complete design, bonding and wiring service from one-off projects to high volume applications. What’s more, they can even bond and wire onto their customers' own free-issued hardware.

Their In-House strain gauging team provides:

• Dedicated In-House Bonding Room
• Expert Guidance an Advice
• Full Design, Bonding & Wiring Service
• One-Off to High Volume
• Delivery Dates to Suit You
• Temperature Compensation
• Protective Coatings
• Signal Conditioning Integration
• Special Environmental Protection Options
• High Temperature Versions for use at up to 200°C!

In-house strain gauge facility
All train gauge bonding is carried out in their strictly controlled on-site strain gauging room. The temperature, humidity and airflow are continually monitored to ensure optimum gauging conditions.

Flawless bond
A flawless bond is guaranteed by our strict ultrasonic cleaning procedures and use of special adhesives. The bond is carried out immediately after surface cleaning and, along with high accuracy marking techniques, delivers precise positioning and optimum sensing performance.

Design consultation
A complete design, strain gauge and wiring service is offered to meet exacting needs. They offer full, half and quarter bridge configurations, metalwork heat treatment, preparation and machining, bead blasting, anodising, and welcome enquiries for strain gauging requirements.

@AppMeas #PAuto 

Automation operations nervecentres extended in Europe & USA.

Two new ABB Ability™Collaborative Operations Centres near Miami, (FL USA) and Genoa (I), are extending the company’s network.

The centres function as the central nervous system for assets and systems fitted with ABB technology. Countless sensors transmit data on the health and performance of machines and essential systems to the centres, where sophisticated software performs advanced data analytics 24/7. The insights gained allow engineers to quickly diagnose potential issues, advise on preventive maintenance or suggest measures to improve performance. ABB experts and customers work in close collaboration, taking data-driven decisions in real time that increase operational performance and business profitability.

Further to the two new centres, ABB already operates Collaborative Operations Centers in Singapore; Billingstad, Norway; Helsinki, Finland; Västerås, Sweden; San Diego, California and Dalfsen in the Netherlands. The centers support customers for example in the marine and ports industry leveraging the “follow the sun” principle. ABB provides real-time support for operating vessels, with ABB software combining weather forecasts with vessel and load data to assist captains in plotting the ideal course.

“The opening of these two new centers demonstrates our leadership in bringing ‘big data’ benefits to our customers,” said Peter Terwiesch, President of ABB’s Industrial Automation division. “ABB today remotely monitors and provides real-time support to more than 700 ships. That number is set to increase to 3,000 by 2020.”

ABB Ability Collaborative Operations is a true Internet-of-Things application and part of the company’s ABB Ability portfolio of industry-leading digital solutions. Collaborative Operations delivers performance management, remote monitoring and predictive analysis technologies to ensure safety and security, and improve operational efficiency and productivity across industries including the cement, chemicals, manufacturing, marine, metals, mining, oil & gas, ports, pulp & paper, power generation and water industries.

@ABBgroupnews #IoT #PAuto

Hospital for sick transducers!

It’s a sad situation when a transducer becomes sick or injured, but unfortunately it does happen.   Whether in the line of duty or due to handler’s abuse, with Applied Measurements’ Treatment Centre the patient need not be poorly for long.

Using Applied Measurements’ Treatment Centre customers receive:

• NO Initial Inspection Fee
• 6 Months Warranty on ALL Repairs
• UKAS Traceable Calibration Certificates Available for Every Repaired Transducer
• Detailed Fault Report Sent Out Within 7 Working Days of Receipt
• Dedicated Team of Experts to Repair Your Transducer

They will accept any stain gauge based transducer for repair, whether it was supplied by them originally or another manufacturer (no questions asked!).  "There’s no need to worry about unexpected costs either, as we do NOT charge an initial inspection fee and we will NOT carry out any procedures without your prior approval."

What to do!
Just send in your faulty strain gauge based transducer.   "Once the patient has been received, we will send out a detailed fault report within 7 working days of its arrival. Depending on the injury, most are able to be repaired and sent home within 14 working days of arrival.   Calibration certificates traceable to UKAS National Standards are provided when required to verify that the patient is ready for release.   If that’s not enough, we are so convinced of our high level of service that we give all our repairs a 6 month warranty."

Fit-For-Fit Replacements
If your transducer is beyond repair, don’t despair.  A replacement can be offered, "even if it’s not one of our own products!" They can design and manufacture a direct like-for-like replacement, no matter where the original was purchased, even if it’s no longer available from the original manufacturer.

So, if you have an unhealthy transducer, don’t make it suffer any longer.

@AppMeas #PAuto

Remote monitoring & engineering by customers #PAuto

As part of its VPS (VigilantPlant Services: a suite that helps customers achieve the ideal plant) initiative, Yokogawa Electric Corporation will release an upgraded VPSRemote service solution later this month. VPSRemote is a solution for the remote monitoring and general and preventive maintenance of systems. The upgraded VPSRemote now allows users to link their plants around the world and provide operation support and engineering services from specified locations on the network. The upgraded VPSRemote solution can now be used with information systems as well as control systems.

Development Background

As plant control systems grow more complex and sophisticated, they are increasingly used together with safety instrumented systems, manufacturing execution systems, and the like. Manufacturers with global operations, thus, need the capability to provide remote operation support and engineering services for both the control and the information systems used at their plants.

Yokogawa has provided remote maintenance service since the 1980s, and in 2012 released VPSRemote, a remote monitoring and general and preventive maintenance service that is delivered over a dedicated, highly reliable, and fast network. Yokogawa has now upgraded VPSRemote to add flexibility in how these services are provided.

Outline of Upgrade
1. Support of the use of dedicated networks by customers for the remote operation support and engineering
With this upgrade to VPSRemote, customers now can set up a dedicated network linking their plants and engineering departments. Via this network, company personnel can share access to system displays and, in real time, perform operations, set parameters, and change settings from any location on the network. Thus, for example, operators at a main factory can check the condition of a system at a new plant in another country. If required, they can provide remote support to an operator while viewing the target system’s display.

2. Information systems support
Previously, VPSRemote could only be used with the CENTUM integrated production control system and the ProSafe-RS safety instrumented system. The upgraded VPSRemote service now covers information systems such as the Exaquantum plant information management system. Using VPSRemote, both Yokogawa’s Global Response Centers and Yokogawa’s customers now have the ability to remotely monitor and maintain the control and information systems at plants 24 hours a day, all year round.

Major Target Markets and Purposes
Oil, petrochemical, iron and steel, pulp and paper, electric power, gas, and other types of plants
• Remote operation support and engineering by customers
• Remote operation support and engineering by Yokogawa

Outline of VPSRemote
VPSRemote is a remote service solution that has been used by Yokogawa’s Global Response Centers (GRCs) to link with the systems at customer plants. As VPSRemote only allows connections from predetermined domains, remote monitoring and maintenance can be performed without endangering system security. This solution has enabled the GRCs to provide the support needed to quickly troubleshoot problems and recover from failures. This also allows the collection and analysis of information needed for preventive maintenance and enables automatic notification of system failures to the GRCs. With this upgrade to VPSRemote, customers now have the same ability to provide remote monitoring and maintenance services for their plant facilities.

Yokogawa will continue to work hard to improve its entire range of VigilantPlant Services, including VPSRemote, with the aim of ensuring safe and highly efficient operations over the entire lifecycle of its customers’ plant facilities.

Expanded service capability to meet critical customer needs!

Smart project and support service connections bridge critical gaps in customer resources

Emerson Process Management has added more than 4000 service personnel since 2005 and plans to increase its global service staff at approximately twice the industry growth rate for the next four years. The rapid growth is part of a strategic expansion of project and support services to meet customers’ growing needs.

Today’s economics require that most process manufacturers have only the staff necessary to maintain efficient operations. This leads to a "capabilities gap" when substantial new capital investments are undertaken or when maintenance requirements spike, as during a plant turnaround. Emerson’s expanded service capabilities help customers meet the challenges of both situations.

Slide shared at Emerson European Press Event in June 2013

"The number of large automation projects for which we’ve been chosen – increasingly as Main Automation Contractor – has dramatically increased in the past two years," explained Steve Sonnenberg, President of Emerson Process Management. "Many of these projects are in emerging markets, often focused on meeting critical infrastructure needs or developing natural resources. Not only do they require large amounts of engineering effort for design, commissioning and start-up, but once they’re up and running they need prompt, dependable support services to stay at peak efficiency."

Process manufacturers also realise that achieving best-in-class operations often requires adopting new technology, but they are not necessarily staffed to implement major technology initiatives. Emerson can also help them bridge this gap by providing contract personnel to do initial set-up of new technology approaches and assist with on-going support programmes.

"We are very pleased that our customers are opting to meet their project and service needs by partnering with Emerson Process Management," said Sonnenberg. "It’s our goal to address the gaps in our customers’ in-house capabilities with our quality services. The aggressive investment programme we’ve put in place will help us meet those needs."

• See also Reports from Europe: Emerson raises the Baar and Move to promote support services and work ever closer to customers!

Cybersecurity assessment service

Invensys has a new cyber security assessment service to help its customers understand the risks that might impact the safety and reliability of their operations. The assessment is a key part of any security best practice program, helping to ensure critical infrastructure protection and compliance with corporate, industry and/or government mandates. Performed on-site, the control system assessment provides a baseline of the user’s current security position, and it can be used as the starting point to develop a strategy to meet the challenges of reducing and managing security risks.

The assessment, which includes the following service elements, allows Invensys to develop a unique and customized approach to addressing security issues:
• Site and system assessment: A site review and system-specific vulnerabilities. The results of the assessment are provided in a conclusive report highlighting critical assets, vulnerabilities and risks.
• Compliance assessment: Invensys addresses compliance status by reviewing operations and processes against required corporate compliance standards.
• Establish security baseline: A security baseline allows customers to gauge progress against current status and operating models for security.

Invensys is at the forefront of automation and information systems and their intricate integration. The company has been in the controls industry for over 100 years and has pioneered many of the technology shifts that have allowed the modern control system to be so diverse, flexible, and open.

Service Overview:
• Comprehensive approach is the vital first step in determining your security requirements;
• Baseline and benchmark the security of your critical assets;
• Appropriate and applicable industry standards, government regulations and mandates;
• Identification and assessment of the risks that could impact your control system operation;
• Gap analysis highlights and recommends mitigation necessary to improve security;
• Assess policies, procedures and technical measures;
• Vendor-neutral and applicable to all control systems and their interconnections.

Control services

Company growth drives web enhancement

Classic Automation, the international provider of parts, products and services for installed control systems, has continued to experience rapid growth prompting the need for its newly enhanced web site. The new site focuses on improved customer service through on-line ordering, live inventory and expanded part information. The site has been designed specifically to help our customers find the spare parts that they need.

“Challenging economic conditions increasingly require industrial companies to prolong the useful life of their control systems”, explains Fritz Ruebeck, company president. “We provide quality surplus parts on a high availability basis. Our web site provides instant access to part availability and ordering to help them meet their maintenance logistic needs.”