Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) has announced the newest release of its ControlEdge Programmable Logic Controller (PLC), which increases productivity and lowers total cost of ownership by offering enhanced connectivity options and engineering flexibility. Several new features of the PLC allow customers to choose from more third-party systems and field device options, as well as benefit from additional project design options.

ControlEdge-PLC-3-FPO

ControlEdge-PLC-3-FPO

ControlEdge PLC incorporates the following new features to further reduce configuration, integration and support costs:

• Ethernet/IP server and client – Allows integration with a wide range of multivendor Ethernet/IP I/O modules, drives, devices and controllers.

• Serial Interface Module – Provides support for Modbus RTU, Modbus ASCII and User Defined Protocols.

• Increased I/O options – Reduces cost and improves flexibility in system design.

• LEAP capabilities – LEAP reduces project risk by using lean execution. LEAP enhancements allow cloud enabled engineering through Honeywell’s Virtual Engineering Platform for simulation to support engineering, training, and testing without requiring hardware.

• Improved integration with Honeywell Experion PKS – Features native diagnostic displays for the new I/O modules and the Serial Interface Module.

ControlEdge PLC is used for general purpose automation in industries such as oil and gas, chemicals, refining, water, mining, food and beverage, infrastructure, cement and power generation. It is the first PLC to earn ISASecure Level 2 certification.

For more information visit ControlEdge PLC.

Source: http://www.tenlinks.com/news/honeywell-updates-controledge-programmable-logic-controller/

Industry experts have joined forces to launch a campaign urging policy makers to create legislation on appliance testing in rental properties.

It is nearly a year since the tragedy at Grenfell in the London borough of Kensington took 72 lives, and electrical testing equipment expert Seaward, backed by Grahame Morris MP, believe that now is the right time to press for changes in the law to make rented homes safer by introducing new regulations to help save lives.

Seaward wants to see a change in the law to require landlords in England to carry out regular electrical testing on the appliances in their rental properties, in the same way as it is mandatory in Scotland and Wales.

The company is also encouraging insurers to take portable appliance testing (PAT) into account when evaluating tenanted premises, to help highlight problems the tenant or landlord may not be aware of, such as simple wear and tear, recalled items or counterfeit appliances that do not meet UK safety standards.

Morris, a Labour politician, has sponsored an Early Day Motion calling for the topic to be debated in Parliament and support for the national campaign is growing.

He said: “I fully support Seaward’s important fire safety campaign. Electrical faults are one of the leading causes of domestic fires, and are cited as a possible cause of the Grenfell Tower tragedy.

“Regular PAT testing can ensure that electrical faults are identified, helping to prevent potentially lethal fires. It’s a quick, easy and affordable process that can save lives and protect property.”

The campaign is also backed by PAT testing company Hawkesworth Appliance Testing.

Michael Kiddle, UK operations director, said: “Hawkesworth conducts millions of PAT Tests, identifying and failing thousands of faulty appliances every week.

“We have seen substantial growth of fake/counterfeit items which without doubt have made their way into rented homes putting lives at risk.

“It is vital those items along with standard deteriorating appliances are checked, identified and taken out of service.

“Having been a firefighter myself for 13 years I’ve seen first-hand the damage and devastation faulty appliances can cause.”

Source: https://www.home.co.uk/guides/news/story.htm?new_campaign_to_make_electrical_testing_a_legal_requirement_in_england

To enter this competition, simply book any training course and select your preferred team to win this year’s World Cup!

• Regular Terms & Conditions apply
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• The prize will be paid to you in one of two ways: if you have already attended the course by the finish of the tournament, it will be posted to you. If you are yet to attend the course, the prize will be issued on the first day of you course once course payment has been made.
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An auto dismantling company has been fined CZK90,000 (€3,500) for failing to fully recover R134a from car air conditioning systems.

The Czech Environmental Inspectorate (ČIŽP) discovered breaches of the European F-gas regulations at Carmel Auto CZ, sro. The company carries out the dismantling of new Hyundai Tuscon at its facility in Ostrava-Radvanice. The individual parts are repackaged for sale abroad. As part of the dismantling of each vehicle, the R134a was also recovered for sale.

According to the CEI Regional Inspectorate in Ostrava, the company did not fully recover the R134a from the air conditioning units. The total amount of refrigerant not recovered in accordance with the current legislation, was said to be more than 900kg.

The company is also said to have failed to secure the recovery of the refrigerant by a person with the required certificate.

Source: https://www.coolingpost.com/news-headlines/auto-firm-fined-e3500-for-f-gas-breach/

The latest JIB Survey of Accidents at Work has shown that the 2017 accident incidence rate (AIR) for RIDDOR-reportable accidents is less than 10% of what it was in 2001.

This highly impressive statistic highlights the continuing commitment from electrical contractors to reduce accidents in the workplace, following the JIB, ECA and Unite the Union’s major industry-wide ‘ZAP’ safety initiative which launched 17 years ago.

JIB and ECA members contributed to the survey, which covered a sample size of almost 12,000 operatives.

Of the 17 reportable injuries, there were no fatalities and none of the injuries were due to contact with electricity. However, 11 were the result of falls or trips at height or at ground level.

According to Paul Reeve, ECA’s Director responsible for health and safety: “These excellent safety statistics are the lowest ever recorded in our industry. Even so, it’s clear that accidents linked to work at height and housekeeping remain the main site safety issues.

“ECA, working with industry partners and Unite, is currently chairing a working group (part of HSE’s recently-constituted ‘Managing Risk Well’ Group) that aims to reinvigorate concise, good practice advice on work at height. We aim to produce practical outputs that will help designers, clients, managers, supervisors and operatives to tackle the causes of this persistent category of site accident.”

To read the Survey of Accidents at Work Report visit: www.jib.org.uk/jib-accident-survey

Source: https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/90-decrease-industry-accidents-2001

The revision to the Wiring Regulations means, from the beginning of next year, all work carried out by electrical contractors will need to fully comply with the new regulations. It’s therefore important electrical contractors take the time now to understand the upcoming changes to ensure the transition to the 18th Edition is a smooth one.

What are the IET Wiring Regulations?

While the outlined changes are important, it’s also essential for electrical contractors to understand the rationale behind the changes in order to ensure they remain compliant. Referred to as ‘The Regs’ throughout the industry, the IET Wiring Regulations are the national standard for the design and erection of electrical installations in domestic, commercial and other buildings and installations.

Why are they changing?

The changes outlined in the 18th Edition were undertaken for a number of reasons: to ensure harmonisation with current European CENELEC standards; to further clarify existing IEC regulations; to further improve safety standards; and to allow for new technology and methods to be used in future years.

The need for the changes comes in response to the ways in which technology continues to develop and evolve. However, while a large part of the changes outlined in the 18th Edition are as a result of technological advancements, another key driver here is to fall in line with European standards. Largely based on an IEC and on European CENELEC harmonised documents (HDs).

As a full member of the European Standard CENELEC, the UK is required to publish an equivalent to the 60364 standard published by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to ensure harmonisation.

Will Brexit change anything?

As the UK prepares to leave the European Union, there will be no change to the UK’s involvement in international standards such as IEC. The UK intends to remain a full member of CEN and CENELEC, enabling UK experts to continue to influence standards that are used voluntarily across Europe.

What are the proposed changes?

In March, the IET and BSI announced the official list of changes to the 18th Edition of the Wiring Regulations, or BS 7671 as it’s otherwise known.

At Hager, we believe some of the most significant changes include: recommendations for Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs) in AC final circuits, changes to the requirements for the inclusion of surge protection devices, supporting wiring systems within buildings against their premature collapse in the event of a fire, provision of overload protection of devices within assemblies, and a consideration for the use of different types of RCDs. There are of course many others.

With a number of key areas in the spotlight, Hager is committed to helping ensure electrical contractors have a full working understanding of what will be different once the new regulations come into full force on 1st January 2019.

Source: http://professional-electrician.com/18th-edition/regs-live/

The RLA has told the Government there is no need for new rules on electrical safety.

In its official response to the Government’s consultation on the issue, the RLA makes the point that there is an existing statutory requirement for the landlord to keep electrical installations in good repair and proper working order – there is no need for new laws.

The Housing Health and Safety Rating System’s (HHSRS) Operating Guidance shows that the average risk to tenants from dangerous electrics is very low – less than half of the risk from noise and significantly less than the impact of overcrowding, dampness and the risk from radon.

The consultation follows the publication of a report by the Electrical Safety Standards Working Group in November.

The working group recommended that mandatory electrical installation checks should take place at least every five years.

However, the RLA believes a five-yearly test regime is not appropriate for single occupancy properties and small blocks of flats, particularly if electrical safety features are present, such as PVC wiring and RCDs.

It also opposes suggestions that inspections should be at inspectors’ discretion.

This opinion is echoed by the Health and Safety Executive. The national regulator is also strongly against these inspectors having discretion, not least because of their financial interest in more regular periods.

In some areas of London where discretion has been included in licensing conditions, annual inspections have become the norm.

The RLA has technical concerns regarding Electrical Installation Condition Reports (EICR) and also asked for clarity regarding ‘visual checks’.

However, it does agree with the working group that a scheme recognising competent and qualified electrical inspectors and testers should be introduced to eliminate any rogue contractors – and that any changes should be phased in.

The RLA already recommends members carry out checks on electrical appliances that they supply at the change of each tenancy – in line with the recommendations in the report.

Source: https://news.rla.org.uk/electrical-safety-legislation-already-exists-why-do-we-need-more/

Following the announcement of our World Cup competition, Technique can confirm the rules of the competition:

• Regular Terms & Conditions apply
• One entry to be made per booking form.
• Entries must be made by 21/06/2018
• If more than one person has backed the winning team, the final prize winner will be drawn at random the day after the final.
• The prize will be paid to you in one of two ways: if you have already attended the course by the finish of the tournament, it will be posted to you. If you are yet to attend the course, the prize will be issued on the first day of you course once course payment has been made.
• Offer unavailable for ELCAS bookings.
• If you are booking through a company, the voucher will be paid to the person doing the booking. The voucher cannot be split in anyway however once it has been issued is your to do as you please.
• Once the competition is over, you will be contacted by Technique Learning Solutions and asked to participate in a short interview that will be used for marketing purposes. This can be declined at the time if you do not wish your identity to be known.
• If nobody backs the winning team, the prize will remain unclaimed.

If  you have any questions about the competition, please contact ryan@learntechnique.com

The trend to use R32 refrigerant in air-conditioning systemsas a ‘green’ alternative to R410A is a good example of the global impact of the phasedown programme initiated by the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Agreement.

The Kigali Amendment, signed on 15 October 2016, includes specific targets and timetables to replace HFCs with more environment-friendly alternatives; provisions to prohibit or restrict countries that have ratified the protocol or its amendments from trading in controlled substances with states that are yet to ratify it; and an agreement by developed countries to help finance the transition of poor countries to alternative safer products.

In all regions in which A-Gas operates, Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) are regulated under the Montreal Protocol. The Kigali Amendment encompasses an orderly and gradual phasedown of high-GWP virgin HFC products, which is an important expansion of the Montreal Protocol’s framework.

In particular, African countries opted to phase down the chemicals faster than required, citing the grave threats the region faces due to climate change. The final agreement split the world’s major economies into three groups, each with a target phase-down date. The most developed countries, including the US and the European Union, will reduce the production and consumption of HFCs from 2019.

Most of the world, including China, Brazil, and all of Africa, will freeze the use of HFCs by 2024. A small group of the world’s hottest countries, such as Bahrain, India, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, only have to halt HFC production and use by 2028.

R32 has a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 675, as opposed to a GWP of 2088 for R410A. In terms of new equipment, A-Gas South Africa suggests that R407F (GWP = 1824) instead of R404A (GWP = 3922) or R507 (GWP = 3985) for new equipment is a good option to prevent future liability.

R32 has higher pressures than many mainstream refrigerants, in addition to mild flammability. “This is an excellent example of the industry overcoming its current environmental and regulatory challenges, and keeping up to date with the latest innovations and technological developments,” A-Gas South Africa National Sales Manager Michael Labacher comments.

HFO refrigerants such as R1234yf, R1233zd and R1234ze (GWP = < 6) are now also available. In addition, global refrigerant manufacturers are blending HFO and HFC components to create low-GWP blends like R448A and R449A designed to match the characteristics and performance of mainstream HFCs. These new blends are ideal for both new equipment and retrofit replacements.

These blends are being designed as retrofit replacements for existing high-GWP products. These gases are designed to be non-flammable, which translates into a higher GWP. However, it offers a safe retrofit option, with a significant reduction in terms of the HFC GWP’s being replaced.

Equipment manufacturers are being innovative in their approach, while evaluating the best solution for their business in the long term. For instance, in transport refrigeration, the two biggest global suppliers are now offering equipment using R452A (GWP = 2140) as an alternative to R404A (GWP = 3922).

R452A is a non-flammable HFO blend with a significant GWP-saving compared to R404A. It offers a useful interim product with minimal engineering work on the system until a long-term solution can be selected.

Natural refrigerants are becoming more established, with the technology around their safe use becoming more mature globally. In this regard, R717 (Ammonia) (GWP = 0) dominates the industrial and process cooling sector due to its superior energy efficiency and low fluid price.

However, R717 (Ammonia) systems have a high installation capex due to toxicity and a lack of compatibility with copper and brass. However, this is balanced out by lower operating costs. R744 (CO2) (GWP = 1) has become the refrigerant of choice in the supermarket sector for new installations, with both sub-critical and transcritical systems.

Sub-critical cascade systems with a R134a (GWP = 1430) primary refrigerant and a R744 secondary refrigerant can be upgraded easily to a non-flammable HFO blend such as R513A (GWP = 631) in order to reduce the carbon footprint even further.

Hydrocarbons such as R600a (Butane), R290 (Propane) and R1270 (Propylene) have been slower to penetrate the market internationally, mainly due to the misuse of these products in retrofit, domestic and automotive applications, resulting in highly-publicised incidents in which people were injured. However, the revision of our existing SANS 10147:2014 Edition 5 will entrench the safe use of hydrocarbons, and encourage their wider application.

Source: https://www.foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2018/04/25/EU-regulations-rocket-refrigerant-costs

Safety Programmable Logic Controller Market: Introduction to programmable logic controllers

A programmable logic controller is an industrial digital computer that has been toughened up to adapt for the control of diverse manufacturing processes such as robotic devices or assembly lines, or any other activity that necessitates ease of programming, process fault diagnoses and high-reliability control. All controllers available in the programmable logic controller market essentially serve the same purpose i.e. controlling some mechanical process. The most common programmable logic controller functions are control, sequencing and timing of actions such as turning pumps, valves or motors on or off.

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Safety Programmable Logic Controller Market: Difference between standard and safety programmable logic controllers

A safety programmable logic controller is a dedicated controller specially built to meet certain safety requirements such as the ISO 13849-1, IEC 62061 and IEC 61508 functional safety directives that define the Safety Integrity Level or the risk reduction level enabled by a particular safety function. There are several important differences at the hardware level between the physical programmable logic controller and the safety logic controller. The main difference between the two is the presence of self-checking and redundancy mechanisms in the safety programmable logic controllers that are not found in the standard programmable logic controller. Another key difference is in the input and output stage. In the case of the former, a safety programmable logic controller continuously keeps track of the input status to identify and malfunctions or failures that could indicate a problem in the machine itself or sometime in the future. In the latter case, there is additional safety circuitry between a connected device and the output meant to limit the damage to the external device in the event of any fault of malfunction.

So how can it be decided if an organisation needs a regular programmable logic controller or a safety programmable logic controller? Typically, the machine safety requirements are understood in one of two ways; by the safety regulations governing machines in the country where it is going to be used or on the basis of the machine type designed. For e.g.- there are substantial machine safety requirement differences between the U.S. and the E.U. or between the E.U. and China. Even machines deployed in the food and beverage industry, a stamping press controller, or an oil refinery controller have different safety requirements that must be taken into account.

The four main categories available in the safety programmable logic controller market are –

• Category 1 – Lowest category safety circuit. Single channel relay to safety
• Category 2 – Two channel safety circuit. The first channel is hardwired to an e-stop chain while the second channel can be either the PLC monitoring on safety switch auxiliary contact or another hardwire
• Category 3 – Two hardwired channels in a safety circuit. Those drives that have a ‘safe off’ feature are included in this category
• Category 4 – Two hardwired channels for a safety circuit with a safety relay that is self-monitoring. Category 4 is the toughest category and is the most popular in the automobile industry.

Safety Programmable Logic Controller Market: Advantages and disadvantages of safety programmable logic controllers

The main advantages of a safety programmable logic controller are –

• Major savings in the field wiring, particularly in safety categories 3 and 4
• Highly flexible and scalable
• Remote I/O capability with an added element of safety
• Standard and safety controls in one unit
• Adequate diagnostic capability
• Perfect for many e-stop zone applications

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There few disadvantages of safety programmable logic controller are –

• Higher upfront cost
• Requires a certain degree of programming
• Slightly complex for some applications
• Requires maintenance experts with specialized skills

Safety Programmable Logic Controller Market: Companies

A few of the most prominent companies in the safety programmable logic controllers market are Siemens, Pilz Automation Safety, Rockwell Automation Inc, ABB, and Yacoub Automation GmbH.

Source: https://exclusivereportage.com/192556/exploring-the-current-trends-and-future-outlook-for-safety-programmable-logic-controller-market/