Abstract: An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) provides a development framework for designing, programming, and configuring multiple aspects of an industrial automation system using a common design environment and data model. Projects creating using embodiments of the IDE system can be built on an object-based model rather than, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end, the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve as building blocks for this object-based development structure. To ensure consistency within and between projects, as well as to ensure that a given industrial project is dynamically updated to reflect changes to an industrial asset's attributes (e.g., control code, visualization definitions, testing scripts, analytic code, etc.), embodiments of the IDE system can use automation object inheritance features to propagate changes made to an automation object definition to all instances of the automation object used throughout a control project.

Abstract: A method may involve receiving, via at least one processor, a request from an industrial component operating in an industrial automation system, such that the request may include an indication of a software function. The method may then involve querying a container registry having a plurality of container images based on the software function, identifying at least one container image of the plurality of container images that corresponds to the software function, sending an indication of the at least one container image to the industrial component, and receiving a selection of the at least one container image from the industrial component. The method may also involve retrieving the at least one container image from the container registry and sending the at least one container image to the industrial component.

Abstract: An industrial CAD system is supplemented with features that allow a developer to easily convert a mechanical CAD model of an automation system to a dynamic digital twin capable of simulation within a simulation platform, including simulation of fluid dynamics throughout the system. The features allow the user to label selected elements of a mechanical CAD drawing with “aspects” within the CAD environment, and to add fluid models representing fluids that travel through or are processed by the system. Based on these aspect labels and fluid models, the CAD platform transforms the mechanical CAD model into a dynamic digital twin that can be exported to a simulation and testing platform to facilitate simulation of both machine operation and fluid dynamics.

Abstract: An airflow health predictive maintenance system and method for a motor drive includes a differential pressure sensor that senses an air pressure differential between a sensing location within an enclosed cabinet space of the motor drive and a reference location. The system includes an electronic control system configured to select a setpoint that indicates that airflow through the cabinet space has reached a value associated with a need for air filter maintenance. The control system is further configured to obtain air pressure differential measurements periodically from the differential pressure sensor and generate an actual trend comprising a series of values, wherein each of the values of the actual trend is derived from one or more of the air pressure differential measurements.

Abstract: An industrial system includes a load control assembly, an integrated absence of voltage tester (AVT), and an absence of voltage indicator. The load control assembly has a supply input, a load output, a disconnecting device, and a load controller coupled to the load output, with the disconnecting device coupled between the supply input and the load controller. The AVT is integrated into one of the disconnecting device and the load controller, and the AVT configured to detect an absence of an operating voltage of the load control assembly. The absence of voltage indicator is coupled to the AVT and configured to indicate the absence of an operating voltage of the load control assembly detected by the AVT.

Abstract: Techniques for data transmission within an industrial automation system include modeling or simulating, in accordance with a model, a plurality of devices performing one or more operations in an industrial automation system, determining, for a first operation of the one or more operations and from a plurality of categories, a category for the first operation, sending a request to the industrial automation system for data associated with the first operation at a time, wherein the data and time are determined based on the category of the first operation, receiving, from the industrial automation system, the requested data, and modifying the model based on the received data.

Abstract: A system for distributing DC bus voltage and control power to multiple motors includes a rectifier front end supplying a DC bus voltage and a DC control voltage. Both the DC bus voltage and the DC control voltage are distributed via a common set of conductors. Diodes are operatively connected between the DC control voltage and the common set of conductors. The diodes allow forward conduction of the DC control voltage and distribution of control power to distributed devices when the DC bus voltage is not present. Once the DC bus voltage is present, the diodes block conduction of the DC control voltage. Each of the distributed devices are configured with an internal power supply that is operative to generate an internal control voltage from either the DC control voltage or the DC bus voltage.

Abstract: A method for managing device lifecycles within an industrial automation environment includes receiving a request for lifecycle management data including a scanning configuration, producing configuration data obtained by scanning industrial devices specified by the scanning configuration, receiving lifecycle management data including a lifecycle phase for the industrial devices, generating a graphical representation of the lifecycle phase of the industrial devices, determining an identity of a replacement device for a first industrial device of the industrial devices having a predetermined lifecycle phase, generating a graphical representation of replacement information including the identity of the replacement device, and managing migration to the replacement device by initiating replacement of the first industrial device with the replacement device.

Abstract: A system for communicating between redundant devices balances the desired attributes of a high availability (HA) control system and a safety control system. The system includes concurrent connections as a fault tolerant mechanism for industrial protocol connections at the transport layer. The concurrent connections establish multiple paths for redundancy from a data producer to a data consumer. Concurrent connections increase availability of the HA control and safety instrumented systems. More specifically, concurrent connections and architectural redundancies eliminate a single point of failure within the control system and further reduce safety connection timeouts during fault detection and/or recovery. Concurrent connections may be used to keep a HA system operational or to provide detection of a failure in a safety system. The industrial control network may be configured to function as a HA control system, as a safety control system, or with certain degrees of both HA and safety-related operation.

Abstract: A cloud-based modeler component that generates interactive models of an industrial automation system(s) (IAS(s)) is presented. An interactive model facilitates remote viewing of, interaction with, troubleshooting of problems with, or optimization of industrial assets of an IAS. The modeler component polls industrial assets via cloud gateways to obtain information relating to the industrial assets to identify industrial assets of the IAS and relationships with other industrial assets or can receive information from a communication device that obtains information relating to legacy industrial assets to identify those legacy assets and their relationships. The modeler component generates an interactive model of the industrial assets of the IAS based on the information.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices are disclosed herein for the integrated design and deployment of process control logic and power control logic in the context of industrial automation environments. In an implementation a computer displays, in an integrated design environment, representations of process control logic for controlling manufacturing devices an industrial automation process and of power control logic for controlling electrical devices in the industrial automation process. The computer further deploys the process control logic and the power control logic to a programmable logic controller (PLC) that controls the industrial automation process.

Abstract: A motor-drive system may include a rectifier, a metal-oxide varistor (MOV) assembly, and an inverter. The rectifier may generate a direct current (DC) voltage based on a first voltage received from at least one supply voltage line coupled to a voltage source. The MOV assembly may include at least two metal-oxide varistors (MOVs) respectively coupled to the at least one supply voltage lines. The MOV assembly may couple between the voltage source and the rectifier. The motor-drive system may also include a permanently-installed jumper to couple at least one MOV of the at least two MOVs of the MOV assembly to a system ground. The inverter of the motor-drive system may convert the DC voltage to an alternating current (AC) voltage, which may be provided to a load of the motor-drive system.

Abstract: An industrial control system may receive processing information from at least two control systems associated with at least two components within an industrial automation system. The processing information may include a processing load value for each of the at least two control systems. The industrial control system may then distribute processing loads associated with the at least two control systems when a total processing load between the at least two control systems is unbalanced.

Abstract: An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) supports collaborative development of industrial projects, such as human-machine interface applications, industrial controller programs, device configurations, or other such projects. Rather than merging edits by comparing text representations of the edited projects on a line-by-line basis, the system expresses the edited and base versions of the system project as unified information models that represent the project versions as hierarchical organizations of nodes representing elements of the project, and compares corresponding nodes of the information models to obtain differential statuses for the nodes. The various versions of the nodes are then merged into a single consistent model based on the differential statuses of the nodes.

Abstract: A method may include receiving, by respective processing circuitry of one or more power modules of an industrial automation device, a control signal from a controller of the industrial automation device. The power modules may include driver circuitry and a power converter that may provide power to a motor based on the signal. The method may also include, detecting, by the respective processing circuitry, a lack of communication from the controller based on the signal, and, in response to detecting the lack of communication from the controller, transmitting, by the respective processing circuitry, a first command to gating signal enable circuitry to disable the driver circuitry, and transmitting, by the respective processing circuitry, a second command to driver power circuitry to prevent power from being provided to the driver circuitry.

Abstract: Techniques to facilitate synchronization of industrial assets in an industrial automation environment are disclosed herein. In at least one implementation, a computing system receives time-series industrial process data associated with a plurality of process subsystems of an industrial automation process. The time-series industrial process data is fed into a machine learning model associated with the industrial automation process to dynamically generate a process duration prediction for a first one of the process subsystems and responsively determine an updated set point for a second one of the process subsystems based on the process duration prediction for the first one of the process subsystems. The updated set point for the second one of the process subsystems is provided to an industrial controller associated with the second one of the process subsystems.

Abstract: An industrial integrated development environment (IDE) provides a development framework for designing, programming, and configuring multiple aspects of an industrial automation system using a common design environment and data model. Projects creating using embodiments of the IDE system can be built on an object-based model rather than, or in addition to, a tag-based architecture. To this end, the IDE system can support the use of automation objects that serve as building blocks for this object-based development structure. These automation objects represent corresponding physical industrial assets and have associated programmatic attributes relating to those assets. Automation objects can be maintained in shared libraries that can be referenced by system projects. The IDE system can notify projects that reference these automation objects of updates to the object libraries, including edits to existing objects or addition of new objects.

Abstract: A non-transitory, computer-readable medium may include instructions executable by at least one processor in a computing device to cause the processor to perform operations that include transmitting, to a first power source, a command to provide power to a coil of a switching device with a fixed current profile. The operations also include receiving one or more voltage measurements associated with the coil during a period of time, determining whether the voltage measurements associated with the coil indicate that one or more movable contacts of the switching device are at least partially welded to one or more contacts of an electric circuit, and transmitting an additional command to a second power source to disconnect a current to the coil in response to determining that the voltage measurements indicate that the movable contacts of the switching device are at least partially welded to the contacts of the electric circuit.

Abstract: An apparatus to retain modules within a Motor Control Center (MCC) includes a plate mounted to each side of the module housing and at least one spring mounted to each plate within the module housing. The plate includes a hook at one end which connects to and pivots about an opening in the module while retaining the plate to the module. The plate also includes a retaining member extending through an opening in the module housing and configured to receive one end of the spring. The spring is under tension when connected between the retaining member of the plate and the module housing, pulling the retaining member toward the module housing. A biasing member which engages the housing of the MCC as the module is inserted is compressed toward the module during insertion. The spring pushes the biasing member outward after insertion, positively retaining the module to the MCC.

Abstract: A multidrop system configured to be installed within a motor control center (MCC) of an industrial automation system includes a trunkline. The trunkline includes multiple multidrop make and break devices connected through a trunkline cable. Each of the multidrop make and break device includes a first network component, and a second network component. The first network component is configured to form a first subnet over the trunkline. The second network component is configured to couple a MCC withdrawable unit and form a second subnet over a branchline that connects one or more nodes within the MCC withdrawable unit. The multidrop make and break device is configured to couple the MCC withdrawable unit to, and decouple the MCC withdrawable unit from, the second network component without disrupting the first subnet.