#8 2022

CONTENTS №8

Industrial Automation Companies

Metran: 30 years of innovation

Metran Industrial Group is 30 in 2022. In the year of its 30^th anniversary, the Company transforms its business with the objective to become the leading domestic developer and manufacturer of process automation devices and systems. With Emerson leaving the Russian market, Metran aims at the soonest completion of a new platform to underlie its automation solutions for end users. Currently, it continues it continues the routine operations, accepts the orders, manufactures and ships both measuring instruments, such as pressure and temperature sensors, metrological equipment, flowmeters, functional and auxiliary equipment, and integrated solutions, renders after-market, complex engineering, maintenance, and calibration services in full scope.

Keywords: import replacement, import independence, sensors, instrumentation, process control systems.

Discussing a Topic…

Information security in industry

Dashchenko V.V., Satanin D.N., Goncharov E.V.  Evolution of threats to automated control systems: how it started and developed, and what to do know?

The paper overviews the development of information security tools in IT and industry. It discusses the state of the art in cybersecurity and formulates general recommendations for businesses operating in the current extraordinary conditions.

Keywords: IT environment, process control systems, information security, security facilities, cyberthreats, critical information infrastructure.

Livshitz I.I.  On vulnerability control in process control components

The paper presents the statistics of the detected cyberattacks against process control components and the available countermeasures. It notes that the present-day approaches of well-known vendors of information security hardware do not ensure the admissible level of process control security because risk management methods are not allowed for. To overcome this challenge, the paper proposes to apply present-day standards in the field of functional security and risk management. This will allow to apply numerical estimates of the specified safety integrity level. It also suggests to apply the unified assessment order for process controls compliance (e.g., IEC 61508 and 61511 series) and the proposed information security tools. Furthermore, the author argues for introducing present-day risk management practices (such as IEC 31000 / 31010) into the procedures of vulnerability management in process control components.

Keywords: vulnerability, cyberattacks, information security tools, process control systems, standards, functional security, risk management.

Darensky I.I.  How industry is attacked. Towards an integrated approach to protection

The paper reviews the status quo in the cybersecurity of domestic and foreign industrial plants. For protecting process infrastructure Positive Technologies (Russia) offer the application of integrated platforms such as PT Industrial Cybersecurity Suite.

Keywords: cybersecurity, process infrastructure, monitoring.

Slabodchikov A.A.  On the importance of security analysis of industrial sites in view of new cyber challenges

The experience of Cybersecurity Center of Belarus Republic is discussed. The Center offers its services to forestall cyberattacks by improving the security of clients’ information infrastructure.

Keywords: cybersecurity, information infrastructure, security analysis, pentests, information security monitoring.

Discussing a Topic…

Automated control systems for services and departments of production and enterprise

Molchanov A.Yu.  Software services in asset management systems

The present-day approach to asset management the connection of the maximum number of end users to the physical asset management system. To that end, the information system’s functionality should be available from a variety of hardware types. The paper reviews the tools and features of service organization at the server side of asset management systems.

Keywords: physical asset management, distributed computing, software services.

Kazymov I.M., Boyarkov D.A., Kompaneets B.S., Mikhailov I.I.  Electrical equipment aging model with reference to failure risk based on technical state evaluation

The paper presents a model of electrical equipment aging, which describes the failure risk growing with time because of equipment’s natural wear-and-tear with reference to its technical state. The factors affecting equipment aging are analyzed, the influence of natural wear-and-tear on the failure risk growth rate is evaluated. The graphical description of the model is presented. The possibility of applying the developed model for generating information about the predicted electrical equipment state at any moment and for evaluating the changing equipment’s state dynamics is demonstrated.

Keywords: decision-making, risk-oriented control, technical state evaluation, planning, maintenance of electrical equipment, electrical equipment.

Reshetnikov I.S., Arslanbekov S.A.  Information and analytic software for gas-transport company supervisor’s activities

The paper discusses the implementation an information and analytic software suite for gas-transport company’s supervisor. It describes the system’s functionality in the context of supervisory service duties against the company’s information and technical background. The development of the analytical module is analyzed in connection with the growing complexity of the tasks.

Keywords: gas-transport company, dispatching, enterprise management, information and analytic provision, information-management system.

Fedoseev M.V., Tereshchenko V.A., Dmitrieva E.Yu.  Chemical inspection at A-plants: a complex solution controlled by LIMS

With the example of Analytical Chemist LIMS, the paper shows that measurement result validation and commenting are possible if the software implementing advanced procedures and algorithms is available. Hard-/software resources of the LIMS enable measuring instruments inquiry, data processing, archiving, and communication to end users’ workstations as well as information exchange with adjacent information systems. For implementing such approach it makes sense to create a LIMS test bench for design solution debugging, developing information and procedural framework, user interface customization.

Keywords: A-plant, LIMS, hard-/software system, monitoring and control system, chemical monitoring system, measuring instrument.

Tikhomirov L.I., Vasyukov D.E., Korobtsov A.P.  Workflow digitalization in 1C

The advantages of digital workflow application are discussed. A major project of digital workflow system implementation in an industrial holding is described.

Keywords: digital workflow systems, digitalization, business processes, efficiency.

Bystrov M.P., Demchenko V.A., Lyulev S.V., Netronin I.V.  A system for production schedule optimization for various production program implementation scenarios

The paper describes a production schedule optimization system aimed at production scheduling under resource usage limitations. The system is recommended for advanced planning and situational analysis extending the functionality of intrashop planning system based on directive time constraints. Such systems address the needs of engineering plants with single-part and small-quantity production as well as custom orders.

Keywords: intrashop planning, optimization, directive planning, resource usage limitations, modeling.

Verevkin A.P., Murtazin T.M., Garifullin A.Z.  Identification of multivariable plant’s dynamic behavior through time series processing

Application of advanced and predictive control systems is a most relevant ways to improve the efficiency of oil refining operations. The availability of process model is a necessary condition for implementing the advanced control strategy. Model identification has traditionally executed by means of techniques based on active experiments, which may be expensive and difficult to apply at operating plants. Therefore, identification methods based on passive experiments are relevant for oil refining facilities. Against this background, the paper offers a procedure for multivariable plant’s model identification by analyzing the time series of measurable process variables.

Keywords: dynamic model, multivariable object, parametric identification, time series, advanced control

Abramov S.V., Vakhidova K.L, Ermilina O.V., Semenov A.D.  Evaluation of rolling surface of racers based on eddy-current inspection

The paper offers a method for quality evaluation of grinding surface. The unevenness of the scanned surface can be estimated on the basis of the measured sensor’s current and phase displacement. To that end, the parametric identification of a three-element equivalent circuit of an eddy-current sensor with the help of frequency techniques was undertaken. Based on experimental frequency responses, the transfer function of the unknown equivalent circuit parameters to the unevenness of the surface under inspection was restored and the algorithm generating the images of eddy-current sensor signals was developed. Based on the results of ground surface inspection, the roughness parameters were obtained, which correlate with their experimental values.

Keywords: eddy-current sensor, equivalent circuit, surface profile, defectoscopy, parametric identification.

Zakharov N.A.  LTCC-based sensing elements

The paper discusses the application of low-temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) for the development of sensing elements. LTCC articles feature resistance to corrosive media, extended temperature range as against textolite plate devices, good heat dissipation, and manufacturability. The adduced LTCC application examples from sensor production include a wireless pressure sensor, a wind force and direction sensor, and a small-size current sensor based on Rogowski coil.

Keywords: low-temperature co-fired ceramics, pressure sensor, wind sensor, current sensor, Rogowski coil.

Larin A.A., Ushakov A.Yu., Didur D.A.  Serial communications interface tolerant of multiple failures of subscriber's units and bus faults

The paper offers the architecture for sequential communications interface tolerant of multiple failures of subscriber's units and bus faults as well as an algorithm for data exchange at software level. The communications interface is successfully used in the systems including up to 40 subscriber's units and ensures significant reduction of cabling cost as well as simpler mounting in a limited space without any reliability deterioration.

Keywords: serial communications interface, multiple failures, bus faults, subscriber's units.

Vermel’ V.D., Gubanov G.A.  Suspended pneumatic vibration damper for productive milling of low-rigid parts on СNC machining centers

The paper examines the typical structure of a pneumatic damper for fast elimination of low-rigid part vibrations during the final milling on СNC machining centers. The versatile damper can be fixed quickly on the part, does not require any tuning during the milling, and needs practically no maintenance that simplifies its implementation. Application examples of several dampers developed for different parts are cited.

Keywords: high-speed milling, vibrations of a low-rigid part, self-oscillations during cutting, damper, vibration damper.