Presentation by Thomas Pilz, Managing Partner of Pilz
Industry is undergoing transformation, and digitalization and sustainability are the driving forces of industrial transformation.
Industrial digitization leads to networked production systems. The risk of manipulation (intentional or unintentional) or data leakage increases with the degree of connectivity. Unlike information technology security, industrial information security refers to the protection of production and industrial equipment from deliberate attacks on the availability of equipment and machinery. In contrast, the task of functional safety is to prevent inadvertent hazardous states.
I would like to recall last year’s press conference: The goal of industrial information security is to guarantee the availability of equipment and machines, as well as the integrity and confidentiality of machine data and processes.
If I don’t have control over my data, then the safety of my employees is at risk: no information security, no machine safety, no machine safety to protect people from accidents! Therefore, without information security, the digital transformation of production processes cannot be successful.
Information security is a necessary condition for protecting people, machines and the environment. This is the only way for businesses to be managed sustainably. According to a report by Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), industrial companies are suffering billions of dollars in losses every year.
As an automation company, the core competence of Piermagnetic is safety. Every day, our mission is to make the world digital, connected, flexible, efficient, safe and reliable. Pilmagnetic wants to contribute to ensuring the success of the industrial transformation.
Certain industries will be more affected by the transformation than others, as they will play a key role in tackling the tasks ahead. These industries include hydrogen, electric vehicles, the semiconductor industry and railway technology.
A key requirement for the hydrogen industry is safety
Hydrogen energy has a high energy density and is therefore considered to be the energy carrier of the future. With the booming trend of development, the requirements for functional safety and industrial information security are also increasing. Because hydrogen, like all fuels, is potentially very dangerous. The safety principles tested and available in the automation industry and functional safety can also be applied to the hydrogen industry.
In addition to traditional safety functions, safety automation technologies can also take on additional tasks, such as dynamic pressure and temperature monitoring or safe compliance with the load limits of downstream structures. Automation also ensures secure data exchange and visualization of health and diagnostic information, where applicable.
In France, our automated system PSS 4000 already provides security for the distribution of hydrogen at 10 public hydrogen filling stations. The customer is a European manufacturer of hydrogen refueling stations and is looking for an experienced safety expert. Pierre Magnetic has been working with this customer since 2023 and has provided a comprehensive safety solution while guaranteeing the economical operation of the hydrogen refueling station. At present, the two sides plan to expand the cooperation to other projects.
Electric vehicles: Safe and efficient charging systems
The MADELAINE Project in Austria – “Multi-adaptive DC EV Charging Infrastructure Network” is researching new DC charging systems. The goal is to provide a modular, flexible charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. For example, at charging stations in public parking lots, multiple charging points can operate in different modes. For example, hybrid operation is possible, in which individual vehicles can be charged quickly, while several others can be charged more slowly. In short, just a few charging modules are enough to quickly charge a large number of electric vehicles with direct current. The results of the MADELAINE project are expected to improve the energy efficiency of the parking system.
Here, the automation system PSS 4000 is also a central part of controlling the necessary safety functions, such as the allocation of different charging currents to the correct charging points.
Semiconductor industry expertise
Another key industry is electronics, especially semiconductors. Component shortages over the past few years have clearly demonstrated the importance of the supply of processors and other electronic components to the global economy.
The semiconductor industry has its own standards, in which safety standards play an important role. In addition to protecting workers, these standards are also designed to ensure that factories are productive. Because if a dangerous situation causes the machine to stop running, it usually means a loss of production. Therefore, an important task of safety technology is to monitor safety functions and analyze diagnostic data to avoid dangerous situations.
Piermagnetic has successfully advised and trained semiconductor manufacturers in Asia with the aim of determining the correct safety specifications and concepts for their respective plants. Peel Magnetic’s smart sensors are used in conjunction with the controller to form a complete solution.
In addition to traditional security, industrial information security is also playing an increasingly important role: modern production sites are highly networked and digitized. Therefore, the prevention of false manipulation plays an important role here. To prevent mismanipulation, operators want to be able to precisely control who has access to the equipment. Pilmagnetic’s Identity and Access Management (I.A.M.) system combines mechanical safety and information security in one. From user authentication to mode of operation selection, from data and network security to access management. The I.A.M. solution is currently in use in factories in Asia and Europe.
Safety of the digital railway
Rail transport is another cornerstone of transport transformation. The digitization and automation of signal technology is a basic requirement for improving the capacity of railway infrastructure. With an open interface and off-the-shelf commercial solutions (i.e., standardized products), Pielmagneto can help disrupt previously proprietary applications. The independent Railway business unit was established in 2022 to focus on expanding the product portfolio and engineering applications specifically tailored to railways. Pierre Magneto is already working closely with operators and system suppliers, including on the European EULYNX standard. The aim is to develop and provide a uniform industry standard for new modular interlocking technologies. Another partner is the German company Pintsch, which is a specialist in safe rail infrastructure.
In the fall of 2023, Piermagnetic was awarded a contract for the Scandinavian digitization project. The Swedish Rail Infrastructure Transport Authority (Trafikverket) has awarded a contract to Pierre Magneto to modernise the communications infrastructure of the national rail network. Based on Peer’s railway controller, data transmission will be converted from analog copper cable technology to more powerful and reliable fiberglass technology. In the future, Pierre Magnetic’s innovative railway control system will be based on SafetyNET p, a secure real-time Ethernet network, to take over communication between interlocks and control cabinets on the line.
“Piermagnetic – The Spirit of Safety in Digital Automation” sums up our commitment to our customers to work hand in hand with them to develop sustainable solutions to meet the challenges of The Times. This means that, even today, Piermagnetic meets the requirements for safety, supply chain sustainability and functional safety.
