Peter Neumann (automation technician)

Peter Neumann (2015)

Peter Neumann (born November 30, 1941 in Sorau ) is a German engineer and professor . He is one of the pioneers of microcomputer- based automation and communication in Germany.

Career

Neumann was born in Sorau ( Lower Lusatia , now Poland) as the son of the administrative employee Paul Neumann and his wife Maria . At the beginning of 1945 he was relocated to Thuringia. From 1948 to 1956 he attended elementary school in Rastenberg and then high school in Buttstädt near Sömmerda .

After graduating from high school in 1960, he worked as a smelter in the steel and rolling mill in Gröditz , then from 1961 to 1967 at the Technical University of Dresden he studied low-voltage technology with a specialization in control engineering at the Institute for Control Engineering, which was first established in German-speaking countries in 1955 (Director: Heinrich Kindler ). In 1967 he acquired the academic degree of Diplom-Ingenieur in the field of control engineering at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering. He started his career immediately afterwards at the Technical University "Carl Schorlemmer" in Merseburg as a scientific assistant at Georg Brack's chair in automation , where he worked until 1970.

Based on his work on modeling, automatic control and optimization of chemical reactors, he was able to do his doctorate on the automation of chemical reactors in 1971. The dissertation made a contribution to the theoretical treatment, simulation and optimal control of systems with distributed parameters. His special achievements were honored with the award of the "Carl Schorlemmer Prize" in 1971.

From 1962 to 1976 he was with Karin Neumann, b. Ulbricht, married. From this marriage a daughter and a son were born. Since 1977 he has been with Ursula Neumann, geb. Elle, married. From this marriage came the son Klaus.

As a control engineer in industry

From 1970 to 1981 Neumann worked in the VEB equipment and regulator works Teltow (GRW), the central plant engineering of the automation technology of the GDR, as an employee in research and development as well as a department head and main department head. As head of development, he was responsible for an annual sales volume of around 700 million marks. Under his leadership, a microcomputer-based process control system called "audatec" was developed, which was technically comparable to the Siemens TELEPERM M system , was launched in 1984 and was widely used for plant automation throughout the then Eastern Bloc.

In addition, he was responsible for the implementation of the contract research results of various universities as well as the GDR Academy of Sciences , Central Institute for Cybernetics and Information Processes (ZKI) , Dresden area (Head: Hans-Joachim Zander ), especially for algorithmic work ongoing automation projects. His habilitation thesis for the academic degree Dr. sc. techn. (1991 converted to Dr.-Ing.habil.) In the field of microcomputer automation systems was created during his industrial activity and was defended at the TH Karl-Marx-Stadt (today TU Chemnitz ).

With his basic research on the calculation and dimensioning of microcomputer automation systems, Neumann has made new contributions to the methodological basis for their time behavior and reliability analysis. This also included the description and effective design of the arrival process of real-time requirements, the behavior analysis and dimensioning of process control systems as well as the real-time behavior analysis of bus systems. Theoretical work on failure-tolerant resource groups and simulative behavior analysis of a failure-tolerant fieldbus system were also among his main topics in the 1970s and 1980s.

The GRW generally supported the cooperation with colleges, universities and institutes of the Academy of Sciences (AdW), so that in addition to Neumann, other professors emerged from this environment: Heinrich Wilhelmi (TH Magdeburg), Roland Werthschützky (TU Darmstadt), Wolfgang Wilhelmi (AdW Berlin), Alfred Iwainsky (AdW, today GFaI Berlin).

Acting as a professor for automation and communication

In 1981 Peter Neumann was appointed full professor to the chair of "Devices and Systems in Automation Technology " at the Technical University Otto-von-Guericke Magdeburg (THM), Section Technical Cybernetics and Electrical Engineering (founding director: Heinz Töpfer ; then acting director: Reinhold Krampitz ). This specialist area has been cultivated at the THM since the Institute for Control Engineering was founded in 1960 (founding director: Heinrich Wilhelmi ; founding assistant: Herbert Ehrlich ). It was even heavily expanded by Heinz Töpfer and Werner Kriesel in the 1970s, but had been orphaned since 1978/1979 when they moved to Dresden and Leipzig. In addition, Siegfried Rudert , head of the scientific department, died unexpectedly in 1980 , so that the management of the scientific department changed to Ulrich Korn . So Neumann had to do basic building and profiling work. After German reunification , Neumann was reappointed as a university professor (C4) to the chair of "Automation Technology " at the Technical University of Otto-von-Guericke Magdeburg as a result of his evaluation in 1992 (since 1993: Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg ).

Microcomputer-based process control systems require industrial communication systems because of their decentralized structures. As early as the 1980s, one of his research fields was therefore dedicated to field buses. Here he laid the first foundations in the GDR, which is why he became very involved in the Profibus User Organization (PNO) both as a member of the advisory board and as the chairman of the technical committee for the entire technology development. This engagement only ended after 15 years when he retired; he is an honorary member of the PNO.

During his university career in the 1980s, applied research was very close to him. A lot of third-party funding was located in the “University-Industrial Complex Automation Technology”, which he directed. This high proportion of third-party funding was also able to be committed to the "Institute for Automation Technology " (IFAT) after reunification, which was developed in cooperation with Ulrich Korn from the field of control engineering and process control and worked under his leadership from 1991 to 1994 with around 30 employees in four chairs to be continued.

His scientific commitment at this institute was on the subjects of methods and tools for the performance analysis and tests of distributed automation systems, in particular the automatic test sequence derivation from formal specifications of the communication systems and real-time communication in distributed automation systems (field bus systems, process data bus systems). His teaching activities were dedicated to these topics as well as the basics of automation technology and process informatics. Thanks to his extensive national and international contacts, Neumann held many block lectures at home and abroad. Both in the period before 1990 and afterwards, Neumann had various tasks as head of science department, institute director and member of the faculty council of the university.

Acting as the founder of the Institute for Automation and Communication (ifak)

Institute for Automation and Communication (ifak), think tank in the Magdeburg Science Harbor, 2008

In 1991 Neumann founded the sponsoring association of the Institute for Automation and Communication of the same name (ifak). He gave up his management at the IFAT university institute in 1994, and his ongoing teaching activities ended in 1999. Neumann set up the ifak in the spirit of a Fraunhofer Institute. As chairman of the board of the association and as head of the institute, he developed the ifak into an efficient nationally and internationally recognized affiliate of the university for applied research. In this task he was able to bring his extensive experience in leading people to achieve ambitious goals, his technical, organizational and economic thinking and his restless curiosity to research with great success.

Under his leadership, ifak grew from eight to over 50 employees, and ifak system GmbH was founded as a spin-off in 1997, with a further 35 employees responsible for the transfer of research services at ifak and services for users of innovative solutions in automation and Provide communication.

The professional success in a broad area from industrial communication to traffic telematics, measurement technology for material analysis, water treatment to the engineering of control systems has always been associated with people who achieved outstanding results under his guidance. This ability to make the full performance potential of employees effective is one of his concepts for success. This can also be seen in the doctorates and professorships that emerged from ifak under his leadership. Among them Ulrich Jumar , who took over the management of ifak at the beginning of 2005. He is also a professor at the Institute for Automation Technology (IFAT, now abbreviated to "ifat") at Otto von Guericke University. On the other hand, Christian Diedrich , who is a full-time professor there - also an academic student of Neumann - also works at the ifak as deputy director of the institute, so that the close cooperation between the Otto von Guericke University and its affiliated institute ifak is achieved through this personal interlinking .

Peter Neumann (right) and Werner Richter - former WGMA chairman - at a computer science conference at the Humboldt University in Berlin , 2010

The committee work in technically oriented industrial and scientific organizations was a constant concern for Neumann. In these organizations, such as B. Scientific-Technical Society for Measurement and Automation Technology (WGMA) in the Chamber of Technology , Satellitennavigation Sachsen-Anhalt eV (SANASA), Society for the Promotion of Applied Informatics eV (GFaI, Berlin) and German Research Association for the Application of Microelectronics eV (DFAM) was he a member of the advisory board or active on the board. He also served on the program committee of many conferences and meetings. He worked for several years on the scientific advisory board of the journal “measure-control-rules” (msr). The PROFIBUS user organization should be emphasized here again, which he personally supported with over ten employees in the many working groups, which has been successfully practiced to this day. One of the largest and most successful research groups for industrial communication emerged and works under his leadership.

On this basis his idea of ​​the Virtual Automation Network (VAN) was born , which was brought to life in the EU project of the same name. This novel and comprehensive concept will definitely work in the future.

Neumann's scientific publications comprise more than 120 papers, including those in book form with multiple editions. He was also involved in patents. He has drawn up reports on over 40 dissertations and habilitation theses (including 16 of his own doctoral students) as well as on numerous research projects in industrial automation. The following professors emerged from his academic environment : Ulrich Jumar (University of Magdeburg), Christian Diedrich (University of Magdeburg), Bernd Henning (University of Paderborn), Robert Hoyer (University of Kassel), Martin Wollschlaeger (TU Dresden), Renè Simon (HS Harz / Wernigerode), Jörg Auge (HS Magdeburg / Stendal), Anatoli Makarov (HS Magdeburg / Stendal), Stephan Kühne (HS Zittau / Görlitz), Jürgen Jasperneite ( Technical University OWL , Fraunhofer IOSB-INA / Lemgo ).

Honors (selection)

• 1971 “Carl Schorlemmer Prize” for his dissertation at the TH Merseburg
• 1987 Labor banner
• 2003 Gruson plaque from the VDI Magdeburg district association , honorary member of the VDI
• 2004 Honorary member of the PROFIBUS User Organization (PNO)
• 2012 Lifetime Contribution in Factory Automation Award (IEEE)

Memberships

• Emeritio

Fonts (selection)

• Microcomputers in automation systems. Automation technology series, Vol. 202. Verlag Technik, Berlin 1983.
• Tools for setting up and operating microcomputer automation systems. Automation technology series, Vol. 219. Verlag Technik, Berlin 1986, ISBN 3-341-00060-7 .
• Behavior analysis and dimensioning of microcomputer automation systems. In: Eugen Philippow (Hrsg.): Taschenbuch Elektrotechnik in 6 volumes, Vol. 4: Systems of information technology. Verlag Technik, Berlin and Carl Hanser-Verlag, Munich 1990.
• Communication systems in automation technology. Automation technology series, Vol. 242. Verlag Technik, Berlin 1990, ISBN 3-341-00876-4 .
• Mathematical description of control intervention and reporting processes in process control systems. In: Automation technology, Munich. Vol. 45, 1997, pp. 175-180 (with T. Grüterich).
• PLC standard: IEC 1131: programming in distributed automation systems. Oldenbourg-Industrieverlag, Munich; Vienna 1995, 2nd edition 1998, 3rd edition 2000, ISBN 978-3-8356-7005-1 .
• The fieldbus as the engine of automation technology. In: Automation technology practice, Munich. Vol. 41, H. 7, 1999, pp. 27-34.
• The way to open process control systems. In: GMA Jahrbuch 1997, pp. 128–148. VDI-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1996, ISBN 3-18-401611-0 (with Ch. Diedrich and R. Simon).
• Wireless sensor networks in process automation. Overview and standardization activities. In: Automation technology practice, Munich. Vol. 49, H. 3, 2007, pp. 61-67.
• Virtual Automation Networks. Heterogeneous Networks for Industrial Automation. In: Automation Technology Practice International, Munich. H. 2, 2007, pp. 36-46 (with A. Pöschmann and E. Flaschka).
• Communication in Industrial Automation. What is going on? Control engineering practice. 15, 2007, pp. 1332-1347.
• Architectural Concept of Virtual Automation Networks. 17th IFAC World Congress, Seoul / Korea 2008. Invited Session “Virtual Automation Networks” (with A. Pöschmann and R. Messerschmidt).
• Industrial Communication Protocols. In: Shimon Y. Nof (Ed.): Handbook of Automation. Springer Verlag, Dordrecht; Heidelberg; London; New York 2009, ISBN 978-3-540-78830-0 (with CE Pereira).
• Virtual Automation Networks. In: Bogdan M. Wilamowski, J. David Irwin (Eds.): The Industrial Electronics Handbook (Second Edition). Industrial Communication Systems. Taylor and Francis Group, LLC Boca Raton 2011, ISBN 978-1-4398-0281-6 (with R. Messerschmidt).
• From the “audatec” process control system to the “Virtual Automation Network”. Fourth symposium "Computer Science in the GDR", focus on "Research in Computer Science, Information and Automation Technology". Humboldt University, Berlin 2010. Proceedings, pp. 197-216, ISBN 978-3-86004-253-3 .
• From Process Control Systems towards Virtual Automation Networks - Contribution of Computer Science. In: H. Unger, K. Kyamakya, J. Kacprzyk (Eds.): Autonomous Systems - Developments and Trends. Springer Verlag, Berlin Heidelberg 2011, ISBN 978-3-642-24805-4 .
• Factory Automation - important steps and perspective. Emerging Technologies and Factory Automation ETFA, Kraków 2012.
• From Fieldbus to Automation Cloud. Industrial Communication Systems over two decades. Keynote Speech, Workshop Factory Communication Systems WFCS, Toulouse 2014.
• Automation technology at the Magdeburg alma mater. In: Mechanical and plant engineering in the Magdeburg region at the beginning of the 21st century. Future based on tradition. Delta-D publishing house, Axel Kühling, Magdeburg 2014, pp. 215-219, ISBN 978-3-935831-51-2 .
• Ed .: Magdeburg's automation technology in transition - from industrial to research location. Authors: Christian Diedrich , Rolf Höltge, Ulrich Jumar , Achim Kienle , Reinhold Krampitz, Günter Müller, Peter Neumann, Konrad Pusch, Helga Rokosch, Barbara Schmidt, Ulrich Schmucker, Gerhard Unger, Günter Wolf. Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg ; Institute for Automation and Communication Magdeburg (ifak), Magdeburg 2018, production: Grafisches Centrum Cuno GmbH & Co. KG, Calbe (Saale), ISBN 978-3-944722-75-7 .

literature

• Georg Brack : Technology of the automation devices. Verlag Technik, Berlin and Carl Hanser Verlag, Munich 1969, 2nd edition 1972, ISBN 3-446-11551-X (with the assistance of Peter Neumann).
• Karl Reinisch : Cybernetic basics and description of continuous systems. Verlag Technik, Berlin 1974.
• Heinz Töpfer : 25 years of “Otto von Guericke” Technical University in Magdeburg - 18 years of training in control engineering. measure, control, regulate, Berlin 21 (1978) H. 8, p. 422.
• Ulrich Korn , Ulrich Jumar : PI multivariable controller - practical design, robustness, application. Oldenbourg Verlag, Munich; Vienna 1991, ISBN 3-486-21720-8 .
• Werner Kriesel , Hans Rohr, Andreas Koch: History and future of measurement and automation technology. VDI-Verlag, Düsseldorf 1995, ISBN 3-18-150047-X .
• Ulrich Korn : Professor Christian Döschner 65 years. In: Automation Technology, Munich, vol. 49, 2001, No. 10, p. 470.
• Lothar Starke: From the hydraulic controller to the process control system. The success story of the Askania works in Berlin and the device and controller works in Teltow. 140 years of industrial history, tradition and future. Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin 2009, ISBN 978-3-8305-1715-3 .
• Ulrich Jumar : Supporting company says goodbye to its founder in retirement. In: VDI Magdeburger Bezirksverband, issue 12, 2011.
• Christian Diedrich : Laudation for Professor Peter Neumann. In: Automation technology, Munich . Vol. 60, H. 3, 2012, pp. 179-180.
• Wolfgang Weller : Automation technology through the ages - development history of a fascinating subject. Verlag epubli GmbH Berlin, 2013, ISBN 978-3-8442-5487-7 and as an e-book.
• Werner Kriesel : Future models for computer science, automation and communication. In: Frank Fuchs-Kittowski ; Werner Kriesel (Ed.): Computer science and society. Festschrift for the 80th birthday of Klaus Fuchs-Kittowski . Frankfurt a. M., Bern, Bruxelles, New York, Oxford, Warszawa, Vienna: Peter Lang Internationaler Verlag der Wissenschaften, PL Academic Research 2016, ISBN 978-3-631-66719-4 (print), E- ISBN 978-3-653 -06277-9 (e-book).

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Ulrich Schnell: process control system audatec. In: Lothar Starke: From hydraulic controllers to process control systems. The success story of the Askania works in Berlin and the device and controller works in Teltow. 140 years of industrial history, tradition and future. Berliner Wissenschafts-Verlag, Berlin 2009, pp. 99–111, ISBN 978-3-8305-1715-3 .