News & Knowledge

We’re your source for automation news. Keep up with the latest industry updates and E Tech employee spotlights, as well as tips and guidance from our manufacturing experts.

| September 12, 2023

E Tech Group to Attend 2023 Annual ISPE Boston Area Chapter Product Show

E Tech Group will attend the 32nd Annual International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Boston Area Chapter Product Show and Career Fair at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA September 20, 2023, 11:00 am – 6:30 pm. West Chester, OH – E Tech Group, a leader in providing high-quality automation, control, and engineering services for industrial clients, announced today that they will be displaying their oligonucleotide automation demonstration at the 2023 International Society of Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE) Product Show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA September 20, 2023. E Tech group will be taking over the hall: you’ll be able to find E Tech Group on both sides of the convention due to the recent acquisition of E-Volve Systems. You can find E Tech Group at booth W69 and formerly E-Volve Systems at booth E110. The E Tech Group team will be providing information around our IT/OT risk assessments, a helpful tool in addressing and mitigating issues at facilities. On the other end of the hall, still bearing E-Volve Systems logos and banners, E-Volve Systems will showcase their capabilities for oligonucleotide automation, an industry facing many opportunities for automation, in a featured demo. Attendees can learn how E Tech Group can help a batch process that is currently manual and facing inconsistency issues become a more efficient and safer process. “E-Volve Systems, an E Tech Group company, is excited to once again be showcasing our expertise at the ISPE Product Show. We look forward to highlighting our experience with automating what was once a manual process in oligonucleotide manufacturing, connecting with our peers, clients, and new faces. Joining E Tech Group earlier this year we have expanded our capabilities and reach becoming a major player in the industry across North America. This is an exciting time in our company and in the … Continued

| September 6, 2023

S88 Specs, Part 1 of 3: An Introduction to the S88 Standard

Where did the S88 Standard for Batch Control Systems Stem From? In the world of industrial automation, the S88 standard, also known as ANSI/ISA-88 or Batch Control, plays a vital role in providing a universal framework for the control and automation of manufacturing processes. Developed by the International Society of Automation (ISA), the S88 standard offers a structured approach to designing, implementing, and maintaining batch processes. For those who are new to the S88 standard and want to delve into its applications across various industries, this three-part blog series will serve as a guide to understanding the fundamentals of the S88 standard, its benefits, and an overview of its working principles. What is the S88 Standard for Batch Control Systems? The S88 standard provides a comprehensive and modular methodology for designing, implementing, and managing batch processes in industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food and beverage, and many others. It establishes a consistent and structured approach to defining the equipment, control strategies, procedural operations, and information systems required for effective batch process automation. Within the ISA-95 framework batch systems adhering to S88 standard are identified as Level 2 systems. They are subordinate to Level 3 MES systems and achieve process control through interaction automation and control systems (ISA-95 Level 1 and 2). In practical terms, S88 system, a batch control application executes recipes. A recipe is a sequence of operations containing multiple recipe phases. Recipe phases interface with the physical plant equipment through equipment phases typically executed by PLCs. Applications of the S88 Standard in Industrial Automation While the S88 standard was originally developed for batch processes, its applications are not limited to specific industries. The versatility of the standard enables its adoption in a wide range of fields. In general, automation system builders may benefit from using the S88 concepts even … Continued

| August 30, 2023

Four Big Benefits of a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) Study

When building a new facility-wide automation system or a control system upgrade, the planning stage is perhaps the most important part; it creates the foundation for the entire project. In-depth planning can set you up for success, where poor planning can make the design/build process fraught with issues. You wouldn’t build a house without blueprints, a survey or using licensed contractors, right? In any project, without the upfront evaluation and design you could encounter a number of issues that have the potential to negatively impact the project, and the field of industrial automation is no difference. So, why would you begin engineering, procurement and construction without a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study? Short answer: you wouldn’t…..or at least, shouldn’t. What is a FEED Study in an Automation Engineering Project? A FEED study is designed to assist in producing all necessary technical documentation, validating hardware and software specifications, and accurately defining project scope. It should be performed before the design phase of the project. A FEED study typically includes: Project definition: Setting the project’s objectives, scope and constraints Process design: Defining the process that will be used to produce the new/upgrade system Product selection: Deciding which equipment and software would create the ideal process automation solution Cost estimation: Predicting the total cost of the project, including capital costs, operating costs and contingency costs Schedule development: Creating a schedule for the project, including milestones and deliverables. Why is a FEED Study Important in Project Planning? The FEED Study is an important step in the project development process because it helps to ensure that the project (1) is feasible, (2) can be completed within budget and (3) can be delivered on-schedule. These studies also help identify any potential risks to the project, which allows you to develop mitigation strategies ahead of time. There are … Continued

| August 29, 2023

Proactively Protecting Against Cyber Threats

Secure Your Company with a Cybersecure Control System Cybersecurity continues to gain more and more momentum in manufacturing, and for good reason. Some of these facilities can be responsible for millions, sometimes billions of dollars in business, quickly gaining attention and unfortunately becoming a target for a cyberattack if not properly secured. At a time when manufacturing facilities tend to be one of the most impacted by the decline in available workforce, the need for more flexibility in production capabilities takes precedence over most other initiatives. The rush to connect available assets for consolidated control and monitoring, and integrating their data collection and analysis will sometimes push decision makers to leap before they look. Not always considering any of the following, or lack thereof, may become an active threat without proper planning: Increasing IT/OT Convergence: Industry 4.0 & improving plant efficiency is a major driver for this convergence trend. Organizations see improved efficiency as a worthwhile end goal, but it does come with an expanding OT attack surface. High-Profile Incidents: Noteworthy OT/ICS cyberattacks over the last several years have proved how easily these high-profile OT systems can be broken into causing real concern. Some examples are the Stuxnet worm, the Ukraine power grid attack, and the Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. These examples show that OT/ICS incidents affect more than the targeted organizations. Nation-State Threats: Nation-state actors have shown interest in targeting critical infrastructure and industrial sectors as part of cyber espionage or cyber warfare efforts. Ransomware and Monetization: Ransomware attacks have evolved to target critical infrastructure and manufacturing facilities. These attacks have led to large downtime windows for the target organizations. Regulatory and Compliance Frameworks: Governments and regulatory bodies are recognizing the need to establish cybersecurity standards for critical infrastructure sectors. Compliance requirements and guidelines are being developed to ensure the security of OT and ICS systems. Supply … Continued