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Implementing a Hybrid SCADA Solution Using PlantPAx 5.0 & 4.10

E Tech Group developed a hybrid SCADA solution for a BMS in a biopharma co-packing facility utilizing two different controllers and operating systems that would operate in unison, allowing the facility to ramp to full operation at a critical juncture and to incrementally upgrade as needed.

The Project: Ramp Up Vaccine Production in the Height of the Pandemic

At the height of the pandemic, a biopharma co-packing facility that was working to complete a greenfield facility needed to ramp up production and shipment of the COVID-19 vaccine to meet growing demand.

Because they were producing lab-generated material intended to be used on human beings, it was critical to have all measures in place to remain within ISA-88, ISA-S95, and ISA-101 standards, a part of which would contain a suite of industrial facility management systems.

E Tech Group was contracted to integrate a control system that would manage and monitor events and alarms within both GMP and non-GMP regulated portions of the building management system (BMS), process automation system (PAS), and air handling units (AHUs).

The Challenge: Crossed Lines of Communication Complicate Completion

Racing to get a pharmaceutical automation system operational at the height of a global pandemic – one that needed to remain within a number of industry standards while producing and shipping a lifesaving compound to medical professionals everywhere – presented no shortage of challenges.

Many of those stemmed from the escalated timeline they were forced to maintain. With less time for preparation and review, the overall solution wasn’t as well planned out as it could have been and left this project open to a number of change orders and revisions.

This continued to be further exacerbated by the number of decision makers involved at every stage, which proved almost counterintuitive due to the number of approvals needed to move through each step.

One of the larger challenges encountered was the detailed design still needed to develop specific sequencing within the process and integration of vendor-supplied skids, contributing to the scope of work not clearly being defined. The skids were asked to be a Rockwell-based solution with Ethernet communication, but BacNET was supplied by numerous other vendors outside of the Rockwell offering. BacNET Addressing was also not provided with submittals, so it was challenging to easily retrieve information needed, only further impacting the scope of work that was constantly changing dependent upon what was in our control vs skid control.

Even when all moving parts were aligned, the largest challenge directly impacted by the pandemic would be the delay in supply chain coupled with the escalated timeline that resulted in only being able to get a portion of the equipment necessary to complete the project. Start to finish, this project required quick thinking and adaptation on the part of our team. They got down to the work of designing a custom control system solution that would be robust and complete despite all the obstacles.

The Solution: Build a Full Automation Solution with Half the Parts

The client wanted to utilize an off-the-shelf control system to avoid any black box solution where they would be locked out, unable to independently troubleshoot or to be dependent on an outside team to provide service. They ultimately landed on Rockwell Automation’s PlantPAx Distributed Control System to monitor the Building Management Systems and alarms across the facility.

While the control system was easy to acquire, the aforementioned supply chain issues impacted the accompanying hardware. They originally planned on utilizing PlantPAx 5.0 with Process Controllers, but our team was only able to acquire four of the ten required and had to supplement the remaining with six standard PLC controllers, which were not compatible with PlantPAx 5.0, but were compatible with PlantPAx 4.10.

PlantPAx 5.0 integrates the functionality into the controller firmware whereas PlantPAx 4.10 is utilized by the import of AOIs. While the implementation of the PlantPAx versions was different and carried two different alarm scopes, they possessed enough similarities that they could be configured to work within the same system.

Utilizing both Rockwell Automation PlantPAx products allowed our team to develop the hybrid SCADA solution utilizing the two different controllers, creating a uniform solution that could be used to monitor alarms and events through one HMI user experience:

The Specs: Scope of Work & Control Solution

2.6 Engineering Services: Electrical Design

2.6.1 Design and supply (1 ea) PLC & HMI panel for the BAS, BMS, PAS & PAC Control Hardware:

(3) Allen Bradley standalone single racks to include the following:
- Allen Bradley Power Supply
- Allen Bradley CompactLogix 5380 Controller, 3MB
- (AR) Allen Bradley 5069-(IF8/IB16/OF8/OB16B)
(1) Allen Bradley standalone single racks to include the following:
- Allen Bradley Power Supply
- Allen Bradley CompactLogix 5380 Controller, 3MB
- (AR) Allen Bradley 5069-(IF8/IB16/OF8/OB16B)
(1) Allen Bradley STRATIX switch
Internal illumination with auto on/off switch when control panel door open/closed
Main power disconnect in front control panel doors
UL 508A Label
72x60x12, NEMA 12
Conform to current NFPA 70E requirements
Separation and protection of voltages above and below 50 Volts

2.6.2 Design and supply (2 ea) Remote I/O & HMI panel for the BAS, PAS, BMS & PAC instrumentation & packaged equipment system integration:

(1) Allen Bradley standalone single rack to include the following:
- Allen Bradley Power Supply
- (AR) Allen Bradley 5069-(IF8/IB16/OF8/OB16B)

(1) Allen Bradley STRATIX switch
Internal illumination with auto on/off switch when control panel door open/closed
UL 508A Label
48x36x12, NEMA 12
Conform to current NFPA 70E requirements
Separation and protection of voltages above and below 50 Volts

2.6.3 Design and supply (9 ea) PLC panels for the AHUs:

(1) Allen Bradley standalone single rack to include the following:
- Allen Bradley Power Supply
- Allen Bradley CompactLogix 5380 Controller, 1MB
- (AR) Allen Bradley 5069-(IF8/IB16/OF8/OB16B)
(1) Allen Bradley STRATIX switch
Internal illumination with auto on/off switch when control panel door open/closed
UL 508A Label
48x36x12, NEMA 12
Conform to current NFPA 70E requirements
Separation and protection of voltages above and below 50 Volts

The Results: Success & Scalability Driven by Necessity

The developed and implemented automation integration solution allowed this facility to reach full production capacity at a pivotal time when there was absolutely no room for delay. E Tech Group’s team overcame numerous challenges, any of which on its own could have delayed progress. In the end, our system integration engineers were able to deliver a fully functional solution that left room for incremental upgrades as the client saw fit.

This solution not only allowed the client to continue moving through their project without being limited by the lack of available components, but this new control system can be scaled across any organization that may want to incrementally upgrade from PlantPAx 4.10 to 5.0 without tackling an entire facility at once for any number of reasons…..available budget or funding, manpower, etc.

E Tech Group supports industrial clients across North America with advanced control system solutions that reap tangible results: increased throughput, quality, proficiency, and capabilities, all while remaining adaptable, scalable and sustainable for future growth.

WORK WITH US FOR YOUR NEXT AUTOMATION PROJECT

***Control Systems Upgrade Maximizes Efficiency for* Dessert *Packaging Line***

Challenge

In the fast-paced world of food manufacturing, efficiency and precision are paramount for maintaining a competitive edge. When a major player in the food industry wanted to upgrade their packaging controls for flan and pudding products, they turned to the trusted engineering team at E Tech Group. The packaging process required precise control and synchronization to maintain product quality and optimize packaging speed. However, the client’s outdated controls system hindered their ability to meet growing production demands. The challenge was to develop an efficient controls solution that could be executed within a tight one-weekend timeframe and with minimal downtime. The project encompassed addressing outdated PLC and HMI systems, aging control panel hardware, and the need for improved networking communications.

Solution

Recognizing the tight project timeline, E Tech Group leveraged their expertise to create the best solution. Through planning and collaboration, they formulated a comprehensive approach that began with a thorough evaluation of the existing control panel and its components, and identified which areas required improvement and retrofitting. E Tech Group consulted with trusted vendors to assist in the retrofitting process for servo drives, motors, and gear boxes, and strategized the most effective approach to implement the necessary program changes. Once these enhancements were identified and received, the project team utilized a planned shutdown period to validate the functionality of the retrofitted products.

Over the course of the weekend, E Tech Group put the project plan into action. The team disassembled the customer’s control panels and installed new components, migrated existing PLC code to the new controllers, and converted the customer’s existing HMI screens to a new PanelView HMI application. They utilized Studio 5000 for retrofitting PLC programs, FactoryTalk View software to make required alterations to the customer’s HMI programs, in addition to command line programing to support network segregation for the new Stratix 5700s.

Results

The controls upgrade was achieved swiftly and effectively, all thanks to the unwavering dedication and collaborative efforts of E Tech Group’s engineering team. The customer experienced minimal interruptions and downtime, enabling enhanced production and operational efficiency. The upgraded PLC and HMI systems brought improved functionality, while the new control panel hardware simplified system maintenance and reduced costs. Furthermore, the enhanced networking communications facilitated seamless data transfer and real-time monitoring, empowering the client to make informed decisions and uncover possibilities for further optimization. E Tech Group’s collaboration, expertise, and determination to overcome project challenges demonstrates their commitment to customer satisfaction and their ability to deliver successful project outcomes under time-sensitive circumstances, solidifying their reputation as one of America’s fastest-growing system integrators.

| July 28, 2023

Edge series: Edge computing applications- Webcast

Applications Engineering Manager, Jeff Allen recently co-presented a webcast for Control Engineering covering how edge computing can be used for mission-critical, high-reliability automation and control applications. Applications demonstrate how edge computing can be used for mission-critical, high-reliability automation and control applications. See how system integrators have applied edge computing and see how it integrates in automation and control applications. Challenges and benefits will be discussed. Learning objectives: Understand how edge computing is being applied to automation and controls. Explore how edge computing enables certain applications. Learn how edge computing integrates with cloud resources. Review application benefits, return on investment considerations, and other benefits for automation and controls. Presented By:Jeffrey Allen, Applications Engineering Manager, E Tech GroupNate Kay, P.E., Control Systems Engineer, MartinCSI Moderated By:David Miller, Content Manager, CFE Media and Technology Click here to view the webcast.

| July 17, 2023

Shallow Labor Pool Forces Industrial Technology Change

This article was written by engineering technician at E Tech Group- Bradly Wright and originally appeared in Automation World. Click here to view the original post. To maintain uptime, ensure compliance, and maximize the use of skilled labor, more facilities than ever are centralizing production control and monitoring. There’s a reason more and more facilities are changing the way their production floor has been operating for decades: the current labor shortage. When production floors were fully staffed, it wasn’t uncommon to find a worker stationed at each point in the manufacturing process, monitoring the HMI (human-machine interface) as the PLC (programmable logic controller) repeated its programmed task, ensuring consistency and efficiency at each step. PLCs were designed to function optimally by executing one line of code at a time—with nothing else running in the background. This was a completely viable solution when manpower was available to individually monitor each process. Even now, the PLC remains in wide use because of its flexibility and ease of programming. It’s still incredibly reliable, allowing the operator to make on-the-fly adjustments thanks to real-time information transmission. The big difference now is in how PLCs are being used as more manufacturers are forced to implement a control system that will help centralize production control and monitoring. The use of a distributed control system (DCS) allows a central point of monitoring and operation that coordinates and supervises an entire plant completing a variety of processes and can be scaled facility wide. A PLC, however, is isolated in its control and monitoring. Because the DCS allows full visibility and control into a plant’s production, it helps make it possible to run at full capacity with a limited staff. What does the future look like? If the current trend continues, the production and manufacturing industry will likely take … Continued