Overhauling a Botched Control System Upgrade for Warehouse Client
A fulfillment center needed to upgrade its obsolete system which was no longer operational. E Tech Group traveled onsite and overcame a multitude of challenges to get the client operational in their allotted timeframe.
The Project: Restructure a Down System Causing Delays & Disrupting Operations
An order fulfillment and warehousing client was facing significant challenges with an antiquated control system that was no longer operational causing them to fall behind schedule.
In an effort to bring it back online, they had previously engaged another automation services vendor, who had been working on the system for months without success. The client required the system to become operational urgently; further delays would keep them from meeting deadlines and impacting profitability. They turned to E Tech Group to expedite the commissioning process.
The Challenge: Limited Information & a Tight Timeline Leave No Room for Error
Attempting to pick up where another control system integrator left off isn’t the easiest, especially when any number of unknown variables can rear their heads at any time, as they did here. If not for the adaptability and diverse skill set of our automation team, they may not have been able to address and overcome those challenges.
- Limited Information and Timeframe: We were provided with only one week to study the current automation system, and the information available was limited, including the system’s description of operations and system rate.
- Lack of Equipment Design Information: No information regarding equipment design was presented, which made it challenging to understand all of the control system’s components.
- Limited Documentation: We were given some sample codes with minimal documentation, which made it difficult to understand and modify the existing codebase.
- Complex System Components: The system consisted of merges and a Print and Apply unit, adding complexity to the commissioning process.
- Absence of a System Checklist: There was no existing system checklist to guide the commissioning process.
The Solution: A Hands-On Approach Was Critical in Project Execution
Given the tight project timeline and the client’s immediate need, the engineering team decided to go onsite and commence development work directly at the location. This hands-on approach allowed us to overcome various challenges that could have manifested as delays:
- Addressing System Inconsistencies:
- Mechanical systems were found to be designed differently at different locations, requiring additional coding.
- The team needed to use the existing template, necessitating on-the-fly learning and adaptation.
- Inaccurate electrical wiring and layouts posed challenges that the team successfully addressed and resolved.
- Identifying Mechanical Inaccuracies:
- Correcting the placement of guard rails at scan points to ensure safety and functionality.
- Addressing issues related to non-uniform product conveyance within the system.
- Collaboration with Scanner Technicians: The team worked closely with scanner technicians, as the work they had performed previously was suboptimal. Multiple interactions were needed to resolve issues and ensure proper scanner functionality.
- Interconnections: Establishing interconnections with the upstream and downstream conveyors to ensure seamless material flow within the system.
- Checklist development: Due to the absence of an existing system checklist, the team created their own tailored checklist. This served as a fundamental tool in guiding their efforts during the system startup. It allowed them to break down the complex system into smaller, manageable sub-systems, ensuring a structured and efficient approach to the project.
The Results: Adapt, Overcome & Leave the Client With An Operational System:
Through the automation team’s presence onsite, expedited learning and development efforts, they successfully addressed the project challenges and got the upgraded control system up and running within the given timeframe. This achievement was a testament to the team’s adaptability, problem-solving skills and commitment to meeting the client’s urgent needs.
The client’s system is now and remains operational, meeting their immediate requirements and helping them avoid further delays. This project showcases E Tech Group’s ability to navigate complex and challenging scenarios to deliver results effectively and efficiently.
Major SCADA & PLC Upgrade Increases Uptime, Lowers Maintenance Costs for Rice Milling Company
A rice milling company needed a new PLC in a truncated timeline. Automation Group, an E Tech Group Company’s team inventoried equipment and upgraded the facility’s automation system to Ignition SCADA software, setting the client up to meet goals and be prepared for growth.
The Project: Upgrade a Facility’s Control System in 2 Days with No Downtime
A rice milling company was facing operational constraints of a legacy SCADA system. The system was costly to maintain, and the control system design caused frequent communication problems between different production areas.
The client needed a new PLC program to be installed within a 48-hour timeframe to minimize production impacts, and the existing SCADA system needed to remain operational during the migration to Inductive Automation’s Ignition platform.
The client contracted Automation Group, an E Tech Group Company as their choice system integrator given their advanced expertise in system migration and the successful execution of projects at the client’s other facilities.
The Challenge: Tread Softly with Time & Operation Constraints
There were a few obstacles to this control system upgrade that required one of the unique proficiencies of E Tech Group’s brand of automation system integration:
- An obsolete PLC controlled their rice finishing line.
- An obsolete SCADA automation application controlled the entire facility.
- The client had a strict 48-hour timeline to the upgrade implementation.
- The new SCADA needed to be implemented without disrupting the existing one.
- The new SCADA needed to be able to work alongside the legacy control system.
E Tech Group’s team knew this diverse set of obstacles would affect the course of the project, end-to-end. Our control system integrators had to find a creative way to work quickly without sacrificing our detailed approach or the quality of the upgraded automation system.
The Solution: Modular Migration Solves Everything
The project team created a site inventory of the customer’s existing PLCs, network, computers, and applications. The project included upgrades to servers, computers, and network switches in collaboration with the customer’s IT department, the upgrade to Ignition SCADA software across six applications with approximately 500 screens, and the upgrade to two ControlLogix PLC chassis.
The SCADA upgrade was completed in several phases and each application was upgraded individually. This helped minimize impacts on the customer’s production efforts and enabled the legacy and new SCADA applications to run simultaneously so the customer’s personnel could learn the new SCADA software.
The Results: Short-Term Success for Long-Term Growth
This approach to updating the facility’s control system allowed the client to improve operations and network communications at once while giving their operators time to learn the new system before getting rid of the old. Automation Group, an E Tech Group Company leverages this distinct diverse, multidisciplinary engineering approach to create intelligent automation solutions for the customer’s long-term success and the opportunity to support their operations in the years to come.
The talented automation engineers at our most recent acquisition, Automation Group, an E Tech Group Company, managed this particularly tricky project. For more information on this system upgrade, visit their website for the complete case study.
Challenge
Complex upgrades require advanced expertise. Experienced system integrators will use a holistic approach to fully scope automation system upgrades and consider how the project’s complexities will impact the customer’s budget, uptime, timeline, or performance requirements. An example of this was a PLC-5 and SCADA application upgrade for a leading rice milling company. The company had an obsolete PLC-5 controlling their rice finishing line, in addition to an obsolete SCADA application controlling their entire facility. The legacy SCADA system was costly to keep operational, and the existing network caused communications issues between the customer’s production areas. The customer needed a new PLC program to be installed within a 48-hour timeframe to minimize production impacts, and the existing SCADA system needed to remain operational during the migration to Inductive Automation’s Ignition platform. E Tech Group was engaged as the customer’s choice system integrator given their advanced expertise in system migration and the successful execution of projects at the customer’s other facilities.
Solution
E Tech Group’s goal is to set the customer up for long-term success, not just short-term gains. The project team created a site inventory of the customer’s existing PLCs, network, computers, and applications. PLC specifications were quickly defined, and long lead items were ordered. The project team remained in constant communication with the customer to keep them well-informed across the different project stages and how to best utilize the new system. The project included upgrades to servers, computer, and network switches in collaboration with the customer’s IT department, the upgrade to Ignition SCADA software across six applications with approximately 500 screens, and the upgrade to two ControlLogix PLC chassis.
Results
The SCADA upgrade was completed in several phases and each application was upgraded individually. This helped minimize impacts to the customer’s production efforts and enabled the legacy and new SCADA applications to run simultaneously so the customer’s personnel could learn the new SCADA software. E Tech Group staffed the project with subject matter experts in the Ignition SCADA platform, control engineering, and complex system migrations. E Tech Group leverages this diverse, multidisciplinary engineering approach to create intelligent automation solutions for the customer’s long-term success and the opportunity to support their operations in the years to come.