Experience
We have extensive control system experience having used PLC’s, HMI, Machine Vision, and SCADA based systems across a diversified range of industries.
A recent “Industry 4.0″ development is the XLplc library for quick and reliable implementation of automated batching and blending systems.
Design and Documentation
An important criterion of any successful control system is a design that meets the needs of the customer, and achieves this in the simplest manner. Unnecessarily complicated control systems are expensive to install, maintain, and service. Our design services include detailed Functional Descriptions for software development, and CAD based electrical drawings for equipment supply and installation. You wouldn’t build a house without reviewing the detailed plans, the build of a control system is no different, the only way a customer can be involved in the design process to ensure that apropriate documentation is provided before development begins.
Expertise
- PLC and PAC base controllers – IEC61131-3 based
- BatchFlex library package for PLC batch processing – IEC61131-3 based
- DCS, HMI and SCADA – IEC62541 based
- NIR/MIR Spectroscopy for Food Authentication
- Power distribution and protection equipment
- Electrical CAD used to provide design drawings and cable schedules
- Motor control centers
- Machine vision systems
- Test and Measurement Systems
- Embedded PC systems
- Remote computer access for service and maintenance
- Batch Control Systems
- NIR Spectroscopy used for inline detection of food quality attributes
XLplc
XLplc is a configurable PLC eXtension Library software module developed to meet the requirements of Industry 4.0, and to reduce the cost and simplify the implementation of batch and blending based automation systems. XLplc was written using the OOP extensions to IEC61131 and provides a suite of Function Blocks (FB’s) that are utilized to quickly automate batch and blending processes.
One of Industry 4.0’s philosophies is to be able to quickly reconfigure a process plant to meet exact customer product requirements. XLplc does this by using recipes to specify how products are made, and a Scheduler to control the product manufacture.
All production variables are saved off in a database where conversion to XML formatted files allows data filtering and reports to be generated by management or corporate personnel.
XLplc considerably reduces PLC software cost by providing a suite of specific Function Blocks (FB’s) for controlling batch or blending processes. The application programmer uses the XLplc FB’s and configuration parameters to build the application to suit the typology of the process equipment and production requirements.
EtherCat – The Ethernet Fieldbus
Ethercat offers so many significant advantages compared to existing fieldbus networks that we believe it should be seriously considered as your future fieldbus of choice. While the performance of controller CPUs – particularly multicore IPCs – is increasing rapidly, conventional fieldbus systems tend to represent “bottlenecks” that limit the performance control systems can achieve. With EtherCAT the controller can update the input and/or output information at the time when the data is needed, with system performance determined by the program set scan time, not by the bandwidth of the fieldbus network. This allows a truly distributed I/O network which substantially reduces field wiring costs without any degradation to real time performance.
Ethercat Features
- Ultra short cycle times with I/O response times of less than 100 µs
- EtherCAT is an IEC, ISO and SEMI standard
- Standard Ethernet frames used, thus supports all Internet technologies
- Safety Protocol meeting SIL3 based on safety standard IEC 61508, eliminates the need for a separate safety PLC
- All topologies supported: line, tree, star, and ring with no node, switch or hub cascading issues
- Redundancy, Hot Connect, and Hot Swap options
- Synchronization provides accurate alignment of distributed clocks, as described in the IEEE 1588 standard
- more information -Ethercat
SCADA – Supervisory Data Acquisition and Control
The successful implementation of international standards by hardware vendors has removed the need for users of automation equipment to limit themselves to one brand of equipment. Now more so than ever, we can readily build systems using equipment from many manufacturers to meet our customers exact requirements. Listed below are the standards and equipment we recommend for building a high performance cost effective distributed control system.
- IEC61131-3 programming model ensures that PLC software is portable between different manufacturers hardware
- IEC62541 OPC UA communication protocol for plant wide data trasfer from the plant floor to head office
- IEC61508 Ethercat ensures high speed communication with field devices in a fully distributed topology
- IEC61850 Ethernet ensures reliable plant wide communications
- more information -SCADA
Equipment Suppliers
We remain essentially free of any strong alliances with particular manufacturers, and as such we are able to
offer an unbiased service to our clients. The truth is there is not a huge difference between the big name brands,
and they all offer quality equipment. We have over the years though, developed a preference for several equipment suppliers whose products we believe offer some unique advantages.
- Beckhoff IEC61131-3 PC based PLC’s with Ethercat point I/O
- SEW AC motor/gearboxes, and VSD’s
- InduSoft SCADA
- National Instruments Labview programming for test and measurement systems
Industry Sectors
- Plasterboard manufacturing
- Wood framed window manufacturing
- Mining
- Steel Rolling Mills
- Paper manufacturing
- Machine Vision for the fruit industry
- NIR inline spectroscopy for quality inspection
- Plastics manufacturing
- Food Processing plants