Sorting System

Automation Technologies replaced an obsolete control system used to run a sorting machine that automatically sorted various size objects such as videocassettes, audiocassettes, DVDs and CDs. The items would be sorted to 1 of 136 bins according to its UPC code using two omni directional barcode scanners located at the head end of the machine. The system consisted of pushbuttons, photoelectric sensors, pneumatic linear actuators, motor controls and an encoder tied into an Allen-Bradley PLC via DeviceNet. Automation Technologies programmed the PLC with the ability to read the item’s UPC code and assign the item to a bin. Using an encoder connected to the belt conveyor the item's position was tracked to its destination. The item was then sorted to the bin using the pneumatic actuator with a photoelectric sensor used to monitor the bin’s count. The system was designed to allow up to five different UPC codes to be sorted to each bin due to the large variety of titles to be sorted. The belt conveyor ran at 200 ft/min sorting about 120 items per minute.

Extruder Control Systems

Automation Technologies has completed many projects involving extruder control systems.  The control systems have varied in complexity.  Simple manual control systems utilized only push button operators and single loop controllers.  More advanced systems incorporated PLC’s and Operator Interfaces controlling heat zones, die temperature, extruder rpm, pump/pressure control loops, etc.  External chill rolls, heat rolls, winders, etc. were often part of a fully automated system.  Projects were completed utilizing PLC’s from various manufacturers including Allen Bradley, Siemens, GE, Modicon and others.  Operator interfaces designed and configured ranged from simple pushbutton and single loop controllers to full SCADA interface, control, data collection and manipulation.   Operator Interfaces/SCADA systems have included popular interfaces such as PanelView, Panelmate, Wonderware, Intellution, RSView32, Cimplicity, CTC, and others.  Automation Technologies generally developed functional specifications for its extruder design from in-house expertise and client input.

Filter/Dryer Control Systems 

Automation Technologies is the primary third party supplier of Filter/Dryer control systems bound for the United States.  Control systems have varied from simple manual control systems to advanced systems with automatic sequences for filling, washing, smoothing, drying, etc.  Many are interfaced with plant DCS systems and most are installed in areas requiring intrinsically safe design (Class 1, Div1 or 2).   Most control systems have been PLC based with a few involving DCS configuration.  Projects have been completed utilizing equipment from various manufacturers including Allen Bradley, Seimens, Modicon, Fisher Rosemount (DeltaV) and others. 

Most Operator Interfaces have utilized some variation of graphics design for filter control and sequence display.  Operator Interfaces/SCADA systems have included popular interfaces such as PanelView, Panelmate, Wonderware, Intellution, RSView32, ISIS (for hazardous areas) and others. 

Various drive technologies have also been used for the filter agitator including VFDs and hydraulic.  Panels have been designed Intrinsically safe or have been purged according to individual requirements.  Automation Technologies generally developed functional specifications for its filter/dryer design from in-house expertise and client input.

European Equipment Manufacturers

Automation Technologies is the primary third party supplier of Filter/Dryer control systems bound for the United States, and specializes in design and implementation of control systems for various European equipment manufacturers.  Clients are located in Italy, Germany, France and Switzerland.  Systems are designed and implemented to US standards and client startup and service costs are reduced.

DataLogging and Reporting Systems

Automation Technologies has developed numerous systems primarily for datalogging and system reporting.  Various data collection methods have been used according to client infrastructure and requirements.  Systems have involved communicating with existing or installing new PLC systems for data manipulation.  Storing and displaying of data has been accomplished using various SCADA systems or Visual Basic.  SCADA systems have included popular packages such as Wonderware, Intellution, RSView32 and others.  Data has been stored locally or to a central data server utilizing SQL Server or Oracle.

Wall Board Plant Wet End Control

Automation Technologies’ personnel have had a wide breadth of experience in wallboard manufacture. Wet end control required the manipulation of various dry and liquid additives. System recipes were utilized to control additive quantities, and additive additions were linked to system line speed to maintain a consistent product. The control of a specialized printer to print batch information and production date/time on to the wallboard was also implemented. An Allen Bradley PLC 5 Processor was used to control the system components, and a Intellution SCADA system was used for operator feedback, control and recipe manipulation.

Wall Board Plant Kiln Control

Automation Technologies designed, engineered and installed a wastewater sludge recovery system. The PLC controlled system required remote racks at various plant locations and multiple Operator Interfaces. The system controlled all associated pumps, valves and motors utilizing multiple temperature and level and other field data. A centrifuge was controlled to process the final stage of sludge recovery.

Wastewater Control - Sludge Recovery 

Automation Technologies designed, engineered and installed a wastewater sludge recovery system.  The PLC controlled system required remote racks at various plant locations and multiple Operator Interfaces.  The system controlled all associated pumps, valves and motors utilizing multiple temperature and level and other field data.  A centrifuge was controlled to process the final stage of sludge recovery.

Wastewater Control – Chemical Plant

Automation Technologies designed and implemented the control system for a chemical plant wastewater system. The system required batch neutralization of process discharges via acidic and caustic additions. Neutralized product was discharged to an SBR for further treatment. Control of the system valves, motors, and processing of analog and discrete field information was performed by and Allen Bradley PLC 5. A SCADA system utilizing Wonderware Intouch was configured to monitor system activity; start and stop sequences; and perform system logging and reports. The system oxidizer, controlled by a SLC 500, was also networked to the PLC 5 via Data Highway + and monitored by the SCADA package. The SCADA system was networked to the plant wide DCS and screens were added to a Moore APACS DCS to monitor the treatment plant and its alarms from the main control room.

Chemical Plant Control System Upgrade

Automation Technologies redesigned the operator interface and system controls for a plant-wide control system. The Moore APACS DCS control system was reconfigured to rectify existing problems and to simplify and upgrade the operator interface. The system upgrade required a complete redesign of the operator stations, data logging and report generation. In addition redesign of the system network was completed converting the existing network to a fiber optic solution. Multiple operator stations were networked together and to a dedicated development station in addition to the DCS processor.

Polymer Plant Control System Upgrade

Automation Technologies redesigned, reconfigured and reprogrammed multiple plant blending and extruding operations combining them into a plant wide control system with a central control room. The system process was composed of 5 blending lines utilizing common liquid and powder bulk ingredient systems. Each blending line fed a corresponding extrusion line for final product creation. System design included rewriting the existing bulk material batching system to create a solid and reliable system. The bulk system design also included combining multiple bulk material PLC systems into an existing Allen Bradley PLC 5 controller. The PLC 5 controller was capable, and the interdependency of the bulk ingredients made a single controller design acceptable. The multiple blending lines, each with a separate SLC 500 processor, were also reprogrammed and were networked to the bulk system. Corresponding extrusion lines were also added to allow data collection and blending/extrusion interlocking. Field control at each blender was modified to only allow batch status information and activities required locally for safety reasons. A central SCADA system consisting of two multi-monitor systems was added to allow an experienced operator to monitor and control the system. System reports and logging were added for batch summary information, statistical information, and maintenance troubleshooting assistance. This system involved programming, networking, servicing 12 PLC systems, redundant SCADA systems, and setting up an SPC analysis station. Batch summary and periodic data are ported to an Oracle data server at the company headquarters across a T1 connection.

NOTE: One primary client issue was maintaining 3 shifts of trained blender operators for five lines. The new design required only 3 trained operators (versus 15) to run smoothly.

Slitter Datalogger

Automation Technologies developed a WonderWare SCADA system for an existing PLC controlled Slitter Machine used to cut Master thin film rolls into narrower rolls. The SCADA application was designed for a touchscreen monitor and allowed operators to monitor and control the functionality of the equipment, view process data, and log process and production data for quality control. Automation Technologies also developed a method for operators to indicate defects to the SCADA system. The system was given the capability to select on of nine defect lanes, one of six point defects, and the start and stop of three continuous defects. We modified the PLC program and SCADA system to take the operator input, log data a SQL Server database and create Roll Defect Reports.

Powder Room Material Processing System

The PLC program features included safety interlocks, manual and automatic equipment control using recipes for the automatic sequence.  Recipes stored in a SQL Server database consisted of step-by-step instructions to define the sequence of controlling motors, pump and valves to weigh and mix of material.  A summary of all batch information was logged to a SQL Server for producing reports.  During project development Automation Technologies submitted a detailed functional specification document giving a complete description of the system's operation.  The functional specification included control panel specifications, human machine interface (HMI) conventions, emergency and safety interlocks, and a detailed description of subsystem functionality.

Candle Filter

Automation Technologies developed a Modicon based PLC control system for a Candle Filter used to filter a liquid using filter elements arranged vertically in a pressure vessel. A detailed Functional Specification was submitted by Automation Technologies giving a blueprint for how the control system would work. It detailed what the finished product would do, how a user would interact with it. By creating a blueprint of the product first, time and productivity are saved during the development stage. The Modicon PLC was interface via ModBus with the plant's DCS system to allow remote control of the system. The system also contained an Allen-Bradley PanelView operator interface allowing the operator to adjusted system setpoints and control the system in either an automatic or manual mode.

FGD Conveyor System

Automation Technologies designed, engineered, and installed a complete PLC control system used to control a series of conveyors used to convey gypsum material from a power plant to a wallboard plant's storage facility. System also included a Rotary Plow, Silex and Recycling System used to feed conveyors to transfer material from the storage facility to the main plant. The system contained safety interlocks such as emergency stops, speed switches, and alignment switches to assure proper functionality. The system was controlled with an Allen-Bradley based PLC system connected to an Intellution operator interface with a touchscreen monitor. The SCADA system consisted of one master Intellution application and one view node programmed with the ability to allow the operator to monitor and control the entire system.

Oil Transfer System

Automation Technologies programmed an Allen-Bradley PLC system to automatically transfer oil from an outside storage tank to an inside day tank.  The oil is continuously heated with steam and a heat tracing system. When the day tank was not calling for material the valves were positioned in a recirculation position and the oil is continuously reticulated. Once the day tank called for material the valves move to a transfer position. The system also contained Allen-Bradley PanelView interface to monitor the system.

GE Series 6 90-70 Conversion

Project #1:  Replaced a Series 6 CPU with a 9070 CPU for the main letter sorting line. The existing Series 6 I/O structure was left in place and communicates to the 9070 CPU via a GE 9070-Series 6 PIO board (S6PIO). This project required converting the Series 6 program to 9070 format and adding "C" blocks to the new program to allow the 9070 CPU to communicate with the S6PIO board. This was a turn key project, supplying all hardware, software, programming and installation.

Project #2:  Replaced a Series 6 CPU with a 9070 CPU for the #2 Paper Machine, #2 Coater. The existing Series 6 I/O structure was left in place and communicates to the 9070 CPU via a GE 9070-Series 6 PIO board (S6PIO). This project required converting the Series 6 program to 9070 format and adding "C" blocks to the new program to allow the 9070 CPU to communicate with the S6PIO board. This project will be ongoing with incremental replacement of the existing Series 6 I/O racks. Replaced a Series 6 CPU to with a 9070 CPU for the #2 Paper Machine, #4 Supercalendar. The existing Series 6 I/O structure was left in place and communicates to the 9070 CPU via a GE 9070-Series 6 PIO board (S6PIO). This project required converting the Series 6 program to 9070 format and adding "C" blocks to the new program to allow the 9070 CPU to communicate with the S6PIO board. This project will be ongoing with incremental replacement of the existing Series 6 I/O racks.

Project #3:  Currently involved in a project to replace three Series 6 CPUs with one 9030 CPU for the Bleach Plant. The existing Genius I/O structure will be left in place and will communicate to the 9030 CPU via three GE 9030 Genius bus controllers. This project requires consolidating three Series 6 programs, re-addressing conflicting I/O addresses, converting the Series 6 program to 9030 format and removing unused portions of the program.