Batch Management

Case History
Batch Control and Reporting for Polymer Processing Plant

Project
Provide process control and batch reporting for four polymer processing lines.  Key objectives are to increase process stability during long production cycles, while minimizing  plant downtime.


Architecture

• Four polymer processing lines are used in an ISA-S88 compliant batch process
• Each polymer processing unit is controlled by an Allen Bradley PLC-5/40
• Data communications via ethernet TCP/IP
• Three HMI stations in a process control room with an industrial PC on the plant floor

Implementation
The customer's user requirements called for a very stable solution using Rockwell Automation/Allen Bradley products. The production process is an ISA-S88 compliant batch process.

Each of four polymer production reactors is controlled by an Allen Bradley PLC-5/40E. In a nearby control room, there are three Wonderware operator interfaces, each of which can control any production reactor. Additionally, there is an industrial PC on the production floor acting as a terminal interface. The four reactors and the four operator interface terminals are all connected using Ethernet.

Operators have the ability to monitor the line, select a batch recipe to run, and adjust process parameters.

Status
ACE implemented control of two of the lines initially. Following that success, we were selected as the systems integrator for the two additional lines

Current plans include installing InSQL server on two redundant servers to hold all process and recipe data for report generation purposes.