Applied Control Engineering, Inc.

Case Histories

Applied Control Engineering, Inc. (ACE) is a leader in providing innovative cost-effective solutions to process control and system integration challenges. Our case histories provide you with detailed write-ups on how we help give our customers the ability to better perform and compete in today’s constantly changing process control and information technology environment. To view a case history, please login or register. To learn more, please contact your local ACE representative.

Fermentation Batch Control and Product Tracking	Develop the controls and HMI for sixteen batch fermentors, and store batch production information in a database with operator access and comment capabilities.

Standard Operating Condition Database	Develop a database for standard operating conditions by product type and batch recipe parameters, and download this information to a distributed control system. Develop operator interfaces to display database and related process information.

Correctional Facility CCTV Monitoring System	Provide an upgraded closed circuit camera system for a correctional facility. The key objective was to provide improved control of a camera system without losing access to alarms and other systems during the conversion process.

Automotive Discrete Parts Handling	Provide control, HMI, tracking, and reporting for three material handling lines. Key objectives are to increase throughput, while minimizing both the implementation timeframe and plant downtime.

Textile Fibers Manufacturing Tracking System	Implemented Manufacturing Execution System to allow tracking of material from startup of production through shipping, and allow operator input of lot information. Captured operator input in a database for web-based report generation.

Reactor Batch Control	Provide for reactor batch control in this chemical process. Supply a method of reporting and data collection.

Automotive Parts Quality Control Database	Upgrade the existing HMI interface for the purposes of integration into a quality control database. In addition to this, a logistics system needed to be designed to identify and reduce the causes of plant downtime and defective parts.

Glass Melting Agent	Develop a PLC application and an HMI interface for control of a batch glass melting agent manufacturing process.

TISTAR to PCS Upgrade	Upgrade existing TISTAR consoles to updated PCS stations. Develop a networked architecture that is integrated with the plant network, allowing access to real-time process data.

Batch Control and Reporting for Polymer Processing Plant	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.

ReValidation Services	Provide remedial validation services for gas production facilities. Services ranged from the development of a Revalidation Master Plan to providing summary reports after IQ and OQ protocol execution.

Pharmaceutical Batch Management	Develop a PLC-based batch engine and recipe management system for pharmaceutical manufacturing. Address associated 21 CFR Part 11 compliance requirements.

Vial Cartoner Validation Services	Provide a Functional Requirement Specification and Factory Acceptance Test Protocols for a system at a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility that includes a Dimension Industries Model 400 Continuous Motion Automatic Cartoner, a bar code scanner, vision system, and label printer.

Bio Pharma Pilot Plant Integration	Integrate a variety of OEM and vendor supplied equipment into one overall control system for a new pilot plant facility providing for a GMP environment and long-term data collection.

Control System for Granulation Process	Design a system to automate a granulation process including a mixer, wet mill and fluid bed dryer. Utilize PLCs to provide process control and data monitoring. Provide secure HMIs, data trends, and automatic batch reports. Implement databases to provide a central repository for recipes, revision histories, user audit trails, and batch report data.

Golf Ball Finishing Area Database and Reporting	Collect data from finishing-area machines and provide a web interface for custom production and efficiency reports. Key project objectives were to identify causes of machine downtime and to increase throughput.

Production Scheduling and Monitoring System	Implement a production scheduling and monitoring system. Base the system on an existing design, but use updated PLC and HMI software/hardware. For product tracking, use a Microsoft SQL Server database instead of an Oracle back end.

Sterile Vial Filling Line	Implement a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system using iFix for a new fill line including a vial filler, lyophilizer and isolators. Designed to run in a pharmaceutical R&D environment and provide recipe management, batch data collection, and system features for 21 CFR part 11 compliance.

Bulk Pharmaceutical Control System	Provide reactor and support systems control for a bulk pharmaceutical manufacturing process using DeltaV.

LNG Peakshaving Control System	Provide DeltaV system for the control of a Liquid Natual Gas Peakshaving plant.

Polymer Production Plant	Create and install a new DeltaV system to eliminate outdated equipment, decrease batch variability, increase plant capacity, collect production data that can be passed easily to the plant PI data historian.

Biotech Manufacturing Building	At mid-project (control system on site), ACE assumed responsibility for control system completion, implementation, startup and commissioning. ACE worked with client representatives, construction contractor, control system supplier and validation contractor to bring the facility on-line.

Solid Dose Packaging Line	Implement a Line Control and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system using iFIX for a new solid dose packaging line including an unscrambler, filler, cottoner, capper, accumulator, labeler and case packer. Designed to run in pharmaceutical manufacturing and provide recipe management, batch data collection, OEE calculation and system features for 21 CFR part 11 compliance.

Chocolate Control Grinding System	Implement a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system using Siemens PCS7 for a new coco bean grinding system. Coordinate and support multiple vendor applications into one PCS7 multi-project.

C340 Tail Gas Compressor	Implement a safety control system using Triconex controller and Citect HMI to control a hydrogen screw compressor. The compressor was designed as an upgrade to the tail gas system, to run in the refinery’s hydro-cracker unit for the production of off-road low sulfur diesel.

Mini Bioreactor Fed Batch Control System	Develop control logic for a prototype mini bioreactor, duplicating existing functionality and developing new code for additional functionality.

Reactor Controls Upgrade and Expansion	Replace an existing reactor control system using Siemens-Moore MycroAdvantage/APACS with a new Siemens PCS7 solution and expand it to include two reactors in a different part of the plant.

Flue Gas Desulfurization	Design, configure and provide start-up support for a control system using Rockwell ControlLogix, Siemens APACS, and Wonderware InTouch to control a flue gas desulfurization system at a coal fired power plant.