Stepwise Migration: How to Replace a Process Control System

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“We have even incorporated double redundancy,” adds Schätzle. Every component in a station can be reached via two bus systems— an operator bus and a process bus. Each bus can take over for the other if it becomes necessary. In addition, each station is equipped with two ports that can back each other up.

This ensures the high availability that the stations demand. Before the migration was even complete, it was clear that Cht had found more than simply a replacement for the old system.

“The Aprol system is significantly more flexible, and we can now have a new valve up and running in a matter of hours rather than days. Any changes to the software can also be reversed with a single click if an error is detected.”

Analyzing process sequences is also a much simpler task these days. “With TrendViewer and AuditTrail, we found that we were able to analyze processes that we didn’t have access to before,” explains Schätzle. “Aprol lets us analyze interactions between processes in real time in order to implement process optimizations on the spot. Failed batches can be tracked and analyzed later on based on the logged process data.” One way that Cht uses this additional information is to analyze and reduce energy consumption.

Future projects with Aprol

Since July of 2015, Cht now has ISO 50001 certification for all of is locations in Germany. The next step for the energy management system is to implement energy data acquisition with Aprol. This project began in September 2015. Since the alarm systems in Dusslingen and Oyten also needed to be replaced, Cht decided to use Aprol for those as well.

“We’re now benefiting from the synergy of B&R’s Energy Monitoring and Condition Monitoring solutions by expanding the networks at the two locations and connecting all signals with Aprol,” says Schätzle. This project, which will also be implemented first in Dusslingen and subsequently in Oyten, will ultimately add 4,000 I/Os to the process control system. Upon completion, Cht hopes that centralized evaluation of this newly won data will help tap potential energy savings and improve plant safety and system availability.

Cht is already busy thinking up other ways they can utilize the flood of data they have tapped into. In 2017, they will begin development of a custom manufacturing execution system (MES) to utilize the data with an interface to the ERP system.

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