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Water Treatment System

Water Treatment System

Two more Water Chlorine Dosing Control Systems have been designed, manufactured and commissioned by Fast Automation. Both projects completed for government facilities in NSW and are up and running at this moment. The system controls a series of valves by monitoring flow transmitters and other field sensors to correctly dosechlorine, ituses the latest Schneider PLC series M580 with communications to an RTU and SCADA system.

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Waste Treatment Plant Automation

Waste Treatment Plant Automation

Fast Automation has automated many major waste treatment plants for several leading environmental companies. The systems have all been implemented using Citect or Wonderware SCADA software and various PLC types including Allen Bradley, GE Fanuc, OMRON and SIEMENS.

The SCADA application software has evolved to the level where standard genies facilitate the rapid development of any plants requirements.

Features of Waste Treatment SCADA and PLC software:

SCADA:

  • Standard Alarms grouping (Major, Minor, System etc)
  • Events grouping (Motor No xxx switched to manual)
  • Listings of Alarms and Events
  • Trends
  • Multi tabs on Standard Device ( eg Control, Parameters, Setpoints, Data – hours run No of Starts etc)
  • Graphic Animation (eg Motors rotate, Pipe Fills etc no static images)
  • Reports (utilizes Citect Standard reports) Reports can be stored in Excel or word and have macros ran to perform filters, draw graphs/charts, run formulas to determine things like Alarms that occurred most often, outage times etc then email the reports to head office.
  • Viewing and management of reports all from with SCADA.
  • Archiving of reports is automated.
  • Remote dial in with PC anywhere for remote control of Plant.
  • Configurable security levels.

PLC:

  • Programs are written in Ladder Logic and developed with EDDI Error Dynamic Diagnostic Information navigation and understanding of logic is very simple.
  • Functions are separated and ordered logically so that maintenance and development is easy. Standard proven logic is cut and pasted into each plants requirements minimizing development time, cost and risk.
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Visionary System

Visionary System

A packaging giant turned to Fast Automation to complete a challenging vision application. The system utilised Balluf cameras with Siemens S7-1200 PLC systems. Norco touch screens and PLC hardware din rail PC’s. A number of issues were overcome on the SCADA with a number of windows scripting host scripts.

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Siemens S5 upgrade

Siemens S5 upgrade

A nearby factory requested a control system upgrade on an old German tissue folding machine that had become problematic. The challenge was with the speed and torque synchronisation and delicacy of the product combined with the need to maintain production. Thankfully, Fast Automation’s David Fonseca was up for the challenge. All requirements and deadlines were met and the machine was faithfully restored to its former glory with a few enhancements to bring it up to date and even improve productivity!

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Safety Upgraded After Serious Injury

Safety Upgraded After Serious Injury

A giant Air-conditioning equipment manufacturer engaged Fast Automation to review and upgrade the safety on its machinery after a serious accident.

Fast Automation implemented a number of changes to bring the German machinery up to present standards. Technology primarily involved SICK pressure sensors and light curtains.

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S5 to S7 conversion project

S5 to S7 conversion project

A major paper processing plant experienced problems with an old/outdated S5 PLC system. The system was an S5-95U CPU with a large amount of I/O. The existing system was difficult to troubleshoot and not easy to maintain. Fast Automation was contracted to upgrade the system to a new and serviceable system but at a minimum cost.

Existing System:-

Existing Rack Components:-

Part No. Description Qty
6ES5103-8MA12 SIMATIC S5 CPU 103 1
6ES5470-8MA11 Analog Output Module – 2AO 1
6ES5385-8MA11 Down counter with 2 Channels up to 500Hz 1
6ES5421-8MA12 Digital Input 8x 24V DC 11
6ES5441-8MA11 Digital Output 8x 24V DC 1A 8

 

At first glance not an obvious choice but the Siemens ET200s was selected as the platform solution. Fast Automation believes the Siemens ET200S IM151-7 CPU is a hard option to look past, for smaller Siemens S5 upgrades.

Summary of ET200s suitability factors:-

  • Processing power is not a real requirement when upgrading the S5-95U, most modern small PLC’s will outperform it. IF using the ET200s CPU’s
  • The memory requirement is minimal
  • The I/O can be selected to match card for card upgrading which minimizes drawing changes.
  • The footprint is exceptionally small and therefore can usually be mounted alongside the old PLC without the need for existing cabinets.
  • Spares are readily available, and the system is hot-swappable and low power.

New Rack Components:

Order number Designation Quantity
6ES7131-4BF00-0AA0 Electronics module, 8DI, 24 V DC, standard (1 unit)

14

6ES7132-4BF00-0AA0 Electronics module, 8DO, 24 V DC/0.5A, standard (1 unit)

9

6ES7135-4FB01-0AB0 Electronic module, 2AO, U

2

6ES7138-4DE02-0AB0 1 Count 5V/500kHz, connection for RS422 incremental encoders
6ES7138-4CA01-0AA0 PM-E DC 24V power module for electronic modules, with diagn.

1

6ES7151-7AA20-0AB0 IM 151 – 7 CPU

1

6ES7193-4CA40-0AA0 Universal terminal module; screw connection (5 pcs.)

5

6ES7193-4CD20-0AA0 Terminal module for AUX1 supply; screw connection

3

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Robotic Foam Head Dosing System

Robotic Foam Head Dosing System

Fast Automation was consulted by a major manufacturer to find a cost effective way of improving the delivery of insulation foam into heater assemblies. The result was Fast Automation working closely with the manufacturers own engineering team to provide the control system. The control system was a difficult assignment as it involved the expansion and interfacing to an old system with no documentation.

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RFID based automatic electrical test station

RFID based automatic electrical test station

Fast Automation was contracted to develop a custom interface to allow the automatic selection of the correct test sequence and test parameters from a database, and then execute an automated electrical test on cylinders.

System overview:-

The system utilised the following technologies:-

  • Micro Logix Ethernet PLC system 1763-L16DWD.
  • Wonderware Intouch V9.5
  • Active X serial communications drivers.
  • Microsoft SQL server 2008.
  • Custom Serial and Query scripts, RSlogix5000.
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PLC Data Query for Freight System

PLC Data Query for Freight System

Fast Automation was contracted to develop a method for querying weight and product information from a Novell server, and update data records inside a S7-400 PLC.

Technologies used:

  • Siemens S7-400 processor.
  • Siemens TP277 Touch Panels
  • Profibus, Profinet and Novell gateway software.
  • Microsoft ADODB, ADOCE and Siemens Step-7’s STL

The query was bespoke as the data from the Mettler Toledo weigh bridge was being served in a custom named and formatted flat file.

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Pilot Plant Agency Process Control System

Pilot Plant Agency Process Control System

This system has now been completed and is fully operational. Click Here for more info.

Fast Automation was awarded the contract for a small control system on a worlds first Process control pilot plant for a slow release agent with wide reaching applications.
CERAMISPHERE is a pioneering company that develops slow release technology which has wide ranging applications. The technology selected for this project is Siemens S7-300 with Wonderware Intouch SCADA and ET200s remote I/O. This new pilot plant is scheduled for commissioning late June 2013.
This System has:

    Centralised 2m MCP
    SCADA System with following usual features

 

  • Almost infinite Batch control combinations
  • Alarm and Event Logging
  • Reporting
  • Control and supervision
  • Trending
  • Domain Based Security