Optimation Blog

Rockwell hosted a recent webinar highlighting its batch technology. It introduced the new capabilities of FT Batch V13 which were summarized as follows:

I spent last week at the annual conference of the Control Systems Integrators Association (CSIA).  Since it was founded almost 30 years ago, the CSIA has been the leading force in advancement of manufacturing automation in the United States and increasingly around the world.  At last week’s conference, over 500 owners and C-level executives from more than 200 automation firms came together to learn, share and teach.  They have discovered that “co-opetition” is one of the best ways to grow and improve themselves. 

Manufacturers utilizing control systemswith obsolete components are faced with the daunting task of needing to replace their system, even though it may meet their production needs and is very well understood by the operations team.  What can be done to help improve the success of a control system migration? 

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The ROI of a migration project is sometimes difficult to justify. It is often viewed as an "insurance policy" against losing the ability to replace a "likely to fail" subcomponent. In many cases this type of justification gets postponed for many years but most likely there are features of a new system that can improve a migration's value.   

One of the relationships that has been foundational in Optimation’s growth and success over the years is the one we have with National Instruments. NI is the test, measurement, and control systems innovator based in Austin, Texas. For over a dozen years, Optimation has been a partner with NI. We have together been engineering, deploying, supporting, and training in innovative solutions based in the NI ecosystem. Applications range from medical device testing to very high-pressure test system design and fabrications, to custom programming and software design.  Our clients have benefited from the combination of Optimation’s creative engineers and developers with NI’s state-of-the-art suite of open software, innovative solutions, and globally-sourced electronics and systems.

It strikes me, in recent days, that some of the most heated rhetoric is aimed at several “threats” to our American essence. That is: Russian hacking, class envy, and (gasp!) Automation!  They stand accused of challenging our very democratic foundations, tearing us apart as a people and turning human beings into commodities and turning us one against the other.

Many companies employ systems of interconnected piping, pumps, accumulators, filters, heat exchangers, etc. and associated control systems to produce a specific set of conditions or products in a manufacturing or production process. Optimation specializes in this space, delivering such systems on skids or in pods for food, chemical, industrial coatings, or other products. Often these systems are designed and engineered to yield an environment for controlling processes using gases such as nitrogen or argon, etc. This requires use of specific technologies and materials, combined in such a way that they not only deliver the right pressures and volumes, but also employ the proper materials, fittings, piping, and valves. We also must consider the safety features that accompany such conditions in the presence of electricity which introduces a whole other set of risks.

How well do you know your weak link?

If you operate a continuous manufacturing process, then you know the importance of maintaining your systems' operational performance. No doubt you gave a considerable amount of thought to your system architecture, understanding the critical parameters for producing the highest possible quality product.

You pay attention to safety, process control, reliability, and quality through constant monitoring of key performance indicators to oversee the health of your system in order to assure your products' quality.

I'm fortunate to again be attending NIWeek, the annual business and technology conference run by National Instruments (NI) in Austin, Texas. It's a scene of thousands of engineers, scientists, and businesspeople converging to look at the latest and greatest technologies, applications, and success stories while also having the opportunity to learn new techniques and advance our prowess.

Being “remote,” and having “control” can mean different things in different circumstances. For instance: remote can refer to a geographical distance, as in working from home--remotely; or, being standoffish—aloof, and distant. How about “having control” in the sense of managing a situation versus being manipulative, or grabbing the steering wheel?