Listen in: Watching a migration in progress

An update on a major automation platform upgrade at a large-scale chemical plant.

In November, 2006 I first talked to Tom Williams from Honeywell Specialty Materials in Geismar, LA. Tom is overseeing a major long-term upgrade of that fluorine products plant as it continues to produce hydrofluoric acid, polymers and refrigerants. His team has made a lot of progress in the last 18 months. ( .)

Bob Vavra, editorial director of our sister publication Plant Engineering , and I discussed a number of topics with Tom, including:

  • Implementation of APC strategy;

  • Changing roles of operators in a more thoroughly automated environment;

  • Using simulation platforms for operator training;

  • New safety and security capabilities;

  • Alarm management;

  • Maintenance strategy;

  • Early event detection;

  • Actual and potential wireless implementations; and

  • What lies ahead.

Check out this podcast for some new ideas from a real end-user perspective.

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—Peter Welander, process industries editor, [email protected] ,
Process & Advanced Control Monthly
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