Listen in: Watching a migration in progress

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

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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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See our complete catalog of podcasts .

—Peter Welander, process industries editor, PWelander@cfemedia.com ,
Process & Advanced Control Monthly
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