Highlighting the continued infiltration of Ethernet into industrial applications, integrator QDS explains its planned use of standard Ethernet communications in the Baton Rouge wastewater filtration project. According to blogger Stan Prutz, Ethernet will be used in each site where RTUs are being installed, using existing Modbus communications over TCP. While practical communication aspects are being addressed in Baton Rouge, on the West Coast, integrator Cascade Controls focuses on the operational philosophy affecting its biopharmaceutical filtration automation project. Blogger John Sever explains how a plant’s operational philosophy impacts operator access to HMI modules.
Biopharmaceutical filtration automation project
This week our work revolves around the plant’s operational philosophy and operator access to modules from the HMI. Should an operator be allowed to run an equipment module from the HMI? If the equipment module is in auto mode, can an operator change operational parameters? Should modules be locked into auto mode by recipes or should operators be allowed to put modules in manual mode while a recipe is operating? If an operator changes an equipment module to manual mode, should the recipe automatically transition to a hold state?
To get the full details on this week’s blog update and past blog installments, click here .
To view the introductory article explaining this project, click here .
Wastewater SCADA project:
We are investigating the possibility of using standard Ethernet communications to each site where new RTUs are being installed, retaining the originally planned Modbus communications over TCP for existing RTUs. Our ideal solution for this customer is to use an Ethernet version cell modem and industrial router with NAT (network address translation) and port forwarding. For the RTU, we see a direct Ethernet interface type controller with terminal block type I/O device that can be flexibly oriented to match the client’s existing wiring.
To get the full details on this week’s blog update and past blog installments, click here .
To view the introductory article explaining this project, click here .
