Staplemead Creamery, Milk Link
Duplex Water Softener Automation
Automation of a large, duplex resin based water softening system, including regeneration, flow monitoring, level sensing and handshaking with a site wide data acquisition system.
Mitsubishi F1 PLC used.
Pump House Automation
Control of 8 supply pumps dealing with bore water, chlorinated hard water "to site", hard water supply to water softeners and soft water supply "to site". Analogue and digital level
probes, pressure switches and "lead / lag / standby" considerations. Mitsubishi F1 PLC used
Separated Skim Silos
Skim milk silos, mix proof valves, full valve feedback, valve pulsing during CIP with separate water flush valves to clean the "leak indicator" spaces in the valves. Control by a Mitsubishi
A1S-S1 PLC with analogue inputs and outputs. Soft Screen software package as an operator interface to graphically display routes and levels. Operations started, stopped and queued using the Soft Screen package. Later expanded to
allow skim despatch to a road tanker (with air purge of lines), using a local Mac 50 operator display.
Later expanded to replace Soft Screen SCADA with Beijers E-View SCADA, addition of control of CIP set utilising network cards for
full operator control. Additional skim supply route added
Automatic "Direct on Line" Standardisation
The PLC used was a Mitsubishi A2AS CPU with analogue inputs and outputs, with 6 PID loops controlling the position of valves to give correct cream fat percentages. For each
separator, flow meters gave flow values, and the PLC performed floating point maths to produce setpoints etc. The system was linked to a MAC E700 colour display for operator information and control
Soft Cheese Automation
Replacement of an obsolete RELOG control system to control the complete operation of a Soft Cheese production department. Mitsubishi A1S CPU with MAC E700 colour screen.
Later expanded
for full Cultured Products installation of approximately 100 valves, 30 motors, PID control of pasteuriser, product cooling, numerous filling machines. Mitsubishi Q2AS CPU, E900, network and SCADA
JJ Saunders Cheese Makers, Emborough
Replacement of obsolete Satt PLC
This project involved the replacement of an obsolete (faulty) Satt PLC with a Mitsubishi FX PLC. The new PLC was installed in a separate panel, complete with field wiring terminals, then this panel
was "multi-cored" to the existing panel to pick up the various inputs and drive the various outputs.
Peter's Savoury Products, Wales
Control of Mixing Vessels, Agitators and CIP
The project involved the automation of the process functions of several mixing vessels and the cleaning of these tanks. Product delivery to filling machines was also included.
This project was unusual /awkward given that access to the plant was only available when the plant was not in production.
Cauldron Foods, Portishead
Extension and Modification of Tofu Process Plant
This project involved the addition of a high speed centrifugal decanter to an existing process plant previously installed by others. The software for the process was totally
re-written as the original software was poorly documented and almost impossible to modify. The PLC used was a Mitsubishi A1S-S1 and elements included analogue control of rotary valve speed (based on time period analysis of load cell
readings), product batching (based on analogue meter information),temperature analysis. ladder logic maths, CIP cleaning of multiple routes with cyclic pulsing of these routes and analogue decanter speed control.
Re-writing of Smoker Oven Software
Re-writing of FX PLC software to give better control of smoking oven, namely humidity control, temperature control and smoke generation control.
Basildon Dairy Foods, Yeovil
Filling Machine CIP Setand Process Control
This project involved the complete design and build of an FX PLC panel to control a three tank CIP set (complete with high temperature sterilising function as well as the more normal
caustic and rinse functions).A Mac 50 interface allowed operator information to be displayed, and a small serial printer allowed process variables to be printed out for quality control reasons. The CIP set was used to clean a brand new,
PLC controlled filling machine. Interfacing between PLCs allowed control of the CIP set from the filling machine operator panel.
Puriflo Dissolved Air Flotation Effluent Unit
Automated Dairy Effluent Plant
Using a Mitsubishi A1S PLC with MAC E700 colour display screen to control a Puriflo dissolved air flotation effluent plant at Express Dairies, Crediton. The system allows for full auto or manual
operation from the colour display and has analogue contol of levels, PH values and chemical dosing pumps..
Express Dairies, North Tawton
Automation of Effluent Plant Blowers
The first project involved the automation of the off loading valves and large blowers for the lagoon type effluent plant. This was linked into an oxygen monitoring system and a data acquisition
system which enabled remote control and analysis of the plant as well as local "automatic and manual" control.
Ultra Osmosis Plant
The second project involved the design, installation and commissioning of the the valves, pipework and flowplate system for a "second user" Ultra Osmosis plant which had been moved from another site
within the group. The plant was controlled by a Mitsubishi FX PLC which checked all the routes and carried out all the automatic cleaning and process operations.
Express Dairies, North Tawton
Cauldron Foods, Portishead
Puriflo Dissolved Air Flotation Effluent Unit
Automated Dairy Effluent Plant
Using an Allen Bradley Control Logix PLC with Proface Screen to control a dissolved air flotation unit and ancillary food factory effluent plant for Centura Foods, Droylesden, Manchester
Puriflo Waste Water Treatment Plant
Automated Rubbish Dump Water Purifier Plant
Using a Mitsubishi A1S PLC with MAC E900 colour display screen to control a Puriflo unattended effluent plant purifying water leaching out of a moved rubbich dump during
construction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link
Puriflo Dissolved Air Flotation Effluent Unit
Automated Food Site Effluent Plant
Using an Allen Bradley SLC500 PLC with E900 Screen to control a dissolved air flotation unit and ancillary food factory effluent plant for KP Foods in Newport, Wales
Triple Circuit CIP Set
Three separate Mitsubishi F2 PLCs to control a "three route" CIP cleaning system, each PLC being interlocked with each other by digital I/O The system was fairly complicated as it
cleaned virtually every piece of process equipment within the dairy, each one requiring a different set of parameters.
Single Circuit CIP Set
Design, build and commission of a dedicated CIP set control system. The CIP set was a fairly old unit which used an obsolete PLC to control it. The new Mitsubishi F1 PLC was designed and installed in a
new panel, (with extra instrumentation), then the control was changed over and commissioned over a weekend period.
Documentation for Existing Control System
Analysis and updating of a second hand CIP set that the company had bought and installed, complete with an older Mitsubishi F40 PLC.Modification of existing programme
Eldridge Pope Brewery, Dorchester
Single Circuit CIP Set
The project involved the design, build and commissioning of a complete new CIP system to clean various brewery vessels, lines and yeast systems. The system was updated at a later date to incorporate a Yeast
Recovery System that was designed, installed and commissioned by others.
Express Dairies, Milborne
Bulk Product Hoppers, Weight Control
Two Mitsubishi F1 PLCs - pumping of product into the hoppers, release of product into the filling machines Bofors load cell units for weight analysis, plus all the automatic cleaning of
the system from an automated CIP set.
Auto Packers, Conveyors, Rotary Tables
Replacement of obsolete Siemens PLCs with modern Mitsubishi F1 PLCs. Auto Packers modified for double stacking. Various conveyer systems, rotary tables, reversible conveyors, line splitters /
counters and intelligent conveyor carton monitoring. PLC controlled sensing station for lost lids and tamper bands.
Lovington Farmhouse Cheesemakers
Raw Milk Silos and Lines CIP
Design, installation and commissioning of a complete automatic CIP system to clean all the raw milk silos, bulk tankers and raw milk lines. A relatively small project by normal standards.
Dairy Crest, Severnside
Farmers and Dairymen, Cardiff
Express Dairies, Milborne
Aseptic Filling Machine Manifolds and Cleaning
This project was completed in conjunction with Alfa Laval and Bosch, and involved the control and cleaning of aseptic valve manifolds to supply UHT product from an Alfa Laval
Steritherm to 3 off Bosch aseptic filling machines. Four off Mitsubishi F1 PLCs were used, one PLC for control of each Bosch filling machine and one for dedicated control of the CIP set that cleaned all the lines, manifolds and fillers.
States of Guernsey Dairy
Farmers and Dairymen, Cardiff
BV Dairy, Shaftesbury
Major Yogurt Process Control PLC
Following on from the complete Project Engineering of a new yogurt factory, the final part of the project involved the full PLC control of the new tanks, valves, heat exchangers, pumps and CIP set.
A major control system, which enabled the heating and cooling of cultured products from incubation tanks to heat exchangers and filling machines and bulk fillers. Overall, 58 valves, 12 tanks and 6 pumps were used. The PLC control utilised
a dedicated Mitsubishi FX PLC to control the CIP set and a "greatly extended Mitsubishi FX PLC to control all the process items.
Major UF Plant Process Control PLC
Installation of Mitsubishi Q2AS PLC with networked E900 HMI to control 80 valves, 25 motors. Overall electrical drawings, software and commissioning. Handshaking with Siemens S7.
Installation
of full site wide SCADA system talking to Mitsubishi, Field and Siemens equipment. SCADA system networked into site PC network to allow full access to information
Later addition of second UF plant with second Siemens PLC.
Major Pasteurisation Process Control PLC
Installation of Mitsubishi Q2AS PLC with networked E900 HMI to control 100 valves, 30 motors.
Incorporation of 6 silos, two pasteurisers, homogenisers, separator. Design and build of new
control panel, site installation drawings, process control screens.
Incorporation of all data into site wide SCADA system.
SmithKline Beecham, (Horlicks) Slough
Allen Bradley Pollution Control System
PLCs used were Allen Bradley SLC 5/03 PLC which was linked (by a remote I/O scanner) to two separate Allen Bradley "remote data" PLCs installed in other parts of the site. The PLC
analysed effluent flow turbidity and conductivity values by monitoring analogue 4-20 ma signals from Endress and Hauser sensors, and operated (full feedback) valves and alarms accordingly. The PLC was also linked to a Windows NT SCADA
package running on a remote PC which allowed full analysis of the system status.
Wessex Water Automation
Wessex Water Contract Software Development
Conversion of existing Allen Bradley PLC 5 programme (written in 32 bit RS Logix) to Mitsubishi A2US code written with the new Mitsubishi Software Medoc Plus. Testing of the finished
programme using WonderWare's PIX, and Mitsubishi's MX SCADA packaage. At one stage of testing, the desktop PLC was connected to 3 separate PCs ..... one analysing the programme, one simulating the plant, and the other providing the
overview SCADA package. The programme completely controlled a sludge drying plant with multiple PID control
AO Petmol Dairy, St. Petersburg,Russia
A very special project indeed.This was carried out in conjunction with WS Atkins Consultants as part of a large energy survey spanning 18 months.
As part of the requirements for EEC sponsored work, the overall project
must be assessed by independent consulting companies known as "Monitoring Contractors". The European Commission's Monitoring Contractor stated in May 1996,that, "the project, without doubt, represents the most successful
project which the monitors have followed in the entire Tacis programme to date". (TACIS stands for "Technical Assistance to the Commonwealth of Independent States, as the former USSR is now called)
Customers and Projects
Customers and Projects Completed over the years.
