ITTECH has been involved in numerous project in the area of industrial automation and process control.
Below is a partial list of projects where our tools - the Logic Error Hunter and
Controls Systems Autogen have been successfully applied.
The list is not complete, but it rather intendes to highlight the universal applicability of our tools in all branches of the
industry and it also
highlights some of the tools use cases :
Coal Loading Terminals PLC code verification :
Development and delivery of test suites to verify/test
the critical parts of the PLC program code used to
control the Conveyors, Yard Machines, Shiploaders and
other equipment. The flawless operation of these modules is considered
critical in terms of reducing operations downtime at the Terminals.
Dalrimple Bay Coal Terminal - Mackay, Australia, 2010.
Despite of the PLC code being in production at the Terminal
for many years, we found quite a few undiscovered issues in it.
In average we found one problem in every 8 rungs of PLC code
whether it be in faults alarming, state machine transition logic,
interlocks, glue logic etc.
The developed test suites for the PLC programs
allows their regression testing after modifications
for maintenance purposes. It greatly reduced chances of
introducing unintentional errors in PLC code because
of modifications.
Wigins Island Coal Export Terminal - Gladstone, Australia, 2013-2014.
Verified and tested with the Logic Hunter many of the critical and most
commonly (repeatedly) used contol modules for the coal terminal
during the development phase of the project thus preventing
slip of error in the code during commissioning where such errors are very costly.
Tested the all alarms and interlocks correctness of the whole terminal control system in a fraction of the time requred by using conventinal test methods.
The Logic Hubter regression tests were also used when converting existing programatic equipment control modules to a more maintenance friendly implementation.
The whole project controls program was created using Autogen tools.
Water Treatment/Processing Verifications - Adelaide, Australia, 2010 :
Development and delivery of test suites to verify/test the critical parts of the PLC program code used to
control the Transfer Pipe Line (pump station) of the Adelaide Desalination Plant.
All the testing was done during the code development phase
All the 4 MWatt pipeline pumps - 8 pumps in total,along with valves,
tanks, water chemical treatment and other control modules were
verified with the Logic Hunter as well as the overall
interlocks and fault alarming code.
Chemical Process Control Verifications - BHP Billiton - Olympic Dam, Australia, 2011 :
Development and delivery of Logic Errro Hunter test suites to verify/test
the critical parts of the PLC program code (controls logic, alarms, interlocks) - used to control the tail disposal pipeline, air compressors
PD pumps etc., pumping slurry out after the electro-chemical metals/uranium extraction process.
Gold Mine Process Plant Controls Verifications - Martabe Gold Mine - North Sumatra, Indonesia, 2012 :
Verified/tested all the control sequences (state machines), interlocks etc. controlling the process all the way
from crude gold ore handling to final gold production and waste water treatment - ore crushing, conveyor transport, milling,
conversion to gold rich slurry and pumping in the
cianide treatment tanks, gold extraction by means of active carbon, heated gold separation and melting (gold production) processes.
The test suites were developed during the commissioning phase of the control systems.
The whole project controls program and SCADA system was created using Autogen tools.
Delivered demo licenses for the Logic Error Hunter targeting OMRON PLCs verifications. Note that if we don't have support for a specific PLC brand in the Logic Errro Hunter -
we can add such on request within max 1.5 months for no additional cost to our customers.
Verification of the PLC code for an automated Parkin Lift (automated car parking) :
This application is
considered safety critical because of human access to the
parking area. It has been through a safety critical approval process at
TUV Rheinland before being commissioned and going into
production. Still after this we found 8 problems in the code.
The problems were primarily revealing themselves when
sensors and other equipment would fail to operate as
expected and were in general very hard to discover with
normal testing techniques used in commissioning or simulation.
Verification of PLC programs controlling CNC machines :
.
Again problems were found in cases where equipment
(sensors, hydraulic pumps, motors etc) were failing to
operate within expectations.
Apart from the verification services and tools that
we offer to our customers, we also have participated in
a countless number of projects involving PLC based
process automation and machine control.
To mention a few: CNC machine control;
Coal Terminal Operations Control(Conveyors, Yard Machines, Shiploaders and
auxiliary equipment control programs and systems);
Power generator and Power Distribution and
Supply Systems control and automation; Numerous process control projects
for minerals extraction (gold, copper, uranium etc.). Water Treatment Utilities Projects.
The participation in automation projects supplements our expertise in the
area of verification and testing services allowing us to
improve and evolve our verification methodologies.