Case Study · Food & Beverage
Mix Plant Control System Conversion and Upgrades
Comprehensive software conversion and replacement, bar coding infrastructure and equipment upgrades.
Project Summary
Continental Mills (CM) and the Bachelor Controls (BCI) / AZO Incorporated team had already built a history of implementing high-level batching systems together. So when CM chose to convert its existing control system software and make additional upgrades — a comprehensive software conversion and overhaul plus bar coding infrastructure and equipment upgrades — BCI and AZO, producer of the world's finest ingredient management equipment, were up to the task.
Challenge
The project required a plantwide software conversion, and the changeover had to happen over a single weekend shutdown:
- Convert iBatch to RSBatch, iFix to RSView SE, and Sybase to SQL Server
- Install new computer and barcode replacement hardware
- Convert many single-purpose recipes into a few data-driven, multipurpose recipes
The recipe conversion alone promised significant time savings for recipe development, recipe check-out, Factory Acceptance Test (FAT) and recipe validation during startup. Getting there took several project planning meetings, hundreds of hours of development, strict adherence to proven project methodologies, and a comprehensive check-out and FAT.
Bachelor Controls' project methodology and management procedures enabled us to implement a major control system software conversion project during a single weekend shutdown with minimal problems and without losing any scheduled production.
Solution & Benefits
Careful planning and a well-structured project methodology carried the transition. The BCI/AZO project team communicated closely with both CM plant and corporate personnel, and with the entire team working to the same milestones, obstacles that looked large up front were handled as the natural challenges of implementing complex software into a real-time, multi-user environment.
Results
1
Weekend shutdown
2
Small punch list items
0
Test batches needing re-work
How the Weekend Went
- Project delivered on-time, meeting the original start-up date set at the kickoff meeting
- All test batches run during the shutdown were successful, sellable product with no re-work
- Project delivered on-budget
- Software challenges were assessed and resolved without lost production, attributable to good vendor communication and the on-site creation of a stop-gap/backup solution during start-up
- All tasks on the start-up schedule were completed each day
- The project yielded only "two, small punch list items"
What the Customer Said
The controls software conversion project startup was I cannot believe that for a project of its size, we only had two, small punch list items.
It was the best project I've ever been involved with.
Facing a Conversion Window You Can't Overrun?
Tell us what has to be back in production Monday morning.