Project Management

Implementation

1. Hardware, software & preconfigured control logic
   • Flexible by application needs
   • Cimplicity, IFIX or WonderWare HMI
   • OPEN Solutions
   • Numerous control platforms (DCS, PLCs) as needed
   • Unified database or “wrapper-less” system as needed
2. Site/work assistance available for:
   • P&ID’s reviews and detailed completion
     • Can save $$$
   • Project database
     • Can assist in development if needed for first projects
   • Instrumentation matching
   • Implementation of logic
     • Balance of plant/foreign devices if needed
   • Commissioning, start up and tuning
3. Network design and implementation
   • Security
   • Domain trusts
   • Remote access and VPN
   • Routing and VLAN
   • Media and protocol conversion
4. SCADA system implementation of above components
5. Electrical protection
6. ESD, interlock schemes and load shed participation where applicable
7. Long-term pricing and support agreements

Typical Workflow

1. Design Motor Controls Philosophy
   • Hand versus auto wiring scheme
2. Establish Emergency Shutdown
   • If a safety system needed
3. Establish Interlock schemes, for native and skid devices
4. Receive Skid/Foreign Device Tag Databases
   • Earlier is better
5. Skid Vendor to provide typical HMI screens for skid controls
6. Build Configuration from Sequence of Operations
7. Design Operator Displays for native IO
   • Typically begins with P&ID’s
8. Build/Import Skid/Foreign Device IO databases in Control System
9. Design Operator Displays for skid devices
10. Populate displays with active data from sources
11. Create Trending displays
12. Configure and manage alarming schemes
13. FAT
14. Correct Items from FAT punch list
15. Ship system to site
16. Arrive at site after 70% of IO is terminated if not supervising installation
17. Instruments should be calibrated during this time by loop sheets
18. Begin loop checkout
    • One person on console, one tech in field
19. Wet process for commissioning and final tuning (Upstream to downstream)

Working with your organization, our staff will assimilate your corporate needs into a defined project execution model. Although our firm has its foundation in controls, our success is based on our ability to manage and execute projects with the client's goals and objectives as overriding requirements.

We first communicate with your executive staff to understand your business objectives. From there, we work with operations, engineering and IT to incorporate the vertical needs of each area, as well as standards, preferences and operational models.

At this point, depending on how many divisions and types of projects are undertaken by a company, we begin to separate all of the criteria that apply to a given project type.

At the project-specific level, software, hardware, system elements, communication protocols, network designs and detailed device requirements are identified and folded into a specification.

Simultaneously, project execution requirements such as required schedule details, reporting mechanisms and meeting protocols are defined and made available to project members for complete project buy-in and expectation setting before any work begins.

Technical review of project plans, particularly from a controls and process perspective, generally begin early – prior to any PO releases to vendors – to insure that all appropriate language is included in vendor proposals. Particular attention is paid to deliverables, support and communications.

Throughout project execution, our team identifies the weakest links in the project team and works with those firms to inspire them to fulfill their contractual obligations. As opposed to browbeating and waiting until it's too late to help the project, we believe in acting quickly and demonstrating through examples and teamwork what the project expects from those vendors who are struggling to supply deliverables.

Site support and management can add value, particularly if scopes are not well defined, which is something we prefer to avoid through thorough understanding of installation details. In this manner, proposals can be received with details to allow for fixed price as opposed to time and material contracts, which tend to run away from cost controls and can be challenging to enforce.

Finally, performance requirements can be generated and tested for final acceptance of various aspects of the project, so that a completion checklist can be witnessed and documented and project conclusion can be professionally identified.