Monitoring and archiving production data - Biocel Paskov a.s.

1. Main system functions

- The system monitors the operation of packing line for pulp production:

- Identifies the movement and status of all packages on the line in real time

- Allocates the precise weight to each package

- Provides the printing of correct production data to each package

- Keeps the precise record of produced and dispatched packages

- Allows manual corrections of data by authorized person (remove / add package into unit, etc.).

- It allows to enter the product quality parameters: pulp, yeasts, lignin sulphonates

- Archives all important data into the Oracle database

- Provides the production and quality data into the enterprise IS SAP

The system is operated independently on other systems (Damatic, Biomill, etc.). All input information (e.g. the package position) are retrieved from the technology independently on other systems.

2. System description

The system consists of three levels:

1. Process: - retrieve the information regarding package movements and packaging line states

2. Server: - communication with process level (Simatic)

- communication with the printing system

- retrieving the data from the weigh system

- processing the product quality data

- processing and archiving the technological data

- providing the data for visualization PC stations

- providing the data for SAp enterprise database

3. Visualization: - technology monitoring (current states and history)

- data entry from electronic forms - entering the quality parameters

- system parameters entry

- possible additional manual data editation

Client-server system architecture. The software application includes sofisticated user permissions system. All user ans operator admissions are done via the Web interface. For input data entry and display, the forms and reports are used, accessible from any PC on the company Intranet. Data entries are protected by permissions and passwords, that ensure secure access of specific system users:

- laboratory (entering the quality data and parameters)

- package line operators (entering the half hour analyses)

- yeasts and lignin sulphonates production operators (entering the production parameters)

- production monitoring operators

- enterprise management

- system administrator

2.1. The process level

- The packages movement and position monitoring is managed by a system of sensors installed for this purpose. The system identifies all package movements through key positions (weigh, press, print, ..).

- The process signals, package movements and additional information are processed by the Simatic S7 PLC and archived with a timestamp in the local archive in the PLC device. This archive is kept for the case of communicaton failure with the dat server. After the connection is restored, the data is transferd additionaly from the PLC device to the data server. This way, the data consistency is ensured. The communication between the Simatic S7 and the data server is implemented via Ethernet.

2.2. The server part

The application running on the data server:

- retrieves the data from the technology: communication with Simatic PLCs

- retrieves the data from electronic forms (quality)

- process and store the data about packages (and units) into the Oracle database installed on this PC

Database part of the system

- In the Oracle database there is the information regardin every produced backage and its quality. Each package is identifiead by an unique number. The system provides data archiving of all importand data for the SAP enterprise database. The enterprise SAP IS reads the data from the server, also retroactively if there was a connectivity interruption between the two servers.

- The database server hardware is modified in order to reach higher data protection: RAID 6 hard disk array with HotSwap and HotSpare functions. The installed software consists of Windows OS 2003 server and ORACLE 10i database system, used for complete data archiving.

System communication

- The data transfer use the Intranet of the Biocel Paskov a.s. company.

- transfering the data from process station (Simatic S7) to the data server

- data transfers between the data server PC and the visualization client PC (protocol TCP/IP)

- data transfers between the data server and the enterprise IS SAP

- Communication of the data server with the printing system (RS232)

- the system reads and checks the package numbers generated by the print machine

- when the production changes, the system generates the new product name for the printer.

- Retrieving the data from the weigh system

- the information is read via the text file: weight and time. The system measures and saves the weight of each package

- in the future, the system will be connected directly to the weigh system (Simatic) via OPC server.

System security
The whole system is designed to be resistant against partial system failures (communication failure, hard disk crash, etc.) and also against the human error. The system secures:

- Inspection of all values entered by operators (quality, etc.) – preventing the entry of irrelevant values. Checking the upper and lower limits (the limits can be edited only by system admin, access protected by password, the system stores the history of all changes).

- Checking the correct time of the package movement through the photo sensors: protection against short time shielding (e.g. by hand), monitoring the line (via the binry signal) - running/stoppedt

- The operator can make some manual corrections, but only in special cases – via the special screens designed for these situations: for example synchronize the packing line status with the software system (e.g. if the package falls down of the line, etc.), These operations can be performed only by authorized person, all operator entries are archived by the system.

2.3. Visualization level

- Monitoring the movement of packages on the packing line in real time

- Entering the quality data into the electronic forms

- Viewing the current state and history of the line

- Generating the output protocols and reports

- Viewing the current alarm states and alarm history (over limits, communication errors, etc.)

- System servie and maintenance

There are currently 30 client stations running in the system. The system can be easily expanded by additional Web clients (by expanding the Web server licences).

2.3.1. Visualization clients

- After loging into the system (name/password entry) the user can choose the visualization client type from the menu:

- Pulp production

- Yeast production

- Laboratory – production quality data entry

- Energetic laboratory – production quality data entry

- Energy control centre

- Sales department

- System administration: entering the value parameters, access permissions for users (names/passwords), visualization clients permissions, etc.

- For each user or user group, the administrator can set, which data will be for viewing and which will be editable.

- The syste identifies and records all changes of data or parameters including the user name. The parameters can be entered only after siccessfull login of the user with sufficient permissions.

2.3.2. Electronic forms
The electronic forms are system screens, that allow the operators of the client stations (lab, PLM line, sales, etc.) to:

- Enter the data - quality and quantity parameters of the products.

- Enter the system parameters:

- product parameters for several product types

- system parameters:

- the limits of entered values

- the process parameters of technological values

- additional system parameters

The system checks all entered inputs for parameters and limits.

- Displaying the production reports: current or defined time-range, product, quality parameters, etc.

- Export of selected data from the database into Excel, Possibility to export the data in specific levels: averages and another values.

The data is entered into the form by a responsible person (operator). The electronic forms are working as thin clients – in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, InternetExplorer ... The data entry is protected by permissions (password).

2.3.3. Print reports

- There are all necessary print reports prepared in the system, for all visulaization clients (approx. 20 print reports).

- The print reports are generated in the HTML format, with the possibility of displying and printing on the PCs of the thin client type.

- Print report examples:

- Pulp production per day

- Lab analysis (by product)– current or 1/2 hour

- Viewing quality changes in time (trends): 1/2 hour, shift, day, month

- Production daily reports – by weight or number of units

3. Resume

The application software has been created by the PROMOTIC SCADA system. The system concept is modular, enabling easy system expansion in the future:

- expanding the number of collected data – binary or analog signals

- connection to another control stations - for example Simatic S7, Allen-Bradley, etc.

- connection to another applications – Possibility of additional data transfers.

- Possibility to install the visualization part on additional stations in the enterprise network (condition: TCP/IP protocol, station with Windows OS).

Promotic