SCADA systems offer many benefits for industrial plants, especially those in the biodiesel industry.
What is a SCADA System?
SCADA is the acronym for Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition. It is a system of software and hardware elements that allows industrial organizations to:
- Control industrial processes locally or at remote locations
- Monitor, gather, and process real-time data
- Directly interact with devices, such as sensors, valves, pumps, motors, and more through human-machine interface (HMI) software
- Record events into a log file
The Importance of SCADA Systems
SCADA systems are great because they improve access to data and control. They are also used by industrial organizations and companies in the public and private sectors to control and maintain efficiency, distribute data for smarter decisions, and communicate system issues to help mitigate downtime. SCADA systems work well in many different types of industries, especially the biodiesel industry, because they can range from simple configurations to large, complex installations.
A SCADA system can also help a facility reduce errors. They offer instant notifications, so an operator is alerted when a batch of a product is showing a high incidence of errors. This allows the operator to pause the operation and view the SCADA system data via an HMI to determine the root cause of the issue and why any machines may be malfunctioning. This helps operators to resolve any issues right away as well as helps prevent further loss of a product and decreases downtime.
How a SCADA System Improved Operations at a Biodiesel Company in Italy
One company in Italy recently began using a SCADA system, and they saw many benefits.
Italy’s leading producer of refined biodiesel, Fox Petroli, saw an increasing demand for their product. They started having issues due to shortcomings in their plant. Their operators had to start each reactor manually, and this lack of full automation led to a significant amount of downtime. The plant also faced other problems that led to more downtime, and their operators had trouble pinpointing the causes. This led to prolonged production stoppages.
The Fox Petroli team really needed a simple way to improve production control and management. But, they needed their solution to offer maximum efficiency and productivity. They also needed this to be a cost-effective solution. And, the solution needed to be “reliable and readily scalable” as well as “maintain in mission critical processes.”
Utilizing a SCADA system solved all of these problems for Fox Petroli as well as helped to optimize their processes.
The Solutions We Offer
Western States Controls has over 30 years of experience working with companies in the biodiesel industry, and we can help with plant operations, control system automation, and equipment diagnostics. In addition to implementing SCADA systems, we also offer a broad portfolio of application solutions, including:
- Feasibility Studies
- Control System Specifications
- Control Panel Design
- HMI Configuration
- Data Concentration & Analysis
- Installation
- Modifications
- Custom Software
- Control Strategy Development
- Control Equipment Specifications
- DCS/PLC Configuration
- Industrial Ethernet Design & Configuration
- Documentation
- Start-Up & Commissioning Assistance
- Training
Our dedicated staff has the technical expertise, industrial experience, and factory training to provide the engineering assistance you need.
To learn more about SCADA Systems and our other services, please contact us here or call 925-371-9871.