Nr. 168.pdf - Waldner Firmengruppe

Standardisation and modularisation
of automation projects
by hans-peter.blum@hecht-systeme.de (deutsche Version siehe Seite 4)
Engineering in the field of automation technology is
characterised by requirements of the market for increasingly
shorter order lead times and simultaneously
increased quality, increased documentation requirements
and reduced costs. This in particular makes
high requirements for the implementation of complex
automation solutions in all phases of the project. To
meet these requirements, concepts and strategies for
the standardisation of automation projects must be
initiated to maintain competitivity. Hans-Peter Blum,
the CEO and Managing Partner of Hecht Automatisierungssysteme
GmbH, describes ways for efficient
implementation from the point of view of a provider
of such systems.
While systems are becoming more and more individual,
the expectations of high availability and efficiency
right from the beginning are growing at the same time.
Today, changes and additions reach far into the operating
phase. The consequence is more complex projects, tighter
time frames and more work at cost-intensive times - whether
at night or at weekends.
Three factors play key roles in the implementation of each
system:
1. observation of the agreed quality standards,
2. costs
3. time/deadlines
Standardisation of automation projects is consistently
applied in each phase of the project. Standardised components
and functions enable efficient project implementation
right from the design phase.
1. Design
2. Implementation or realisation
3. Integration and testing
4. Installation, roll-out, acceptance
5. Maintenance and use
For the electrical design, the designer must always use
ready-made macros and can therefore quickly produce
fault-free wiring diagrams. A measuring device (fill level
measurement) or a pneumatically controlled diaphragm
valve with feedback modules can be created as a macro, for
example.
i
i n f o – b o x
Hans-Peter Blum
Hans-Peter Blum is 44 years old, was born in Biberach/Riss, is married and
has 2 children. When he finished school, he did a vocational training course
for electronics engineers at Energieversorgung Schwaben AG (today: EnBW).
He then studied computer engineering, specialising in process automation,
at the University of Applied Sciences Ravensburg-Weingarten.
Mr Blum has been the CEO and Managing Partner of Hecht Automatisierungssysteme
GmbH since 1999. The core competencies of Hecht are in the areas
of project engineering, development and installation of automation systems.
Solutions for the pharmaceutical industry are an important business field. The
company was founded in 1999 and today employs 25 people. More information
is available in the internet at www.hecht-systeme.de.
The standardisation of control software offers considerable
advantages for the implementation of automation projects.
The software modules developed for our software libraries
and the modules supplied by the control manufacturers
represent specific process-related components (e.g. valve
module) and process-related functions such as fill level
control. Programming can therefore be referred to as configuration
in many areas, which naturally helps to avoid
programming errors and in the classification of software
in accordance with the GAMP guide. The software developer
therefore has more time for the other existing program
components which are specially tailored to the system functions.
Especially when testing the control software, a very high
"degree of reality" of the system to be automated is achieved
with corresponding simulation environments. By testing the
software with these tools, the required roll-out times can
be considerably reduced on site, an aspect that cannot be
ignored in these times of global economy and the associated
roll-out costs.
However, the procedure described above requires close
cooperation with the supplier of the process-related system
components. Standardisation certainly also has limits, as
the customer specifications have to be observed (where
the customer insists on certain types or manufacturers).
This means then that corresponding macros and software
modules have to be created for the new device or component
or a conventional approach has to be selected for implementation.
Finally, it must be stated that the consistent use of
standardised components and functions at Hecht Automatisierungssysteme
GmbH have lead to a good increase in
efficiency and this way forward will also be pursued in the
future.
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