Catching the Compliance Wave

Recently, Reichhold, Inc. implemented an automated batch process system at its Azusa plant in California. The Azusa facility manufactures a broad range of unsaturated polyester resins. These thermosetting resins are used in a wide variety composites applications in the construction, marine, automotive and specialty segments- including California surfboards. The Batch Management and Recipe Management systems are linked to a process information management system (PIMS) to provide operations with a fully integrated batch automation system.

In addition production orders are handled by an SAP system, though manually produced for the operators. Using OPC, quality information is passed to and from the PIMS systems to ensure the batch is within specification and allows adjustments based upon laboratory quality checks. An audit has recently been performed that substantiates savings predominately on reduction of off-spec batches and reduced reruns.

After a thorough examination of process performance goals and available technology Reichhold's process engineers selected Yokogawa’s Centum CS 3000 batch process system. The installation consisted of three dual-monitor operator stations and a Field control station that handles 166 Analog and 728 Discrete points. Also installed were eight Foundation fieldbus on/off valves.

Fully Integrated

By linking batch management, recipe management

and process information management, full S88

compliance was achieved. 

The batch automation configuration spanned from raw material movements up to final loading of finished goods. The plant model is a multi-product, multi-train, multi-path arrangement and it consists of 11 batch units (Unit Instruments) representing the major processing vessels. There are six Shared Equipment Modules providing coordinated control of raw material movements and intermediate material transfers through cross-linking manifolds. Recipe configuration is segregated into groups representing the synthesis and finishing aspects of the product. The operation library consisted of 57 procedural function charts, written with generic modeling, and applied across three unit classes.

Dude, It’s S88

The automation of the batch is recipe driven per S88 guidelines. The recipe procedure links to unit procedures, which are wholly run in a unit function block that executes entirely in the controller. Dynamic linking of generically written operations with the actual tag names is made when the unit procedure is parsed to the assigned unit. The unit procedure and operations, both represented by an SFC becomes a real-time diagnostic display allowing the operators to view the running of the unit procedure logic, even down to the phase logic and specific line of structured text within the phase and the values being evaluated. The phase logic orchestrates the operation of the equipment and control modules represented by function blocks within the controller. Formula values, such as ingredients, reactor temperatures, and the like are also parsed to the units for use with the operations as run.