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Case Study | Boiler Manufacturer
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This case study describes an interesting industrial automation project where Mesa's System Integration team
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implemented a boiler
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test station solution for
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The Scope
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a Tennessee manufacturing facility. Here are the key highlights:
Project Challenge
The boiler manufacturer needed a new test station system that could:
- Retrieve
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- test parameters from a remote SAP PI system
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- in Ohio
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- Query the SAP database using unit serial numbers
- Maintain network security by separating production test stands from the SAP interface
- Monitor high-accuracy flow measurements (3-5 million BTU range with 1% accuracy)
- Communicate with PLCs via Modbus TCP/IP
- Be easy to install and expand with minimal recovery files
Solution Approach
Mesa evaluated several SCADA packages but found most solutions would exceed the budget due to requiring expensive server systems with thin manager or ERP integration for web services access.
They ultimately selected FactoryStudio from Tatsoft because it offered:
- Full Visual Studio compliant features
- Cost-effective pricing for low I/O point counts
- Built-in web services capabilities without requiring expensive additional infrastructure
Technical Implementation
The solution architecture included:
Project scope also required the new system had to be
easy to install with the recovery files consisting of two
or fewer files to store the project. The solution also
had to be easily expandable with a way to monitor the
connection to the SAP PI web services.
The Solution
Mesa viewed several SCADA packages offering
possible solutions utilizing web services interface.
Each solution required a main server system complete
with either thin manager or coupled with an ERP
system in order to provide a web services access
point. This approach to the solution drove the project
cost out of the budget range Mesa was given to
complete the project. “Most standard SCADA
packages we reviewed had a subset of Visual Studio
capabilities or a trimmed down version of VBA.
FactoryStudio from Tatsoft was finally selected due to
the full Visual Studio compliant features and low I/O
point count cost”, according to Project Manager Greg
Dixon.
The project consists of a main web server with
dedicated internet access outside of the plant. This
approach allows multiple access to the web services
without allowing internet access to the plant floor. The
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- A main web server with dedicated internet access (isolated from plant floor)
- Web Services interface to the SAP PI system
system. Request for recipe queries are made through
a simple directory change event monitored by the
web-service program at each test stand. This makes a
secure link exchange between the web server program
at each test stand. Data is exchanged in a structured
- Recipe queries triggered through directory change events
- Secure data exchange using structured text format
- Separation between web server and test stands for security
This design allowed multiple access points to web services while maintaining plant network security - a clever approach to meeting both connectivity and security requirements.
The case demonstrates how choosing the right SCADA platform can significantly impact project costs while still delivering the required functionality and security
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