Comparing Hybrid DCS

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Thread Starter

Diego Agudelo

We need to implement a control system in a pulp&paper facility. We've been thinking in a Hybrid DCS system. There's a lot vendors
offering their "best" solution. GE Fanuc (OpenProcess), Honeywell (Plantscape) and Rockwell (ProcessLogix) seems to be the better
solutions. Any suggestions?
 
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Bill Groenestein

We have just in the last few years gone down this track; when the plant, a milk processing plant, was built in 1989, it was fully Honeywell TDC3000. This worked well, but it left us locked in to one vendor, with it's attendant disadvantages. Over the last few years, we are slowly changing over to AB PLC5/80Es and Wonderware. This is a very effective combination, and much more open to mix/match with alternative sources if needed.
 
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Filiberto Morales

Almost 3 years ago I did the same evaluation and determined that a Hybrid solution was the best for my application ( Cement Manufacturing ) We went with GE Fanuc using Cimplicity HMI and their PLC model 90-30. Since then there has been a lot of changes both in the HMI side and the PLC side on all brands. I think you are on the right track I personally feel GE and Rockwell are the ones
you need to focus on. One thing that I found Cimplicity to be very good at is redundacy, from my understanding no other product has yet achieved the level of integration and robustness that Cimplicity has. Especially when dealing with
Data Bases like SQL and multiple PLC's. Our system has 9 PLC systems running on Ethernet with 2 NT servers on Hot Backup redundant mode and off the shelf computer and network hardware and haven't had a problem.
Hope this helps.
Filiberto Morales
 
you can also check with SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC Quantum series Automation platform which gives functionality like IEC 61131-3 Programming
facility (Functional Block Programming) with the required redundancy at hardware level .
 
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