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PLC Programming Services for Factory Operations

 

Modern industrial process control and automated operations can produce high quality, robust, and repeatable products for manufacturing companies. Coupled with flexible PLC based control, systems can scale from a single system to a full plant model to support evolving production and business objectives. These PLC based process systems can also serve as the conduit to higher level systems such as SCADA, process historians, diagnostic software, manufacturing metrics, material management, production management, quality management, and more, allowing for better overall management and success of factory operations.

Our Approach to Rockwell Allen Bradley PLC Programming

For faster development, deployment and testing with quality and reliable results, NeoMatrix has developed our own PLC standards based on the Rockwell Automation / Allen Bradley platform. Our approach standardizes input/output management, alarm management, control/equipment module management and phase/automated operation management in the PLC. Our PLC code adheres to the S88 standard for batch control for batch manufacturing processes, and we have utilized our standard PLC code for continuous industrial process controls as well.

We’ve also assisted clients in developing their own PLC code standards. In addition to the code design and development, we aided in the documentation and the procedural controls for the on-going life cycle of their standards.

NeoMatrix has experience in the use of Rockwell’s PlantPax Platform and has been involved in the use of the FactoryTalk Batch Platform for recipe driven/PLC control in the life science industry.

PLC Programing for Your Industry

In most customer use cases, PLC based automation systems provide solutions that create new products, assist with any secondary need for creating those products, and conform to any necessary regulations in order to manufacture products in a safe and compliant manner. NeoMatrix has helped our customers build new and impactful products across many industries using PLC based controls utilizing our standards, customer standards, or Rockwell’s PlantPax/FactoryTalk Batch platforms.

For life science companies, the raw materials used in production of in-process and finished goods could be media and buffer solutions. Another example would be Water for Injection (WFI) which would need to adhere to pharmaceutical standards. For extrusion process-based companies, an example of a raw material for subsequent operations may be chemical formulations mixed prior to utilization.

For in-process production for the life science industries, PLC based systems can handle the production processes for bioreactors, fermenters, centrifuges, tangential flow filtration (TFF) systems, virus TFF systems, liquid chromatography systems, purification pool tanks, etc. For extrusion process-based companies, the extruded web is created, and further processes are required before the creation of the final product.

For finished good production for life science companies, PLC based systems can handle fill and finish equipment which may include aseptic vial filling machines. For extrusion process-based companies, the web may be used to create final product using portions of the web, or the web is directly sold in bulk rolls for commercial use. For example, many plastics-based extrusion processes sell the bulk rolls as a finished product.

Extending the Value of PLC Programming Services

In certain applications, PLC solutions may not be directly related to the raw materials, in-process or finished products. Instead, the required solutions solve other needs necessary for successful manufacturing plant operations. In life science companies, the required solutions may be clean in place (CIP) systems to properly clean industrial equipment in between processing. Another example would be to perform steam in place (SIP) in order to properly sterilize equipment in between processing. As an example, glassware washers and autoclave sterilizers clean and sterilize portable materials used in processing of raw materials, in-process and finished materials.

Other examples of ancillary needs of manufacturing plants may be water filtration systems, reverse osmosis systems, water for injection (WFI) systems, clean steam generators, particle counters, environmental controls (clean rooms), cold rooms and environmental monitoring systems. And then for some manufacturers, a solution needs to address environmental regulations such as water neutralization systems, continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS) or a baghouse system.

PLC Platform and Process Expertise

To readily meet the unique needs of manufacturing clients, our team of PLC programmers maintain software licenses for a multitude of platforms,. And with years of experience in providing PLC programming services, can apply their expertise in implementing and/or updating the following applications:

Direct Process Applications:

  • Bioreactors
  • Fermenters
  • Centrifuges for harvesting cells in cell culture applications
  • Tangential Flow Filtration for harvesting cells in cell culture applications
  • Ultra-Filtration and Diafiltration applications
  • Virus filtration applications
  • Liquid Chromatography applications
  • Lyophilizer (Freeze Drying Machine for the life science and pharmaceutical Industry)
  • Cell Lysis for the life science industry
  • Buffer Tank control for the life science industry
  • Media Tank control for the life science industry
  • Purification Pool Tank control for the life science industry
  • Extrusion machine applications for plastics
  • Extrusion machine applications for cable and wire
  • Laser treatment machines
  • Surface modification of membranes, fabrics, or paper
  • Hydraulic presses
  • Dispensing stations
  • Vacuum oven controls
  • Annealing oven controls
  • Chemical vapor deposition machines
  • Atomic layor deposition machines
  • Physical vapor deposition machines
  • Bonder machines
  • Test well simulator system
  • Chemical reactors
  • Bonders
  • Web Handling
  • Semiconductor Wafer Processing Equipment
  • Kiln Ovens
  • Wastewater systems
  • Safety applications using Rockwell GuardLogix controllers, Safety Relays, and Safety I/O
  • Motion applications
  • Extrusion machine applications for membranes for the semi-conductor and life science industries

In-Direct Process Applications:

  • Clean in Place systems and applications
  • Steam in Place applications
  • Autoclave Sterilizer applications
  • Glassware Washer applications for the life science industry
  • Chilled water systems
  • Clean water systems
  • Environmental control and monitoring of GMP facilities in the life science industry
  • Particle counter integration for clean room environments
  • Laboratory information management systems (LIMS)
  • Integrity Testers
  • Bubble Point Testers
  • Cleaning machines
  • Critical monitoring systems
  • Keyence vision system integration to Rockwell CompactLogix PLC
  • In-process test machines that use pressure and/or flow measurements

Regulatory Required Process Applications:

  • Baghouse control system
  • Water neutralization systems
  • Continuous Emission Monitoring Systems (CEMS)

Standards:

  • Created ControlLogix standards for a life science customer.

System upgrades from legacy hardware and/or software:

  • PLC5 to ControlLogix Migration
  • SLC500 to CompactLogix Migration
  • Device-net to Ethernet/IP remote I/O systems that include Flex I/O and Point I/O
  • Control-net to Ethernet/IP remote I/O systems include Flex I/O and Point I/O
  • Conversion to FactoryBatch for a life science suite

 

We’ve mastered creating scalable, reliable industrial automation and information solutions.

We help build new and impactful products in many industries using PLC-based controls utilizing our standards, customer standards, or Rockwell’s PlantPax/FactoryTalk Batch platforms. Our customers appreciate our expertise and innovative approach to creating solutions to make products, assist in making products and meeting regulatory compliance.