BSI Engineering

Most of the other BSI disciplines focus on building the manufacturing process or facility.  Automation focuses on Making It Run.  At BSI a process or facility is not a success if it is merely well built; it must also run well.  Automation considerations are included at the start of a project to allow for early planning and design of processes with automation in mind.  Automation Engineers specify, build, install, program and maintain the hardware & software systems that control, monitor, record and trend your facility processes.  Modern facilities start by automating equipment processes & business systems.  To that end, BSI Automation Engineers have retrofit and new plant design experience with more than fifty different manufacturing facilities and nearly every type of commercially available PLC, DCS or Business system hardware or software. 

“Equipment Process Automation” entails applying our programming or engineering skills related to:

• Controllers:  Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Programmable Automation Controllers (PACs), and Mini-DCS.  These are the equipment process “brains” executing the discrete (PLC), analog (DCS), or both types of control (PAC).
• Systems Integration: Systems need to coordinate and exchange data using standard communication protocols over networks.
• Human Machine Interfaces (HMI):  Operators interact through HMI screens.
• Vendor Systems: Often equipment subsystems are provided by vendors.  These need to follow facility standards and be integrated.
• Networks: Ethernet (wired/wireless) WAN/LAN/VLAN, control networks, and IO / Fieldbus networks provide communication pathways.
• Historians: Specialized “real-time databases” collect high speed process data for trends, alarms, and events.
• Procurement: BSI procures, assembles, programs, and tests systems in a virtual facility environment in our Automation Lab before delivery.
• Intelligent Devices: BSI configures / programs intelligent drives, instruments, starters, MCC’s, power monitors, lab equipment, robots, etc.
• Batch: Recipes stored in a database can drive highly automated “player piano” processes using a Batch Server (or BSI code) per S88 guidelines.
• Asset Management: Access instrument data through off-the-shelf software packages.

“Business Process Automation” builds upon the equipment automation process to integrate all facility processes such as:

• Inventory Control: Tracks raw and finished inventory quantities through HMI, scanner, or material movement transactions along with manual entries.
• Material / Labor / Lot Tracking: Tracks the quantities and costs associated with material /equipment usage and labor, overall and for Lots (batches).
• Label Generation / Application: Barcode / RFID labels provide content or production data on items.
• Document Management: Drawings, SOP’s, PO’s, Vendor, Validation, PSM, Code, etc. documents are stored / accessed / changed under control.
• Maintenance Management: Manages scheduled (PM’s) / unscheduled (Work Orders) maintenance.
• Websites & Portals: Facility web pages can have real-time active data.  Portals can have trends, HMI like screens, and advanced displays.
• Validation: Process documentation to assure consistent well managed production.  PSM, GAMP, and other similar standards as well.
• Statistical Analysis / Quality Control: BSI has implemented simple to complex systems.
• Custom Reporting: Lot, Alarm, Batch, Event, Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Downtime, Production, etc. reports.
• Application Development: Microsoft Office, Visual Basic, and VBA based software accessing real-time or database data are common.
• MSDS Creation / Distribution: Material Safety Data Sheets.
• Information Technology: Real or Virtual Computers including Domain, Database, File/Print, Terminal, Web, Communications, DNS, etc. Servers.
• Business / MES Systems Integration: Transactions with SAP, BPCS, M2M, PRISM, Maple, etc.
• Management:  Project / Development / Installation management.           

Automation is a multi-disciplined group capable of automating all your Equipment & Business Processes to provide one unified system that runs in synergy with your operation.  Leveraging our experience across a diverse client base, BSI provides a unique perspective on process control and business automation.  Our approach is based on a reliable, project-proven basis, developed over many generations of projects.  Our solutions reduce software development time, expedite startup, and reduce costs.  Our modular, flexible approach allows us to rapidly build systems through replication, configuration changes, software assembly tools, and code reuse.  Often systems incorporate simulation and are pre-tested in a virtual Automation Lab environment that mimics the client’s facility.

BSI is a Rockwell System Developer, a GE Solution Provider, and a Dell Premier Partner.  We have affiliations with Emerson (DeltaV).  We collaborate with the other BSI disciplines, as well as other engineering firms and contractors.  This tight coordination between disciplines provides BSI clients with a cohesive superior system where automation was designed in from the beginning and reflects the electrical, safety, process, instrumentation, and other disciplines needs.  Many automation firms are separate single discipline firms where automation is often an uncoordinated afterthought to the process and facility design & construction.

BSI’s client focused full service engineering teams design and implement integrated systems that are user friendly, easy to maintain, and effective.   As a testimonial to our claims, we would be more than happy to put you in touch with any one of the clients who have contracted our Automation services.