Article: 8 Steps to Successful Controls & Project Integration

An automation company which listens, can comprehend your particular needs and concerns, can analyze it all, and put it in perspective for you, efficiently and effectively.

Let Insight Automation survey your particular automation needs. Our industry experts listen first before any recommendations are made. You are assured to get the best overall un-biased solution not locked-in with any particular brand of products.

A material handling project is only as successful as the control system. Many companies are realizing the system controls as first priority when planning for automation. Some questions to consider with any control system integration are:

• How should operators interact with the system in a safe manner?
• What is the best control architecture?
• How does the control system interface with automated information systems such as billing and production control?
• How is product and software warranty handled?
• What if my automated system is down; how quickly and in what manner can I restore operation or what is plan B?
• Is a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or PC (Personal Computer) the best controller for the application?
• Which network should I use?

Insight Automation addresses questions like these every day. No two clients are alike yet many issues are similar. Put our experience to work on your manufacturing or distribution situation and together we'll develop a solid, innovative control solution. Experience with:

• Unattended bar code scanners
• In-motion weigh scales
• Label printers and applicators
• Host computer interfaces
• RF systems

Technical abilities of a supplier are long forgotten if your project is not managed properly. On-time, On-budget, and Professional are not just industry jargon but represents our commitment to your project team.

You know we can't manage the implementation from behind a desk. On-site direction is paramount in the success of the solution. The quality you demand is revealed on your floor on time and as promised; any other result betrays your trust and erodes your bottom line.

The General Design Document is the first deliverable on your project. This single piece of documentation is of paramount importance to the success of your project. The General Design Document combines a concise description of operation, a detailed controls layout, definition of system interlocks and a comprehensive narrative on the operator interfaces. The General Design Document is best thought of as a manual that you and Insight Automation take joint ownership of. This document provide three very important functions:

• a description of your system that you and your support staff understands
• a road map for the Insight Automation engineering and management team to build the system
• a document that precedes the Acceptance Test Plan and manages our collective expectations on the project outcome

Generation of CAD (Computer Aided Design) drawings that represent the way in which the components and assemblies are to be constructed. Complete system general arrangements, electrical schematics, device layouts, interconnection diagrams, bills of materials, manufacturing assembly details and installation instructions are just a few of the dozens of clearly-defined drawings required for your project. Systems described with the General Design Document and a familiar full-color AutoCAD drawing package leave little chance for manufacturing and installation errors.

PLC or a PC? This is a common question for today's control architecture. Some systems may require both. PCs are best suited for information handling and management whereas PLC are best utilized for real-time motion and machinery control. You need a team with experience in both major solution sets.

One standardized software product that Insight Automation offers is the Sortation Management Controller (SMC). The Sortation Management Controller is a complete, PC-based control system that includes control of virtually any type of materials handling sorter (pusher, sliding shoe, pop-up wheel, cross belt) while providing a diagnostics system and operator interface.

Your system is built and installed with the highest degree of craftsmanship and adherence to specifications. Control Panels are designed and built to UL Standards and all installations are staffed with seasoned veterans in the industry who are well versed in the latest edition of the National Electric Code (NEC).

Your maintenance and support staff must know the system like the back their hands or you can't be confident that your operation can always run smoothly and efficiently. Your best defense against system failures is a thoroughly trained staff armed with the right system documentation. General Design Documentation, detailed CAD drawings, software documentation and installation manuals although important, provide only the tools needed to properly maintain and operate a system.

Whether hands-on training, classroom training or a combination, ensure that your staff gets right the training they need. Train the Insight Automation way.