"Matrikon’s OPC servers have performed absolutely flawlessly."
Stuart Boyd, Project Manager for PI Technologies
PI Technologies, an integrator based in Trinidad, was retained by Yara Trinidad Ltd., an ammonia producer, to integrate a Process Information Management System (PIMS) that would improve production reporting, process analysis and optimization at the company’s three plants. The solution involved transferring data from three Distributed Control Systems into an AspenTech InfoPlus.21 Real-Time Database and Historian. The plants control their operations using two ABB Infi90 DCSs and a Fisher Provox DCS. With the process historian available via the Corporate Local Area Network, plant personnel at different levels will be able to run production reports, as well as analyze and optimize processes.
To make the connection between the two Infi90 DCS and the InfoPlus.21 historian, Matrikon’s OPC Server for Bailey DCS was integrated. OPC is a published standard that enables disparate control systems and applications to communicate. The plug-&-play technology is exactly what Stuart Boyd, the project manager for PI Technologies, needed.
Matrikon’s OPC server for Bailey is commercial-off-the-shelf software and was available for PI Technologies to install immediately. Within five minutes of the installation, Boyd had the server configured and tested using Matrikon’s OPC Explorer.
"Matrikon’s comprehensive documentation and excellent support desk helped make my job easier," says Boyd. "Communication began immediately. One server has to handle over 800 tags every minute via an RS232 link at 19600 baud. The complete set of point data is returned within two seconds of the req