Data Acquisition and SCADA integration

Engineering & Marketing International
Technology

ControlByWeb

Industry

Aviation and Aerospace

Client

D-J Engineering

Country

Augusta, USA

Goals

Enhance HVAC control across campuses by implementing ControlByWeb devices for all 100+ AC units

Monitor and maintain the temperature of a mylar room containing critical engineering prints

Improve operations and machinery efficiency by integrating ControlByWeb modules for equipment monitoring and data logging

Challenges

Ensuring precise temperature control in the mylar room to preserve theintegrity of engineering sheets over time

Addressing issues with non-ControlByWeb devices that have difficulties integrating with Ignition SCADA software

Solutions

Implement ControlByWeb devices for HVAC control, leveraging on-board logic and seamless integration with Ignition SCADA

Use ControlByWeb modules for temperature monitoring in critical environments, such as the mylar room, with data logging and alert generation

Extend the use of ControlByWeb devices to monitor and optimize various machinery operations, ensuring data accuracy and cost savings

Results

Successful control of AC units using X-410 with on-board logic, preventing fast cycling & allowing for real-time monitoring via Ignition SCADA software

Temperature monitoring in the mylar room with dual sensors, generating alerts and logging data to ensure environmental compliance

Improved efficiency in machinery operations, including the water jet cooling system, with added temperature sensors and IFM flow meters

D-J Engineering serves the aerospace industries, providing high-caliber engineering and manufacturing for even the most complex projects at low production runs. In charge of industrial control and ever-expanding special projects at D-J Engineering is Technical Analyst Tarka Ellips. Before she started, the company was using Ignition SCADA software to monitor temperatures across a variety of machines.

“Some of these devices that aren't [ControlByWeb] devices have issues connecting with [Ignition], but your devices are green all across the board”
Tarka
Technical Analyst
at D-J Engineering

HVAC Control

D-J Engineering uses our X͈410 to control several AC units, and the end goal is to use ControlByWeb devices to control all 100+ units across their campuses. The X-410's on-board logic controls the unit while data from the output relays and connected temperature sensors is shared with Ignition SCADA which tracks and controls cooling, heating, and fan status, and tracks temperature via readout.
Another priority is the mylar room. D͈J Engineering keeps engineering plans printed on mylar, a durable polyester film, in a temperature-controlled room. There are two sensors monitoring the temperature placed in opposite corners of the room. The two sensors generate temperature readings and, if the average of the two goes above the temperature threshold, a notice is sent out which is generated from an Ignition alarm pipeline

Operations and Machinery

The company experienced an issue where their water jet cutting machine's cooling system was constantly running. It already had a temperature monitor, but there was no shutoff control or way to log data from it.
Tarka installed temperature sensors and IFM flow meters which send a 4͈20 mA signal to a ControlByWeb module. This allows her to see if the cooling system is running while also giving temperature values. Like their HVAC applications, all this data surrounding the water jet is logged in Ignition to an SQL Database. The company is now able to produce reports that show cost savings for the machinery.

Future Applications

Impressed by ControlByWeb's device reliability, and flexibility, D͈J Engineering has plans to incorporate our modules and sensors in more applications down the road. They're in the process of adding additional
ultrasonic sensors to monitor tank and coolant levels of the water jet. Door sensors have already been added at one location, to send alerts for when a freezer door has been accidentally left open and implementing them at other facilities is on the horizon as well. There's also talk of utilizing ControlByWeb devices for lighting, garage doors, and airflow. It all comes down to the quality of our products and the support team that stand behind them.

 

Common Problems Solutions

Compatibility headaches - Some devices don't work as well outside of their own ecosystem

Too expensive or unreliable - Low cost monitoring and control is often unreliable, costing more to maintain

Limited use cases - Devices that are purpose-built often have narrow applications

Seamless integration- Our modules work just as well in other software as they do using on-board logic

Low cost and reliable - Affordability without sacrificing quality, justifying monitoring in more places

Limitless potential - Monitor and control anything, anywhere͈ your only limit is your imagination