Processing, August 2019
AUGUST 2019 www processingmagazine com 41 Figure 1 The system integrator team must work closely with multiple entities to ensure successful completion of water wastewater capital projects including OEMs of packaged systems All images courtesy of copyrighted by Tesco Controls Inc startup crews are resigned to following the motto last in first out which refers to the fact that they cant perform their work until the last construction trade is done yet they must be the first to fully complete their work so the process can run For the SI many detailed tasks must be performed during commissioning and startup and any remaining issues require speedy resolution among the SI the OEMs and other project entities Automation commissioning and startup basics Regardless of whether the SI is integrating OEM electrical equipment or process skids there are some common activities Projects use varying terminology but for the purposes of this article commissioning refers to basic control signal verifications to ensure equipment and systems can be monitored and commanded Startup refers to functionally operating equipment and systems first independently and then as part of a coordinated whole SIs accomplish their work by integrating a main automation system control platform such as one or more programmable logic controller PLC or a distributed control system DCS with field devices and OEM equipment Other common components include human machine interface HMI computers in the control room and operator interface terminals in the field Ideally all communication indication and control interfaces would be tested from end to end during a factory acceptance test FAT for the electrical OEM equipment the control platform or both But practically these connections can sometimes only be implemented in the field Classic hardwired input output I O connections are simplistic and more burdensome to install than digital networks but they are well understood and easy to verify More complex fieldbus digital communication links might only require a single cable and are very capable but these are more difficult to SIs accomplish their work by integrating a main automation system control platform such as one or more PLC or a DCS with field devices and OEM equipment Figure 2 Commissioning and startup is when all OEM systems and field installed equipment are fully installed interfaced and in position for integrated testing under actual operating conditions
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