New Podcast: Seamless Legacy Control System Migration
In our latest episode of our podcast Innovating the Industrial World, Cross CEO John King talks to Process Solutions Director of Engineering Robbie Peoples about what goes into ensuring a legacy control system migration is seamless. From upfront planning and documentation to final acceptance testing, Robbie and John talk about the “secret sauce” to making sure a migration is as fast, efficient and effective as possible. Watch the podcast to make sure when you upgrade your older control system, it’s as seamless as a Formula One pitstop!
Technical Guide: Temperature Ramping When Tuning PID Loops
Cross’s Process Solutions engineers are often asked to control a temperature in a PID loop that must ramp up as rapidly as possible to a target setpoint, minimize any overshoot, and control steadily at that setpoint once achieving it.
Senior Systems Integration Engineer Chris Hardy wrote this technical guide to explain one method he recently used to achieve this. This is one method to achieve a rapid ramp with minimal overshoot, then good steady-state control at the target. Configuring the system to automatically capture steady state CV and adjust pre-cutoff offsets can reduce the need for manual tuning going forward.
What's New at Cross
Technical Guide: Creating a Network of Virtual Machines for Cost-effective Control System Development and Testing
Modern industrial control systems are more complex and interconnected than they’ve ever been. They’re also expected to be robust, reliable, easy to maintain, predictable, secure, fast, intuitive, and to require less and less operator interaction to function properly.
Field installations of these complex control systems will often involve a network of computers, perhaps including separate physical computers, a stand-alone virtual machine (VM), multiple VMs hosted on one physical computer, remote operator stations of various types, and more.
When system integrators such as Cross are developing a new control system or modifying an existing one, we often need to reproduce the customer’s system to properly perform our development, testing, and validation. For many systems, replicating the physical architecture would be cost-prohibitive. Senior System Integration Engineer William Hughes created this technical guide to showcase one solution, creating a network of multiple VMs that more-or-less replicates that architecture.
The Cross Process Solution team is highly experienced in new and legacy control system migrations. Learn more about our capabilities here and get in touch today to talk about your particular application.
Did you know?
Cross Provides New Pressure and Vacuum Relief Valves Faster than the Factory
When it comes to ordering a specific pressure relief vent, vacuum relief vent, or a combo PVRV, you often face months-long lead times. This isn’t ideal if you need to get back up and running quickly. Cross’s Process Solutions Group is proud to be the only certified assembler of GROTH pressure and vacuum relief vents outside of GROTH themselves. This can mean significantly shortened lead times, maintenance, and downtime.
Currently, we can provide pressure relief vents, vacuum relief vents, and combination pressure/vacuum relief vents (PVRVs) in 16 different configurations, including stainless steel, carbon, and aluminum. Looking forward, we are excited to expand our offerings to 72 configurations, including blanket gas regulators and flame arresters.
Increase Data Collection from your Scale
The need for data, particularly when weighing in production, is critical and growing. We need information, we want it to be accurate and we want it fast. Data collection from your scale in real time can help improve your product quality and process efficiency.
If you have an older scale indicator that is sending weight data to any other devices, it is likely doing so using RS232. Newer devices utilize Ethernet TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) to transmit data. Whether you need to send the data to your ERP or quality system, record the data in an Excel spreadsheet, or even connect the indicator to a printer, Ethernet TCP provides the needed connection. Scale manufacturers also offer data collection software for individual scales or networking a hub for multiple scales.
Cross Provides Tangible Value for You
Improve Efficiency
For processes in harsh or outdoor environments which require transmitters, alarms or LOI displays, Cross partner Brooks Instrument has improved the IP rating on their MT3809G variable area flowmeters. They are now available with IP66/67 NEMA 4X ratings, meaning they are perfect for heavy duty liquid, gas and steam applications. The meter also features an intrinsically safe aluminum housing with improved corrosion resistance and a broad temperature and pressure range.
Improve Efficiency
In industries that rely on nitrogen blanketing for tank storage, like paper processing, minimizing nitrogen consumption can yield significant cost savings. The Groth Blanket Gas Regulator 3011L is specifically designed to help facilities achieve these savings through advanced control of blanket gas flow.
By maintaining optimal pressure levels within tanks, the 3011L reduces excess nitrogen usage, prevents contamination, and enhances safety, translating to substantial cost reductions and operational efficiencies. Implementing the Groth 3011L Blanket Gas Regulator can reduce nitrogen usage by up to 30%, depending on tank usage and environmental factors.
Improve Efficiency
Simplify your rupture disc installation while ensuring they are accurately torqued by using a pre-torqued rupture disc holder from Cross partner Continental Disc. Apply the precise level of torque in the controlled environment of a workshop, prior to final installation, to maintain the precise loading of the rupture disc, even where poor flange alignment and gasket cold flow may be an issue.
Not sure which rupture disc or which holder you need? The experts at Cross Process Solutions can help specify one for your particular process.
