Do it the same, but better!

DOTTIKON EXKLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG relies on proven concepts, state-of-the-art technology and innovation for the construction of two new plants.

Greenfield projects offer a good opportunity to rethink proven concepts and incorporate the latest technical advances. Our long-standing customer DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG is relying on tried-and-tested solutions for the construction of two new greenfield plants, but is striving for innovation. CTE supports with expertise and delivers the innovative design for automation, OT and EMSR from a single source.

Greenfield projects offer a good opportunity to break new ground. This is also the case with DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG. The company has been making forward-looking decisions since the 1990s. Whether it was the use of Provox as the first control system or the early introduction of the compact DeltaV system in Switzerland in the early 2000s - DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG has always been one step ahead.

Proven concepts meet modern technology

When DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG equipped the first systems with DeltaV, Nokia dominated the mobile communications market. But while telecommunications revolutionized, the basic structure of an automation system remained virtually unchanged. The complexity of such a system with its many interfaces and aspects requires slow but targeted further development. A modern graphics editor or a more powerful controller may not automatically lead to more efficient production. It takes time, expertise and a well thought-out design to successfully integrate innovations into everyday production. When building the new systems, it was therefore also a matter of further developing proven concepts and making optimum use of the technical possibilities of the present.

Multi-purpose and drying system for pharmaceutical production

2017 saw the start of the MZA20 project, in which DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG relied on proven standards while focusing on further technological development. CTE was commissioned to plan and implement the EI&C and automation processes. In the CD phase, the CTE team laid the foundations for the use of the DeltaV control system for the production and infrastructure facilities. The software structure follows S88 and Remote IO is used for the field signals. In 2018, the requirements were refined, including a graphic design in accordance with ISA101 and Ethernet-based communication to the field level. The relevant technological developments of the DeltaV system were also analyzed. The focal points included:

Reduced IT hardware footprint through the use of thin client structures.
Virtualization of IT systems.
Introduction of the new vector-based graphics editor DeltaV Live.
More powerful PK controllers that can process up to 1500 IO.
Profinet as fieldbus instead of Profibus.

The A61 project started in 2019 and is based on the design of the MZA20 multi-purpose facility. CTE has also been commissioned for the CD/BD phase of this second project. DeltaV's virtualization solutions reduced the complexity and hardware footprint of IT, but a conventional thin-client structure was chosen due to the lower number of workstations. Here too, the focus was on increasing efficiency by combining proven and new concepts.

Innovative design in practice

Both projects, the multi-purpose and drying plant, will enter the detail phase in 2020 with the same concepts and both benefit from the same innovations:

1. innovative HMI design

Whether pixels or vectors - clarity is what counts most for the operator. The ISA101 guidelines were strictly adhered to in the HMI design. The visualization concept focused on a sophisticated colour scheme, hierarchical navigation and integrated online documentation that provides easy access to module descriptions.

2nd PK controller of the next generation

The new generation of PK controllers can process up to 1500 signals. Previously, one main apparatus (approx. 250 signals) was controlled with a single controller. In order to take advantage of the higher performance, the decision was made in the BD to control the entire apparatus groups (3 main apparatus) via a PK controller. The redundant design of the controllers resulted in higher availability at the same cost. Networking the fieldbuses within an appliance group also offered more flexibility and reduced the cabling.

3. Ethernet in the field

There were two fieldbus technologies to choose from during the design phase: Emerson's Electronic Marshalling with CHARMS IO and Profinet. The advantage of Emerson's CHARMS IO system is that its CIOC-IO controllers, which have a redundant control network from DeltaV, can flexibly assign IO signals to each controller. However, there were two main issues that militated against the use of CHARMS in this project: firstly, the high signal density combined with the limited space available, which would make the system inefficient, and secondly, the redundancy aspect. Here, Profinet was able to score points with its DRL ring solution (Device Redundancy Layer) and prove to be at least on a par. A detailed cost comparison of both solutions ultimately resulted in the decision in favor of Profinet.

Despite the decision in favor of Profinet, there was a delay in the release of the integration in DeltaV. Shortly before the end of the BD phase, the US counterpart Ethernet/IP was therefore investigated. This protocol has the advantage that it is natively supported by DeltaV and is already established in many systems worldwide. In addition, Ethernet/IP is also DRL-capable and therefore meets the requirements for redundancy and reliability. However, the biggest challenge was to combine a redundant controller system with a DRL ring, which was not directly supported by DeltaV. The OT team at CTE finally developed a customized solution.

4. optimized IO system

When it came to choosing the right manufacturer, the decision was made in favor of Bachofen/Turck. The Exicom series is used for the requirements in ATEX Zone 2. Signals outside the Ex zones, especially in the EMSR room, are handled by the compact BL20 series. For the solenoid valve islands, the decision was made to use products from Bürkert, a proven partner who was also commissioned to manufacture the ATEX control cabinets.

A particular advantage of this solution is the standardization of the design: both the valve terminals and the RIO cards are manufactured in the same size. This ensures a consistent and optimized installation. The main advantages of this solution are

Ergonomics: Each field distribution unit comprises 48 valves with integrated filter unit and control air distribution as well as 124 Ex-i signals per distributor.
Standardized design: All field distributors are designed in a uniform size (600x600x300 mm), which simplifies installation and maintenance.
Direct connections: The cables are connected directly to the IO modules and the hose connections are also fitted directly to the valve terminals without intermediate terminals.

Conclusion

DOTTIKON EXCLUSIVE SYNTHESIS AG did everything right in this project: the key issues were addressed at an early stage, technological development was consistently pursued and proven concepts were sensibly developed further. With CTE as a reliable partner, the entire design for automation, OT and EMSR could be supplied from a single source - true to the motto: "Do it the same, but better."