Industrial Software Solution Case Study

Compuworx Hybrid Interface Technologies produces data acquistion solutions for the Plastics Industry.

The Client:

is an industry leader in providing some of the most accurate plastic blender systems for the plastics industry. Advanced engineering & manufacturing techniques deliver maximum reliability and productivity. Since 1962, Mould-tek has been applying practical answers to demanding bulk handling applications. Today they are providing custom-engineered, integrated turn-key solutions to a wide range of material handling needs for leading companies across North and South America, delivering solutions to Asia and Europe. Leading edge design and experienced engineers and technicians turn customer needs into productive reality. Advanced computer-aided engineering and attention to detail maximize product performance, efficiency and reliability. Their 36,000 square foot manufacturing plant incorporates complete machining, assembly and painting operations. During manufacture, strict adherence to quality control procedures is followed by extensive testing to ensure optimal performance from the outset. Multi-pump, multi-line test facilities are in place for new equipment and customers' materials evaluation. Every piece of equipment produced by Mould-tek is fully tested before it leaves their plant. Performance and productivity checks such as this multi-pump/multi-line test facility ensure that the system will perform to specifications.

The Challenge:

Create interface systems to connect embedded systems, third party control panels, and other machines critical to the production of plastics in order to exchange, store data and deliver information to other systems. Specifically connect Blender control panels in a network configuration with a PC host. An application developed for the host would collect and store production information as well as configuration information for the embedded systems connected to the network. The application would be web enabled and be open to future interfaces, e.g. handheld devices. Monitor activity of blending machines and be capable of monitoring and interfacing to future machines or equipment, i.e. Kawaguichi injection moulding machines, or bulk material handling systems.

The Solution:

A number of different communication mediums were implemented to achieve the necessary interfaces. RS 485 was selected as the hardware standard for the central Host to embedded system connection mainly for its ability to manage cables which could run long distances, accomodate a large number of nodes and function in an industrial environment which demanded that the medium be able to withstand electrical interference or noise. Connections between multiple hosts based on standard Ethernet and TCP/IP. The central host application was designed using Microsoft Visual Studio and distributions of the application were created to support all Windows platforms, i.e. 95/98, NT and 2000. To further extend the concept of remote monitoring and data exchange, the application was "web-enabled" to provide world wide web service equivalents to those available from the Windows interface. The reporting system is based on the popular HTML format and made delivering database reports to browser clients a no brainer. CGI routines provided additional functionality allowing updates to the database or instructing the central host to perform specific tasks with selected embedded systems.

The Benefits:

Embedded systems can upload information to a central host and download new configuration information to improve productivity. The host system can provide backup services, flexibile reporting and deliver information over an Intranet or the Internet service. The product dubbed T-com by Mould-tek is truly a remote monitoring and data acquisition system with capabilities to provide remote access from hosts located virtually around the globe or even from hand held devices while in the office or field. To reduce complexity in managing the central host system the base operating system chosen was Microsoft Windows, and Mould-tek clients can implement the solution on Windows 95/98, Windows NT or 2000.