Phased Migration Improves Productivity

摘要

By utilizing a staged migration concept, National Starch benefits from 50% cycle time with SIMATIC(r) PCS 7 process control technology while minimizing modernization risks. National Starch and Chemical Company produces flexible, moisture-resistant, and crack-resistant adhesive resins found in the microchips used in PDAs, laptops, and other electronic equipment all over the world. The company worked with Siemens on a staged upgrade of its organic chemicals plant and the construction of a new facility. In 2002, Jeff Mueller, engineering manager at National Starch, developed a staged manufacturing control technology road map. Together with Control Corporation of America (CCA) and WESCO Process Automation, National Starch created an evaluation matrix listing and ranking nine selection criteria. Three process automation vendors were ranked based on the matrix. "As the vendors gave their presentations, we filled in the matrix. The SIMATIC PCS 7 distributed control system gave us the best system," Mueller said.