News

Cyber Security Hardening

You probably do it every day—plug a dying cellphone into your computer for a quick charge. But that simple connection has the potential to infect your laptop or your company’s network with malware or destructive viruses. There could be multiple inroads into your system that are unlocked and waiting for cyber crooks to step in, and that’s where cyber security system hardening from Trident comes into play. System hardening (or cyber security hardening) is a process to uncover and secure […] Read More

Maintaining your legacy system

The term that can strike fear into the hearts of any business is “system upgrade.” Visions of production downtime, learning curves for new software, and integration with existing systems all have the potential to cripple production. Let’s say you make the decision to skip these minefields and stick with a legacy system—exactly where can you find the help you need when the factory stops support? When control systems move to legacy status, manufacturers stop active production and increase the price […] Read More

What’s the buzz? DeltaV!

A benefit of using a process control professional is to stay in the loop on developing trends within the industry. One such trend is the DeltaV platform from Emerson, which is getting a lot of buzz among our customers recently. “With intuitive navigation, an easy to use programming workspace, versatile hardware, and a fully vetted suite of process control software; DeltaV is a well-rounded, user friendly platform,” said Alex Schuh, a controls engineer for Trident Automation. A major advantage of […] Read More

Case Study: Big data built into control system

The Wisconsin Valley Improvement Company is charged with maintaining uniform water flow through the Wisconsin River Reservoir System for commerce and for environmental reasons. The organization hired Trident to design and implement a system that would meet their operational needs. There are 25 dams on the river, most owned by different power companies, and none had the same equipment. In addition to technology, state and federal regulatory agencies were involved in the project. Trident integrated 50 years of previous data […] Read More

Case Study: Giant ore boats get wireless controls

Key Lakes Shipping operates gigantic ore boats on the Great Lakes. The largest of these is 1,000 feet and regularly carried thousands of pounds of iron ore and other materials. Trident was asked to automate the ballast system so crew members could adjust ballast remotely from tablet PCs rather than walking up and down seven flights of stairs from hold to the pilot house. First, engineers had to automate a manual system for the barge, then enhanced it with wireless […] Read More

Case Study: Paper machine up and running in three weeks

Georgia Pacific needed a new control system on one of their most important paper machines that was damaged and out of production, but had pending orders. Damage was too extensive for repairs and the system had to be replaced. Normally a tight replacement schedule would have taken several weeks or months, but all three of Trident’s principal owners worked around the clock to design, engineer, configure and install a new, customized control system in only three weeks. Trident was on […] Read More

Case Study: Total DCS Migration in under 60 hours

In just 60 hours, Trident Automation delivered a new operating system for the largest dry-mill ethanol facility in the country. Marquis Energy was constructing a second 100+ million gallon unit and owners wanted to have both units on the same, most advanced system. The plant was operating on a Siemens APACS DCS legacy system with Wonderware HMI, but needed to modernize the plant and leverage the advanced control strategies Siemens PCS 7 offered. Over twelve weeks, Trident teams rewrote code, […] Read More

If You Build it, they will come

While Trident engineers are customizing control systems for clients, the Trident panel shop wires and builds the components needed for speed, accuracy, and reliability. Although all of Trident’s DCS products rely on computerization, all field devices are still connected through wired panels. Trident is one of the few DCS providers with a UL accredited panel shop on site. The panels meet UL508A standards or UL698 depending on the project. At the center of it all is Kevin Heindel, a guy […] Read More

Case Study: New system in and running in four hours

Louis Dreyfus Commodities operates an ethanol plant in Norfolk, Nebraska. The plant needed a new operating system, but could not afford to lose any production time. Trident worked with plant managers to design a system and process that could be installed during a scheduled 3-day outage. For 12 weeks, teams did pre-engineering work in Wisconsin with installation designed to take hours instead of days. On site, engineers removed an APACS DCS, then installed a customized cabling system to use existing […] Read More

Trident puts information in the palm of your hand

Imagine having your plant production data at your fingertips, even if you don’t have internet access.  Now Trident Automation offers you that ability with the new Trident Workbench mobile app.  Whether you use iOS or Android, the goal of the mobile app is to help customers leverage functionality remotely for their Trident Workbench Suite.  This includes functionality like data collection, reviewing reports, trending and monitoring existing production processes all in the palm of your hand.  In addition, the best part […] Read More