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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

Open platform system saves ethanol plant millions

Golden Grain Energy in Mason City, Iowa, was looking for a way to reduce maintenance costs for their operating systems. Golden grain produces 125M gallons /year of distiller’s grains and non-food grade corn oil. The plant was running an Advanced Process Control (APC) “black box” which had worked well until modifications were needed. Although system controls reside in PCs rather than the DCS, the system is effective with non-linear and adaptive process. However, it requires extensive process knowledge and process […] Read More

Trident installs one of first Siemens SPHA systems

MilliporeSigma produces chemicals used in the life sciences and semiconductor industries and tasked Trident Automation with finding a solution to upgrading its control systems. The company previously relied on APACS using Windows 95 running the MycroAdvantage HMI. To implement a more modern DCS, they wanted a solution that was scalable, flexible, intuitive, required minimal downtime for installation, and reduced total cost of ownership. Before moving to the solution phase, Trident engineers first had to learn the MycroAdvantage system—an older platform […] Read More

Parts are parts? Except in an emergency!

It’s Murphy’s Law: when you least expect it, something will break. In a highly customized production environment, broken or missing parts cost time and money—and could jeopardize a customer relationship. Increasingly, we are working with customers to identify critical path components and build a spares list on the most needed items. “Looking at the issue in greater detail, reveals just how costly unplanned downtime can become,” said Jason Hurst, CEO of Trident Automation. “Besides the direct expense of having a […] Read More

Safety switches on for Wisconsin foundry

Neenah Foundry had an older Rockwell system that was not compliant with current safety standards. The foundry wanted an upgrade, but the system was so outdated, the Trident team recommended a new risk assessment. Working collaboratively with Rockwell’s safety engineer, the team carefully identified each hazard, the potential for risk, and the ways to mitigate the hazard. Risks ran broad range from something simple like uneven pavement to cautions taken around a giant melt furnace. The customer wanted to automate […] Read More