News

Trident Automation Marks 20-year anniversary

Right now, ethanol plants are fermenting on schedule, manufacturing processes are running efficiently, and new technology is being switched on with the assistance of Trident Automation. This year, the controls automation firm celebrates 20 years in business designing process controls for manufacturing environments. “We like to think of ourselves as ‘in the pipes’ type of guys,” says Jason Hurst, CEO of Trident Automation. “Our job is to regulate and control anything that flows through a pipe or requires measurement in […] Read More

Control system built on trust

When your business is located near a remote bay of Lake Superior, you place a great deal of trust in your systems support team. For CertainTeed Products located in L’Anse, Upper Michigan, service and trust were key components to building a dependable automated system. John Madajewski, Project Engineer, traces his relationship with Trident Automation back to 1998—and he still has Don Jolly’s business card from that year before he started with Trident Automation. The CertainTeed plant in L’Anse produces ceiling […] Read More

Who’s in your Rolodex? Trident.

Years ago when you left a job the first thing you grabbed was your rolodex. For Dave Worzalla, the first thing he took was his vendors, and one was Trident. Currently he’s a process control engineer for International Paper in South Carolina but worked at another Wisconsin-based paper mill where he also worked with Trident. Trident fills a unique niche for Worzalla as one of the few companies that will maintain and service the legacy Siemens APACS+ system. That system […] Read More

Maintaining the backbone of manufacturing with a legacy DCS

Breaking wood down into pulp used in the paper making process involves controlling and monitoring boilers, evaporators, lime kiln and screening systems. All is done with integrated control systems that are networked through machines, PCs, and human operators.  At Ahlstrom-Munksjö’s Thilmany Mill in Kaukauna, Wisconsin, older systems are still the backbone of the plant and are in operation thanks to maintenance and attention from Trident Automation. As legacy systems mature in manufacturing environments, having access to replacement parts and experience […] Read More

2022 Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo

Attention Ethanol Producers—if you’re attending the Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo, make plans to visit us! The FEW is the largest, longest running ethanol conference in the world—and will be held June 13-15 at the Minneapolis Convention Center at booth # 214. The FEW delivers presentations on a range of issues facing commercial-scale ethanol production –we’ll be there to talk about control systems and the most effective products from Trident Automation. Trident Automation specializes in control systems innovation for a range of […] Read More

Trident Automation marks 20-year anniversary

Right now, ethanol plants are fermenting on schedule, factory processes are running efficiently, and new technology is being switched on thanks to Trident Automation. This year, the controls automation firm celebrates 20 years in business designing process controls for manufacturing environment. “We like to think of ourselves as ‘in the pipes’ type of guys,” says Jason Hurst, CEO of Trident Automation. “Our job is to regulate and control anything that flows through a pipe or requires measurement in an automated […] 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

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

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

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