News

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 The foundry wanted an upgrade, but the system was so outdated, the Trident team recommended a new risk assessment.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

Case Study: Collaboration with Siemens produces replacement controls

The Marquette Board of Light and Power is a municipal electric utility serving approximately 17,000 customers in the city of Marquette nine townships in Marquette County, Michigan. They commissioned a replacement control system and burner management system for their 50mw plant. Trident collaborated with our partner, Siemens, to design a control system for the plant, but our team members were on start for installation and start-up. During start-up, we were called on to trouble-shoot and adjust the system to maximize […] Read More

BEYOND THE FIREWALL: Industrial Hardening- A subset of Cybersecurity

The convenience of real-time production data at your fingertips is a reality of today’s manufacturing. But the flip side of instant access anywhere, is your most valued systems could be open to malware and hackers. Today, Trident Automation is focusing on service beyond the firewall–systems and add-ons that are designed to protect your plant yet allow secure access. A far cry from past production environments where the DCS was always isolated from the Internet. “Now, C-level execs and plant staff […] Read More

Minimizing variability and maximizing production

What if you could fine-tune your control system to minimize variability and maximize production? There are hundreds of process loops in an ethanol plant that can be a significant source of variability. Taking the time to identify variability and determining if control loops are a contributor is often complex and time consuming. Until now. Trident Automation is offering a software module that works in conjunction with our Trident Workbench called LoopPAC©, Control Loop Performance Monitoring. LoopPAC© is a software program […] Read More

Trident’s innovative e-store for previously used DCS hardware

In order to better support customers, Trident Automation is providing a service—an online e-store featuring previously used hardware. The Trident e-store has been open as of Oct. 3, 2017 and provides hundreds of replacement parts for businesses currently running APACS, Foxboro and other control systems. Siemens announced it will discontinue support for the APACS system in 2020; as an independent integrator and Siemens solution partner, Trident will continue to offer replacement parts and system service. Foxboro announced the FCP270 Field […] Read More

Why upgrade?

The distributed control system (DCS) is the brain of any manufacturing plant, providing the intricate knowledge and responsiveness needed to keep production running smoothly. For many plants, the decision to upgrade a DCS is often made well beyond the life of the system, when operations are starting to fail or falling behind current technology. So how do plant managers know when it’s time to upgrade? Here are some key points to consider. Success with Partners: The best DCS upgrades are done […] Read More

Advanced and Enhanced

Trident Automation has been featured in an article by Ethanol Producer Magazine. Check out the article, Advanced and Enhanced written by Susanne Retka Schill. Read More

Trident’s Focus: Customer Confidence and Trust

Trident Automation has been featured in an article by AutomationWorld Magazine. Learn how Trident found a solution for ways to limit downtime during a control system migration for our customers in the continuous process industries. Check out the article, Using Simulation to Reduce Commissioning Time and Increase Customer Confidence. Read More