PlantPAx and FactoryTalk Batch Streamline Operations for Interplastic

Interplastic Corporation, a leader in specialty resin production, sought to modernize the batch processing system at its Fort Wright, Kentucky, facility. The goal was to enhance product quality and consistency through total automation while addressing inefficiencies and streamlining operational challenges. 

Interplastic partnered with Cybertrol Engineering to implement a cutting-edge solution employing Rockwell Automation's PlantPAx® 5.0, FactoryTalk® Batch, and Cybertrol's BatchWorks, a comprehensive MES software enhancing recipe management and integrating seamlessly with the ERP system. The success of this project at their Fort Wright location has since led to repeat business and requests for implementing similar solutions at Interplastic’s other facility locations.

Exterior and aerial view of Interplastic Corporation's Fort Wright, KY, facility, the site of this modernization project aimed at enhancing batch operations and optimizing production data utilization.

Challenge

Overcoming Legacy System Limitations in a Tight Downtime Window

At Interplastic, a resin manufacturing facility operating 24/7/365, the challenges were multifaceted. Their primary issue was an outdated, manual batch process software system that created the core component for all their products. This system relied heavily on operator knowledge and was highly repetitive, with operators essentially “reinventing the wheel” with each batch. The manual nature of the system resulted in inconsistencies, unintentional errors, slow production, and elevated operational costs due to product waste and scrap. These problems were exacerbated by the facility's continuous production schedule, where even minor downtimes or product errors could lead to significant financial losses. Additionally, the previous system experienced up to a two-minute delay between commanding a function and the system responding, leading to a significant lack of trust by employees.

Apart from the operational inefficiencies stemming from the software, Interplastic faced significant challenges with their hardware setup. Their existing control system was technologically obsolete and lacked a distributed or redundant environment. The entire plant's operation relied on a single desktop computer, which frequently encountered issues, leaving them dependent on an aging, unreliable 20-year-old computer as a single point of failure. This setup meant that any malfunction could halt the entire production, leading to significant downtime and financial losses. Additionally, outdated PLCs and I/O modules further complicated their operations.

Given the complex chemical nature of the resin production process, it was crucial for Interplastic to simplify system operation without compromising quality. The previous system required operators to tend the HMI nearly 100% of the time, making them “slaves to the HMI” and limiting their ability to perform other meaningful tasks.

With the need to overhaul both their software and hardware while working around tight time constraints, Interplastic required a robust solution that could integrate seamlessly with minimal disruption to ongoing operations. Cybertrol was able to address these unique challenges by developing a total automation solution featuring a fully distributed, modern control system. This upgrade provided redundancy, modern server technology, and a new network, significantly improving stability and instilling confidence in both the hardware and software systems.

The most challenging aspect of this project was the time constraint. Cybertrol had only a narrow seven to eight day window of scheduled downtime to perform the hardware cutover. This limited timeframe demanded precise planning and execution to ensure both the hardware cutover and the semi-automated deployment could be completed without extending the plant's downtime, thereby avoiding profit losses.

Solution

Integrated Automation with PlantPAx, FactoryTalk Batch, and BatchWorks

Cybertrol Engineering implemented a comprehensive automation solution that integrated seamlessly with Interplastic's existing manufacturing execution system (MES). The solution featured:

Integrated Automation

• System Upgrades: Replaced Wonderware with Rockwell's FactoryTalk View SE for redundancy, eliminating failure points.
• Infrastructure Upgrade: Enhanced the plant's virtual infrastructure using the Purdue model for a dedicated OT network with improved security and data flow.
• Hardware and Software: Transitioned from legacy Allen-Bradley® SLC™ 500 controllers to CompactLogix 5380 series and upgraded HMI to PlantPAx DCS.

PlantPAx 5.0 Integration

• Implemented advanced control and analytics for optimized process control.
• Developed PlantPAx equipment modules for process-specific needs.

BatchWorks MES Software

• Automated recipe management, reducing batch errors and enhancing operational efficiency.
• Real-time visibility into inventory, production data, and cost of errors.
• Integrated MES for streamlined scheduling, reporting, and batch data handling.

Batch Analytics and Reporting

• Proactive data analytics identified and corrected process issues, leading to significant cost savings.
• Utilized FactoryTalk Batch and BatchWorks for recipe scheduling and execution, and integrated FactoryTalk Historian for time-series data collection with FactoryTalk VantagePoint® for reporting.

Implementation Stages: Leveraging Scheduled Downtime 

To strategically make the most of the limited time available for implementation, a phased commissioning approach was utilized.

Phase 1: Electrical Cutover and PlantPAx SCADA Implementation

• Installed electrical I/O components, new panels, wiring, servers, and completed I/O checks.
• Enabled continued use of the Wonderware system to control the plant during transition.
• Introduced PlantPAx functionality, allowing operators to familiarize themselves with the new system.
• Used messaging to push I/O commands and status updates between the old and new processors.
• Challenges: Limited interlocking in the new PLC system.

Phase 2: Semi-Automated Operation with PLC Equipment Modules and Equipment Phases

• Transitioned all processes to the new PLC with updated logic.
• Allowed operators to gain a deeper understanding of the system prior to full automation.
• Operators manually started and stopped phases and entered formula data for each equipment phase.
• Challenges: Required more steps to operate equipment compared to the old system and adjusting to the new SCADA layout.

Phase 3: Total Automation with FactoryTalk Batch and Cybertrol's BatchWorks

• Fully implemented total automation, shifting the focus from troubleshooting equipment to mastering the PlantPAx system.
• Enhanced process rhythm as operators embraced the new system and gained confidence in their skills.

Interplastic's upgraded control panels and control room, showcasing a modernized infrastructure that is critical for enhanced process automation and real-time production monitoring.

Results

Significant Improvements in Production Control, Quality, and Efficiency

Interplastic's automation journey culminated in a state-of-the-art system that not only reduced errors and increased production but also empowered their team with improved data visibility and process control. This enhanced control not only justified the cost of the project but also promised increased profitability through improved efficiency and reduced errors. The plant gained greater flexibility and a higher degree of confidence in the new system compared to the old manual processes. The newly installed PlantPAx 5.0 platform, combined with Cybertrol's BatchWorks, revolutionized how Interplastic could monitor, adjust, and report on their production processes. Results included:

• Reduction in Errors: Decrease in batching errors, minimizing waste and improving yields.
• Increased Production Capacity: Increase in capacity, boosting throughput.
• Optimized Cycle Times: Improvement in cycle times, enhancing operational efficiency.
• Improved Product Consistency: Reduction in process variability, ensuring consistent product quality.
• Employee Empowerment: Operators now focus on higher-value tasks as automation manages process control.
• Energy Savings: Reduced energy consumption as part of the system modernization.
• Rapid ROI: Expected ROI within 2-3 years.
• Enhanced Control and Visibility: Real-time data collection and batch control through Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Historian and FactoryTalk Batch systems.
• Risk Mitigation: Phased integration minimized downtime and ensured flexibility to revert if necessary.
• Future Opportunities: Interplastic has requested repeat implementations at other facilities.

Future Outlook

Scalable Automation Across Facilities

The success at the Fort Wright production facility sets a foundation for future rollouts across other Interplastic locations. Interplastic has four main production facilities: Fort Wright, KY,  Minneapolis, MN, Hawthorne, CA, and Pryor, OK. The positive outcomes at Fort Wright have led to plans for similar projects in Minneapolis and Hawthorne with discussions about revisiting the Pryor, OK, facility to implement the strategic ideas developed at Fort Wright.

Want to learn more about our partnership with Interplastic? Check out this featured article in Control Engineering: Lessons for Manufacturers in the Digital Transformation Journey