System Integration

Control Design Solutions, Ltd. provided electrical systems integration services on a line that packages a mixture of frozen vegetables with a liquid sauce in a single serve, sealed bowl. 

As the electrical technical manager on the project, CDSL was to integrate two tote dumps and associated conveyors, tray de-nester, piston filler, volumetric rotary filler, combination weigher, checkweigher, freeze, surge table, sleever, case erector, and case sealer. Our system integration services included preparation of a functional description, procurement assistance, shop drawing review, development of the electrical construction bid package and vendor visits.

A functional description was developed at the start of the project and reviewed with the owner and approved vendors. The functional description included production through-put parameters, a description of the equipment involved, general operating philosophy, operational sequences, operational parameters, and safety issues. This document provided a basis for equipment vendor quotations. The description evolved through-out the design process as changes occurred and as vendor operational sequences were developed. As a part of the functional development CDSL recommended implementation of a multi-color light stack to provide the operating personnel with the status of machines in both local and remote work areas. The multi-color light stack provided the owner’s personnel with critical information needed and the flexibility that fit their work culture. CDSL interfaced with all equipment vendors to; ensure compliance with the owner’s specifications, review vendor interface requirements, and to review vendor specified controls hardware. CDSL worked with the plant and vendors to standardize vendor specified controls hardware to reduce the owner’s spare parts inventory. Standardizing the hardware also reduced the maintenance training requirements. CDSL worked with the owner and equipment vendors to incorporate the upstream and downstream conveyor controls into the panels of the adjoining equipment. This eliminated the need for independent conveyor controls panels and integrated control of the conveyors into the associated packaging equipment. 

The owner specified that all furnished equipment was to be skid mounted with vendor supplied controls integral to the unit. This approach increased initial equipment costs but reduced integration requirements and significantly reduced installation time and costs. CDSL generated the electrical construction package which consisted of a construction scope of work, power distribution, and system interconnect drawings.