Wireless infrastructure deployed at chemical plant

An Invensys and Apprion managed wireless communications infrastructure provides condition and environmental monitoring, video security and human interface applications at the PPG chemical complex

As part of an on-going automation upgrade at the PPG Industries Lake Charles chemical complex, Invensys, in conjunction with its strategic partner Apprion, has successfully completed the first phase of a comprehensive managed wireless infrastructure deployment at the PPG large chlor-alkali chemical manufacturing complex in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

This infrastructure is designed to help further improve plant profitability, safety, and security, while providing a secure, flexible, and cost-effective foundation to support additional wireless applications in the future.

Invensys and Apprion implemented a common, layered network infrastructure following a comprehensive site assessment.

The critical site assessment was conducted by a team that included Invensys, Apprion, and PPG personnel representing production operations, maintenance, safety, security and information technology functions.

The new infrastructure incorporates multiple wireless technologies (both standard and proprietary), wireless devices, and wireless-enabled applications.

Apprion IONosphere software platform provided the key enabling technology for security, policy and performance management of the entire wireless infrastructure.

Phase 1 wireless applications now in place at the site include.

* Wireless temperature condition monitoring.

* Wireless site security monitoring (including remote video surveillance).

* Wireless environmental monitoring to help simplify regulatory compliance.

* Secure wireless laptop and PDA access to provide authorised personnel with remote access to the site's enterprise network.

"Wireless coverage, services, and applications for huge plants like PPG Lake Charles have not been feasible until recently," commented ARC Advisory Group Senior Analyst Harry Forbes: "This is clearly no longer the case.

Now the challenge is to deploy and maintain a wireless infrastructure that can grow to support greater numbers and varieties of applications, and do so reliably and securely over a long period of time.

It is encouraging to see a wide variety of applications in this first phase of the project.

I expect many more will be added as the 'network effect' begins to occur at plants like PPG and they realise the potential value of this new infrastructure".

Introduced at the 2005 ISA EXPO in Chicago, the unique Invensys managed network wireless strategy centres around shared access point technology and common data and security models for all wireless devices - regardless of vendor or application.

As currently demonstrated at the PPG Lake Charles facility, the comprehensive Invensys approach provides the freedom to select the wireless technologies that are best for any given application, while helping ensure appropriate levels of integration, robustness, and security for all industrial and enterprise wireless applications.

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