Change management controls productivity + quality

Users of automation and control hardware are recognizing the importance of enhanced software support services that keep track of what is happening across an enterprise, and changes to that software

All utility suppliers have an obligation to their customers - with the quality and dependability of their supply being high on the list of priorities.

When you couple these obligations with the demands of ISO 9001-2000, traceability and process control become just as vital.

With this in mind, major users of automation and control hardware are now recognizing the importance of enhanced software support services that not only keep track of what is happening across an enterprise, but also cater for any eventualities that may affect the quality of the product or diminish the quality of the process.

One entity facing these issues, ATLL - a Spanish water supply company - has successfully addressed these demands by implementing an RSMACC Change Management Solution from Rockwell Automation.

Benefits it has seen include improved efficiency, superior asset and software traceability and it now has greater confidence in its complex software infrastructure.

ATLL delivers water to 120 communities - including Barcelona and its suburbs - supplying more than 4.5 million inhabitants.

It has to keep a constant watch over its water inputs and water outputs, ensuring that any variability in the process or water quality is quickly recognized, processed and remedied.

As a utility supplier, ATLL must deliver a constant quality regardless of the quality of the water coming from local rivers - a variable which changes every day.

The company uses 220 satellite-linked PLCs (PLC5, SLC500 and ControlLogix) - spread over 2,000Km2 - coupled to a central repository.

In combination with 200 PanelView screens, the PLCs control many of the vital systems.

Working through several shifts, the four employees that monitor the PLCs face multiple changes to software variables and set points in any 24-hour period relating to the quality of incoming water.

The ease of access to the PLCs - although vital for day-to-day operations - generates certain issues in the event of someone accidentally changing set points or PLC codes.

This is especially true when system integrators work on site adding machinery or undertaking improvement work.

It is therefore vital for ATLL to control access to the PLCs while maintaining convenience.

The PLCs perform a variety of roles - some process oriented and others concerned with the business such as those that control the flow meters that provide information used for billing customers.

With these factors in mind it is clear that, for key business reasons, changes performed on the PLCs must be tracked and access restricted.

Other control issues relates to ATLL investment in its IS09001-2000 certification.

This proves to its customers that it is capable of delivering water continuously to a constant quality level.

A major proportion of the quality issues are under the direct control of PLCs.

Therefore ATLL must prove that it is in complete control of these devices and, by doing so, remains compliant with ISO 9001-2000 regulations.

ATLL was able to work closely with Rockwell Automation to install a RSMACC Change Management solution into its current IT infrastructure.

The solution currently manages approximately 75 PLCs, along with two desktop computers used by ATLL staff and the system integrator.

The access control provided by the change management solution allows ATLL to provide its control engineers and contractors access to assets (mainly PLCs) as well as files stored in a central repository system (part of RSMACC) and to RSLogix functions such as Edit, Modify, Force, Create and GoOnLine.

Each user is identified and allowed access rights, which can be changed anytime and are provided for a defined period of time.

The software audit trail automatically tracks who made changes using RSLogix, what changes were made, when they were made, where they were made and why they were made.

Control engineers can check what their colleagues did during previous shifts and the maintenance and engineering manager can track changes made to specific PLCs as well as tracking non-durable changes - quickly fixing technical problems.

The archive, a central repository function, is based on an ODBC database and can store multiple files and multiple file formats (PLC programmes, Word, Excel, PDF, CAD, etc) as well as managing programme and file versions.

ATLL provides contractors with access only to files that directly concerned them and for a set duration.

An automatic back-up and disaster recovery plan regularly backs up PLC and PanelView files and stores them in the Archive.

It verifies if the current file is the same as the qualified file (stored into the archive), provides reports when there are differences and restores files after a breakdown or disaster.

This function is used both for automatic and regular auditing and for the Disaster Recovery Plan for the factory assets (PLCs and HMIs).

ATLL is now able to track changes to specific parameters, especially those that impact the quality of water and the accuracy of flow meters which provide data for customer billing.

Another primary benefit is more efficient sharing of information and maintenance know-how between the control engineers even across different shifts.

ATLL plans to enhance its maintenance operations by implementing a full Disaster Recovery Plan, so PLCs, in combination with HMIs, can provide continuous water quality even if a disaster occurs.

ATLL will use the RSMACC solution as part of its ISO9001-2000 requirements as it will be able to prove that it is compliant, particularly with those requirements related to the control of industrial assets.

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