Appleton Paper Uses HART to Improve Asset Management
Pulp-and-paper producer Appleton Paper used HART technology in a major upgrade of their paper-coating operation as the catalyst for improving asset management. The company installed more than 100 HART-enabled flowmeters, control valves and pressure sensors at its facility in Appleton, Wisconsin with positive results.“HART gave us the best opportunity to expand with the rest of our existing control systems at the lowest costs,” says Chris Van Sambeek, Appleton control systems technician.
The papermaker targeted several criteria for the project: minimize costs for hardware, software, training, spare parts, etc.; find a simple, robust system to inform staff about the device health; use that system in other applications; get a database for configuration, tracking, troubleshooting, etc.; and obtain access to all instrument/device data.
Appleton uses HART via a Rockwell Automation ControlLogix PLC and a HART-enabled I/O system to link the smart instruments to an Emerson Process Management AMS package. With the enhanced troubleshooting capability that HART technology provides, Appleton has improved its instrument configuration and preventive maintenance capabilities.
“HART saved us roughly $40,000 on wiring alone with its ability to pull multivariable information from our mass flowmeters,” says Sambeek. Appleton has also saved time and money by remotely configuring devices. HART technology saved the company another $10,000 because they now need 12 fewer pressure and 12 fewer temperature transmitters.
Sambeek says HART also improved operations in other areas including “better diagnostics; control-loop validation by pulling information into the PLC through the HART signal; increased plant availability; better product quality and utility; higher product yield; lower operations and maintenance costs; and enhanced regulatory compliance.”
Finding a new HART smart card that the PLC system could use also helped Appleton. This card, supplied by Spectrum Controls, allowed the company to upgrade existing systems with minimal equipment and costs, says Sambeek. “Most of our existing instruments are HART-enabled, and the HART cards used are compatible with our existing control systems.”
Installing an OEM’s HART-enabled cards into the control PLC platform allowed Appleton to use HART data in both the AMS and control systems. “HART provides additional information not available to normal analog systems,” Sambeek adds.
“HART has been very effective,” says Sambeek. “We succeeded because the HART protocol is a better fit for expansion than other fieldbus technologies.”