Control system reduces cost, time and risk
December 1st 2004

Simplicon, a new distributed control system, designed and manufactured in the UK by IDC, is reported to substantially reduce overall project costs and complexity associated with centralised control systems in conveying applications

Providing control solutions for modern conveyor systems ranging from simple single line units to sophisticated sorting systems, it is also suitable for materials handling, palletising, intelligent picking and routing operations.

As well as obvious advantages such as reduced cable costs and quicker installation times, according to Kevin Buckley, MD of IDC, there are many hidden benefits, which fall into seven basic categories:

l Project tendering and estimating can be more accurately defined

l Bid interpretation, defining an offer and presenting a control solution can be more easily quantified and qualified

l Software complexity and program size are reduced

l Hardware, mechanical, electrical and control elements can be built and tested before shipment

l Documentation is standard for each element and definable

l Existing installations can be upgraded or extended where cabinet space would otherwise prohibit

l Commissioning becomes a tuning rather than a debugging exercise

What we have achieved with Simplicon is a system that reduces cost, time and risk in the project management of control systems, both complex and simple, says Buckley. By developing a control methodology that is modular both in hardware and software, we are able to fix the costs of control systems early in a project and facilitate standardisation of designs and documentation, from initial design proposal, thorough to final commissioning.

In addition, with our multi-processor Windows-based Simplinet software we have overcome cost and dependency on high-level software programming skills and in-depth communications knowledge. Simplinet is incredibly easy to use and the fact that it is modular eliminates repetition, while the provision of pre-programmed functions provides the control system designer and system user with the benefits of tested designed and proven performance.

He continues: The building blocks of our system are intelligent Simplicon modules that simplify control system design by distributing intelligence throughout a plant rather than consolidating it at a central point such as a PLC. This methodology overcomes the issue of growing software complexity and program size, enabling even the most complex machine sequence to be broken down into simple tasks.

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