Rockwell Automation Acquires ESC Services

Rockwell Automation Inc has announced that it has purchased the assets of ESC Services Inc, a global hazardous energy control provider of lockout-tagout services and solutions.

Matt Fordenwalt, Rockwell Automation consulting business manager said  “ESC Services will enable Rockwell Automation customers to increase asset utilization and strengthen enterprise risk management, while adding safety to our growing portfolio of data-driven, cloud-enabled services.”

The unique ESC methodology utilizes Quick Response (QR) codes that can be scanned to obtain asset information and streamline compliance with both external regulations and internal safety policies. “The global use of lockout-tagout is expanding among multi-national corporations, and represents a great growth opportunity,” said Kelly Michalscheck, president, ESC Services. “This acquisition enables us to extend the ESC Services lockout-tagout procedures and ScanESC solutions to tens of thousands of additional OEM machines, delivering more value and unique offerings to the extensive global channels of Rockwell Automation.”

ESC Services, based in Franklin, Wisconsin, will be integrated into the Rockwell Automation Control Products & Solutions segment as part of its customer support and maintenance business unit. The ScanESC lockout-tagout technology and solutions will be on display at the upcoming Rockwell US Automation Fair, scheduled for November 19-20, in Anaheim.

Dynamo passes 100 applications

Honeywell Process Solutions announced today that its DynAMo alarm management technology is improving safety and productivity at more than 100 process plants and pipelines around the world by helping operators better and more quickly evaluate alarm situations in control rooms.

Plants and pipelines are increasingly relying on numerous automation systems, which can produce more than 1000 system alarms in a given day. The number of alarms can often overwhelm operators, a problem that leads to lower production and increased safety incidents that cost the process industry billions of dollars every year, according to the Abnormal Situation Management (ASM) Consortium, an industry group dedicated to advancing process technology.

“The Dynamo solution, which was launched in November 2013, allows plant operators to tune out noise and focus on critical situations by more efficiently managing and evaluating alarms,” said Ali Raza, vp and gm at Honeywell Process Solutions. “This allows operators to more easily detect and prevent problems, and to develop and implement effective alarm management strategies aligned with industry-recognized guidelines and standards.”

Dynamo is based on Honeywell’s 20-plus years of alarm management experience in the process industries. Dynamo reduces control room alarms by up to 80% by allowing operators to create customized dashboards on computers or mobile devices that allow them to view the alarm system health at a glance. This allows operators to better and more quickly diagnose alarms and their causes and consequence on one console.

Honeywell has licensed Dynamo technology at plants in Australia, Canada, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom, among others, as companies work to increase the efficiencies of their control rooms.

Richard Wawrzon, process engineering and control team leader for Qenos Pty Ltd, Australia’s leading supplier of polyethylene and polymers, said, “High quality tools to manage and maintain process alarm systems are critical to running petrochemical plants. The Honeywell Dynamo Alarm Suite has sensibly integrated analysis, documentation and notification tools to provide support engineers with an efficient way to stay in control of process alarm systems. Once process safety is being looked after, key resources can focus on production efficiency.”

As a global alarm management solution provider, Honeywell recognized the severity of alarm problems at industrial sites and delivered an effective tool for assisting in optimizing alarm management programs, which are intended to prevent alarm floods and reduce operator loading. With the Dynamo Alarm Suite, personnel can monitor alarm issues based on their specific roles and take action before abnormal situations escalate. A new, customizable, role-based dashboard enables operators, engineers and managers to view the health of their alarm system at a glance. The software has added mobile device compatibility for viewing alarm metrics at any time, from almost any location.

Chris Lucas, gas control team leader for Alliance Pipeline in Canada, said, “We chose Honeywell to provide our alarm management solution because its Dynamo Alarm Suite will help us meet our alarm philosophy and control room management plan objectives. Honeywell’s involvement with the ASM Consortium and the American Petroleum Institute also weighed into our decision, as did integration with the control system of our choice.”

Dynamo Alarm Suite works with any control system as well as complementing the Honeywell Experion PKS system. The alarm software provides a single window into alarm system performance and regulatory compliance, helping companies adhere to industry standards such as ISA 18.2, EEMUA 191, API 1167, and PHMSA.

Honeywell also provides a variety of services to help customers get the most out of their alarm management strategy. This includes alarm rationalization, alarm philosophy and strategy, workshops, best practices training and other services to enable customers to focus on alarm management priorities.