Modernizing the Control Infrastructure of a Mining Operation

Summary

Market: Mining and metals
Client: Confidential
Services: Industrial engineering, industrial programming
Technologies: PlantPAx®, ControlLogix®, FactoryTalk® View SE, FactoryTalk® Historian, FactoryTalk® AssetCentre, FactoryTalk® Transaction Manager

A major mining complex needed to modernize a control infrastructure that had become difficult to maintain and evolve. Its operations, spanning rail transportation, train unloading, conveyor networks, material storage, and ship loading, relied on aging controllers and multiple systems developed according to different standards. This fragmentation limited operational visibility, made troubleshooting more complex, and reduced the stability of certain systems.

Excelpro was mandated to design and deploy a modernized, standardized, and scalable control architecture. Working closely with the client’s teams and Rockwell Automation, our experts developed a PlantPAx® platform based on ControlLogix® controllers, standardized PLC programming and FactoryTalk® View SE HMI interfaces, and integrated several tools to centralize system information, historical data, and management.

Results:

• Standardized operator experience through common interfaces and programming standards
• Improved end-to-end visibility across the complex’s operations
• Simplified troubleshooting directly from HMI interfaces
• More reliable and consistent control infrastructure
• Easier system maintenance and future upgrades
• Scalable platform designed to support the operation’s future needs

The context

The client operates a major mining complex supported by an integrated bulk-material handling network.

Its operations require close coordination between multiple interconnected systems, including rail transportation, train unloading, conveyor networks, stockyard stacking and reclaiming, and marine loading.

The modernization project involved a large-scale control infrastructure that included:

• 10 ControlLogix® controllers
• 30 FactoryTalk® View SE HMI clients
• 12 redundant virtualized FactoryTalk® View SE servers
• A centralized high-availability architecture
• Integration of rail, material handling, storage, and marine loading operations

In a high-volume environment where multiple pieces of equipment must operate in a coordinated manner, control system reliability and operational visibility are essential to maintaining operations.

The challenge

The existing control infrastructure relied in part on aging PLC-5® hardware and a mix of third-party control systems.

Over the years, decentralized modifications had resulted in fragmented programming standards and increasing complexity across the control environment.

Key challenges included:

• Aging control equipment and technologies
• Inconsistent programming standards across systems
• Recurring system instability
• Limited visibility across operations
• Inconsistent HMI navigation between machines
• Limited contextual information during alarms
• No centralized view of overrides and bypasses
• Troubleshooting that frequently required direct access to PLC logic
• An architecture that was difficult to scale for future needs

The client wanted to modernize its environment while standardizing practices and improving the teams’ ability to operate and maintain the equipment.

Excelpro’s mandate

Excelpro was tasked with assessing the existing environment and developing a modern, reliable, and scalable control architecture. The project aimed to standardize systems, improve operational visibility, and simplify operation and troubleshooting.

Excelpro’s approach: from assessment to deployment

• Detailed assessment of the existing systems
• Collaboration with operators and technicians to identify operational needs
• Development of common PLC programming and HMI standards
• Development of a PlantPAx® architecture based on ControlLogix® controllers
• Programming and standardization of FactoryTalk® View SE interfaces
• Server virtualization and redundancy
• Integration of FactoryTalk® Historian, FactoryTalk® AssetCentre, and FactoryTalk® Transaction Manager
• Phased deployment and commissioning

Three improvements that simplify operations

The new HMI interfaces were developed in accordance with ISA-101 principles to provide operators with a more consistent user experience. Improvements included standardized navigation, enhanced alarm management, and controlled use of color to highlight abnormal conditions.

The new architecture also centralizes more operational information. Teams can access views of rail operations and stockyard areas, monitor overrides and bypasses in real time, view camera feeds directly within the HMI, and remotely control select equipment.

For maintenance teams, interlock visualization, alarm history, bypass lists, and parameter-change audit trails simplify diagnostics and reduce the need to routinely access PLC code.

The results

End-to-end visibility

Teams now have greater visibility across the different stages of the operation, from rail transportation through unloading, storage, material reclaiming, and marine loading.

Higher reliability

Standardized PLC programming and HMI interfaces reduce fragmentation across the control environment and improve system stability.

Faster troubleshooting

The new interfaces provide more information directly through the HMI, allowing technical teams to diagnose issues more quickly.

Consistent operator experience

HMI standards deployed across the different areas of the complex simplify navigation and provide operators with a consistent operating experience from one piece of equipment to another.

Stronger security and access management

The new architecture enables stricter management of system access and changes.

Scalable architecture

The platform provides the client with a standardized and scalable foundation capable of supporting future operational needs.

A platform built to last

This project involved much more than replacing aging controllers.

Through collaboration with the client and Rockwell Automation, Excelpro helped transform a fragmented control environment into a unified platform that provides greater operational visibility, a consistent operator experience, simplified troubleshooting, and greater scalability.

The new ControlLogix® and PlantPAx® architecture now provides the mining complex with a modern and resilient control infrastructure that can support the continued evolution of its operations.

A project completed in collaboration with Rockwell Automation

Excelpro is a Rockwell Automation Gold-Level System Integrator Partner.

This project was also featured in a case study published by Rockwell Automation.

Read the original Rockwell Automation case study

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