PM Control System
Pine Falls Paper Co. Ltd

As part of an overall mill modernization program, Pine Falls decided to replace the control system on their two newsprint machines. They set two goals for the project: a safe transition and no lost production; they were successful in meeting both of these objectives.

• The control system replacement consisted of:
• a set of redundant controllers for each process group
• six HMI (human-machine interface) operator stations
• a new rack room containing six I/O cabinets

The following methodology was used:

• as much of the existing field wiring as possible was re-used
• new cabling consisted of multi-conductor cable from new I/O cabinets to existing junction boxes
• existing wiring terminations were audited and documented on wire lists and loop sheets
• planning of the shutdowns started several months prior to the first migration
• the work was scheduled for three 12 h shutdowns, with detailed procedures prepared for each shut
• a master checklist was maintained in the rack room during each shutdown
• the configuration was based on the on-line configuration from the existing control system
• the new software was extensively tested prior to installation (i.e. 750 h)
• a lock, tag and test safety procedure was used for each power supply

Some highlights:

• instruments with HART protocol were easily tested by one technician, while conventional instruments required two technicians
• the work plan progressed very well compared to the schedule, leaving sufficient time to deal with unexpected drive related problems

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