Puffer-Sweiven’s Control Systems (CS) Specialists have an average of over seventeen years of process control and automation experience in the chemicals, petrochemicals, refining, and power industries.  Their unit operations expertise covers batch and continuous reactors, distillation, fluidized beds, boiler/furnace controls and utilities, sequencing, material handling, tankage and custody transfer.  Many of our CS Specialists worked at operating companies or engineering contractors in the Houston area before their careers with P-S. Their diverse work experience helps deliver business results to our customers’ automation projects. Our system configuration knowledge spans DeltaV, PROVoX, RS/3, Modicon, Fisher ROC, Allen-Bradley, Cygnet, Intellution, Wonderware and MicroSoft.NET technologies. 

Project Justification

Our process controls specialists and project managers act as consultants to verify project feasibility, define project scopes, develop justifications and quantify alternatives.  Our teams can evaluate process constraints and control system limitations and then devise cost effective control strategy alternatives.  We also identify diagnostic technologies that increase process reliability.  We link business and process objectives to automation solutions that deliver quantifiable results.

Front End Automation Solution Design

By combining our Project Management and CS Specialists, Puffer-Sweiven can scope and estimate any aspect of an automation project or solution.  These front end designs provide accurate scope and cost information that minimize project risk and uncertainty. The information collected during the front end design is re-used as the starting point for the project kickoff.

We have substantial experience in migrating or upgrading existing control systems.  Our estimating team understands the information required for successful completion and organizes the technical disciplines to most economically implement the design.  Our scope can include field wiring surveys, drawing revision and management, schedule and resource allocation, cutover planning and onsite installation.  Because of our experience with the latest control system technologies, we select control system architectures that are easiest to operate and maintain.

Detailed Automation Solution Design

Based on our front end design, our team can specify the complete automation system scope including field wiring and documentation requirements, loop sheets, system architecture, instrumentation, procurement, staging, integration, acceptance testing, installation, construction, cutover, unit commissioning and project management.  At this phase we select specific technologies (digital busses, .NET web implementation and/or advanced system diagnostics) and verify their savings contributions. 

Project Implementation

Our experienced Project Managers and CS Specialists reduce costs by eliminating unnecessary activities and risk at every phase of the project.  Based on the detailed design and our execution scope, P-S can implement BPCS configuration standards and testing, hardware staging and testing, integrated system testing, removal of the existing BPCS, onsite installation of the new BPCS including re-marshalling, site acceptance testing, loop commissioning and  unit start up.  Please link to our Staging and Integration Services page for more details on our implementation capabilities.   

Also link to our Life Cycle Service page for more details on supporting your daily operational needs.