WHO WE ARE
After more than four decades of developing batch process control systems using a total process automation approach, we have the experience and expertise it takes to build powerful, high-performing plants that produce high-quality yields. We could probably do it in our sleep!
But that’s not the part of our business that sets us apart.
Yes, our experience has taught us just about everything there is to know about how to create reliable systems for batch process control. It’s also taught us how to deliver them faster and more efficiently than anyone else. But most important, it’s taught us how to deliver the flexibility that makes it easy for companies to optimize their processes – quickly editing and adding recipes, modifying process cell equipment models, and leveraging automation to increase equipment effectiveness. That flexibility is the key to maximizing OEE and lowering total lifecycle cost.
We’ve distilled the lessons learned from working on thousands of process control projects into a streamlined solution that takes the custom programming out of process control, making systems faster and cheaper to build, more cost-effective to run, and easier to use.
It’s the advantage you can only get with a systems integrator who has as much experience as we have – and who has turned that experience into a flexible solution for better process control. That’s the unique combination of long experience and practical application that sets us apart from all others.
ECS was founded in 1977 to provide control and information system solutions, initially to the demanding aluminum manufacturing industry. Since then, the company has expanded to deliver batch and continuous process control solutions to a wide range of manufacturing companies. To date, we have delivered more than 3500 projects.
A key part of ECS’ journey has been to simplify batch creation and additions by developing S88 Builder® software to address gaps in ISA-88 equipment control software technology. S88 Builder reduces complexity at the back and front ends of batch processing, increasing system flexibility to respond to change and freeing operators to work more efficiently and productively.
WHAT WE DO
TOTAL PROCESS AUTOMATION
ECS’ value-focused Total Process Automation solutions are built on the lessons of 40 years of hands-on experience with process automation systems. Only ECS brings together faster deployment, increased efficiency, and ongoing agility – to reduce costs, raise product quality, and deliver greater value and higher profitability over the long term.
The result is highly efficient project delivery at the outset, and greater equipment effectiveness and operator productivity, yielding increased profitability, throughout the lifecycle of the system. A lower price puts money in your pocket once; value-focused Total Process Automation puts money in your pocket every year.
TPA Values
- Building on six key principles
- Maximizing value and flexibility
- Leveraging previous development
TPA Applications
- Avoiding “islands of automation”
- Deploying with partner SPs
ISA-88 Done Right
- Separating procedure and equipment programming
- Aligning equipment programming with a physical model
Distributed Control
- Enhancing control for Plant PAx
- Improving on the traditional DCS
ECS Solutions is a CSIA-certified control systems integration firm that has delivered effective process automation solutions for Breweries.
BATCH MANAGEMENT
A batch management software package is a key component of an ANSI/ISA-88 (S88) batch production system. A batch management package manages the execution of ANSI/ISA-95 (S95) manufacturing operations management activities. System integrators have significant leeway in how they configure batch management software packages to manage a specific batch process.
All system integrators are NOT equal. Writing a single program that can control any batch process requires an infinitely deeper and broader understanding of S88 than does writing a single-purpose or custom program. Systems built on S88 Builder reflect S88 to the letter.
When properly implemented, batch management is:
- Efficient at managing batch process equipment
- Effective at producing consistently high-quality products
- Flexible to produce future, undefined products efficiently and effectively with minimal reconfiguration
Whether or not a batch management solution includes S88 Builder, ECS offers significant S88 knowledge and experience to its customers.
Schedule a free review of your process with an experienced ECS engineer to learn how you can create more value with your process.
Process Functional Ecosystem
At the heart of ECS’ ability to work successfully in tandem with batch processors is the culture they’ve established with their Process Functional Ecosystem. The Process Functional Ecosystem addresses the equipment, processing steps, and layered data flow aspects of manufacturing. The experience of their leaders and training that all staff receive is driven explicitly so that every member of the ECS team understands considerably more than just physical automation. Physical processing is modeled and converted into operational steps which may include both automated equipment and manual operations. The equipment capabilities and manual operations are arranged into steps that define procedural models. All of this is examined within and aligned to the data flow requirements for business planning, manufacturing operations management, and manufacturing control. The entire ECS team approaches each project and modules within them with this in consideration.
Experienced batch processors may recognize alignment within this description to the International Society of Automation’s (ISA) ISA-88 and ISA-95 standards. This is not a coincidence; ECS has specifically woven these standards into its internal systems. This allows them to purposefully approach the evolution of each of their teammates in a manner that constantly drives towards homogeneity with their clients and further establishes their expertise with each passing collaboration, large or small. Every client interaction is streamlined by this aligned approach to both communications and operations within the firms. Every opportunity and situation is approached, and problems are solved without having to first establish baseline understandings between ECS and the client, or within the ECS team itself, and results happen efficiently. Client personnel from each layer within the model will enjoy and benefit from the connection to the ECS team to operators, engineers, production management, and IT.
We have experience delivering:
- Liquid Batch processing
• Dry Batch processing
• Extruded food products
• Dry ingredient inventory and handling
• Liquid ingredient inventory and handling
• Ingredient kitting and inventory management • Allergen handling
• Cooked sauces
• Uncooked sauces and dressings
• Tomato products
• Dairy products
• Oil seed processing and edible oil refining
• Tobacco processing
• Clean-in-place
• Bottling
• Frozen foods
• Dry Packaging
• Case packing
• Palletizing
• Inventory management
• ERP interfaces
• Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE)
• Track & Trace - Production scheduling
How do we accomplish this? We have separate, dedicated teams that focus on specific disciplines to maximize project/service execution:
- Process Automation Consulting
o Total Process Automation Assessment (TPAA)
• Batch Process Automation
o S88 Builder (model-based process control system) o Campaign Management
o CIP Management
o Material Management
o Kitting Management
o Packaging Management
• Manufacturing Operations Management
o Batch Management
o ERP Integrations
o Production Data Collection
o Production Performance
o Production Scheduling
o Material track and trace
• Industrial Automation
o Process Automation
o Optimization
o Migrations
OUR TEAM
ECS is a recognized leader in the delivery of process control systems, having achieved that status by aggressively pursuing solutions that provide the information and controls our customers need to manufacture more product faster and at a lower cost. We understand that rapid developments in technology necessitate new approaches to control systems – approaches that allow people to filter and consume information quickly so they can make the best decisions and take immediate action to follow those decisions through. Our 40+ Engineers and leadership team are focused on adding value to our customers’ process and ultimately improving their bottom line.
Randy Otto – CEO
Randy brings to ECS more than 25 years of experience in diverse industries, including glass fibers manufacturing and custom assembly machine manufacturing. Before joining ECS, Randy spent 10 years managing the delivery of assembly equipment for Integrated Systems Manufacturing and process control systems for Premier System Integrators. For most of the last 12 years, he has managed business development and sales for ECS. Randy graduated from Purdue University with a degree in electrical engineering technology. He has an MBA from the University of Southern Indiana.
Kurt Daunhauer – COO
Kurt has more than 27 years of experience integrating process control solutions for a variety of industries. He has managed ECS’ operations since 1995. Before that, he spent nine years delivering material handling solutions for Pentek Corporation and drive and motion systems for Flanders Electric Engineering. Kurt graduated from Purdue University with a degree in electrical engineering technology.
John Parraga – Batch Process Specialist
John Parraga is an experienced process, particularly batch process, an engineer with career stops at Sequentia, the firm that gave the world batch management as we know it, and Rockwell Automation. At Rockwell Automation John held several roles. As a Global Process Technical Consultant, John advised many customers and integrators on the best way to control their processes. As the FactoryTalk Batch product manager, John was part of the PlantPAx leadership team. As a salesperson focused on the life science industry, John was able to apply his knowledge in a different but rapidly growing area of process manufacturing. John has participated in a number of organizations over the years. His published paper on recipe-based clean-in-place remains a standard for implementing the best and most efficient clean-in-place control systems.
Tim Matheny, P.E. – Chairman of the Board
Tim has more than 33 years of software engineering and consulting experience. Working for ECS in a variety of roles since 1982, he has served as president for the past 24 years. Tim holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. He also completed the lay minister certification program at Concordia University Wisconsin. Tim started Engineer Our Future, a collaboration of workforce and economic development entities, high school teachers, business leaders, and college students.
Jordan Stoltz – Engineering Director- Automation Ecosystem
Jordan graduated from the University of Evansville with a B.S. in Computer Engineering. Jordan began working for ECS as an intern and has been a full-time engineer for ECS since his graduation. Jordan has worked on a wide variety of integration projects for ECS, with a focus on Batch Processing. In addition to base skills in PLC programming and SCADA system design, Jordan also has significant experience working with custom SQL-based material management solutions, MES systems, Rockwell’s FactoryTalk Batch software suite, and ECS’ S88 Builder product. Jordan has been involved in large-scale batch processing projects in many capacities, from the sales/quoting cycle to development, startup, service, and support.
Jeff Harpenau – Engineering Director- Automation Ecosystem
Jeff has 25 years of automated manufacturing, and process control experience, in high-volume discrete manufacturing, material handling, power plant systems, and food and beverage processes. He started his career at Siemens EC designing and programming high-volume automation lines. For most of the last 18 years, his experience focused in process control and system integration of material handling and batch processes. Jeff graduated from the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in Electrical Engineering Technology, and has since returned to obtain a Master’s in Industrial Manufacturing (MSIM), focusing on lean manufacturing.
Matt Ryan– Engineering Director- Automation Ecosystem
Matt obtained his BS EET degree from WKU and is a 40+ year veteran in the Automation field. In the first stage of his career, Matt worked for various companies and industries in Project/Plant engineering roles. Companies such as Michelin Tire, Ashland Petroleum (now Marathon), Brown/Quebecor Printing & TEKNO (Material Handling). For most of the last 18 years, Matt has owned and operated a Systems Integration business in Bowling Green, KY, concentrated on the Food & Beverage & Specialty Chemicals markets. Matt is focused on understanding the client’s needs and collaborating with them to deliver cost-effective Automation systems that solve real problems. Matt has been certified by Rockwell Automation in Factory Talk Historian, Vantage Point, Metrics, and Thin Manager software products. He has also achieved the Certified Solution Architect designation by Stratus Technologies.
Phillip Michel – System Engineer
Phil graduated from Purdue University with a degree in electrical engineering technology and has 28 years of experience in integrated and process automation with Rockwell and Siemens controllers. Before coming to ECS, Phil worked 10 years for a subsidiary of Siemens and then, after starting his own controls company for a few years, came to ECS where he has worked for the past 16 years. Phil is also an expert with Visual Studios and SQL Server and is a co-inventor of ECS’ S88 Builder product which fully implements Rockwell’s Factory Talk Batch’s OPC interface and provides the middleware between batch and the factory I/O.
EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT
Employee Development Model
ECS has developed a model for employee development. The model is broken down into four primary skills areas including:
- Technology
- Project Management
- Leadership
- Commercial
Each skills area contains a detailed list of skills and experience metrics used to form the basis of our job descriptions. These metrics are used on job descriptions as well as during the employee review and goal-setting processes.
Employee Training
Structured classroom or self-directed training has its important place. However, engineers are hands-on people. Experiential, mentored, training is by far the most effective way to cement learning. Mentored training is encouraged at ECS in two primary ways—
- ECS’ key behavior of serving others and team culture embraces mentoring.
Because ECS’ project cost accounting system uses actual costs, projects can easily remain profitable and pay project bonus (2.4.1 below) when hours are worked by junior team members. During a new employee period, costs are accrued at ½ actual.
- ECS has developed a full suite of training courses taught by our own employees. Each course fits into one of the four primary skills areas in our employee development model. Training provided by professional instructors is offered to all employees. Employees can establish a training/improvement plan with their supervisor that encompasses one or more classes. A monetary bonus is attached to completion of the plan, particularly if the plan includes a certification.
Goals and Career Planning
Employee goals are established to be aligned with company goals that are shared with all employees. Employees are given tools to help them track their developmental goals and activities. These tools include notes for past and upcoming performance reviews, individual monthly assessments, and skills training records.
Internship Program
ECS has employed engineering students as part of a Summer Internship Program for several years. This program is set up to allow students to learn more about controls systems integration and how engineering principles are applied in a manufacturing setting.
The program also allows ECS to evaluate students as potential full-time employees. When past interns are hired as full-time employees, their familiarity with our staff, culture, and technology we use, allows them to have a substantially quicker transition to being fully productive. Turnover among such employees is very low.
Students are assigned a mentor for the duration of their internship. Goals are established at the beginning and tracked during the course of the internship. At the end of the internship, students are required to give a presentation to the ECS management team summarizing their experience.
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