Plant-wide SCADA for fish processing with water quality management and multi-protocol integration.
Industry: Food & Beverage (Fish Processing)
Quick Facts
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Scale | 10,000+ communication points |
| Workstations | 20+ operator stations (3-6 monitors each) |
| Protocols | ControlLogix, Automation Direct ECOM, Modbus Ethernet |
| Processing Capacity | 35-40% of annual U.S. Gulf Menhaden catch |
| Development | Multiple project phases over couple of months |
The Challenge
Challenge: Modernize plant-wide SCADA system to control and monitor complex fish processing operations including water quality management, temperature control, holding tanks, cookers, presses, decanters, centrifuges, and post-production storage machinery.
Specific pain points:
- Lacked integrated monitoring across diverse equipment and protocols
- Risk of fish mortality from unmonitored water quality conditions
- Production inefficiencies from disconnected systems
- Regulatory compliance issues from lack of data integrity
- Legacy systems couldn't provide real-time alerting
- Multi-protocol communications needed across facility
Impact: Without integrated monitoring, facility risked fish mortality, production losses, equipment failures, and regulatory non-compliance.
The Solution
Architecture
| Tier | Component | Capabilities |
|---|---|---|
| Field | Processing equipment, sensors | Cookers, presses, decanters, centrifuges, water quality |
| Connectivity | Multi-protocol | ControlLogix, Automation Direct ECOM, Modbus Ethernet |
| Central | FrameworX SCADA | Real-time monitoring, alerting, data collection |
| Clients | 20+ workstations | 3-6 monitors each, management dashboards |
Dataflow
Fish Processing Equipment → Multiple Communication Protocols
(Cookers, Presses, Decanters, (ControlLogix, Automation Direct
Centrifuges, Conveyors) ECOM, Modbus Ethernet)
↓ ↓
FactoryStudio FrameworX SCADA System
↓ ↓
20+ Operator Workstations Management Dashboards
(3-6 monitors each) (Production Tracking)
Equipment Monitored
| Category | Equipment |
|---|---|
| Water Quality | Sensors, temperature/oxygen transmitters |
| Production | Cookers, presses, decanters, centrifuges |
| Material Handling | Conveyors, automated feeding systems |
| Utilities | Combustion systems, VFDs, MCCs |
| Instrumentation | Pressure transmitters |
Connectivity
| Protocol | Application |
|---|---|
| ControlLogix | Primary PLC communication |
| Automation Direct ECOM | Additional controllers |
| Modbus Ethernet | Field devices and sensors |
Key Enablers
FrameworX capabilities that made this solution possible:
| Capability | Application |
|---|---|
| Multi-Protocol Support | Native drivers for ControlLogix, Automation Direct ECOM, Modbus Ethernet |
| Real-Time Alerting | Automated monitoring with instant alerts for abnormal conditions |
| Live Update Capability | Update plant pages without server restarts |
| .NET Framework Integration | Future compatibility and sustainable operations |
| Robust Redundancy | Zero data loss design for critical parameters |
| Scalable Platform | 20+ workstations, 10,000+ communication points |
The Results
- Zero Data Loss — Achieved continuous monitoring through robust redundancy architecture
- Enhanced Efficiency — Automated monitoring of water quality, temperature, and processing across 10,000+ points
- Improved Sustainability — Optimized resource management reducing waste and environmental impact
- Remote Monitoring — Enabled operators to manage operations and receive alerts from anywhere
- Comprehensive Traceability — Historical data logging for analysis, tracking, and regulatory compliance
- Reduced Fish Mortality — Real-time alerting on abnormal conditions prevented losses
- Complete Visibility — 20+ workstations with multi-monitor setups for facility-wide monitoring
This case demonstrates plant-wide fish processing SCADA with multi-protocol integration and real-time water quality monitoring.
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