Mora
Reviving end-of-life automation systems
Mora is a Dutch company that produces a wide range of deep-fried snacks – from spring rolls to hotdogs and chicken nuggets. In 2015, Mora’s production facility in Maastricht signaled a serious issue: its automation soft- and hardware was turning end-of-life.
Without regular security updates and support, Mora’s servers and clients (IPCs) had become an important risk factor. Additionally, Mora indicated that its production facility had no redundancy systems in place. This means a single server malfunction could cause serious downtime.
Redundancy as a reliable safety net
Upgrading servers and clients is one of INDEFF’s core competencies. In the case of Mora, however, our added value consisted mainly of adding a redundancy layer that protects the facility in Maastricht from unforeseen downtime.
The development of a server configuration in 2 pairs started with an in-depth analysis of the current situation. In order to simplify their current network structure, we had to integrate – and eliminate some – exotic and end-of-life software. Our solution? Connecting all PLCs directly with Wonderware.
Successful testing & deployment
After a successful day of testing with the customer, we installed the servers in Maastricht together with the local IT department. Because production had to keep going, we came up with a phased integration approach that would make use of production maintenance slots. This strategy did require a separate network to be installed – since the old one had to keep running until project completion.
By the end of 2018, all servers and clients will be future-proof and Mora will enjoy the benefits of a cutting-edge automation environment.
Antwerp – home to innovation in automation
After Mora’s approval of a detailed action plan, the new servers, clients and industrial PC’s were delivered to the INDEFF offices in Antwerp. The remote installation and setup at the INDEFF office gave us the best possible chance at success without disturbing production.
After configuring the redundancy using Stratus platform on the servers, we could focus on the conversion of the different Wonderware applications: Logging (Wonderware Historian), Batch (Wonderware InBatch), Reporting (Wonderware Information Server), and 11 clients (Wonderware InTouch).
Throughout the project, interchangeability was key – which is why we exhaustively equipped one client and used its image to set up the rest. Why? If a client needs replacing, the Mora IT department can speedily install a new one.
Goals
- Replace end-of-life hardware and software with unified solutions
- Simplify client infrastructure
- Install redundant Stratus servers
Challenges
- The phased installation of new systems to prevent downtime
- A complex start situation of different clients with exotic software
- The high level of serviceability and transparency required
Results
- Guaranteed server uptime
- Simplified client and server structure
- Updates and support for the upgraded systems