RFID-Based

Plant Data Collection&Management Systems

Italteleco at a glance:

Employees: 95

Business Areas:

•Document Management
•Management&Customization of Intergraph SmartPlant
applications
•High definition laser scanning
•As-Built Surveys
•Development of mobile plant data management
applications

•Plant shutdown planning

•Design of pressure vessels

•Installation and maintenance of electrical/instrumental

plants

•Hardware&Software assistance and commercialization

RFID-Based applications developed by Italteleco:

Blinding Management

Scaffolding Management

SmartPlant P&ID Mobile

Software Requirements Specification

All the applications will be used in petrochemical plants during normal

construction, operation and maintenance, they must therefore comply with
the following requirements:

1) It must be possible to install the applications on mobile devices

2) It must be possible to use the applications in explosion risk areas
3) Items identification must be univocal
4) It must be possible to write information on the RFID tags
5) Applications must be interfaceable with other DB-based applications
6) It must be possible to access data from Intranet/Internet
Chosen Technology

1) It must be possible to install the applications on mobile devices

2) It must be possible to use the applications in explosion risk areas

• Development Environment: Microsoft .NET Compact Framework

Palm Sized PC (PPC) characteristics :

• Operating System: Windows Mobile

• RFID Scanner: 125 kHz
• ATEX Certification
Chosen Technology

3) Items identification must be univocal

4) It must be possible to write information on the RFID tags

RFID TAG characteristics :

• Operating Frequency: 125 kHz

• Chip: HITAG S 2048 (read/write)
• ATEX Certification
• Easily identifiable (yellow colour)

Low operating frequency and RFID scanner’s characteristics require physical

contact between RFID scanner and tag in order to complete any operation:
It is therefore impossible either to operate on the wrong tag or to record wrong
Information.
Chosen Technology

5) Applications must be interfaceable with other DB-based applications

6) It must be possible to access data from Intranet/Internet

A desktop application ensures data synchronization between PPCs and

DBs used to manage the various processes.

Real-time access to information is ensured either by standard features of the

interfaced data management systems or by a dedicated web interface, devoloped
according to the Customer’s requirements
Blinding Management

About 2000 blind flanges are involved in the shutdown of a medium-

sized plant. Flanges are inserted and then removed in about 40 days.

This process must be correctly managed and controlled, in order to

ensure high safety levels and avoid problems that could lead to
unwanted accidents and/or delays.

It is therefore necessary:

To verify the status (inserted/removed) of every blind flange.

To verify the status of every interference blind flange (common to several

blinding plans)

To verify the completion status of every blinding plan

To easily identify any potential problem

Blinding Management
Data Preparation

Blind positions are identified with a univocal code on the P&ID and on the blinding plan of
each equipment/piperun: Interference blinds (common to several blinding plans) are identified
in this phase.
Blinding Management
Data Preparation

Blind positions are identified with a univocal code on the P&ID and on the blinding plan of
each equipment/piperun: Interference blinds (common to several blinding plans) are identified
in this phase.
Blind Management
Data Preparation

Blind positions are identified with a univocal code on the P&ID and on the blinding plan of
each equipment/piperun: Interference blinds (common to several blinding plans) are identified
in this phase.
Blinding Management
Data Preparation

Information relative to blinding plans and blinds positions are loaded into the DataBase (in
this case: Intergraph Directa): Relations are created between objects.

Database data are daily synchronized with data from the field.
Blinding Management
Data Preparation

Properties shown in the figure are associated to every blind (fully customizable on request)
Blinding Management
Operation

For every blind position, an RFID tag is initialized with the blind identification code and initial
status: initial status is set to “To be identified”, meaning the blind position has to be identified
on the field.

•Initialized tags are then mounted on a metallic support which is then placed in the
correspondent blind position.

•User registers, with the PPC, the correct placement : status is set to “Identified”

•During the shutdown operations, users , using the PPC, register insertion/removal of blind
flanges: Status is set to “Inserted”/”Removed”

•Removal of interference blinds can be registered on the system only when all the operations
concerning the blinding plans on which the interference blind appears have been completed.
Users are constantly reminded that they are working on interference blinds.
Blinding Management
Operation

Application login (using an RFID tag) Main Menu

Blinding Management
Operation

Blinding plans list Blinding plan: checking general status

Blinding Management
Operation

RFID Tag Reading Setting status to “Identified”

Blinding Management
Operation

Setting Status to “Inserted” Setting Status to “Removed”

Blinding Management
Operation

Interference Blinds: setting status to “Inserted” and registering start of activities

Blinding Management
Accessing information

Data from the field is synchronized daily (or at every shift change) with the main DB: users
can access information via the document management system (in this case: Intergraph
Directa)

Icons are coloured according to the blind status.

Blinding Management
Accessing Information

Data from the field is synchronized daily (or at every shift change) with the main DB: users
can access information via the document management system (in this case: Intergraph
Directa)
Scaffolding Management

Scaffolding management software has

allows management of scaffolding
information such as position, volume,
status (operable/not operable), work
begin/end.
A Google Earth interface allows visual
check of space usage, operability,
activities.
About 1200 scaffoldings are involved in the
shutdown of a medium-sized plant
Scaffolding Management
Data Preparation

According to the information extracted from the “scaffolding

requirement form” and to the estimated position of the scaffolding, a
database record is created.
Scaffolding Management
Data Preparation

RFID tags are initialized with the scaffolding univocal identification code
and initial status;tags are then fastened to a signboard on the
scaffolding.
Scaffolding Management
Operation

Using the PPC operators can register and manage the following
information:

•Scaffolding Operability
•Begin of activities
•End of activities
Scaffolding Management
Operation

Application login (using an RFID tag) Main Menu

Scaffolding Management
Operation

Scaffolding data, operable/not operable status menu Assigning the “Operable” Status
Scaffolding Management
Operation

Registering begin of activities Registering end of activities

Scaffolding Management
Operation

Assigning the “Not Operable” Status Successful information registration confirmation

Scaffolding Management
Accessing Information

All the information are accessible through a web interface based on Google Earth
Scaffolding Management
Accessing Information

Plant view on Google Earth: selected scaffoldings are highlighted

Scaffolding Management
Accessing Information

Plant detail view:plot plan, 3D Model, Scaffoldings: Operable scaffolding:green – not operable: red
SmartPlant P&ID Mobile

SmartPlant P&ID Mobile has been developed to allow plant operators,

construction and maintenance personnel, to access, view and modify
SmartPlant P&ID information using a Palm Sized PC (PPC) Using RFID
tags to identify equipments, instruments, piperuns, piping components,
etc. queries on the system are automatically performed.
SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Description of the system

SmartPlant P&ID mobile manages the following

SmartPlant P&ID objects:

•Equipments
•Equipment Components
•Instruments
•Instrument Loops
•Nozzles
•Piperuns
•Piping Components

Graphic P&ID can be visualized on the PPC:

an intelligent zoom is performed on the
selected object (not working, in this version on
piperuns)
SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Description of the system

A desktop application uses “Llama” libraries (Logical Model

Automation) and SmartSketch libraries to connect to SPPID database
and performs the following operations:

•Reads properties values of the various objects

•Generates a mobile DB, which is transferred on the PPC
•Converts graphic P&IDs from .pid to .dwg format
•When properties are modified on the PPC, updates SmartPlant P&ID’s
DB
SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Operation

Unit Selection Queries can be performed manually or using an RFID TAG

SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Operation

Query Results Object visualizaton on the P&ID

SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Operation

Properties are categorized like on SPPID Modification of a property on a piperun

SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Sample applications

Adding appropriate values of “Construction Status” allows a simple work progress monitoring:
In the above figure, piperuns with hydrotest completed are highlighted in blue (data registered with PPC).
Every construction status can be traced from prefabrication to “Ready for Start-Up”
SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Sample Applications

Field data are written on the P&ID when data is synchronized: update time and cost is significantly reduced
SmartPlant P&ID Mobile
Sample applications

Items for which field data are available are easily identified with an appropriate display set
Conclusions

Using RFID-based applications provides the following benefits:

• Process management improvement

• Process monitoring is easier with consistent, verified data
• Problems are easily identified and managed
• Identification errors are not possible

• Easy and fast transition to the new system

• Applications are designed to be as similar as possibile to the traditional working
procedures (applications are fully customizable according to the Customer’s
specifications
• Training time for a low-skilled user: 2 hours.

www.italteleco.it