Description

Background

One of A-C Technology Solutions (A-C) current clients, who operates a semi-private, 18-hole golf course located in California’s picturesque Central Valley, approached A-C about coming up with a solution to control its irrigation system remotely. As always, the A-C team was up to the challenge. It started out by pinpointing the existing technologies that controlled the system itself as well as its alarms. Based on the fact that there are very few technologies that exist today that cannot be emulated onto a tablet, the team set out to modify these existing technologies in order to work from any tablet, smartphone or smaller device, no matter what the location.

Process

A-C Technology Solutions carefully took the time and consideration needed to create a unique application that allows any smartphone or tablet to interface with the entire irrigation system. The team took care of everything from HMI (Human Machine Interface) application design and development, PAC control code development and Webserver configuration to wireless network design and installation including Wi-Fi, cellular and FHSS. The team also included SCADA HMI and Historian servers, configured all alarms and event software, selected and implemented VPN hardware and software and set up the mobile applet. The application now provides the client with complete control – including the ability to evaluate fairway conditions and override programing (from a golf cart) to provide extra raw water flow/irrigation to brown spots along the course – from any remote location. The client can also monitor, change and reset the alarm systems right from touchscreens. But what really sets this smartphone interface apart from the rest is how simple it is to use because it was built to be a complete reflection of the client’s original technology. In fact, the HMI programming was written in such a way that it is easily readable and understandable in the smaller smartphone/tablet format. Plus, it provides robust security since it can recognize specific devices and limit access to these devices. The client can also limit various user privileges based upon a predetermined hierarchy.

Results

For A-C’s client who operates the golf course, as well as for all the other clients A-C has designed smartphone interfaces, they’re now able to:

• Supervise and control all systems from anywhere in the world
• Monitor production at any time
• Respond to and triage any alarms at a moment’s notice rather than drive to the plant
• Enable “workarounds” or other alternatives in “real time” remotely in order to facilitate continuous functionality

The bottom line? They’re all saving invaluable amounts of downtime, production time and personal time by having complete control of their critical system and monitoring of all data at their fingertips, wherever they are.

Customer Quote:

“There’s no doubt that A-C Technology Solutions puts its customers first: A-C went the extra mile for us by making our HMI interface extremely user-friendly and fully comprehensive with our original system. It’s pretty amazing what we can do with our smartphones now!”