Systems Integration

When integrating control systems, we keep your organization’s goals at the top of mind.

Whether you need full turnkey delivery or equipment upgrades, we’ll help you implement software and hardware for a more profitable operation.

FLANDERS is a process automation solutions provider for the manufacturing industry. Our team has a broad range of expertise in various metal processes, providing open architecture designs commissioned by the engineers who created them.

Since our inception, our approach has been to fully understand the manufacturing processes and develop system architectures that best fit the application using standard products that seamlessly integrate with existing plant systems. Our engineers have experience integrating new production lines and retrofitting existing systems. When integrating control systems, we keep your organization’s goals at the center; whether you require full turnkey delivery or equipment reconfiguration support, we will help you implement secure software and quality hardware for a more profitable operation.

FLANDERS’ experienced team of experts have years of experience in the development and execution of large projects. As a leading provider of industrial automation control systems with electrical engineering as its core competence, FLANDERS designs, engineers, manufactures, integrates, tests install, trains, and maintains drive and control systems for all industrial operations.

Decades of experience as a systems integrator means we are uniquely qualified to supply rolling mills and process lines with automation solutions.

Serving the global metals and mining industry, we work directly with producers and mill builders to improve productivity in new and existing facilities.

FLANDERS has the expertise and broad scope of supply to deliver a quality project on time and at a competitive price. We provide engineering studies to correct product quality, productivity, reduced yields, and repair costs of aging mill equipment that causes lost revenue due to increased downtime. Whether the project is a single drive installation or a line-up of a coordinated drive system, we can handle the project, regardless of who made the original equipment.

We focus on a wide range of applications, working to drive value across your plant-wide enterprise. Conduct independent evaluations of any system, eliminate instability in your line, reduce energy consumption, and improve overall throughput and quality. Our mechanical engineering experience provides the process knowledge needed to operate the critical finishing equipment in today’s mill. FLANDERS applies years of industry-specific expertise and looks beyond the original equipment.

What We Do

FLANDERS focuses on the industrial processing market and provides equipment and services for new and retrofit projects. We specialize in complex systems integration for industrial operations with heavy demands. Whether you want to modernize your legacy automation system, 4.0 digitalization with IoT upgrades, convert machines from DC to AC or implement AI condition monitoring on an Edge or cloud-based platform, the systems integrators at FLANDERS are up to the challenge.

FLANDERS provides controller and drives combinations that meet maintenance and operating needs. We utilize readily available industrial products and open architecture designs.

Programmable Logic Controllers:

Allen- Bradley PLC5, SLC5, Logix
Siemens S5, S7, TIA
GE FANUC, PAC Systems RXi

Adjustable Speed Drives: Legacy and Modern (AC/DC)

Siemens, ABB, Toshiba, Allen-Bradley, GE

HMI Software: Rockwell FactoryTalk, Siemens WinCC

How Do We Do It?

Our Methods

FLANDERS begins each project by working with our customers to define the functional goals of the system. This understanding guides every facet of the project’s execution. The system configuration translates functions into the necessary hardware and illustrates how these components interact. Upon customer approval of these primary documents, FLANDERS continues with the detailed design of the system.

The detailed design documents include a program organization plan, an explanation of the functionality’s functionality, and the system schematics. The software and system are developed and built using these documents, a test plan to test the functionality defined at the project’s initiation. Customer participation is strongly encouraged throughout all phases of development.

Process Benchmarking

For retrofits, site visits are made to define the current performance and operating methods and submitted as overview documentation outlining the existing control and electrical systems, equipment locations and take-over points.

Project Execution Plan

Submitted as a general plan developed for larger scope projects, a System Wide Design Specification is Submitted as an overview document outlining the project scope, control system overview, HMI, design concepts, control strategies and design standards.

First Engineering Submittal (FES)

The FES is submitted as a basic design document that includes a description of operation, I/O requirements, and preliminary equipment designs. It consists of a functional description (from an operator’s perspective), preliminary HMI screens, design standards, equipment lists, and arrangement drawings.

Second Engineering Submittal (SES)

The SES is called the “Detailed Design” and describes the system in specific terms, including a software organization chart and task/program/routine descriptions for all sub-systems. The project’s functional requirements (as introduced in the FES) are finalized, and control techniques are described in sufficient detail to allow software coding to begin.

Design Specification

The documentation specifies all communications within the control system; it defines all data exchanges between sub-systems, including network type, the mechanism (Ethernet, etc.), update rate (message-based or cyclical), and signal descriptions, including tag names and units. A preliminary version is submitted with the FES that includes basic definitions of the interfaces; comprehensive details are submitted with the SES, including spreadsheets that list all signals. Equipment Design I/O and equipment lists are used to develop arrangement drawings of all system components. Customer involvement is encouraged in designing the more subjective components, such as operator control stations. Electrical schematics are customized toad here with customer standards.

Level 2 Software and Models

Level 2 provides mathematical process models and the required software to function. Level 2 distributes references to the level 1 controllers and receives process feedback for model updates and data collection. FLANDERS has unique experience in migrating and upgrading older legacy platforms and converting to new windows based on open operating systems. This approach helps you stay ahead of the curve with automation obsolescence.

Network communications for Remote I/O are based on the Ethernet/IP protocol or an equivalent common industrial networking platform configured as a redundant device-level ring. Communications bridges between legacy and modern network protocols allow the integration of new drives and controllers until the system is completely replaced and the legacy platforms are entirely removed. After the system replacements, the purchaser will be left with a fully supported industrial communications infrastructure. Our domain expertise and a deep understanding of the networks and data structures will allow for an optimal implementation strategy throughout the project.

Trusted experts in the
leading systems integration platforms

A Siemens Solution Partner

We are a Siemens Solution Partner and Distributor for industrial control products, including PLC, HMI, VFD, and motors. We are authorized to develop solutions, implement technologies, and repair systems that carry the Siemens warranty.

ABB systems integration

We’re an Authorized System Integrator for ABB low voltage AC/DC drives and PLCs for industrial machines and are recognized as a distributor for ABB/Baldor motors.

Rockwell Automation

A Rockwell Systems Integrator, FLANDERS develops solutions using Allen-Bradley ControlLogix™, CompactLogix™, and PowerFlex drives. We also upgrade outdated PLC-5 and SLC systems.

We consider ourselves an extension of our customer’s maintenance and engineering staff. FLANDERS field engineering will partner with your support staff to train, service, optimize, or upgrade your control systems for better efficiency and reliability of your process. Flanders offers 24/7 availability or embedded/remote support to keep your lines running.

We consider ourselves an extension of our customer’s maintenance and engineering staff. FLANDERS field engineering will partner with your support staff to train, service, optimize, or upgrade your control systems for better efficiency and reliability of your process. Flanders offers 24/7 availability or embedded/remote support to keep your lines running.

When you partner with FLANDERS, you partner with true hands-on industrial machine experts who integrate into systems.

Our hands-on experts—and innovators—have decades of experience in engineering and the custom manufacturing, installation, optimization, field service, and repair of both power systems and control systems.

We know the systems we integrate because we build them from scratch. We know the common points of failure and fix them. We know the operational challenges and address them. We know the questions you might not think to ask and answer them.

Trusted by the control platform developers and machine OEMs alike, we know your system integration options’ application-specific pros and cons inside and out. As field services specialists with decades of experience, we’ve seen how different solutions play out.

We translate those into best practices and technology integrations that perform better out of the gate.
Our machine and application experts will listen closely to what you want to achieve, consider all the angles, and recommend technical and logistical integration strategies to get even more out of your plans.

We develop power generation, conversion, distribution, and control solutions from the substation to the gearbox.

Let’s talk systems integration

Depending on what you need, we can evaluate or define your scope of supply, provide industry-proven options and alternatives, or recommend how to phase in new technologies over time.

Contact us