WWAC2013 Invited Speaker: P. Hunter Vegas
The symposium committee is pleased to announce that P. Hunter Vegas from Avid Solutions will be an invited speaker at the 2013 ISA Water/Wastewater and Automatic Controls Symposium. Taking place August 6-8, 2013 in Orlando, Florida, the symposium offers a cost-effective way for SCADA, automation and instrumentation professionals to come to together to share ideas and gain the continuing education credits (CEUs, PDHs) that they need. This year’s symposium will feature several invited speakers, a keynote speaker and several guest speakers – further announcements will be made shortly.
In his talk entitled “Managing Successful SCADA Retrofit Projects,” Vegas will draw on his 25+ year career in automation to share insights into how to successfully undertake these types of projects, gotchas to avoid, and opportunities process improvement. Vegas will also be offering highlights from his recently published book “101 Tips for a Successful Career in Automation.”
Managing Successful SCADA Retrofit Projects
Speaker: P. Hunter Vegas, Avid Solutions
Vegas will provide an overview of the the myriad of problems posed by automation retrofit projects, and provide numerous suggestions to minimize risk and ensure that projects come in successfully, on time, and on budget.
Areas for discussion include:
- Identifying the stake holders and understanding their needs
- Evaluating your available automation control system options and making an informed control system choice
- Techniques for handling wiring cutover to minimize outage time and reduce risk
- Methods to handle different I/O types – including digital busses and communication networks.
- Red Flags to look for when evaluating the existing system.
- Methods for documenting existing logic, and converting it to the new system
- Quality Control methods to insure the programming is error free and ready for start up
- Operator training methods to insure start up is as smooth as possible
- Possible process improvement options that can dramatically improve operations
- Cutover strategies
When executed correctly an automation retrofit project can go smoothly and pay for itself in weeks or months. If poorly planned, a project can generate interminable start up delays, lingering quality problems, and get you fired. The talk is intended to provide guidance how to undertake successful SCADA retrofit projects….and keep your employment intact!
About the Speaker:
Hunter Vegas, PE holds Louisiana and North Carolina Professional Engineering licenses in Electrical and Controls System Engineering, a North Carolina Unlimited Electrical Contractor’s License, and an MBA from Wake Forest University. He has executed nearly 2000 instrumentation and control projects over his career, with budgets ranging from a few thousand to millions of dollars. He is proficient in field instrumentation sizing and selection, safety interlock design, electrical design, advanced control strategy, and numerous control system hardware and software platforms. He has also recently authored a book, “101 Tips to a Successful Automation Career”.