4 Bytes Automation: Product and system knowledge is critical
February 2013
System Integration & Control Systems Design
4 Bytes Automation was formed in 2008 when its founding members – Sarel Theron and Christo Coetzer – committed to providing the food and beverage industry with a superior systems integration offering. The company is based in Pretoria but provides systems integration services across Africa and Asia. According to Theron, the company is able to leverage many cumulative years’ experience in the F&B sector, together with expertise in the mining, packaging, steel, manufacturing and industrial sectors.
Back row from l: Roy van Rensburg; Christo Coetzer; Sandile Sibiya; Jaco van Staden. Front row from l: Sarel Theron; Amos Morema; Anlia Olivier.
“We are committed to providing a professional service to all our clients. Our team of seven people is well versed in the ability to transfer the process control know-how we have accumulated across a diversity of market sectors. Our knowledge base, skills and commitment to provide a quality product are underlined by a passion for what we do,” says Theron.
4 Bytes Automation is able to provide a host of services that include all the building blocks necessary to automate various manufacturing facilities. “Our solutions are scalable and will easily accommodate small and large applications or enterprises,” explains Theron. He points out that the company’s knowledge of hardware and control systems, coupled with its ability to analyse and find solutions on projects, has led to the acquisition of repeat business from its clients.
Amongst the services offered by 4 Bytes Automation are the design, selection, installation and commissioning of electrical systems and the installation of racking and wiring, combined with the manufacture of panels. “We have a 150 m² factory which allows us to produce all the panels we require for our projects,” says Theron.
The company also provides full instrumentation and control system selection and design based on specific product, process and environmental requirements. “We undertake the calibration and verification as well as installation, testing and commissioning of all instrumentation to ensure complete compatibility,” he adds.
4 Bytes Automation is mainly involved in programmable logic controller (PLC) software development for Siemens controllers, but other controllers can be accommodated on request. The company also offers integration to remote support platforms, web interface of control systems and telecommunication interface with control systems. “We provide clients with database and historian development and integration. This is accompanied by visualisation and process interaction via supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) and human machine interface (HMI) systems,” Theron points out.
Other services include the integration of original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and control systems, Archestra Platform development, and the provision of documentation (IO lists, equipment lists, operating manuals for visualisation, functional description).
Training of employees is conducted in two ways. “We send our team to the OEMs for basic product and system training. Thereafter, we provide more detailed and in-depth training specifically tailored to each client application and need,” comments Theron.
Skills transfer is conducted with clients during the commissioning phase of the project. “We issue them with a comprehensive operational manual, which details all procedures necessary. This ensures that they can quickly and expeditiously get their processes up and running,” he adds.
Theron emphasises the company’s insistence on stringent quality control measures. “Client participation in the process is extremely important to ensure that we are providing them with a system that matches and even exceeds their expectations. We ensure that the design is fully approved, we provide a factory acceptance test (FAT), certificate of compliance (COC), input and output (IO) check during commissioning phase, site acceptance test (SAT), handover certification of functional system, and completion certification of the entire system,” Theron concludes.
For more information contact Sarel Theron, 4 Bytes Automation, +27 (0)12 653 4951, [email protected], www.4bytes.co.za
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