AJM Consulting wins funding to develop Innovative Real Time Process Monitoring System for the Process Industries

AJM Consulting, the specialist data mining company for process manufacturers, has been selected by Yorkshire Forward, the regional development agency for Yorkshire and the Humber, to receive funding for a major project to develop an innovative real time advanced process analytics system. The company previously developed its MS2 system to improve manufacturing performance by identifying causes of variability, such as reactor characteristics or raw material properties. The new project builds a sophisticated system which continually analyses current process data and rapidly detects complex faults, enabling corrective action to be taken before performance degrades.

The project will build on AJM Consulting’s experience in developing its successful MS2 historic data analysis system. Ease of use will be combined with powerful mathematical and visualisation techniques. Flexible interfaces will be developed, enabling the system to integrate with a wide range of process control systems. In particular, the new system will have sophisticated operator advice facilities. Innovative algorithms will be developed, and the company will continue its close relationship with the Centre for Process Analytics and Control Technology at Newcastle University.

Initially, three companies will act as development partners by providing access to their control systems. These will represent a variety of continuous and batch plant types and will ensure that the design meets industrial needs. ConocoPhillips (Oil), Syngenta (speciality chemicals) and CPI’s National Industrial Biotechnology Facility (biotechnology development) will be the initial partners with more coming on board shortly. 

According to managing director Alan Mason, “Feedback from existing and potential clients in chemicals, oil, pharmaceuticals, advanced materials, nuclear and other process industries has highlighted the need for this system. It will provide a powerful, user-friendly and highly visual solution to major manufacturing problems. We are delighted to have been selected by Yorkshire Forward to receive this support which enables us to make this exciting project a reality.”