Working for Decmil Australia, TopTroniX was engaged to upgrade the communications infrastructure of the existing Fuel Farm 3 at RAAF Base Darwin.
The existing inter-RTU communications was achieved using RS232 / RS422 serial <-> fibre optic modems, using dedicated fibre optic cabling between each RTU. However, this infrastructure didn’t lend itself well to fault finding, easy expansion, or support for future products.

So, TopTroniX designed, programmed, tested and commissioned a Cisco IE-3000 switch infrastructure throughout the farm. We re-tasked the existing fibre optic cabling, so no new cables were required to be hauled in… and we made use of Moxa serial <-> ethernet gateways, so no modifications to the existing inter-RTU coding was required. Using this approach allowed us to stage the cut-over to the new communications equipment, which meant minimal downtime to the RAAF. So much so, that to cut-over over 24 individual devices required a loss of total functionality for only a couple of hours.

Once the new infrastructure was in, additional comms links to the RTU’s meant the SCADA system could be brought back up to its original speed, which had degraded over years of expansions.

The end result? A stable, reliable communications backbone using industry leading network equipment, with better diagnostics… and a group of happy operators, as the farm was responding better than it had in years.

Working for Territory Instruments then MacMahon, TopTroniX was engaged to develop the code and SCADA for monitoring and controlling of a new Fuel Farm at RAAF Base Darwin. The farm itself is tasked with providing F34 + FSII fuel on demand, via a pressurised ring-main, to RAAF aircraft.

The original controls contractor wasn’t able to deliver the system on time to suit the project’s constraints, so TopTroniX was brought in towards the end to complete the works in an exceptionally tight time-frame.

Added to this, the code (ladder logic) was being written in a new platform to TopTroniX’s experienced staff, a Kingfisher RTU (CP-12)… and all communications (inter-RTU / RTU – Tank gauging / RTU – SCADA) all had to be performed over RS-232.

The SCADA package was CitectSCADA, which TopTroniX has had extensive experience with. Towards the end of the project, the version of CitectSCADA had to be upgraded to allow for Windows 7 support, which was completed successfully and painlessly to the client.

Exhaustive fully documented testing and commissioning, both on the bench and in the field, has produced a reliable fully functioning Fuel Farm that the RAAF are happy to operate. TopTroniX also provided operator accepted user manuals, with simple step by step instructions on how to operate the farm.

Rumours on this project are that “Fuel Farm 7” is now looked to as a bench-mark for how they want future RAAF fuel farms to operate.

Working for Territory Instruments, TopTroniX was tasked with developing the code for controlling the newly built Sewage Pumping Station in Johnston.

Working closely with the Electrical construction company, we developed the PLC code (ladder logic in an Allen Bradley SLC500) and HMI (Allen Bradley PanelView) to suit the equipment and client specifications.

Once completing extensive workshop testing to confirm reliability, we performed field commissioning to tune for equipment interaction and double-check functionality. We also aligned data so PowerWater could remotely control and monitor the station.

Rumours are, this has been reported as “the best sewage pumping station in Darwin”… Why not contact us to find out why?

Working for Monadelphous, TopTroniX was engaged to commission Tennant Creek Power Station’s “Unit 17” gen-set. This gen-set was one of the two new “black-start” units to be commissioned, and had been installed years before hand but was never brought online.

We developed a detailed commissioning procedure that not only included the control system, but also the electrical interlocking & distribution network tests.

In the end, PowerWater ended up with a well commissioned gen-set available to come online at those times when it was needed the most!