Problem

Tessenderlo’s loading operations were traditionally dependent on manual interaction between operators and multiple disconnected systems. Orders originated from IT systems, but execution required operators to manually configure and initiate the process within the DCS. This created several structural issues:

• Inconsistent execution across shifts and locations
• Limited integration between IT and OT systems
• High dependency on operator availability and experience
• Manual execution for safety and compliance checks

Additionally, Tessenderlo’s process flow was not standardized. Variations in execution, combined with a fragmented system architecture, made it difficult to scale the solution across multiple loading points or sites. In a multi-site environment like Tessenderlo Group, this lack of standardization directly limited operational efficiency and digitalization.

AT-Automation’s main challenge was to transform a manual, operator-driven process into a system-guided workflow without compromising process integrity and ensuring safety. The key technical challenges included:

• Integrating the solution with an existing DCS while keeping the process control layer unchanged
• Designing a system usable by truck drivers, who are not trained operators
• Structuring complex workflows (validation, safety checks, execution, error handling) in a maintainable way
• Avoiding complex, hard-to-maintain script logic
• Establishing scalability: the solution needed to work for a single loading station, and be deployable across multiple loading points and sites with minimal engineering effort

Solution

The solution that AT-Automation built uses Ignition as a central orchestration layer between IT systems and the DCS. Rather than functioning just as a traditional SCADA system, Ignition becomes a workflow engine that structures and controls the full loading process.

Truck drivers initiate the process by scanning a QR code containing loading data. The QR code is generated by LISA (YMS), connecting the logistics process to the Ignition-based loading workflow. Based on this input, the system dynamically configures the complete loading sequence and guides the user through step-by-step instructions:

• Order validation and system checks
• Safety and compliance verification (e.g., PPE, regulatory checks)
• Physical preparation and connection steps
• Controlled execution of the loading process
• Structured completion and validation

SFC as the Core Architecture

AT-Automation leveraged Ignition’s Sequential Function Chart (SFC) Module as the backbone of the application. Instead of implementing logic through scripts or loosely coupled state handling, the entire process flow is modeled as a structured sequence of states and transitions. This results in:

• Explicit and visual representation of process logic
• Deterministic execution for steps and conditions
• Built-in handling of parallel flows and dependencies
• Native support for pausing, resuming, and recovery
• Strong reduction in custom scripting complexity

Each loading process instance runs as an independent chart, enabling parallel operations and full traceability of execution. This makes the system inherently scalable and robust: multiple loading operations can run simultaneously without interfering with each other, while maintaining full visibility into each process instance.

Standardization and Simplification

By modeling the workflow in SFC, the process is no longer dependent on operator knowledge. Instead, the system enforces a standardized sequence:

• Every step is validated before proceeding
• Safety checks are structurally embedded
• Deviations automatically trigger controlled responses

This significantly simplifies the operational process for users, while increasing reliability and safety.

Scalable Architecture

AT-Automation designed the system using a modular ISA-95-based data structure. Ignition defines assets such as loading places, loading points, and loading arms as reusable components. Combined with the SFC-based workflow engine, this enables:

• Rapid configuration for new loading stations
• Reusable logic across installations
• Minimal engineering effort for expansion

AT-Automation’s design allows the solution to scale efficiently, both within the current site and across other Tessenderlo Group locations.

Result

The “safe loading” application has transformed Tessenderlo’s previously manual and operator-dependent process into a structured, system-driven workflow. The key improvements include:

• Increased operator efficiency - Truck drivers can execute loading independently, guided by the system
• Increased safety - Safety and compliance checks are embedded in the process and cannot be bypassed
• Standardized execution - Every loading follows the same validated workflow, reducing variability
• Simplified operations - Complex process logic is abstracted into clear, guided steps for the user
• High scalability - New loading stations can be brought online quickly due to the modular design and SFC-based orchestration
  

The Ignition solution is not limited to a single installation. Instead, it supports Tessenderlo’s global alignment of loading operations. The combination of SFC-based workflow control and modular data modeling provides a standardized template that can be deployed across multiple sites within Tessenderlo Group without redesigning core logic.

Project Team

The project team consisted of a multidisciplinary group of automation engineers and software specialists from AT-Automation, combining expertise in industrial automation, SCADA/MES systems, and IT/OT integration. The team worked closely with the customer using a phased approach, ensuring continuous validation and alignment between operational requirements and technical implementation.

• Bart Mans, AT-Automation - Project startup lead with 10+ years of extensive experience in Ignition, responsible for translating functional requirements into a scalable software architecture and leading the start of the project.

• Jelle Verstappen, AT-Automation - Lead software engineer responsible for the design and implementation of the core safe loading workflows and SFC-based process logic.

• Max van de Rijt, AT-Automation - Engineer responsible for configuration, data processing, and supporting system components within the Ignition application.

• Thomas Aps, Tessenderlo Group - Key stakeholder, responsible for aligning requirements and ensuring the solution fits within the operational and technical landscape.

Project Scope

• Start Date: September 2024

• Deploy Date: January 2026

• Tags: 246,700

• Screens: 20, fully dynamic

• Clients: 5

• Alarms: 20

• Devices: 6

• Architecture: Hub & Spoke

• Databases: 2 MSSQL

• Historical data logged: 246,700; 4 TB of data

• Number of people on team: 4