Case Studies: Building Automation and Systems Integration
Chipkin regularly works on challenging and innovative projects in the Data communication world. This has allowed us to gain a wide range of knowledge which has made us an invaluable asset to the industry.
See below for a list of Projects we have completed to help our everyday clients.
WEBCTRL BACNETIP TO DMS MODBUSTCP INTEGRATION ACROSS REMOTE SITES
This case study revolves around a client's need to integrate data from 11 remote sites into their existing data management system (DMS). The sites are currently connected to an Automated Logic WebCTRL's Building Automation System (BAS) using the BACnet IP Protocol. To streamline data processing, the client needed the data converted Modbus TCP and integrated into their Datalake Inmation (DMS).
Across these 11 sites, a network of 41 BACnet IP controllers are bringing in nearly 4000 data points encompassing a diverse array of parameters, including but not limited to, pump statuses, amperages, and run times, alongside meter model specifications and PID controller information...
- WebCTRL BACnetIP to DMS ModbusTCP Case StudyLUTRON TO BACNET IP INTEGRATION FOR LIGHTING CONTROL SYSTEMS'
This case study involves a client who was looking for a solution on how to integrate their lighting control system with their Building Management System (BMS).
The primary goal was to enable seamless communication between the BMS and the Grafik 7000 lighting system, more specifically, the client aimed to push on/off and dimming commands from their BMS to control the lights across their building. This allowed them to centralize control and automation of lighting across different...
BACNET STACK ON UBUNTU TO PROVIDE A SELF-CONFIGURING BACNET SERVER
This case study delves into the implementation of a Self-Configuring BACnet Server using the CAS BACnet Stack on the Ubuntu operating system. BACnet, a widely adopted communication protocol in building automation systems, is harnessed to create a dynamic and adaptive server configuration.
The primary goal is to showcase the seamless integration of a BACnet Stack on Ubuntu, transforming it into a Self-Configuring BACnet Server. This approach aims...
LONWORKS
TO BACNET CONVERSION:
BEYOND NV VALUES WITH 'FILE TEMPLATE 0 2'
In LonWorks to BACnet conversion, customers' interest typically revolves around NV (Network Variable) values. However, some customers have additional unique requirements, In this Case Study, we are going to showcase the need for 'FILE template 0 2' data integration. Unlike the usual focus on NV values, this specific application seeks comprehensive data conversion, including the detailed information contained in the 'FILE template 0 2.'
This Case Study sheds light on the broader scope of LonWorks to BACnet data conversion beyond standard NV values. It aims to incorporate LonWorks 'FILE template 0 2' data into...
Bridging BACnet IP Networks for Energy Efficiency and Control in a Hospital
Trane Technologies hired Chipkin to help their Client, an Energy Provider, interface with a Hospital's BACnet IP Building Automation Systems (BAS) and Vlan Network while limiting Read/Write capabilities. The end client initiative aimed to seamlessly connect the two BACnet/IP networks and then allow for precise limited control over chillers for energy distribution. Belimo Energy Valve Model number EV..R3+BAC (Version 4, DN 15...50) needed to be integrated into Trane Noventa front end (Tracer SC+) and University Health Network's (UHN) front end (JENEsys) BAS and Vlan BACnet IP Networks.
The unique aspect of this project lay in the end-client's following requirement:...
EVO™ 5000 (Veeder Root Protocol) – Modbus TCP
Oct 2023 - Chipkin Protocol Integration!
This case study revolves around a client who hired
Chipkin to integrate a Franklin Fueling Systems EVO™ 5000 Automatic Tank Gauge to their BMS through
Modbus TCP. The objective was to integrate Veeder Root data into their Modbus TCP Building Management
System.
The unique aspect of this project was the client's requirement to ensure that FieldServer QuickServer Veeder Root driver was not built or tested to integrate Franklin Fueling Systems EVO™ 5000 Automatic Tank Gauges. This was a first of its kind.
Modbus RTU (RS485) - BACnet MSTP Integration
Argus Controls and Green Leaf Medical approached Chipkin looking for help with integrating BACnet MSTP devices installed on their site and their Modbus RTU PLC. The BACnet MSTP devices were HVAC devices from Trane.
Our clients were not provided with very clear and accurate information about the Trane BACnet MSTP device and the respective BACnet points. On top of that, our client needed to integrate multiple Trane devices all with different configurations. Without accurate information, an integration like this can be very challenging.
The integration required our products to act as a BACnet MSTP client and obtain the points from Trane BACnet MSTP devices and then to serve the points over to the Argus PLC...
LonWorks to BACnet IP Integration with UNVT points
June 2023 - Chipkin Protocol Integration!
This case study revolves around a client who sought
assistance from Chipkin to replace an existing protocol integrator gateway with a FieldServer
QuickServer
Gateway. The objective was to integrate LonWorks data from a Trane LCI-C device into BACnet IP.
The unique aspect of this project was the client's requirement to ensure that all the points visible through the previous integrator gateway were accurately mapped. The client provided a list of points that were accessible from the previous gateway, serving as a reference for the mapping process.
CATM5X and Veeder root QuickServer Replacement Integration
May 2023 - Chipkin Protocol Integration!
On a site, a client had 5 very old FieldServer
devices
that he had purchased and installed from a different supplier. The devices were very old and appeared to
be
malfunctioning. They wanted to replace these old devices with the newer FieldServer QuickServer devices
from
Chipkin. They also wanted Chipkin to diagnose the problem and configure the new FieldServer Quickservers
to
communicate the same points as the old devices.
Out of the 5 pre-existing FieldServer devices, 3 were integrating the CATM5X data onto the BACnet IP Network and the last two 2 were integrating Veeder root data onto the same Network.
The client wanted Chipkin to use the same configuration files from their pre-existing FieldServer devices. In essence, the client wanted Chipkin to ensure that all the original points integrated with the old devices were still available with the new FieldServer QuickServers.
BACnet IP to DNP3 Serial Integration
April 2023 - Chipkin Protocol Integration!
A client came to Chipkin looking for a protocol
converter to integrate BACnet IP data from their Generator over to their front end that communicated
using
the DNP3 Serial protocol. Their utility engineers wanted to monitor and command the data points from
their
control room HMI.
The client wanted to send a write command from the DNP3 Serial side to one of the points which was a data type Binary Output (BO) on the BACnet IP side. This is a unique situation not often experienced in DNP3 Serial Integrations.
Within the DNP3 protocol, there are various methods which are followed by different DNP3 platforms/tools to send the write commands on a Binary Output point. Methods such as Latch model, Pulse model, Activation model, etc.
To read the full PDF case study, Click Here!
Modbus RTU and Veeder Root to Ethernet IP Integration
March 2023 - Chipkin Protocol Integration!
Our Client came to us looking for a protocol
converter
to integrate an EMCP4 Device which communicates over Modbus RTU and a Veeder Root Panel into an Ethernet
IP
PLC. This would be two devices integrated using the same device over to an Ethernet IP protocol-based
PLC.
The client wanted to read the values from the Danfoss devices downstream and export them as BACnet IP. Then this BACnet would be connected to the Building Management System (BMS) and accessed through the HMI.
This was a unique situation for two reasons, one, usually, integrations are done from a single protocol to another protocol. Fortunately, our Gateways support multiprotocol integration allowing us the ability to integrate many protocols simultaneously with one QuickServer.
QuickServer integration of a Bakery Danfoss AK-255 Refrigeration to BMS over BACnet
March 2022 - Chipkin Driver development
A bakery had a series of refrigeration units using a
Danfoss AK-255 Device which had a web interface that
produces an XML document.
this BACnet would be connected to the Building Management System (BMS) and accessed through the HMI.
From here, the Client wanted to monitor the refrigerators and take actions based on different
parameters.
For
Example, when the cooling system was turned on, the lights would turn on as well as tracking for power
management and resource consumption.
Using a FieldServer to read data off an API (using HTTP) and then serve it as BACnet/IP
October 2021 - Chipkin saved a customer!
A customer came to Chipkin
through our website's contact us form (www.chipkin.com) with an integration project for six
schools in California. In those schools, the client had a total of 120+ thermometers (in various
buildings on campus) installed. Each of these thermometers reported data points such as
temperature, setpoint (present value), schedule, etc.
A Solution for an apartment complex HVAC energy consumption and cost allocation
October 2021 - Chipkin developed a new data logging driver named: DirectLV for a company on the
QuickServer and integrated it with BACnet IP
To keep the customer
anonymous, we replaced their name with "ABC Company".
A customer managed a multi-building apartment complex. As a part of his job, he had to calculate individual tenants' heating and cooling costs for each unit in each building, but the system he was working with only provided aggregate data on heating and cooling costs for the entire apartment complex. He was looking for a solution that would allow him to calculate the cost per building so that he could generate a monthly average cost for each tenant in each building.
How Maximizing an Automation System Minimized Water Consumption
August 2021 - Minimized Water Consumption in irrigation!
In the dry, desert lands of the
Middle East, water is in extremely high demand but in very short supply. Though scarce, water is
a crucial resource for the health and well-being of people, food production, and economic
development – and that means irrigation is a must for agricultural, municipal, and industrial
purposes.
BACnet on Segmented Networks using Chipkin's BBMD
January 2021 - Chipkin has a highly scalable solution for BACnet BBMD
A university has
several buildings. Each building has several BACnet/IP sensors in them. A central control
room that monitors all the buildings sensors using an HMI. The university has segmented the
buildings
into their own VLANs where each building has a different subnet. When the HMI tries to discover
the
BACnet/IP device across the university campus it sends out a IP/UDP broadcast.
The IP/UDP broadcasts are not routed through the NAT routers and HMI can not discover any of the other BACnet/IP devices on the different VLANs or sub networks.
The solution is to install and configure a BBMD device on each VLAN and ...
Particle Counting: HACH Metone R4800 Particle Counter
August 2020 - Obtain count data. Control the counter!
The R4800 counters can be connected
in a RS485 trunk. The driver developed by Chipkin can communicate with
one or more counters. Our gateways support 2 (and in some cases more) trunks. The driver allows
remote
commands to the counter – Start , Stop, Auto , Manual , Standby. The driver allows a remote
client to read
and monitor the particle counts.
Control of the Lutron System from a Rockwell PLC using Ethernet/IP
August 2020 - Chipkin saved a customer the other day!
A customer overlooked an integration
required to
complete
their project successfully. We provided a last-minute rapid response at a reasonable charge and
saved
the day. A new driver, ready for deployment within a week of the order!
Lutron's systems are well designed from an integration point of view. There was no existing
solution for
control of the Lutron system from a Rockwell PLC using Ethernet/IP. That is where this new
driver comes in.
Wireless Modbus using Phoenix RAD-900-IFS to DNP3 over Ethernet
July 2020 - In this project, the customer could not bring an Ethernet access point to the location where the power meters were installed. A wireless solution was required to meet his needs. In this application, the inconvenience of a location without a network drop was overcome using a wireless solution from Phoenix Contact. RS485 Modbus RTU power meters located in a location where running new conduit would have been expensive and possibly disruptive. The problem arises because you have limited choices when you install new power meters on existing equipment.
Farenhyt Black Series FACP's Add BACnet to win bid.
July 2020 - A customer had a problem – to sell panels to a large project they needed to provide a BACnet integration path. They needed a company to develop a solution so their (now winning) bid could be considered. Chipkin has completed a driver which communicates with Farenhyt Series Black Fire Panels. It connects to the printer port of the main panel. All addressed and system events can be processed. Each point in the fire system is mapped onto a BACnet object.
How to Diagnose and Solve BACnet MSTP Connection Problems on a FieldServer
May 2020 - If you are using a FieldServer and are having problems with a BACnet MSTP connection, you are not alone! At Chipkin, we see these connection problems all the time. In this case study, we explore 4 of the most common problems with BACnet MSTP Connections, and we then provide simple solutions on how to fix those problems. For example, if your FieldServer device is transmitting data, but not receiving any, it may be a wiring issue that can be fixed by switching the wires in the + and - terminals.
How to Use Your Phone to Connect with Modbus RTU/RS485
April 2020 - Here is the problem: There is no RS485 port on your phone (or most laptops), so how can you connect to a Modbus RTU/RS485 device? In this case study, we can show you solve this problem using your phone and a $10 product. The Chipkin Modbus Scanner App allows your phone to talk RS485 to ModbusRTU enabled devices. Establish a connection using the wiring and methods shown below - in this case study. Then, run the Chipkin Modbus Scanner. Set the IP Address to the IP address of the EE11/EW11. Connect the EE11/EW11 to the RS485 trunk. Make sure you have the baud rate set correctly in the module. Now simply poll as if you were using Modbus TCP but thanks to the converter module you are using ModbusRTU.
Irrigation, Building Automation and Weather Data - Vaisala Weather Transmitters
October 2019 - Chipkin has completed a driver which communicates with Vaisala Weather Transmitters using the Vaisala Ascii protocol. The driver can read data from a trunk of 1 or more transmitters. Coupled with the Chipkin Weather Data Server which serves weather forecasting data you get even more opportunities to tune your system to minimize resource wasting and maximize efficiency. Chipkin have also complete drivers to popular irrigation systems like Hunter
Integrating Remote Pumping and Storage into an Irrigation System
August 2019 - Irrigation System Automation is now possible! Many pump stations can be equipped with their own software and connection options for automation systems. If you need to suspend watering when there's a fire to conserve water or increase pump speeds when water levels are low, automation systems can do that. It is also possible to accept flow information from sensors connected separately to the automation system, and then issue commands to the controllers based on those inputs.
Irrigation System Automation
August 2019 - How do I connect my irrigation Controller to other systems for pumping, flow control, fire, weather, soil and other sensors? A protocol gateway can allow your irrigation controller to monitor, respond to, or control 3rd party devices. The gateway does this by exposing the 3rd party status and command data in such a way that the irrigation controller can understand them.
Integrating real-time weather into an Irrigation System
August 2019 - A Hunter ACC Controller can accept a Solar Sync sensor input to automatically adjust the irrigation delivered on a given day based on the sensor input. These add-on sensors adjust irrigation amounts automatically for local conditions in the controller using the Seasonal Adjustment feature to set percentages of the base runtime (100%) of each station.
Case Study: Automating Inventory Management - Modbus TCP to HTTP
May 2019 - We have been asked to help a customer integrate their Modbus TCP data automatically from the drives and have it sent directly to the File Maker system using HTTP requests in real time. Prior to this fix they were keeping track of their inventory and job data manually, but now it filters through automatically without the worry of incorrect data from user-error.
PLC controls for Honeywell HUS CCTV System
A Honeywell DCS and Fire & Gas Monitoring system were used to operate and monitor the plant and provide for human safety. Honeywell were unable to provide an interface between the controls and the CCTV system. Chipkin developed a driver which allows any protocol to drive cameras to preset positions based on operation data.