By migrating its process control system to Simatic PCS 7, Four Roses Distillery was able to maintain the traditionally superb quality of its bourbon while benefitting from all the features of a truly modern control solution.

Since the late 1880s, the smooth and mellow taste of Four Roses bourbon has been a favorite among whiskey lovers. Over the decades, the spirits distiller has seen numerous management and political changes – including being one of only six distilleries granted permission to operate through Prohibition to produce bourbon for medicinal purposes. In speaking with the people who work at the Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, it is clear that one thing has never changed – a passion for quality and pride in creating and producing the award-winning bourbon that is the legacy of founder Paul Jones Jr.
 

Ensuring uninterrupted production consistency and quality at the 24/7 distillery is the top priority for Ryan Ashley, Four Roses’ director of distillery operations. He says that since 1999, the distillery has relied on an APACS+ automation system. Although the APACS+ controllers, I/O modules, software, and HMI all worked perfectly, the hardware and software would soon be phased out.

Upgrade for the future

The distillery recently began a migration strategy to upgrade to the Simatic PCS 7 distributed control system (DCS). In 2010, Ashley installed an APACS+ DP I/O Bus Link, which allowed Four Roses to upgrade its existing APACS+ controllers while continuing to use the remaining APACS+ I/O modules and field wiring. “By putting PCS 7 / APACS+ OS on top of the APACS+ controllers, we saved thousands,” Ashley says. “We also cleared the way for the next phase, which would replace the APACS+ controllers with PCS 7 controllers.”

Four Roses now has the enhanced process control capabilities of the PCS 7 DCS, including the flexibility and added capacity of multiple scan rates (up to 10 ms). The modernization also provides higher fault tolerances, flexible modular redundancy, improved safety (SIL 3 independent of redundancy), integrated asset management, an integrated safety fieldbus, and integrated Industrial Ethernet. Ashley, who also has received international awards for brewing beer, says that nearly every element of the distillation process is automated by the PCS 7 DCS because of the APACS+ DP I/O Bus Link upgrade. “We’ve been making the same bourbon since 1888, and we didn’t want to change what worked in the past,” Ashley says. “Some of our operators have been here more than 40 years. It was important that the changeover be a nonissue for them, and we didn’t miss a beat.” Operators monitor and control the distillery process from one central control room and two workstations located at different levels of the facility. “The screens at each workstation are the same as before the APACS+ DP I/O Bus Link installation,” Ashley says.

The Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (All photos: Siemens AG)

Benefits of latest, greatest DCS

The APACS+ controller configuration was transferred to the PCS 7 controllers using a controller migration tool from Siemens that helped Four Roses speed up the transition to get online using the more modern controller, PCS 7. This tool also eliminates manual steps, giving a more accurate configuration transfer. According to Ashley, the greatest benefit from the DCS upgrade is that the programming is much more user-friendly when it comes to finding data, making changes, or adding and modifying screens. “For me, not being a programmer, I can say we need a meter on this or need to graph this or go in and take a look at the history of these specific items,” Ashley says. “This allows us to fine-tune our quality and increase our production. It has also helped us keep our standards at the necessary level.”

“While the fermentation process involves manually opening and closing valves, operators use the PCS 7 DCS to control the grain handling system, the mills, the cooker, temperatures, agitators, and pumps. Everything is tied in to the PCS 7 system,” Ashley continues. “Just point and click. Put in your variables and you are off and running. The trending capabilities of the PCS 7 system are much more advanced than those of the APACS+ system. It is remarkably easy for me to dial in to the system from home and question why something happened or how it happened.”

The new Simatic PCS 7 system has improved engineering and operation

Partnership pays off

Ashley sums up the project this way: “The whole crew at Siemens has been fabulous to work with. We’ve had great feedback, communication, and customer service. When we had an issue they were out here on-site troubleshooting, and the problem was usually solved that day. The people really made the difference. The system worked perfectly before and it works perfectly now, but today we have the latest and greatest supported software. I don’t anticipate that changing.”

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