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48 www.coalage.com August 2016 control room technology continued operator's HMI," Evans said. "These features are also available in web-based applications that add another level of remote trouble- shooting and maintenance capability." DRA Taggart has also received plenty of feedback from facilities on distributed control systems; it again teams with Rock- well in these cases with solutions like Plant- PAx, which offers plant-wide control and optimization with open, secure, informa- tion-enabled networking while remaining scalable to fit both small and larger plants. There have, of course, been challenges; hesitations due to cost, older workers being uncomfortable with new "bells and whis- tles," and an overall resistance to change for fear of efficiency loss or downtime potential have all come up over time as DRA Taggart has moved from plant to plant to bring this technology forward. Proper training and a complete understanding of the functionality that is coming into the control room — espe- cially those things that will make jobs easier, like the peace of mind that comes with re- mote access — has been able to offset some of those obstacles, but some still remain. "We like to promote the new technol- ogy, but there is limited call for advanced systems; one additional reason is standard- ization. [One] client has an existing system and wants to standardize to maximize on spare parts and personnel familiarity. This is not only for expansion of existing plants, but for new facilities, especially where you have corporate management over multiple sites," he said. One upcoming trend, the Internet of Things (IoT), hasn't quite taken the coal community by storm, at least not yet. IoT-connected enterprises such as em- bedded intelligence and smart instru- mentation that stems from combining information technology and operational technology functions. "The Connected Enterprise helps op- erations managers profitably manage and improve manufacturing and industrial processes," Evans said. "In our discussions with Jim Burton at State Electric, the ad- vanced software packages from Rockwell help to reduce network complexities and exposure to information security risks [and] shares productivity-improving infor- mation to workers across the organization in a context that is meaningful for each role." The ability to be more competitive by being able to make better real-time decisions, such as data analytics, remote monitoring and mobility — has changed perspectives in other areas of mining. Across coal as a whole, current areas of focus for plants making changes seem to be improving fine coal recovery and dewatering. While there are several new plants in the planning and design stages, their construction is unlikely at least in the short-term, so DRA Taggart's own focus has been on upgrade projects. There's no question, though, where coal is headed, Evans said. The coal prepa- ration plant has unquestionably changed for the better; a dark, dusty, and noisy en- vironment with a pile of push-buttons and lights one would have found at yesterday's control room is now anything but this an- tiquated vision. "It is powerful and portable, net- worked and wireless, with internet ac- cess, accessible anywhere in the world," Evans said. "Advanced data acquisition, networking, storage and reporting for today's sophisticated plant manager are within…reach. It is perfectly aligned with our present computer-savvy generation and flexible enough to meet the demands of the future." The modern, streamlined control station can permit monitoring elsewhere in the plant or even from off-site. A typical plant process screen that can be viewed on a PC or connected tablet. A typical plant process screen that can be viewed on a PC or connected tablet.