Engineering Capabilities and Experience

Hardware & Software Platform Experience

Following is a partial list of control hardware and software vendors we have worked with – demonstrating our brand neutrality. We always share our experience and knowledge with you, our client, on our recommendations for the best products for your application.

PLCs, RTUs, Controllers & I-O sub-systems

  • Allen Bradley / Rockwell (all vintages)
  • Automation Direct (all types)
  • B&R Automation (I-O)
  • General Electric (all vintages)
  • Mitsubishi
  • Modicon / Square D (all vintages)
  • Omron
  • Red Lion / Sixnet (I-O)
  • Schneider ScadaPak (RTU)
  • Single & multi-loop PID controllers (multiple brands)

Drives & Motion Control

  • ABB
  • Allen Bradley/Rockwell
  • Automation Direct
  • Delta Computer Systems
  • SquareD
  • Yaskawa

Human Machine Interfaces (HMIs)

  • Allen Bradley / Rockwell
  • Automation Direct
  • Citect HMI
  • Exor
  • FactoryTalk View ME
  • Proface
  • Red Lion (including Productivity Station)

Software

  • AB RSLinx Communication Software; AB PLC Logix 500 and Logix 5000
  • Citect SCADA
  • Data Historians
  • Exele TopView Alarm Notification & Analysis
  • FactoryTalk View SE
  • KepWare OPC
  • SQL & Access databases
  • VTScada
  • Wonderware SCADA

Services

  • Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) code development
  • Human Machine Interface (HMI) configuration
  • Control system upgrades & retrofits
  • Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and database software development
  • Optimization programming
  • Controls engineering
  • Network design
  • Panel fabrication design and construction
  • Control system design and drafting
  • Project management
  • Systems commissioning and startup
  • 24/7 Emergency Support
  • Electrical engineering
  • System support contracts

Specialty Knowledge

Wireless

Cellular routers; Data radios, Wi-Fi, Ethernet; instrumentation

Networks

Ethernet TCP/IP; Ethernet IP; ControlNet; DeviceNet; Data Highway; Modbus TCP/IP, Modbus serial; Modbus Plus; RS232/422/485

Motion Control

Servo, AC and DC drive systems, stepper motors, multi-axis integrated motion control, CIP motion

Protocol Conversion

Red Lion Data Stations, Prosoft, OPC servers

Vision Systems

Teledyne Dalsa, Cognex, Keyence

Laser Based Scanning Systems

LMI, ScanMeg, Keyence, USNR

Lumber Grading Systems

Cypress Grade Mark Reader, Lucidyne M5 Grade Mark Reader

Why use Progress Engineering on your next controls project?

Progress Engineering is a broadly experienced, small team, of highly dedicated engineers and technicians. We understand the challenges of a production environment and have completed projects in a variety of industries. Our specialty knowledge in the forest products industry is unsurpassed. We and have built over 200 automation projects countrywide, and our professional engineers are licensed in 14 states.

We apply the latest technologies to solve our customers’ operational needs.

Whether your challenge requires robotics, integrated CIP motion control, laser scanning or a machine based vision system, we have the application expertise to help you apply the appropriate technology to get your job done.

Over 90% of our customers ask for repeat work on later projects.

Many of our projects consist of controls improvements, or migrations from obsolete technology to current hardware and software. Over 90% of the companies we work for ask us back to do another project! Our experience in applying both discrete and process controls allows us to provide the best value when you need to upgrade.

Your project is supported for the long term.

We work diligently to reduce costs by utilizing robust, standardized control code when appropriate, as well as standard panel designs and drawing sets. We manage change control and backups of your system and routinely install VPN routers to provide remote, after startup support. For customers with mission critical uptime requirements, support contracts are available.