Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA)
1985 - 1989
- Bateman Process Instrumentation
This Supervisory and Control software was mostly written in RTL/2 with some encapsulated PDP11 Macro Assembler code and was developed internally, by BPI, between 1981 and 1989.
The development team members were: Abel Acuna, Peter Moffat, Kobus Oosthuizen, Neil Gaynor, Ludwik Tomalak, Phillip Delcroix, Andre Kuzner, Ian Read, Peter Tandy, Stan Komar, Steve MacKenzie, Paul Tennant, Dr. Rob Clarkson and Tedy Shalev.
A standout project involved delivering solutions for the South African
One major part of this project was the development of Front End Communication (FEP) Co-processors. Developed by Andre Kerzner, Tedy Shalev and Dr. Rob Clarkson, with RTL/2 for the DEC RSX11M+ operating system and PDP Assembler. This software comprised of a "master" installed on the PDP11/83 and a "slave" module installed on the PDP11s. Each FEP communicated with its master PDP11/83s Supervisory Computer, via a custom application-layer messaging protocol, operating through a performance-tuned, low-overhead QZ11 driver. The Master Supervisory Computers were linked via a Positronika TechLan token based network. Created by the Dutch company Positronika in 1984, the TechLan network was designed to interconnect multiple PDP-11 systems, for use in automated measuring equipment. In an era where Ethernet did not exist and IEEE-488 was quite new, TechLAN was ahead of its time because most people had never heard of a "network" and did not know what to use it for. The Techlan hardware/software was discontinued in 1987 and Positronika focussed on LAN's instead, which at that time was a booming market.
The operational capability of the Prospecton Breweries plant was expanded through the addition of a an Alarm Annunciator. Designed by Tedy Shalev, featuring an intuitive VT100 terminal interface, this software enabled real-time monitoring of equipment statuses and alarms by interfacing directly with a high-current parallel I/O card, manufactured by Conlog of Johannesburg, South Africa.
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With the advent of the IBM-PC, in the early days of MS-DOS (v2.1), BPI distributed and supported "ONSPEC" - a supervisory system designed in the USA by "Heuristics" (today's Automation ONSPEC Software Inc.), which operated on the rather sophisticated, way ahead of its time, Digital Research Concurrent CP/M-86 Operating System.
SCADA systems were connect to a network of Programmable logic controllers (PLCs), specifically designed for process control. The PLCs were connected to Digital and Analogue I/O sensors and actuators and were programmable using “ladder logic” software.
Industrial Process Control Automation
1982 - 1984
The so called "Commander" micro-computer, was programmed using a Basic-like Process Control Language (PCL) that was developed in-house using the Motorola Assembler. PCL featured very specialised Real-Time functionality, targeted at software development for industrial applications.
The Commander peripherals included 10MB Pertec Cartridge Disk Drives, 8" flexible diskettes and a cassette tape.
The "Commander" had conquered the South African market, successfully competing against the worldwide giant "Apple II". The "Commander" microcomputer was installed in industrial "Turnkey Process Control" applications at various Gold, Platinum, Coal and Aluminium Mines, Breweries, Sugar Mills, Soap manufacturing factories and Truck engines production. It was also utilised running office type applications, like Accounting and Inventory Control.
Messina Electronics also manufactured "water level detectors" for the South African military industry. The innovative design of these units involved the manufacture of a hybrid circuit and some high-quality encapsulation technique of this electronics inside military standard enclosures.
- Sugar Mills: Amatikulu, Darnell
- Breweries: Garankwa, Alrode
- Soap: Uniliver
- Mining: Messina Mines
Telecommunications Marketing
1981
- STC (Standard Telephones & Cables)
In order to squeeze additional "bandwith" out of the (copper wires) communications channels, reliant on 1200, 2400, 4800 and 9600 bps modems, "modem contention units" with "line controlers" and incorporated statistical and time-division multiplexers were combined and integrated within communications networks.
The Intel's 8080 microprocessor was used in the design of the DINAMITE network diagnostic and monitoring system.