Innovative product development opens up new markets

The University's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering worked with Perceptive Engineering to develop an innovative software product capable of accurately monitoring advanced control systems used in a broad range of industrial sectors. The product provided Perceptive Engineering with a distinct advantage over its competitors and generated opportunities for commercialisation in new industrial markets.

The University's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering worked with Perceptive Engineering to develop an innovative software product capable of accurately monitoring advanced control systems used in a broad range of industrial sectors. 
 
The new product has provided Perceptive Engineering with a distinct advantage over its competitors and generated opportunities for commercialisation in new industrial markets. 

Developing an automatic monitoring system

Perceptive Engineering identified a requirement to develop a ‘next generation’ industrial control package, capable of monitoring and maintaining the performance of their control systems automatically. Development of a software product able to accurately monitor advanced control systems would provide the company with a distinct advantage over competitors and the opportunity to engage its existing products in several new industrial sectors. 

Drawing on specialist university expertise

To develop such a package the company partner was in need of specialist expertise in control loop monitoring and turned to the University's School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The partners identified that a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) scheme would provide the opportunity to develop a complete process control package and monitoring solution for industrial delivery.

KTP is a UK-wide programme to help businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity, by harnessing some of the knowledge, technology and skills available within UK universities.

Professor Barry Lennox and KTP Associate Marie O’Brien worked with Perceptive Engineering to employ complex control theory and statistical techniques to estimate the performance of a control system and the quality of the sensor measurements used within the controller. Sensor measurements can be very unreliable in certain environments and using such measurements in a control system can have serious quality and safety implications. 

Gaining new skills and experience

Undertaking a KTP project with University of Manchester engineering experts has given PEL significant new knowledge and capabilities, including a thorough understanding of signal monitoring and data reconstruction techniques. It has also embedded skill sets within the company that will enable it to address further opportunities in this area.  

• PEL has gained guidance and experience in developing the DQM solutions their industrial markets demand. As a result of the project they now have a comprehensive ‘waste water treatment simulator’ available to evaluate the performance of new advanced process control techniques.
• The firm has acquired a new product, which can be sold as a stand-alone system or an optional, integrated complement to its primary product range, giving it a complete software portfolio.
• A project case study at a wastewater treatment plant has demonstrated that, when linked to the control system, the DQM can enable a plant to operate more efficiently under varying weather and pollutant conditions. Interest in this technology has been very significant and an assessment by United Utilities found it reduced energy usage by 25% and CO2 emissions by 200 t/year. It is now being implemented at 12 UK waste water treatment plants and discussions are underway for implementation in further applications.
• A similar case study in pharmaceuticals has also been successful, meaning PEL can now address the needs of two key industries where efficiency and sustainability improvements are urgently needed.
• As a result of the KTP, the company’s annual sales turnover has increased by over £400k and the additional work generated from the project has resulted in the employment of three full time members of staff and is set to increase over the next couple of years.
• Orders taken at European conferences and exhibitions have significantly increased the value of exports, which is anticipated to rise by £200,000 a year.