Industrial Data Systems

DST’s Industrial Data group delivers monitoring and historization systems that collect, store, clean, analyze, and visualize facility and production data in industrial environments of all types.

Our Industrial Data engineers are experts in OT / IT integration.

A typical project requires us to design control systems, collect operational data, analyze and visualize that data, and publish it to enterprise applications for distribution to key decision makers.

Our Industrial Data Systems group was formed in 2008 when DST first became an OSIsoft (now AVEVA) PI Integrator; and ever since, has been immersed in infrastructure monitoring, historization and visualization, OT to IT connections, industrial network design and implementation, and server integration, etc. From small single point systems to enterprise-wide, multimillion-point systems, our Data Systems group does it all and does it every day.

So whether a company is just beginning its digital transformation with a small low-point-count pilot project or going all in, enterprise-wide with “Industry 4.0,” DST is a best first stop for outside help.

Our Industrial Data engineers are also excellent programmers.

From small scripts to large applications, we deploy solutions for the desktop or the cloud.

• Application Development with Specialties in C/C++/C#, Python

• Database Infrastructure and SQL Programming

• Web Site and Web Application Programming

• Excel Spreadsheet Conversions

• Serverless Cloud Computing Solutions: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud

• Legacy Historian and SCADA System workarounds

Enterprise Integration

Companies that designed their business processes and enterprise applications to maximize productivity with previously collected data can now further streamline their work flows even more by integrating real-time data into their applications.

…which is where DST comes in.

Example: At a Water Utility, DST connected Operations’ SCADA alarms to enterprise work order systems so that work orders are sent directly to the right employee in minutes or even seconds instead of days!

Secure IT/OT System

Industrial plants need secure and impenetrable Operations Technology. At the same time, real time operating data must be visible to everyone in the enterprise who needs it. DST works with IT departments of both large and small companies to provide data connectivity that satisfies today’s most demanding needs for security and for transparency.

Collect, Clean, and Archive

Analytics can dramatically improve business for sure, but only if data feeding the analytics is collected from all relevant sources, cleaned of redundant and bad values, and archived together in one place. DST regularly prepares and transports voluminous real-time data to data lakes, proprietary algorithms, and processing engines.

Analytics & Visualization

DST’s Data Systems collect data, convert that data to useful information, distribute that information to the right audience—in the right format for that audience—when they need it so they can make informed decisions in near real-time.

Example: DST developed a control room display: ninety-feet long by four-feet high with over 100 screens, monitoring pipeline assets throughout the state of California and supporting the data needs of 66 gas pipeline operators.

Controls Integration Services

DST supports its automation customers from concept through commissioning with all things SCADA, HMI, PLC, VFD, and field instrumentation. While DST’s UL508A Panel Shop can fully design, assemble, document, and UL label any control or electrical panels to fulfill any requirements.

Expert on multiple platforms in multiple Industries

DST’s control engineering staff are purposely diverse in respective educations and work experience. Our technical roster includes electrical, mechanical, control, chemical, and computer science engineers as well as "trained-in-the-trenches" Engineering Technicians and control panel designers. These professionals are united as a team with the common goal of total customer satisfaction with each system they deliver—regardless of size, complexity, industry, or location.

Many DST’ers are former automation end-users and SMEs themselves and so are not only first-class control engineers and integrators, but also have personal understanding of our customers’ increasingly critical need for reliable on-spec, on budget, and on-schedule project delivery.

DST is also a licensed C-10 Electrical Contractor and maintains P.E. licenses in California and Nevada.

Current Industry Focuses

• Life Sciences

• Water & Waste

• Energy (fossil & green)

• Critical Facilities

• Sustainable Transportation

• Food & Beverage.

DST’s Partners & Integrator Certifications

• Aveva (PI & Wonderware)

• GE Digital (incl. iFix, Cimplicity, & PLC’s)

• Inductive Automation (Ignition)

• Rockwell

• Schneider

• Siemens

Control Engineering & Programming

Besides being power-users on all mainstream SCADA, HMI, PLC, VFD, and field instrumentation, etc. platforms—and bringing our smarts and those technologies to bear on our customers’ new projects--DST is also a specialist in legacy system workarounds, upgrades, and migrations.

Automating industrial Facilities and Processes—new and old—remains our bread and butter.

PLC and SCADA Programming

DST maintains a team of hands-on, hard-hat-wearing, laptop carrying, field service engineers for emergency call outs, planned maintenance, system enhancements, troubleshooting, etc.

Our C-10 Electrical Contractors license lets us do even more in this regard.

Re-documentation Services

Happening now more than ever: a customer wants service or modifications for an older control system but the needed documentation is nowhere to be found. Maybe it moldered away or was rendered obsolete when the system got modified and the docs didn’t. Who knows and who cares. Current accurate documentation must be generated…preferably before it’s needed.

DST’s Documentation specialists will do on-site discovery and create new wiring, BOM, system description documents from scratch or update/redline existing ones in any of several current CAD packages.

Safety System & Code Compliance Re-engineering

Sometimes customers find themselves with systems or equipment that doesn’t meet a particular safety code, (NFPA, UL, OSHA, etc.) and so cannot be put into service.

In such cases, DST can work with the jurisdictional authority’s “punch list” and provide remedial services, including component-replacement, compliance re-engineering, and generation of compliant documentation, etc.

Panel Design & Manufac­tu­ring

DST helps customers realize products from concept, detailed design, prototyping, third-party certifications, large lot production, and pre-shipment custom configuration fulfillment.

UL 508A and ISO quality standards

We build to UL 508A and ISO quality standards at competitive cost. In addition to UL 508A, our panel shop can build to many other UL and NFPA standards. Our staff is experienced in design for classified hazardous environments and able to produce compliant documentation packages.

14,000 Square-foot facility

We can build solely to customer specifications or, with our engineering department, turn-key a project from conceptualization, through detailed design, and finally to installation. If a customer's system has an already completed and compliant design, and ready to be assembled by the tens, hundreds, or thousands, we stand ready to build, test, and deliver each and every one of those units: on-spec, on-budget, and most importantly, on-schedule.

And if there's still room for product improvement, such as optimization for manufacturing efficiency, component-cost reduction, functional enhancement, or standards compliance, our engineering group can do that too.

Manufacturing Services

• OEM offers to Energy, Solar and other CleanTech industries

• Electrical, Control, and Monitoring System Engineering and Design

• Specification Development for Products and Systems

• Product Safety Certification and Labeling

• Technical Writing, e.g., Installation, Operations, and Maintenance Manuals

• Assembly, Packaging, and Shipping (anywhere)

Design and Development

DST provides innovative design and engineering that solves technological problems fast. Our rapid prototype-assembly allows for product testing, iterative improvement, compliance certification, and final commercialization, to take place sooner. This helps provide cost-effectiveness that, during development, slows down R&D capital-burn, and during production, allows competitive (but profitable!) price-points.

Outsourced Subsystem Manufacturing (OSM)

DST's Outsourced Subsystem Manufacturing or OSM (pronounced "Awesome") group specializes in higher-volume production of electrical or electronic-based subsystems. This can be as simple as assembling a few wiring harnesses for a microscopic x-ray system or as complicated as designing, building, programming, and servicing over a thousand PLC & HMI based controllers that regulate the delivery of specialty gasses to production tools. OSM's big value to DST's customers is lower cost with higher quality and faster delivery so the OEM can concentrate on improving its products and satisfying its customers.

Procurement

Serving both DST's custom panel shop and OSM group, our Procurement Department actually operates as a profit-center for our customers. Cost-cutting tactics used by our experienced and tough-minded purchasing people include supplier pricing alliances, volume purchasing leverage, and web-based RFQ & order entry. Guided by a contemporary globalized procurement philosophy that makes lowering costs their "Prime Directive," DST-Procurement uses these tools to ensure the highest quality components, at the lowest possible cost, delivered in the shortest time possible.