Thomas Brown Controls
Services

Electrical and control-system engineering

TBC produces the functional and electrical-control information needed to manufacture, install, program, test and modify a control system without relying on undocumented assumptions.

Functional definition

Requirements written so they can be engineered and tested

The design starts by defining what the system must do, how equipment interacts and what acceptance criteria will prove the intended operation.

  • Control philosophies and Functional Design Specifications (FDS)
  • Cause-and-effect matrices and operating narratives
  • PLC and SCADA architecture
  • Interface and communications schedules
RequirementsModes, sequences, permissives, trips, alarms and failure responses.
ArchitectureControllers, networks, remote I/O and operator interfaces defined at system level.
InterfacesResponsibilities and signal exchanges captured before software or manufacture.
TestingAcceptance criteria written so functions can be traced into FAT and SAT.
Electrical design

A design package ready for manufacture and installation

The electrical-control package needs enough detail for panel build, field installation, PLC configuration and testing without forcing each discipline to fill gaps with its own assumptions.

  • Control schematics, functional diagrams and panel information
  • I/O, terminal, cable and equipment schedules
  • Power supplies, protection, segregation and control interfaces
  • BOM and manufacturing information where required by the project
SchematicsControl circuits, relays, supplies and equipment interfaces shown clearly for manufacture and fault finding.
SchedulesI/O, terminals, cables and equipment references kept consistent across the design pack.
Panel informationLayouts and component information developed to suit the required manufacturing scope.
InterfacesField wiring, PLC I/O and third-party responsibilities identified before installation and test.
Documentation control

Design information that remains usable through delivery

Changes made during manufacture, testing or commissioning need to close back into the final controlled design pack.

  • Consistent equipment and signal naming
  • Revision-controlled issue and change records
  • Design reviews against vendor and client information
  • As-built updates following FAT and commissioning
TraceabilityFunctional requirements tied to drawings, software and test evidence.
ReviewsClient, contractor and vendor comments resolved into controlled revisions.
ChangesSite and FAT modifications captured rather than left as undocumented fixes.
HandoverFinal information suitable for operations, maintenance and future changes.
Related engineering

Drawings, I/O and software need to describe the same system.

Electrical-control design sits between the functional requirement, the panel or field installation and the final software. Keeping those references aligned reduces late interface changes and gives testing a reliable design baseline.

Functional designOperating requirements and responsibilities defined before detailed drawings are committed.
PLC engineeringSoftware and I/O implementation developed against the same equipment and signal definitions.
FAT, SAT & commissioningDrawings and schedules used as part of structured manufacture and site testing.
Control systems integrationElectrical interfaces, PLC software, networks and equipment responsibilities coordinated across the complete system.

Need the controls package taken through detailed electrical design?

Send the available specification, SLDs, functional information or existing drawings and TBC can define the design package needed for manufacture and site delivery.

Discuss a project