Elite Controls achieves 'world first' with Pilz

Elite Control Systems is the first company in the world to have successfully completed the rigorous Pilz assessment procedure and attained the status of a Pilz Certified System Integrator.

Elite Control Systems Limited has attained the status of a Pilz Certified System Integrator.

Moreover, Elite is the first company in the world to have successfully completed the rigorous Pilz assessment procedure, serving customers from as far afield as Azerbaijan, China, India and the USA.

Elite is therefore fully approved to specify and integrate the complete range of safety products and safety systems from Pilz, including safety relays, configurable safety controllers, programmable safety systems, touchscreen HMIs, light curtains and safety switches.

Based in West Lothian, Scotland, Elite was also the first automation systems integration company of its size to obtain accreditation under the coveted BS EN ISO 9001:2000 TickIT certification scheme for design, development, production, support and installation of control and monitoring systems.

Elite has worked closely with Pilz for several years, but the arrangement is now formalised.

To reach the current situation has taken about two years of work, with the two companies jointly developing a competency management scheme specifically for system integrators.

Based on the CASS (Conformity Assessment of Safety Related Systems) approved competency management scheme already used by Pilz, the new Certified System Integrator scheme takes into account the different knowledge and skills required by system integrators.

Following the completed assessment of all of Elite's technical staff, the process of continuous improvement will be ongoing as a condition of the company retaining the Certified System Integrator status.

Furthermore, for complex projects the Elite staff and Pilz staff can pool their knowledge and expertise, certain of providing the customer with a competently conducted project.

The question of competency is being thrust to the fore as the implications of IEC 61508 (Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety related systems) and its harmonised equivalent, EN 61508, are becoming more widely understood, both by end users and the health and safety authorities.

Those employing system integrators need to be aware of the difference between claimed competence and demonstrable competence.

And while many system integrators may claim to be competent in what they do, it is doubtful that they have a competence management scheme in place that is as rigorous and fully documented as Elite's.

Moreover, Elite's corporate competence and the competences of individual members of staff mean that the company is able to help customers formulate and implement competency management schemes in line with the requirements of IEC 61508, IEC 61511 (for the process industry) and IEC 62061 (for the machinery sector).

Sam Mackay, Managing Director of Elite Control Systems, comments: "Elite has expertise and experience in delivering well engineered solutions to a wide range of clients, both in the safety and non-safety arenas.

"However, we recognise that safety is crucial for all our customers, as there is frequently an element of safety in general control system projects.

"For several years we have been operating our own management systems, which, it transpires, were close to those outlined in IEC 61508.

"Nevertheless, while we only had to make minor changes to our management systems to achieve the status of a Pilz Certified System Integrator, we had to work hand-in-hand with Pilz to develop the competency management system, then implement it and undertake appropriate training where necessary.

"It has taken us hundreds of man-hours to gain our certification, but there is no question that it is worthwhile".

"We are looking forward to a close, fruitful, long-term relationship with Pilz'.

John Popham, General Manager of Pilz Automation Technology, commented: "This has been a major exercise, with a heavy commitment from both parties, to reach the stage where Pilz is prepared to recognise Elite formally as a Certified System Integrator.

"Having got to this position, we are looking forward to Elite helping Pilz penetrate markets where we have not traditionally had a presence - such as the oil and gas, petrochemical industry, and semiconductor processing - but where the Pilz technologies are highly applicable.

"Elite is a supremely professional company, with genuine skills and expertise.

"We are very pleased to have Elite as our first Certified System Integrator".

Elite provides system design, software design, integration and support of the highest engineering and client service standards, with clients operating in sectors including oil and gas, food and beverage, paper, packaging, manufacturing, pharmaceutical, military and other niche areas.

Founded in 1992, Elite has since proved itself one of the most innovative companies in the system integration business.

Its client base has grown to include many global clients, resulting in vast experience with overseas operations and a wealth of expertise.

Elite remains true to its ideals: meticulous planning, an innovative attitude to business, the highest standards of service, and quality engineering.

These ideals underlie the company's 'promoting performance through partnership' approach.

Working in close partnership with clients, Elite's engineering staff fully appreciate the need for rapid, demonstrable returns on clients' investments.

They bring considerable depth of experience in process control, automation and information systems, in particular with regard to programmable logic controllers (PLCs), supervisory control and data acquisition systems (SCADA) and distributed control system (DCS) software.

Contact Elite now to find out more about its system integration services.

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