Digital Transformation - MHT Technology Ltd

MHT’s Feature Insight into VTW’s New Web Service

Camille Hilditch — Tue, 08 Sep 2020 10:47:06 +0000

The move from 18.2.x to 18.3.x brings with it a change in web access to the tank gauging system. The old Tankvision Professional Web Server has been replaced with Tankvision Professional Business Information Server.

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the Issue with the old Web Server

The old web server used a Microsoft technology called “Silverlight”. In its day Silverlight competed with Adobe Flash. However, a number of high-profile security problems with Adobe Flash dented confidence in these kinds of web application frameworks and take-up of Silverlight had been slow. Consequentially Microsoft has deprecated Silverlight, which forced us to redevelop the Web Server.

? What were the goals of the developers?

Given that the Silverlight codebase was a dead-end in terms of software product development, we took the opportunity to re-evaluate why the Web Server existed, what it should be and how it should work. For a software developer, these opportunities don’t come along too frequently, and they are quite liberating – if a little daunting.

We noticed that most users of our web server were not the technical staff and operators, but the staff working in the planning departments, the accounting department, and laboratories at our customers’ sites. These people do not want or need access to alarms and events, they principally need to get up to date inventory readings to plug into Excel spreadsheets, or check what product movements have occurred on a tank.

MHT has a dedicated support function to work with customers, through that we also saw that customers were keen to improve their cybersecurity by segregating their operational and commercial networks. The old Web Server architecture required that commercial users directly access the tank gauging system, which made achieving this segregation difficult.

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? Why change the name to Business Information Server?

Once we decided to focus on providing a convenient means of supporting our customers’ administrative processes it was decided that this should be emphasised by renaming the facility. We did this early on before we started writing the code so that everyone involved in the delivery could understand who the audience was and what it should do. The old “webserver” name focussed too much on the technology used and not enough on what the product delivered. “When you buy soup from the supermarket the most important consideration is the flavour, not the can it comes in.”

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architectural changes

Segregated server architecture

The strength of the old webserver was that once you installed the software you didn’t need to do anything more to use the webserver other than pointing your web browser at the tank gauging server. With Business Information Server this still works! However, it does mean that anyone who wants to access the service needs to be able to access the HTTP interface of the tank gauging server, which is not always desirable. To overcome this, the Business Information Server service can be installed on a different machine.

The BIS server and Tank Gauging Server can be separated by a firewall; just one port needs to be open between them. The separation means that should a piece of malware get on to the administrative network, it would need to infect the BIS server and then be crafted to use an exploit in the Tank Gauging Server to infect it. The BIS server also maintains a local cache of data for its users, so that a sudden influx of requests for the BIS would not swamp the Tank Gauging Server, imperilling tank farm operations.

What can you no longer do with the BIS?

The original webserver was envisioned as a web-based alternative for tank farm operators to use: in reality, it always lagged behind the development of the tank gauging user interface of the Windows application. Many of the features, such as Movements, never made it to the webserver, and features such as the Alarm Event Viewer never really worked well on the web platform. When we redeveloped, we took a pragmatic view and killed off several features:

Alarms and Events are no longer supported on the web interface.
The “Home Page” no longer mimics the main product.
Gauge commands are not supported.

? What new features can users expect?

By redeveloping from the ground up we were able to put some new features in that customers had been requesting for a long time; the most notable one from my perspective is Trending. We had several customers just purchase a tank gauging client license just to access the Trending graphs. These customers can now access this trending information from their web browsers, allowing them to see in near real time how stock levels have risen or fallen over time.

The developers didn’t just promote the web server grid view to be the new home page, it now offers users the ability to configure and customise their view of tank gauging data, as well as freeze it and export it to a spreadsheet for analysis. The customised views can be easily shared among users, so that common uses and processes can be supported.

Reporting received a major overhaul. We noticed that scheduled reports form a key part of many administrative processes, but that the ability to setup and configure those reports was being undertaken by the tank farm operators who didn’t consume the data and mostly didn’t understand why the reports were necessary.

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Trending in BIS

The developers sought to grant access to reports and place the power to schedule them in the hands of the people who consume this information. Rather than receive a pile of paper reports prepared by the operators, BIS users can log on to the portal to get the reports they want at the time they want, or have them sent to their e-mail inbox.

? What features stayed the same?

The features we kept from the old web server were the ones that were most commonly used. The ability to set manual data values is invaluable to sites with on-site laboratories, oil accountants value the ability to use our inventory calculations in the inventory calculator as well as to get detailed live data of the kind on a Single Tank Overview.

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How is the new server licensed?

The new server uses the same licenses as the old web server. If a user had 5 web licenses on their 18.0.2 system, they can upgrade to 18.3.1 and now they have 5 web licenses for Business Information Server. The pricing for BIS clients is exactly the same as web server clients.

When using the segregated server the license applied to the tank gauging server is used: you don’t need to buy a separate license for the BIS server. Note that this does not alleviate the customer from buying the appropriate Windows license for the BIS server.

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The post MHT’s Feature Insight into VTW’s New Web Service first appeared on MHT Technology Ltd.

The post MHT’s Feature Insight into VTW’s New Web Service appeared first on MHT Technology Ltd.

MHT Launches New Terminal Automation and Tank Gauging Features in lockdown

Camille Hilditch — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 10:14:02 +0000

updated software

It is business as usual at MHT Technology and we are proud to announce new software features for our tank gauging software VTW. Thank you to all our software and testing team who have worked hard to deliver this release during the COVID-19 lockdown. Our new features, as always have been from incorporated by feedback from the customers we serve. These new features solve many common issues faced by our customers and enable their sites to be even more efficient.

It is important to continue to upgrade your systems so that you can continue making your site and safe and efficient as possible. If you are using the old VTW and SmartTAS software and are looking to upgrade then feel free to speak to our sales team.

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? New features on our VTW tank gauging software

Business Information Server – The Business Information Server is a new feature in VTW that offers real-time tank gauging information to workers supporting tank farm operations. The service uses the latest web standards to deliver an easy user experience without compromising the security of your operational systems.

RMS2 – You can now support tank farm workers away from the control room with audio messages and warnings transmitted over site radios. The system can be used with both virtualised and redundant servers.

HM21 Inventory Calculations – Inventory calculations have been added including ethylene, propylene and butadiene. Our sales team are still available for quoting and would be happy to assist you with any questions.

? New features on SMART TAS Terminal automation software

Product UN Hazard Codes are now fully editable – customers can change the languages presented and add new hazard codes to fit their operations.

Addresses are now first-class data items in TAS – A customer can have many addresses associated with it, each being ascribed a role, such as Billing Address, Delivery Address, Safety Contact Address.

Our continued quest to bring the world’s loading bay equipment into the SmartTAS software sees the addition of seal details being entered at the bay, and support for the Danload DL8000 in a multi-arm deployment.

Integration to 3rd party systems – now possible through a new built-in OPC UA service. SmartTAS can publish live loading bay information, including transaction data such as driver names, order numbers, and vehicle registrations.

When things go wrong at site, SmartTAS now allows operators to prepare documentation for vehicles that have been manually “topped off” or moved to another loading bay to complete a load.

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MHT Launches New Product CheckScheme

Camille Hilditch — Mon, 20 Apr 2020 15:02:08 +0000

CheckScheme was created when Inter Terminals, a client of MHT Technology,
collaborated with them to find a solution with their current operations.
The dangers of manual paper-based checks became evident to their
client when they assessed their operations for risks. Despite years of
experience, they recognised there is always the possibility of shipping
the wrong product to a customer. A simple mistake can result in
the forced shut down of the customer’s site and the destruction of
contaminated stock. Operators using paper-based systems often become
unintentionally complacent using the same procedures day after day
resulting in shortcuts being taken.

Inter Terminals CASE STUDY

…PEOPLE ARE NOT ROBOTS



Damian Wroblewski, Operations Manager from the largest independent bulk liquid storage provider in the UK, Inter Terminals, gave a presentation on how CheckScheme was created in collaboration with MHT. A long-time client of MHT, Inter Terminals suggested the idea of CheckScheme originally to provide a robust checking system which reduces the level of human error during product loading or discharge processes.

Damian Wroblewski commented; “When working for many years people turn onto autopilot. People are not robots: they might be tired, they might be bored, and find the job mundane. We must take the human factors into consideration, we are not perfect, however in this business one mistake might lead to a serious disaster. You can’t be distracted, even for a second.”

Damian Wroblewski – Inter Terminals

Paper-based operations also have a disadvantage when capturing data.
Although paper checklists are usually filed away after completion they
can be misplaced, and the data is not open for analysis to enhance the
operations further. HSE favours clear and precise documents to evidence
that correct procedures have been followed. Having that evidence in a
digital format makes it much easier to track and locate specific data.

CheckScheme accommodates existing operations allowing cost-effective
migration to a digital platform, with human factor at the forefront of its
design.

DEVELOPING CheckScheme

“‘The system concept was developed with our customer, at first we approached the problem by trying to develop a heavily engineered solution. ATEX Zone 1 electronic devices that linked back to servers at the site that would be interrogated when an operator wanted to load a truck. It soon became evident that this required lots of effort, the cabling alone represented weeks of work.”

– Marcus Webster

We then realised that the problem wasn’t that the equipment at the site needed to be controlled, it was that the operators needed a way of establishing that they are doing the right thing. No one turns up to work expecting to make mistakes or work unsafely.

MHT engineers then devised a system that used a smartphone to guide the operators through a checklist, before confirming visually to the operator that the checks had been passed. It was realised that a checklist on a smartphone could do more than just ticking a box; operators could scan QR codes, RFID tags as well as answer questions about the job they are undertaking. Webster adds: ‘Being much more than checklists, we named them ‘Check Schemes,’ this realisation that check schemes could be applied to many procedures on-site, not just loading trucks and it inspired us to get behind the product and develop it further.’

Checkscheme in action

The CheckScheme system consists primarily of a server, which can either be deployed in the cloud or on the customer’s own premises. Operations managers access the server using a web browser, and from there can configure and manage the site’s check schemes.

The CheckScheme app is installed on Android mobile devices, which are registered with the server over a Wi-Fi network. The Wi-Fi network does not need to cover the whole site, as the system is designed so that operations can be carried out without any immediate contact with the server. When the phone is within range of the Wi-Fi network, it synchronises with the server, allowing the latest versions of the check schemes to be downloaded to the phone, and the activities the phone has performed to be uploaded to the server. Webster explains: ‘For example, by installing the Wi-Fi access point in the staff canteen, the operators can hand in their checklists and receive changes to procedures while enjoying their morning cup of coffee.’

The operator begins by scanning a QR code printed on the works order. The QR code is generated by either filling in a form on the server or by integrating CheckScheme with company ERP systems via an API on the server. The QR code identifies the check scheme to use, a reference number for the activity and the expected values the operator will give. The operator steps through the checks one-by-one, an incorrect response prompts the operator to try again, while correct responses confirm that the operator is at the right loading bay or using the right loading arm.

When the final check is completed successfully, the operator is given a clear confirmatory message. If a physical control is used, the smartphone is presented to the controller and a permissive relay is closed allowing the machinery to be activated.

This is how checkscheme can help:

MHT’s app for ATEX certified Android smartphones gives clear and instant feedback to the operator, displaying a green icon for successfully completed checks and a red icon to highlight any errors made, providing the ability to instantly correct the mistake before the next stage.

QR codes can be added to signage around the Terminal so the operator can simply scan the QR code with the smartphone to check they are in the intended location.

RFID tags can be attached to physical equipment such as hoses, pumps, and valves to ensure the correct device is being used at the right time.

Operators’ interest is maintained by gamification of checking order details. For example, a random list of customers is presented and the one relating to the order must be selected.

An is an optional physical component in the form of an ATEX hazardous area Zone 1 certified physical controller. The operator simply presents the smartphone to the controller which then grants the permission only if all checks have been completed successfully.

The smartphone app features several security considerations including PIN access, the ability to lock phones if removed from the site, and encryption of data between the phone and server.

MANAGING PROCESSES WITH CHECKSCHEME

The data uploaded to the server includes a timestamped log of events that have occurred while using the app, including any incorrect responses the operator has given. Supervisors can examine the handling of a specific order to confirm issues regarding delays completing the procedure. They can also report statistics for the performance of processes. Check schemes are subject to workflow within the system. This gives the operations manager the ability to create a new check scheme, test it, then get it approved for use and retire old schemes at the end of their life.

Paper-based systems while being cheap to implement, are difficult to change and maintain. This leads to a reluctance to improve procedures, resulting in missed opportunities for safer and more efficient working.

The latest features in CheckScheme allow for the recording of richer data and scheduling repetitive tasks. The system can still make use of RFID tags and QR Codes to identify locations and equipment, but now textual and photographic information can be recorded. For example, CheckScheme users can record photographs of the laden vehicles before they leave the site, to be able to show that they have discharged their duties in line with ADR and ensure every vehicle with a hazardous load leaves your site carrying the correct placards and markers.

The built-in calendar allows processes to be scheduled. Tasks such as manual tank dips can be scheduled to occur at regular intervals, capturing the levels recorded easily with the mobile device. An RFID tag placed on the roof of the tank which the device reads ensure operators can’t falsify readings. The server shows the results, permitting gauge drift to be assessed.

CheckScheme is an outstanding digital solution. Not only because of how the algorithm and potential technology behind it has been maximised but also because of how the human factor sits at the core of the solution right from the beginning. When it comes to digitalisation, there is a great tendency to see only data and technology at the core, but MHT strongly believes the human element is equally important and key. With the aid of CheckScheme, operators can make the handling of hazardous materials such as petrochemicals, fuels, and chemicals, controlled, measured and safer, reducing the human element of risk associated with product loading and discharging processes. All without sites investing in expensive automation projects that disrupt operations and increase maintenance costs.

find out how CHECKSCHEME can help your site today

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The post MHT Launches New Product CheckScheme first appeared on MHT Technology Ltd.

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Teesside University Students Visit MHT for Demo Day

Camille Hilditch — Wed, 26 Dec 2018 13:31:42 +0000

Teesside University students visited MHT Technology Ltd this week for a Demo Day of their solutions. Lecturer Dr Sina Joneidy wanted to immerse his MSc International Management students in a real-life example of digitalisation of work processes and MHT’s product CheckScheme was a perfect example of this.

MHT Technology Ltd, a company based in Richmond North Yorkshire, is a global supplier of tank gauging, terminal automation and stock management solutions for bulk liquid storage and handling. MHT recently launched a new solution called ‘CheckScheme’ that digitises paper-based checklists, enabling operators to carry out their checks quickly and efficiently with an easy to use app.

Inter Terminals CASE STUDY

…PEOPLE ARE NOT ROBOTS



Damian Wroblewski – Inter Terminals

Teesside University students visited MHT Technology Ltd Nov 2019 for a Demo Day of their solutions. Lecturer Dr Sina Joneidy wanted to immerse his MSc International Management students in a real-life example of digitalisation of work processes and MHT’s product CheckScheme was a perfect example of this.

This is how checkscheme can help:

QR codes can be added to signage around the Terminal so the operator can simply scan the QR code with the smartphone to check they are in the intended location.

RFID tags can be attached to physical equipment such as hoses, pumps, and valves to ensure the correct device is being used at the right time.

Operators’ interest is maintained by gamification of checking order details. For example, a random list of customers is presented and the one relating to the order must be selected.

An optional physical component in the form of an ATEX hazardous area Zone 1 certified physical controller. The operator simply presents the smartphone to the controller which then grants the permission only if all checks have been completed successfully.

The smartphone app features several security considerations including PIN access, the ability to lock phones if removed from the site, and encryption of data between the phone and server.

“The Demo Day was a unique learning experience for them, but also encouraged them in personal social and study skills. It was good to see them coming out of their shell and getting engaged with digital devices. The purpose of this field trip was to bring their classroom lessons to life and that is exactly what happened today.”

– Dr Sina Joneidy

Dr Sina Joneidy added; “The Demo Day was a unique learning experience for them, but also encouraged them in personal social and study skills. It was good to see them coming out of their shell and getting engaged with digital devices. The purpose of this field trip was to bring their classroom lessons to life and that is exactly what happened today.”

Master’s degree student Jia Li said; “it was very interesting to see how digitalisation supports the whole process of business by connecting machines to computers and therefore improving data. The Demo Day will help me with my masters because it has shown me how important it is to plan ahead to reduce risk.”

With the aid of MHT, Inter Terminals can now make the handling of hazardous materials such as petrochemicals, fuels and chemicals, controlled, measured and safer, reducing the human element of risk associated with product loading and discharging processes.

MHT hope to expand CheckScheme into other companies and help them digitally transform their operations. Contact our Sales team today to see how we can future-proof your operations.

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