Technical Field Services

Our primary technical services include automation and electrical engineering design, systems analysis, testing and support, systems integration, field service and commissioning, troubleshooting and repair of electrical power, control, monitoring and automation systems, and circuit board design analysis, testing and repair.

The development and maintenance of niche Automation and Control Systems has resulted in AKA developing expertise and products including:

  • Advanced Generator Protection Systems (AGP) for generator control and power distribution systems;
  • Process control: SCADA, PLC systems, electrical control systems, industrial PC control systems;
  • Electrical and Electronics design and manufacturing for control and power systems;
  •  Life extensions, system enhancements, pre-retrofit bridging to minimize downtime and risk, etc.;
  • Condition monitoring technology, maintenance management systems and reliability engineering;
  • Add-on components for enhancement of pre-delivered systems.

In these projects, our technical services team has built experience with the following equipment and applications:

  • Siemens PLCs – S7 and S5 and associated SW/HW – several projects in ladder, STL and SCL
  • GE Genius PLCs systems, 90-30 & 90-70 systems
  • GE DC 2000 SCR drives
  • Allen Bradley PLCs and RS View
  • ABB PLC and Automation Systems
  • Siemens OPs – HMIs (Protool, etc.)
  • GE Cimplicty HMI
  • Siemens Simoreg/Simovert drives
  • Siemens Simodyn D
  • Siemens Win CC/PCS 7
  • GE and Siemens Cyclo-converters
  • Woodward digital and analog electronic controllers
  • OEM Specialized Ex Automation Hardware
  • Various hardware components – programmable relays, relays, breakers and switchgear (up to 8000 amp, MV), soft starters, etc.
  • WonderWare, IGSS and other SCADA systems
  • Siemens SIPLINK
  • Siemens OTN

Our solid reputation as a systems integrator derives from our in-depth understanding of the engineering process from the perspective of design, manufacturing, operation, troubleshooting and maintenance. We develop turnkey systems that provide added value by delivering:

  • Precise system definition for support documentation;
  •  Best brand supply for all automation and control components (driven by system and customer requirements);
  • A high level of component matching, reduced spares requirements, and quantity of scale savings;
  • Robust systems with fail-safe function design, self-monitored redundancy for critical systems;
  • Transparency of projects to ensure that both the engineering team and the customer have access to the same project data (drawings, databases);
  • Integration of data capture, logging, statistical and historic reporting;
  • Synchronized, highly cross-referenced documentation; and
  • Pre-delivery testing, including Factory Acceptance Testing, to ensure that systems are complete and correct prior to customer sign-off and shipping.

AKA has extensive field service and commissioning experience at client sites around the globe. In eleven years of operation, AKA has commissioned, supported and maintained automation and control systems both on-shore and off-shore in such areas as: the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, Washington, Newfoundland, Brazil, China, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Indonesia, France, Nigeria, Angola, Ghana, Chile, Uruguay, Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, the Canary Islands, Australia and India.

As part of our standard commissioning activities, we use our project database as a troubleshooting tool to provide support after commissioning. We incorporate real world I/O points linked to drawings and data maps, and include tag names, definitions and descriptions of various functions related to each tool. By hyperlinking all system schematics and associated drawing lists, we provide a searchable reference with direct links to all files.

Another aspect of AKA’s added value is our Circuit Board Repair Facility (CBRF). The CBRF develops, tests and repairs electrical components and circuit boards. The facility houses test equipment and a database for tracking fault symptoms and repair information as well as electronic copies of circuit board drawings and schematics. The CBRF is run by AKA’s Senior Electronics Engineer who has extensive experience in circuit design and component selection.