COMMTRAC BULK & BREAK BULK TERMINAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

System solution for Bulk & Break bulk handling & Terminals

Dry Bulk Information System is (DBIS)

Mahim Khanna, Sydney, DBIS

About DBIS
Delivering complete software solutions for bulk,
& break bulk facilities

Control systems & automation –

Conveyor systems, factories & ports

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 ABOUT DBIS
IBJ award for IT
Solution for
History in a nutshell Bulk Terminals

Founded as CommTrac Winner of the

First
specialist IBJ award for IT
Port
instrument Solution for
Project
engineers Bulk Terminals
in 2012
‘13
‘76 ‘95 ‘99 ‘03 ‘04 ‘10 ‘11 ‘12 ‘13
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‘12
4th generation
software released
Turnkey
Winner US US Associated Trml
Electrical and
Grain Elevator Mississippi River
Automation
and Processing
Projects
Society Award Acquired by TBA
for Innovation and part of
Terex
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 ABOUT DBIS

25 installations in 5 continents

GRAIN & AGRI STORES, BAGS, FERTILIZER,

COAL & ORES (+65 Mill Tones a year )
BREAK BULK
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System for bulk and break bulk
terminals
What we see and what needs to change

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A typical situation

Management
Operations

Customer

Finance Planning
Supervision

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System Disconnection
Customer
information
Progress reports,
order booking, stock
level
ERP
And many
Financials, Costs, CRM,
Taxes
others
Maintenance, vessel
Terminal management, etc.
management
system

Equipment
Control Measuring
(SCADA) devices
Weighing systems,
barcode and RFID
readers

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TMS in the IT landscape
Customer
interfaces
Progress
ERP reports, order
Financials, Costs, booking, stock
CRM, Taxes level

And many
Terminal
others
management
Maintenance, vessel
system management, etc

Equipment Measuring
Control devices
(SCADA) Weighing systems,
barcode and RFID
readers

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 USING TMS SYSTEMS RESULTS IN

All users sharing and benefitting

Management
Operations

TMS
Software
Customer

Finance Planning
Supervision

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 Integration & Control is key

Real time, accurate and auditable data

Control, Planning & Reporting

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TMS Functionality
Manage reception, storage and delivery

Control & Interface into PLC, Scada, weighing & automation

Real time overview of inventory tonnage and position

Real time overview of receival and packing progress

Real time overview of delays and variances

Provide accurate, error free information with provable compliance to QA

Contract management & charge functionality & integration into accounting

system

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Hard to get data

Mobile/Bar Codes/RFID

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 Automation & Measurement Sending the
cargo to the
correct
store

Tonnes over
weigh belts
Run time hours

Root cause of
faults

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 Weighing systems
Unmanned Driver Interface
with printer, trucks released
from site with correct
documentation, turn round
times logged

Barrier
integrated to
truck scale
system

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COMMTRAC TMS IN DETAIL FOR GRAIN BULK
 REAL TIME PROCESS VISUALISATION

As the vessel is unloaded the system updates in real time using data gathered
from the weighing & automation layer
 WHEN A SHIP ARRIVES

All the vessel data and documentation is stored in the system

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 STOCK & INVENTORY MANAGEMENT

Provide operators and managers with

• Real time visibility and Traceability

• Ease of use
• Procedural Management
• Blend Optimisation
• No contamination or mixing of cargo in error
STOCK OVERVIEW & BLENDING
 STOCK MANAGEMENT – BULK & BREAK BULK

Anytime, anywhere real time stock overview

Incorporate physical
separations like walls,
barriers, etc.

Easily identify different

commodities through user
defined colour Schemes

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HISTORY AND TRACEABILITY
 Customer contracts

CommTrac will display a summary of the customer contracts

 COMMTRAC IN DETAIL

Event Tracking Time line of events

recorded during process
activities

View events in
either graphical or
list form

Configurable event
types to allow root
cause analysis 31
User Configurable Checklists

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 TRUCK AND RAIL MANAGEMENT & WEIGHING

CommTrac controls weighing functions and automatically acquires the data

ensuring stable weighing and removing human error

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 MANAGING GATE, WEIGH BRIDGE & SILO ROUTES

Display a dynamic and user adjustable view of the weighbridge lanes and the bin layout, as well as an
overview of the current bin contents. The weighbridge operator has control and information from
this screen to select the route (Bin) for the vehicle on the bridge and will request auto or manual
weighs from the system.
Automatic Report Generation

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REPORTS
 COMMTRAC IN DETAIL

Automatic invoicing Review and approve

invoices before sending to
customers

Automatically generate
invoices against
configurable contract
terms, drastically reducing
administration

CommTrac Handles various

tax types
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 COMMTRAC IN DETAIL

Stakeholder portal
Allow customers to access
key data via secure web
portal

Real-time and historical

reports

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 MANY INTERFACE STANDARD

SCADA system such as Siemens, Rockwell, Citect, Wonderware etc

TMS integrates with Scada using OPS Server from KEP Ware. This
is a standard protocol to receive/send data to Scada
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 COMMTRAC FINANCIAL

- Set up complex pricing & contract structure

- Receiving, handling, delivery, bagging, storage charges

- Slap system, discounting for on time payment, volume discount

- Automatic invoicing, but allows manual invoice, credit notes

- Integration into accounting system through preconfigured connectors for

accounting software

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Key Performance Indicators (KPI) for
terminals
Business improvement

Measure
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 COMMTRAC IN DETAIL

KPI Easy to understand

graphical format process
data.

Information gathered
Accurate information
from automation
allows you to analysis
systems gives us
performance and help
reliable, accurate
make key decisions on how
process data. .
to improve. 46
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BULK GRAIN - CommTrac Existing facilities :

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Implementing CommTrac
Smooth implementation from start to
finish

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 IMPLEMENTATION

Steps to implementation
Business analysis
 Understand each others busisness

Questionnaire
 Fill in our questionnaire

Business Case
 Discuss and agree on business case

Budget indication
 Define min/max budget

Site visit

Functional requirements

Implementation

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 IMPLEMENTATION

Support from start to finish

Kick off Customer testing Go Live

 Discuss/agree project plan  Test functionality  Prepare go live

and schedule  Go live
 Support during go live
 Fine tune training

Configuration & Internal testing Maintenance & support

Customization (ongoing)
 Internal testing
 Write software and according to test plan  Solve bugs
configuration  Supply new releases
specification  Supply enhancements
 Write test plan
 Configuration and
customization

“CommTrac was up and running in just 10 weeks.”

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 IMPLEMENTING

What our clients say

“Using CommTrac our data is bullet proof, figures are
always accepted by our customers and our exposure to
loss claims has disappeared .”
Saad Kazi, National IT Manager, Grindrod Terminals, South Africa

“CommTrac delivers a tangible return on investment

for Peel Ports Liverpool through administrative
efficiencies, optimization of operational processes and
added value for our growing customer base.”
David Huck, Head of Port Operations at Mersey Docks, the UK

“CommTrac was implemented without a

minute of operational loss.”
James Reeson, trade manager Bristol Port company, the UK

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 Business case example

Business Function Minimum Best Case

Reduce Demurrage Costs $50,000 $100,000
Reduce Pilferage and Wastage $0 $0
Reduce Administrative Costs $81,250 $162,500
Improving Operational Performance $0 $50,000
Reduce claims by reducing Human Error $20,000 $20,000
Increase revenue by providing correct and transparent basis for
invoicing loaded tonnage, rent etc. $0 $0
Total $151,250 $332.500

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Selection of Automation Project references

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 SOME PAST REFERENCES

Contact : Mahim Khanna

DBIS (www.dbis.biz)
+61 468 719 077
mahim.khanna@tba.nl
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