Service
Your food and beverage operation runs on precision — every batch, every cycle, every shift. DPS designs, programs, and integrates full-scope process automation systems including PLC programming, SCADA architecture, recipe management, and batch control purpose-built for FDA- and USDA-regulated manufacturing environments. We turn manual bottlenecks into repeatable, data-driven processes that protect quality and drive throughput.
Schedule A Consultation
DPS · Automation & Controls
Construction Risk Factors
Most mid-market food and beverage manufacturers we encounter are running facilities where critical process knowledge lives inside one or two operators’ heads — not inside a control system. Production schedules depend on tribal knowledge, batch consistency varies shift to shift, and the data needed to make capital decisions simply does not exist in any accessible form. When a key operator leaves or a customer audit surfaces traceability gaps, the cost of that fragmentation becomes painfully real. These are not hypothetical risks. They are the conditions we walk into on nearly every initial site assessment across the United States.
Challenge 01
Without standardized recipe management and automated batch control, product variation creeps in through manual ingredient additions, subjective temperature calls, and undocumented process deviations — all of which put SQF and BRC audit scores at risk.
Challenge 02
Operators managing disconnected equipment have no unified view of throughput, downtime causes, or utility consumption, making it impossible to identify the true constraint on a line running below rated capacity.
Challenge 03
FDA’s Preventive Controls rule and USDA FSIS requirements demand verifiable electronic records for critical control points. Paper logs and disconnected PLCs cannot satisfy a modern food safety audit at scale.
Challenge 04
Without a controls partner who understands food process economics, manufacturers end up specifying automation platforms far beyond what the application requires — or worse, under-specifying and facing a full rip-and-replace within two years of commissioning.
The DPS Solution
DPS approaches every automation and controls engagement through our Design-Build-Manage methodology, which means your control system is never an afterthought bolted onto someone else’s mechanical design. Our process engineers define the functional requirements, our controls engineers architect the PLC and SCADA platform, and our project management team coordinates physical installation and commissioning — all under one contract, one schedule, and one point of accountability. For food and beverage manufacturers operating in FDA- and USDA-regulated categories, this integration eliminates the specification gaps that typically surface when a separate controls integrator inherits a partially complete mechanical scope.
We begin every project with a detailed process review and controls narrative — not a generic quote. That means mapping each unit operation, defining control sequences in plain-language functional descriptions, and aligning the automation scope to your actual production targets and budget constraints. Our team has executed PLC programming and SCADA system deployments across beverage co-packing lines producing over 20 million cases annually, protein processing facilities running multi-species programs, and aseptic filling environments requiring validated CIP and SIP sequences. Every platform we deliver is built for the operator who will use it at 2 a.m. on a Saturday — intuitive HMI screens, clear alarm hierarchies, and recipe structures that production staff can manage without calling an engineer.
Because DPS operates as an owner’s representative and operational advisor — not just a controls contractor — we routinely identify automation-first solutions that eliminate the need for large capital expenditures. In one engagement, our team resolved a client’s $3 million capacity constraint through a targeted PLC logic adjustment at no charge, which subsequently led to a $6 million facility relocation project where the trust had already been established. That is the business-first philosophy behind everything we integrate.
Key Capabilities
Integrated engineering, operational, and project capabilities designed to support efficient, scalable, and reliable production environments.
Custom ladder logic, structured text, and function block programs developed on Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and other major platforms for process control, safety interlocks, and high-speed sequencing across food and beverage unit operations.
Full supervisory control and data acquisition architecture including server configuration, real-time process visualization, historical trending, and role-based access designed for multi-line F&B production environments.
ISA-88-aligned recipe structures that allow production teams to manage formulations, ingredient scaling, and batch sequencing directly from the HMI — reducing changeover time and eliminating manual transcription errors.
Automated clean-in-place and sterilize-in-place sequences with full parametric data logging for FDA and USDA compliance, integrated with process scheduling to minimize non-productive time between production runs.
Real-time monitoring and automated control of boiler, compressed air, glycol, refrigeration, and HVAC systems to reduce per-unit energy cost while maintaining critical environmental parameters in temperature-sensitive processing areas.
Integration of new automation layers into existing brownfield facilities — migrating legacy relay logic or outdated DCS platforms to modern PLC/SCADA infrastructure without extended production shutdowns.
The DPS Integrated Advantage
The table below outlines DPS’s standard automation and controls service scope across food and beverage facility projects. Actual deliverables are tailored to each engagement based on process complexity, regulatory requirements, and production scale.
Scroll horizontally to compare every column on smaller screens.
| Domain | Scope | Deliverables |
|---|---|---|
| PLC Programming | Unit operation control, safety interlocks, motion control, high-speed counting | Functional description, PLC code (IEC 61131-3), I/O list, FAT/SAT protocols |
| SCADA / HMI | Process visualization, alarming, historical data, reporting dashboards | SCADA architecture drawing, HMI screen navigation map, alarm rationalization matrix |
| Batch Control | ISA-88 recipe structures, phase logic, batch reporting | Recipe master templates, batch records with electronic signatures, changeover procedures |
| Recipe Management | Multi-product formulation control, ingredient scaling, version tracking | Recipe database, access-controlled editor interface, audit trail configuration |
| CIP/SIP Automation | Sequence control, chemical dosing, parametric monitoring | CIP circuit P&IDs, validated cycle reports, deviation alarm configuration |
| Energy Management | Utility monitoring, load scheduling, demand response integration | Utility dashboard, baseline consumption report, automated setpoint optimization |
| Network & Infrastructure | Industrial Ethernet, managed switches, segmented VLANs, cybersecurity hardening | Network topology drawing, firewall rule set, remote access policy documentation |
| Commissioning & Startup | Loop checks, point-to-point verification, operational tuning, operator training | Commissioning punch list, training manuals, as-built control system documentation |
Project Planning Guide
Controls should make an agreed process repeatable and understandable. They cannot resolve an undefined production sequence or create capacity that the physical system does not have. Effective automation starts with operating requirements and clear interfaces to equipment, utilities, people, and plant information systems.
Review the engineering solutions roadmap to connect control development with design and startup. The process engineering guide describes the technical basis that software and instrumentation must support.
Describe normal production, product changeover, cleaning, maintenance, startup, shutdown, and abnormal conditions. For each mode, identify operator permissions, equipment states, permissives, interlocks, and the conditions needed to advance to the next step.
Discuss recovery as carefully as normal operation. What happens after loss of power, a failed sensor, interruption of a transfer, or an incomplete cleaning sequence? Determine which information must be retained and which actions require operator or quality approval before restarting.
For line modernization, record existing behavior before modifying software. A plant may rely on undocumented sequencing or manual workarounds that must be understood before they can be replaced safely.
Define the boundaries between PLC logic, HMI screens, SCADA, recipe management, production reporting, and any existing business systems. Specify naming conventions, time synchronization, data ownership, retention needs, and the meaning of recorded events.
Identify which recipe parameters are adjustable, who can change them, and how versions are approved. Alarm priorities should reflect the action and response required; a large alarm list is not the same as useful operator guidance. Confirm the information needed to distinguish a process fault from a communication or instrument fault.
Agree software backups, version control, network documentation, license ownership, and spare-part requirements. Coordinate remote access with the plant’s IT and security policies. Document account permissions and support boundaries rather than leaving shared access as an informal arrangement.
Build tests from the functional requirements. Supplier testing can check logic, screen behavior, and simulated conditions. Site testing must verify real field signals, device responses, interlocks, and the installed equipment interfaces. Product trials and food safety verification remain separate responsibilities where required.
Record test results, unresolved deviations, and approval to proceed. Train operators and maintenance staff using the actual modes and fault-recovery paths they will encounter. Retain a known software version and agreed rollback approach for controlled cutovers.
If the goal is higher output, use the bottleneck optimization guide to establish which losses automation can actually address. Faster sequences will not solve a constraint caused by insufficient utility capacity or downstream handling.
Bring:
Start with a written functional description that operations, maintenance, engineering, and quality can review. Platform selection and programming should follow that shared understanding.
Project Verification Questions
Quick answers to the questions we hear most often from prospective clients evaluating automation partners.
Our controls engineers program across all major PLC platforms including Allen-Bradley ControlLogix and CompactLogix, Siemens S7-1500, and other architectures based on your facility’s existing install base and corporate standards. We recommend the platform that best fits your application complexity, spare parts strategy, and in-house maintenance capability rather than defaulting to a single vendor. Every program is delivered with full documentation, including functional descriptions, I/O lists, and annotated code, so your team or any future integrator can support the system independently.
Yes — brownfield integration is a core part of our project portfolio. We develop detailed cutover plans that phase new PLC and SCADA systems into live production environments during scheduled maintenance windows or planned downtime. Our commissioning process includes pre-tested code validated through factory acceptance testing before any field deployment, which significantly reduces on-site integration time and risk to your production schedule.
Every automation platform we deliver for FDA- or USDA-regulated facilities is designed with electronic recordkeeping, audit trails, and alarm logging aligned to 21 CFR Part 11 principles and FSMA Preventive Controls requirements. For SQF- and BRC-certified sites, we configure systems to capture critical control point data automatically, generate deviation alerts in real time, and produce batch records that auditors can review without requesting manual log books. Compliance is built into the architecture from day one — not patched in after an audit finding.
Our automation and controls scopes range from targeted PLC upgrades and single-line SCADA deployments starting around $400,000 to comprehensive facility-wide control system programs exceeding $5 million as part of larger capital projects. DPS serves manufacturers with revenues of $20 million and above across all 50 states and Canada. Whether the engagement is a standalone controls retrofit or the automation layer within a full Design-Build-Manage project, we apply the same engineering rigor and documentation standards.
We deliver every system with the intent that your operations team can run it independently — that includes operator training, complete as-built documentation, and clearly structured PLC code. For clients who want continued partnership, we offer remote monitoring support, periodic system health reviews, and programming modifications as production requirements evolve. Our goal is to build capability inside your organization, not to create a dependency on outside engineering.
Connect Planning With Production
Compare these decisions with the relevant industry requirements and published project examples. A case describes its own scope and outcome, not a performance commitment for a different facility.
Industry Requirements
DPS designs dairy beverage production lines for flavored milk, protein drinks, and yogurt, integrating thermal processing, blending, filling, CIP, and controls.
Review Deliverables for Dairy-Based BeveragesIndustry Requirements
DPS plans beef, poultry, and plant-based protein facilities with coordinated process flows, equipment, utilities, automation, installation, and capital planning.
Review Deliverables for Protein ProcessingPublished Case
DPS delivered a 350,000 lbs/week ground beef line in an active Los Angeles plant, coordinating 12 subcontractors and early production by Week 11.
Review Project ContextConnect The Next Decision
Scenario
Improve an existing line through a focused upgrade that accounts for equipment condition, control behavior, operating constraints, and the production restart.
Key decision: Separate the performance problem from the proposed equipment or software replacement.
Planning Checklist for Line Retrofit & ModernizationScenario
Identify the constraint that limits saleable output, test its causes, and evaluate targeted changes before assuming additional equipment is necessary.
Key decision: Determine what constrains the line at the actual product mix, not at an isolated machine’s best rate.
Planning Checklist for Production Bottleneck OptimizationSolution
Translate product and production requirements into a coordinated process design, with clear interfaces between equipment, utilities, sanitation, and controls.
Key decision: Establish the operating requirements before selecting equipment or freezing the layout.
Planning Checklist for Process Engineering & DesignFrom Planning To Execution
Share your product mix, capacity targets, current constraints, and project timeline. Start a conversation about the scope and decisions your project needs.
Discuss your engineering, equipment, or facility plans with the DPS team.
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