HIMA helps BASF achieve cost reduction and efficiency improvement at its integrated Zhanjiang site
As BASF's largest new project in China, the BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Site Project requires a lot of manpower and time for testing, especially the factory acceptance test (FAT), integrated factory acceptance test (IFAT) and loop test. To reduce these tasks, BASF introduced the HIMA Smart Safety Test Solution, which is a core component of HIMA's engineering, diagnostic and testing tool SILworX® [1] and can provide a flexible and efficient automated testing concept for the entire life cycle of the safety system.
Initially, BASF used traditional testing methods in the factory acceptance test (FAT) and integrated factory acceptance test (IFAT) of the first batch of work sections of the plant. During this process, the limitations of traditional methods and the testing challenges of complex control logic such as start-stop sequence control prompted BASF to seek more innovative testing solutions to meet higher project goals and improve testing efficiency.
BASF finally decided to use the HIMA Smart Safety Test Solution to automate the test process. Through this initiative, not only can the comprehensive testing of all static functions be completed automatically, but complex sequential control can also be automatically verified, and the test results can be automatically generated and recorded.
In the face of the challenges of time and scale of BASF's capital investment in China, while achieving project goals and ensuring the highest level of plant safety, innovative safety function implementation methods must be adopted. With the close cooperation of BASF and HIMA engineers, a new set of safety function testing and verification solutions were successfully implemented throughout the project.
This innovative automated testing solution improves testing efficiency and reduces costs, while effectively improving the quality and accuracy of each test link. Based on this, a large number of minor errors were discovered and eliminated in time during the testing process, which significantly shortened the FAT and IFAT cycle. The test report meets the requirements of the specification and greatly reduces the documentation work, including the report processing of manual tests.
The BASF team highly praised the test quality and delivery efficiency, and the two parties are currently actively discussing the application of this intelligent testing solution in the loop test and verification test in the subsequent plant operation stage.
Speaking about the project, Peter Sieber, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at HIMA Group, said: “The BASF Zhanjiang Integrated Site project perfectly illustrates the value creation capabilities of users and solution providers through collaborative innovation in engineering execution and operations. It also confirms that HIMA has always been committed to supporting customers to calmly cope with complex challenges in the field of functional safety through innovative technologies.”
[1] SILworX® is a professional engineering tool certified by TÜV Rheinland of Germany to meet the T3 level of the IEC 61508 standard. As a core component of the HIMA Smart Safety Platform, it can be flexibly expanded according to project requirements. On the basis of realizing core safety functions, it innovatively integrates Industry 4.0 functions and supports user-customized programming. Through efficient and flexible engineering solutions, SILworX® not only helps realize the digital future in the field of functional safety, but also creates sustainable added value for enterprises.
Image 1: HIMA and BASF China team at the smart safety test site (Image: HIMA Group)
Image 2: BASF China Zhanjiang Integrated Base Project (Image: BASF)
About HIMA Group
HIMA Group is a global independent supplier of safety-related automation solutions for the process and railway industries, protecting people, assets and the environment from harm. As a family-owned company with a century-old heritage, HIMA Group has been rooted in Brühl (Germany), a suburb of Mannheim, since its founding in 1908. In 2023, HIMA Group strategically acquired Sella Controls in the UK, and in 2024 successfully acquired Origo Solutions in Norway, continuing to strengthen its industrial layout in the field of global smart safety.
HIMA Group has more than 1,100 employees in 22 branches around the world. Regional headquarters are located in Breda, the Netherlands (Europe, HIMA Benelux), Stockport, UK (UK, Sella Controls), Norway (Scandinavia, Origo Solutions), Singapore (North and Southeast Asia, HIMA Asia Pacific), Perth (Australia and New Zealand, HIMA Australia), Shanghai (HIMA China), Dubai, United Arab Emirates (HIMA Middle East) and Houston, USA (North America, HIMA Americas).
The open and independent HIMA safety platform combines hardware and software on one technology platform and offers a unified safety concept. With more than 50,000 installed safety systems (SIL 3 / SIL 4, PL e, CENELEC SIL 4). In addition to proven safety technology, HIMA also provides consulting, safety engineering and services as well as training.
HIMA solutions ensure functional safety and OT safety, compliance, process efficiency and plant availability throughout the entire safety lifecycle.
As a safety expert, HIMA promotes the digitalization of functional safety and creates significant added value for customers with holistic safety solutions.
Since the 1960s, HIMA has been a trusted partner of the world's process industry giants, including chemicals, petrochemicals, energy and oil & gas.
Typical safety applications include emergency shutdown systems (ESD), fire and gas (F&G) systems, burner control/management systems (BCS/BMS), turbomachinery control (TMC), pipeline management control (PMC) with leak detection, high integrity pressure protection systems (HIPPS) for pipeline overpressure protection, subsea systems for deep sea and overfill protection systems for tank farms.
In 2015, HIMA revolutionized the railway industry with CENELEC SIL 4 certified safety PLCs. These commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products are open safety controllers that can be easily integrated into a variety of solutions. Today, HIMA also offers holistic safety solutions for applications such as level crossings, signal interlocking and rolling stock onboard systems. Our railway solution suite includes power SCADA for electrification, SCADA BMS for railway tunnel control, overspeed prevention systems, railway station interlocking systems and automatic door control.