Students modernize water system with Digital Twin

Two students from HELMo (Saint Laurent) University of Applied Sciences received the assignment to integrate new PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) into an existing water distribution system at a brewery's production site. The use of SIMIT, Siemens' Digital Twin technology, was crucial to this project. It enabled the students to digitally simulate the operation of all components in advance, minimizing downtime during actual installation.

The Siemens Industry Academy was launched in Wallonia at the end of 2023 with Haute École du Hainaut and HELMo University of Applied Sciences as new academic partners.

This milestone also marked the beginning of an active search for local industrial partners willing to host students as part of the Siemens Industry Academy (SIA). This gave students the opportunity to apply their knowledge in practice, work with the latest technologies, and gain firsthand insight into the job market. Soon after, the first contacts with a factory were established, and concrete assignments for the students were defined.

PLC Upgrade

"For this first project, we chose to upgrade a water distribution system at a brewery's production site," explains Michel Noerens, Senior Business Development Manager at Siemens BeLux. "This system, which is critical to beer production, was outdated, and the controllers that operated the various pumps and valves needed to be replaced. These were Siemens S5 PLCs that are no longer manufactured or supported. The goal was to integrate our latest generation S7 1500 PLCs and make the system future-proof."

Two enthusiastic HELMo students took on this project and began their work in early 2025. "Our mission involved mapping the old system and conducting a comprehensive functional analysis. Additionally, we had to program the new PLCs for various processes, such as pumping water from multiple sources, filling a raw water tank, and distributing treated water using TIA Portal, as well as setting up network communication and HMIs (human-machine interfaces) or management dashboards. All of this had to comply with the company's current engineering standards. The scale of the installation and the fact that there are five controllers with multiple HMIs that need to communicate with each other made the project quite complex," testify Bristhold Njalle Wendjeu and Géraldin Dassi Kamto, Bachelor's students in Automation at HELMo.

Digital Twin

To ensure a smooth commissioning process, the students worked with SIMIT – Siemens' Digital Twin technology. This allowed them to simulate in detail the operation and interaction of the new PLCs with other components. This innovative approach added an extra dimension to the project and aligned perfectly with the objectives of the Siemens Industry Academy (SIA). Through SIMIT, the students had the opportunity to work with a modern, practice-oriented solution, preparing them even better for the realities of the industrial job market.

Moreover, SIMIT also provided added value for the factory. "Simulating the new S7 PLCs allowed us to minimize commissioning time during installation. This was essential because the water distribution system supplies the entire factory, and production downtime had to be limited at all costs. Furthermore, this is the first time we've used such technology with this end customer. I certainly see other possibilities for the future," says the First Line Manager – Systems at the brewery.

Free Training and Software

Géraldin Dassi Kamto and Bristhold Njalle Wendjeu were prepared for their mission by Siemens. "Siemens provided the students with free access to the various software packages needed for this project. Additionally, through various sessions, we familiarized them with these solutions, and during their internship on-site, they could also contact our experts for support," testifies Michel Noerens.

"The level and knowledge of the students, as well as the support from Siemens experts, were of great importance to us. This is not a simple project, but rather a system that has a major impact on our daily operations and therefore must function as efficiently as possible. If the students had not been able to successfully complete this project, we would have experienced considerable delays," adds the brewery's First Line Manager.

The Start of a Career

It is now clear that Géraldin and Bristhold have delivered exceptional work. Following their internship during the academic year, they were offered summer student positions within the company. With the commissioning of part of the system, they see their work and efforts bearing fruit.

"I am particularly satisfied with the contribution of Bristhold and Géraldin. I have therefore suggested they start their careers with us, but both will continue their studies first. In this regard, the Siemens Industry Academy is very important to us. We are always looking for new technicians, and SIA enables us to increase this influx. It's a win-win situation. The fact that students can carry out a project with us means they can discover our operations and culture during their studies. At the same time, we can also get to know them and sense what they need as newcomers to the field. This information makes it easier to attract young talent," concludes the brewery's First Line Manager.