INL Nanotechnology Lab Building Management System Case Study

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INL Nanotechnology Lab Building Management System Case Study

Case study of ICONICS GENESIS32 HMI/SCADA deployment for INL's 28,000 m2 research facility with 14,000 I/O points controlling clean rooms and labs.

Published

June 4, 2026

Read time

3 min read

Source

Details the 2009 implementation of a Building Management System at the International Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory in Braga, Portugal. The system integrates HVAC, process utilities, fire detection, and environmental monitoring across clean rooms (ISO 5/6), high-accuracy labs requiring ±0.1°C control, and wet/dry laboratories. Over 100 B&R controllers and 60 Beckhoff PLCs connect via OPC to GENESIS32, with SQL logging for FDA 21 CFR Part 11 compliance.

Key takeaways

GENESIS32 integrated 14,000 I/O points across HVAC, utilities, and safety systems using OPC connectivity

Clean room HVAC operates 24/7 with zero downtime tolerance; failure requires full experiment restart

High-accuracy rooms maintained ±0.1°C temperature control with electromagnetic shielding up to 120 dB

Development time and costs reduced 50% versus other SCADA platforms through Global Aliasing and OPC openness

SQL-based historical data, alarms, and audit trails implemented for FDA 21 CFR Part 11 regulatory compliance

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