ISA-SAIT Student Games

The ISA-SAIT Student Games, is the largest student-led industrial automation games in the world. The student games that is taking place on March 13th-March 16th, 2024, is the 11th year that the ISA-SAIT student section has run this event. The entire student games are planned, organized, led, and executed by the student board of directors, with the support of numerous students & faculty volunteers, as well as Instrumentation companies. All visiting students from around the world on the same IET program are placed on different teams. This forms teams of 3 visiting students, then add a local 2nd-year instrumentation student member from the MacPhail School of Energy to take away “home ice advantage”. It is the adoption of mixed-member teams that provides a genuine randomness of “everyone is equal until as a team you prove otherwise” in an already deep field/gathering of local and visiting automation students. It is this distinct circumstance that levels the playing field for ALL visitors, providing the same starting line, providing the same random team roster, and thereby allowing ALL schools of higher learning to be invited as participants, no matter the institute’s presence of specialty or not. Lifelong professional friendships and camaraderie are quickly developed due to the spirit of the games themselves.

Challenges

Analyzers (Analyzer Lab, KA-225) 

Students will be stationed in the analyzer lab, where analyzers of all shapes, styles, and functions are found. In completing these tasks, students will be tested on their ability to: 

1. Read and understand manufacturer documentation regarding specifications, verification, calibration procedures, and troubleshooting tips.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of basic physics and chemistry, including:
   1. Behavior of light
   2. Absorption and adsorption principles
   3. Understand the principle of operation of optical, dew point, and chromatographic analyzers.  

Device Maintenance (Flow Lab, KA-123) 

The Device Maintenance task is composed of four smaller sub-tasks. Each team will rotate around the four stations over the course of three hours. In completing these tasks, students will be tested on their ability to: 

1. Observe proper safety procedures when dealing with real process equipment.
2. Establish communications with transmitters using a HART communicator.
3. Diagnose and fix devices to make them operate as expected.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of basic-level measurement principles. 

Distributed Control Systems (DCS Lab, KA-127) 

Students will be provided with a physical simulation of a tank system, complete with functioning instrumentation, and connected to a DeltaV DCS. In completing this task, students will be tested on their ability to: 

1. Read and interpret instrumentation drawings.
2. Create Function Block Diagrams to implement the logic for the tank system.
3. Tune the loop using DeltaV software.
4. Commission the entire system to confirm correct operation. 

Loop Tuning (Process Lab, KA-112) 

Students will be provided with a physical simulation of a simple tank system. In completing this task, students will be tested on their ability to: 

1. Establish communications with a Siemens 353 controller.
2. Properly configure the controller for cascade operation.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of basic tuning principles.
4. Manually tune the loop such that the process value reaches a steady state in a reasonable timeframe. 

MacGyver (Maintenance Lab, KA-125) 

Students will be provided with a valve. In completing this task, students will be tested on their ability to: 

1. Observe safety procedures complete with requisite forms and documentation.
2. Create a rectifier circuit.
3. Bend and attach tubing to connect the valve to its air supply.
4. Properly configure and range the valve. 

SCADAPack (Data Dungeon, KA-016) 

Students will be provided with a SCADAPack RTU, a wireless temperature transmitter, a wireless base station, and a pair of wireless Ethernet radios. In completing this task, students will be tested on their ability to: 

1. Establish wireless communications from the transmitter to the base station.
2. Establish a wired serial connection between the base station and the RTU.
3. Program the RTU using Ladder Logic.
4. Transmit the data from the RTU to a computer using the wireless Ethernet radios. 

Lunch and Learns

These sessions serve as an opportunity for students to see more of what SAIT has to offer, and possibly learn new things. Sign-ups will be at breakfast and lunch. The meeting place for each of these Lunch & Learns will be in the lunch area (2nd Floor Johnson-Cobbe, NE corner by KA-201). 

Modbus TCP/RTU (DCS Lab, KA-127) 

Students will have the chance to connect to and control a VFD using either Modbus TCP or Modbus RTU. Each protocol comes with its own challenges. By the end of the session, students should have a greater understanding of how Modbus protocol works, and the structure of command words as used in instrumentation. Maximum 16 students for TCP and 16 students for RTU. 

Cenovus Energy Centre Tour (JA) 

Students will tour the Cenovus Energy Centre located on the SAIT Main Campus. Highlights of the tour include: 

1. Various boilers and hot water heaters
2. HVAC systems
3. A distillation column
4. An amine gas sweetening tower 

Maximum 16 students. Bring your PPE for this tour. 

Distillation Column Demonstration (KA-110) 

Students will be shown the distillation column located in the Johnson-Cobbe Building. Although the Cenovus tour also includes a distillation column, this demonstration will go much more in-depth as to its operation. Maximum 16 students. Bring your PPE for this demonstration.