+46 21 417880 co@firstcontrol.se

First Control Systems AB

Experts in Automation

Self-tuning control

First Control has developed the adaptive technique further. It is today a standard function in the MicroController XC technological PLC, which can be used by any engineer familiar with PLC systems. The adaptive regulator in a modern framework is as easy to use as a PID but much more efficient.

Modular system design

First Control has introduced the FirstOpNet DCS system, consisting of a Scada network and MicroController XC adaptive control system. The system has a modular structure which makes the expansion possibilities almost unlimited. The system is easy to use by any control engineer without special software skill.

Technology for users

First Control supplies new control technology in the form of products and projects. The company acts as an independent supplier when more accurate control is required. We have successfully used modern control techniques in many projects during about 15 years. Nearly all developments have been made in close cooperation with customers.

Project expirence

First Control has made more than 200 project deliveries during many years, most of them within the steel and energy areas. The self-tuning control technique has resulted in a remarkable production improvement in many cases. Today there are more than 500 self-tuning regulators installed in different processes within cold rolling mills, continous casters, energy plants and chemical plants. The average improvement with self-tuning control is in the area 50-75% compared to conventional PID technique.

This is First Control

First Control was founded by Dr Gunnar Bengtsson in 1985. The purpose was to develop a completely new PLC system based on modern control technology and adaptive control

Company directors

Gunnar Bengtsson

Gunnar Bengtsson

CEO

Gunnar Bengtsson took his Ph.D. in Control Theory at Lund Institute of Technology in 1974 and got his professor title in 1980.

After helding positions as Visiting assistant professor at the University of Toronto and the University of Florida, he joined in 1977 ASEA Innovation (ABB Research of today). At ASEA he developed the first general adaptive control systems on the market, the Novatune and the Novamax systems with adaptive regulators, optimizing regulators and neural networks.

In 1985 he left ASEA to start up First Control Systems AB. He has been acting as General Manager since the company started and became the majority owner in 1991. He has been project leader in a large number of delivery projects and system developments, including the recent development of the MicroController XC technological PLC. He has designed adaptive control systems for many processes, including cold rolling mills, continous casters, paper machines, chemical plants and energy plants.

Gunnar Bengtsson has been responsible for several control systems with adaptive technique for industrial use. For this work he recieved the IEEE CSS Technology Award from the American organization IEEE.

Joakim Örneskans

Joakim Örneskans

System Manager

Joakim Örneskans took his M.Sci. degree in Technical Physics at Linköping Technical University in 1995. He has worked within the company since 1990 and became a permanent staff member in 1995. He as been responsible for all software developments in First Control’s products and systems since 1997.

Joakim is the system expert of the company with a profound knowledge of several system disciplines, ranging from PLC systems to operator platforms and communication software. He is the main inventor of the new FirstOpNet Scada system with its unique features developed together with customers and the new FirstGraph technique for programming automation systems. He has also been responsible for the MicroController XC software and embedded version developed for specific OEM customers.

In addition to his work as system manager, he has acted as project manager in a large number of deliveries to end customers

Company history

2013

A  new graphical tool FirstGraph for programming MicroController XC systems. The tool is based on new prinicples that will considerably reduce engineering time for an automation task.

2013

A new MicroController unit XC04F was presented which can be used as a PC based controller.

2012

A number of new system functions were included in the MicroController XC system standard such as Modbus TCP and others.

2010

A new MicroController XC04 for offline programming and simulation in Windows environment is introduced.

2009

The FirstOpNet DCS system with MicroController XC adaptive control system is introduced to the general market.

2005-2009

The FirstOpNet Scada system is extended to nearly all production in the Jönköping region. Many new support functions were added to the system, developed in cooperation with the production personnel at Jönköping Energy.

2003-2009

Different version of  MicroController XC are used in volumes by some companies as embedded systems, controlling MicroTurbines and Silicon Furnaces.

2007

A new DCS system for Cold Rolling Mills were  delivered to Outokumu Stainless, Långshyttan for a new high-precision Cold Rolling Mill. Many useful new functions were introduced, including the unique database replay funtion. The main contractor  was Mitsubishi-Hitachi, Japan.

2006

A third unit MicroController XC03 in the new generation of control system was introduced to the market. It is specially designed to fit steel applications.

2004

A second unit MicroController XC02 in the new generation of control system was introduced to the market.

2003

The first version of the FirstOpNet Scada system was delivered to Jönköping Energy, a large supplier of district heating in the middle of Sweden.

2003

The first unit MicroController XC01 in the third generation of control system was introduced. The unit was developed with the support of Turbec SPA, a supplier of Micro Turbines for the energy market.

1989-2002

A large number of project deliveries of adaptive control systems were made to various plants e.g. Paper machines, Rolling mills, Continuous Casters, Chemical plants, Steel furnaces etc. Some projects were done by First Control others by partners and end customers.

1993

The second generation of the adaptive PLC MicroController 20X was presented to the market.

1991

Gunnar Bengtsson became majority owner of the company.

1986

The first adaptive control system MicroController 08 system was introduced.

1985

First Control Systems AB was founded by Gunnar Bengtsson and two of his employees from  ASEA Innovation.