Tag: Production Processing

The Commander S – AC Drive Controllers, Optimised for Simple Motion Cycles

Posted on by Rick Morgan

Leading the way in putting you in charge of motor control and making your processes more efficient is the latest addition to the Nidec Control Techniques motor drive portfolio. With a comprehensive feature set optimised for simple motion cycles the Commander S Drive range provides a cost-effective solution for drive applications that require plug and play convenience straight from the box.

The Commander S drive is the first drive to come with a built-in Near Field Communication (NFC) App interface as standard. The Marshal app (which is downloadable for free on a mobile device for Android/OS) is a revolutionary way to communicate wirelessly with a motor drive using NFC, covering commissioning, monitoring, diagnostic and support. The NFC technology utilised in these versatile drives has a communication time of less than 0.5s, helping to speed up and simplify your set-up times considerably.

Sleek Design Simple Operation

The sleek curved design and small footprint of the Commander S range optimises component layout and with easy access to angled terminals and the click-on/click-off DIN rail mount make installation remarkably easy. With a wide range of power, voltage, mains filter options and frame sizes available to choose from you are certain to find a model to suit your application and using the Marshall App you can be up and running in under 60 seconds.

As you might expect from Control Techniques, the performance of the Commander S range is guaranteed throughout its whole lifetime and is packed with features to help save you time, space, energy and money.

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The Marshall App – revolutionising the motor drive interface

Marshal is the motor drive expert in your pocket. A content rich interface means you can easily commission, clone parameters, back-up settings, share data and configurations via Outlook & OneDrive, diagnose issues and create report logs/error reports, visualise settings and monitor the drive in just a few taps of your smartphone’s screen.

commander s

Marshall App Advantages

  • Power off commissioning with FastStart assisted commissioning
  • Advanced parameter settings, pre-set application configurations
  • Easy parameter cloning and transfer, simple back-up process
  • Share configurations via Outlook, OneDrive, WhatsApp, export as PDF
  • Guided diagnostics, error logs and active error diagnosis
  • Quick view of parameter settings and drive status, restrict access
  • Easily visualise I/O, motor and speed settings

Commander S Motor Drive Features

  • NFC communication App interface
  • Power range 0.18 to 4 kW (0.25 to 5 HP)
  • Supply requirements 100V (100-120 V), 200V (200-240 V) 400 V (380-480 V)
  • Marshal App interface enables drive set-up in only 60 seconds
  • FastStart commissioning menu – 4 simple steps to get your motor running
  • 3 frame sizes available
  • Simple setup routines tailored to your application
  • Inputs and outputs – 2 Analogue Inputs, 1 output, 4 Digital inputs, 1 I/O, 1 Relay
  • Fixed display with 4 control buttons
  • RJ45 connector for Modbus RTU
  • Intelligent fan control reduces energy usage
  • Integrated C1 EMC filter for residential installations
  • Choose your preferred interface; Marshal App, drive keypad, Connect PC Tool
  • Finger proof terminals
  • Restrict unwanted access via a PIN

commander s

The Commander S AC Drive has been designed for a wide range of industrial motor control tasks, including:

  • Fan, Pump, Compressors
  • Improved energy efficiency during low demand
  • PID functionality -advanced control, no need for an external controller
  • Avoid equipment resonant frequencies & reduce high-vibration levels
  • Catch an already spinning motor to reduce start-up time and increase productivity
  • Motor thermal protection prevents overheating during operation

Conveyors, treadmills, automatic doors & barriers

  • Reliable speed control with onboard communications
  • S-ramp acceleration/deceleration profiling minimising machine jerk
  • Linear V to F with a controllable boost to get the machine running
  • Drive overload capacity up to 150% for increased acceleration or load changes
  • DC braking with stop indication

Industrial Processing

  • Mixers, crushers, agitators, centrifuges, kneaders, spinning & braiding machines for textile
  • Ease of integration to external PLC or other systems with on board communications
  • Stability optimiser for improved motor control
  • Resistance compensation for excellent torque performance
  • Built-in EMC filter effectively reduces electromagnetic Interference

The Commander S is the next in line of a hugely successful portfolio of innovative advanced motor drive products from Nidec Control Techniques that are available to buy today from Kempston Controls, your trusted industrial processes and control supplier.

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FlexAlert from Trumeter, the Perfect Universal Small-form Countdown Timer

Posted on by Rick Morgan

The FlexAlert is a lightweight, small-form Countdown Timer range that can be used in a wide variety of applications where a countdown and reminder notification is required. This capable range of timers can be easily attached in the location required where they can be left to count down to the pre-set duration. When the allocated time-period has been reached the timer will produce an audible alert warning users that attention is required within a specific process or application, which will continue until it has been turned off. Typically, this alert will run for a minimum of 60 days until the timer has been reset so there can be no excuses!

Ideal for Service Intervals

The FlexAlert’s flexibility and versatility make it an ideal unit for domestic and industrial uses, suitable for a wide variety of applications that require interval notifications such as service intervals and equipment checks as well as reviews and component changes. Designed to be tamper resistant, the time interval is pre-set by design and requires the use of a screwdriver to access the battery reset function. Dependable, the FlexAlert range of small-form countdown timers ensures that those important activities are carried out on time, every time.

Compact and lightweight in design, only 40 mm in diameter and a tiny 60 grams in weight, this versatile range of countdown timers are small and discrete enough to be placed just about anywhere. Available with a wide range of standard options there is a countdown timing alert solution readily available straight out of the box.

FlexAlert Models Available:

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Easy to Install, Simple to use

Cable tie and hook and loop mounting fixtures help ease installation and the FlexAlert range is simple to use as well, just place one timer with a specified countdown interval in the location desired, pull the battery insulation tab free to start the timer and go. Suitable for use just about anywhere without making changes to an installation with their unobtrusive and sleek design

 

 

FlexAlert Countdown Timer Specifications

  • Timer Type – Alert Timer, audible beep, minimum 60 days until reset
  • Alert amplitude – >50 dB A
  • Manual Reset function
  • Unobtrusive design
  • Uses readily available CR2032 Battery (1000 days typical life)
  • Supplied with hook and loop adhesive pad and 200 mm cable tie
  • Protection rating – IP30
  • Dimensions 39.7 x 18.3 mm (16 mm deep without fixing pad)
  • Operating temperature -10 to + 60 ° C
  • Storage temperature -20 to + 70 ° C
  • Weight – 16 grams
  • White in colour
  • Design life – 10 years

Powered by the common CR2032 battery (with a typical life of 1000 days) that ensures you will never be searching for expensive hard-to-source batteries on a regular basis. Whatever you countdown timing application requirements the Trumeter FlexAlert range is here to help you achieve your goals. The FlexAlert can also be customised to meet your applications requirements with options including countdown timer duration and customer branding, speak to Kempston Controls for availability.

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PS1000 Power Supplies from Pepperl + Fuchs for ATEX Zones 2/Div. 2

Posted on by Rick Morgan

The Pepperl + Fuch PS1000 Power Supplies have been created for industrial applications where high system availability, redundancy and efficiency are demanded. In industrial and process systems, control cabinets and field boxes, the PS1000 range of power supplies ensures a reliable and efficient power supply from 5 to 40 Amps, for 12 VDC, 24 VDC or 48 VDC output.

Designed with versatility and for extended use, the PS1000 Power Supplies feature ATEX, IECEx, and EAC approvals and can be utilised in applications up to ATEX Zone 2/Div.2. The extensive range includes 1 and 3-phase power supplies, redundancy modules and PSUs with built-in redundancy. Suitable for universal use across all sectors, including applications with stringent requirements on reliability and quality and providing optimal immunity to interference.

Reducing Costs and Improving Efficiency

The PS1000 power supplies have reliability built-in and are up to 95% efficient. This efficiency reduces the need for additional hardware, due to minimal losses in terms of the power fed in, minimising cabinet cooling and reducing energy costs.

Compact, the PS1000 takes up very little space and is easily mounted on DIN rails and can be used in ambient temperatures of up to +70 °C, the cable length can be compensated in the application as the output voltage is adjustable.

Versatile Combinations

These versatile power supplies can be combined with other Pepperl+Fuchs DIN rail mounted devices in the control cabinet, including intrinsic safety barriers, signal conditioners and surge protection modules. When the input voltage is applied, the inrush current is actively limited, and networks and devices are protected. The ‘Peak Output Power function’ enables heavy loads such as motors and electronic devices to be switched on.

The Features at a Glance

  • Compact design saves space in cabinets
  • Suitable for a wide range of applications including Zone 2/Div. 2
  • Withstands temperatures up to +70 °C
  • N+1 and 1+1 redundant power supply configurations
  • Excellent energy efficiency – up to 95 %
  • Low inrush currents protect the network and components
  • Remote control for ON/OFF
  • I/O Link option
  • Relay contact for remote monitoring
  • Safe operation due to uninterrupted voltage supply of up to 40 A

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Redundant Power Supplies

Power supply redundancy is important for increasing system reliability. Industrial facilities depend on bulk power supplies as they power the control system architecture and the process measurement instrumentation. Business critical applications can’t afford to be offline due to a power supply failure which could lead to a substantial amount of lost revenue for every minute the process is down.

This need for system integrity and dependable performance in demanding conditions necessitates power redundancy. N+1 and 1+1 are two reliable redundancy methods that ensure system functionality even during a power failure.

PS1000 Power Supplies

N+1 and 1+1 Topology?

The PS1000 Power Supplies can be used redundantly in both an N+1 and a 1+1 topology. With an N+1 redundant configuration, multiple components (N) have at least one independent backup component (+1) ensuring continued functionality during power loss. All the modules in a configuration share the load and if a system module fails, the functioning modules continue to share the load without compromising system integrity.

The 1+1 configuration provides redundancy with 2 power modules of the same power coupled by a MOSFET to supply the same load. Using MOSFETs instead of diodes in the redundancy function reduces heat generation and the voltage drop between input and output.

Utilising Redundancy with the PS1000 Power Supplies

These capable power supplies can be used in redundant topologies by using an external redundancy module (PS1000 XXX. RM) that has a decoupling MOSFET on the input, allowing for the connection of 2 power supplies for 1+1 redundancy, or by using a (PS1000 XXX. R) power supply with a decoupling MOSFET for limited space applications.

For power applications requiring less than 40 Amps, 1+1 redundancy is an economical solution when a redundant power system is required, N+1 is for critical applications. The versions featuring IO-Link offer a future-proof interface that allows comprehensive diagnostics and configuration processes to be carried out during operation.

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A Change is Brewing – the VLT AutomationDrive FC 302 – Making Beer Smarter

Posted on by Rick Morgan

Within industry today terms such as ‘Smart Maintenance’, ‘Smart Factory’ and the ’Factory of Tomorrow’ are becoming more and more commonplace.

These terms are the ideal end goal for many businesses, ultimately leading to a highly efficient and well-run operation.  Making the transition to a Smart Factory isn’t without its challenges and can feel more like a leap into the unknown, rather than a small step in the right direction.

Brewing giant HEINEKEN decided that to secure a more robust and sustainable future in its Netherlands based Den Bosch facility, required stepping into unknown territory by using the innovation offered by Danfoss VLT drives with integrated condition-based monitoring (CBM) capabilities to reach their goals.

By 2025 the European beer market is expected to have grown by a further 15.2%, HEINEKEN knows that to meet this expected growth their production lines must always be on task with all assets delivering a reliable and consistent performance 24/7.

VLT AutomationDrive FC302

Producing beer on a large scale can be demanding, and with all applications containing difficult to access motors Heineken faced costly and lengthy disruptions whenever a machine fault occurred.

Danfoss was tasked with helping the brewery to:

  • Increase uptime
  • Lower overheads
  • Improve management of spare parts and stock
  • Access new levels of machine data
  • Boost application and system performance

Technology with the Edge

Danfoss Drives proposed HEINEKEN install VLT AutomationDrive FC 302 drives with embedded intelligence, connectivity, and sensor capabilities. Condition-based monitoring signals were integrated into the brewery’s maintenance system using edge computing.

The brewery also utilised some vibration sensors and Danfoss assisted further with project scoping, commissioning, training, as well as holding workshops.

As the VLT drives also support existing industrial ethernet communication interfaces and software such as VLT Motion Control Tool MCT 10, meant that HEINEKEN didn’t have to invest in new parallel systems as part of the upgrade.

Jan Brouwers, Detail Engineer at HEINEKEN’s Den Bosch said – ‘Condition Based Monitoring is a great addition to an already very good drive. Now, HEINEKEN is standardised on the VLT AutomationDrive FC 302.’

VLT AutomationDrive FC302

An Optimised Conclusion

The VLT Motion Control Tool MCT 10 plug-in was a game changer, enabling seamless commissioning with consistent parameter settings, with the power to gather more critical application data in real time than ever before. HEINEKEN, thanks to the efforts of Danfoss Drives, was able to optimise its Den Bosch production line while solving all its pain points while building a total value proposition.

As a result, HEINEKEN retrofitted the rest of its drives in its other facilities with condition-based monitoring functionality. The Den Bosch upgrade proved that condition-based monitoring is no longer a premium product meant for a few critical assets, but an affordable solution for all.

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Pinch Valves for Single Use Applications? You need the Emerson ASCO Series 273!

Posted on by Rick Morgan

Pinch valves are an ideal solution for controlling the flow of processing media through a flexible pipe, which is the only wetted part, situated within the pinch valve mechanism itself. This flexible pipe, which helps prevent other components from suffering from contamination during operation, is pinched closed either by the application of fluid pressure or via mechanical means within the valve body, compressing the pipe and ‘pinching closed’ the flow path mechanically.

Emerson ASCO, renowned for high-quality pneumatic valves and fluid automation solutions, created the ASCO Series 273 Pneumatic Pinch Valves for the life sciences market and food & beverage applications. Featuring an innovative design for improved tube retention and a longer lifecycle, this range of pinch valves expands their extensive pneumatic valve offering to single-use batch applications in bioreactor and fermentation tanks, tangential flow filters (TFF), chromatography skids and similar drug discovery lab applications.

Innovative, these durable pneumatic pinch valves feature a pinching mechanism that remains firmly in place, providing better tube retention and eliminating breakage or damage to the soft tubing. They also include a safety guard to prevent exposure to moving parts, as well as a manual override feature that lets operators insert or remove tubing without actuating the valve during unplanned batch switching.

No process media contact

These pneumatically actuated pinch valves make no contact with process media, feature a high life cycle and provide a reliable pinching force over repeated use. Available in anodised aluminium and 316 stainless steel versions these pneumatic pinch valves are suitable for peroxide fumigation and include a position indication option for valve on/off status feedback.

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Pinch Valve Benefits

  • No contact with the process media
  • Easy insertion and removal of flexible tubing
  • High tube pinching cycles, up to 20,000
  • Better retention and protection of tubing during pinching cycles
  • Easy to use built-in protective safety guard
  • Manual override allows for tube insertion removal without valve actuation

Pinch valves in situ

Series 273 Pneumatic Pinch Valve Technical Features

  • 2-way normally open (NO) and normally closed (NC) versions
  • Tube outer diameter range options (OD): 3/8 to 1 inch
  • Tube hardness: 55–80 Shore A (Gamma radiated)
  • Tube material – Silicone, cflex374, 082 and Tygon
  • Media pressure: up to 6 BAR (90 PSIG)
  • Air operating pressure: 4.8 to 10 BAR (70 to 145 PSIG)
  • T-Groove for switch contact
  • Valve position detection: open or closed
  • Media – Inert gases or liquids

 

The 273 Series Pneumatic Pinch Valves target single-use batch applications in the pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical markets but are also suitable for numerous food and beverage production tasks. The pinch valves can be actuated using ASCO Series 501 or Aventics AV Series pneumatic valve manifolds and ASCO 580 CHARM electronics, which seamlessly integrate into the DeltaV distributed control system.

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Kempston Controls and the SICK SPEETEC Sensor Help Solve a Real Steel Processing Problem

Posted on by Rick Morgan

Recently, Kempston Controls eagerly answered the call when TATA Steel Tubes, who are based in Corby, Northants, called asking for a demonstration of the versatile non-contact SICK SPEETEC sensor to help them solve a processing issue.

TATA Steel Tubes manufactures a wide range of steel products and they were looking for a way of using the SPEETEC sensor system to monitor the speed of tubing travelling through a process, and another SPEETEC sensor to verify the length of the material being cut.

After an initial discussion with the engineering manager at TATA Steel a demonstration was arranged. A member of Kempston Controls technical sales team, along with a sensor specialist from SICK would be onsite. The production line would be stopped so they could set-up and test the advanced SICK SPEETEC sensor within the actual process itself.

The operating environment in a steel processing plant is, as you can imagine, very demanding, and during the demonstration the sensor was sprayed with industrial machine coolant and exposed to swarf from the cutting process which had no effect on the performance of the robust non-contact SPEETEC sensor.

During the Demonstration the Following Issues were Found:

  • The existing process demanded that an encoder be mechanically coupled to the tube, resulting in a potential for damage to valuable equipment and material
  • The speed reference provided to the flying saw was incorrect, resulting in angled cuts in the tubing with unwanted axial forces being placed on the cutting blade. Ultimately leading to damage to the processing equipment and unwanted down time
  • The typical speed of operation was 20m/min – 180m/min
  • For the second cut-to-length application the goal was to reduce material tolerances and waste

The Actual  SICK SPEETEC sensor within the Processing Machine

The Savings

The invoice cost of steel tube at the time of installation was approximately – £1000/ton. The Kempston Controls technical sales engineer based the calculation around using a typical mild steel tube of 50mm diameter and a 3mm wall thickness weighing 3.5 kilograms per metre. The steel processing line was running at approximately 90 metres per minute.

Assuming the tolerance could be reduced by 0.1% this would result in an additional invoice value of material of:

  • 90 x 3.5 x 0.1 / 100 = 0.315 Kg per minute
  • If the process was to be run continuously for 8 hours this would equate to 0.315 x 8 x 60 = 151.2 Kg
  • At £1000/ton that effectively means £151.20 per 8-hour shift

On this basis alone TATA Steel would see the return on investment of a SICK SPEETEC sensor system in only a matter of weeks!  Over a longer period-of-time the process savings will quickly add-up, not just by reducing the manufacturing cost of the product itself, but also by improving the reliability of the process, through-put, reducing wear on process machinery, and helping to keep downtimes to a minimum.

The SPEETEC Sensor

The rugged and maintenance-free non-contact SICK SPEETEC laser surface motion sensor has been designed to detect movement via the surface of a product. Measuring the speed, length, movement direction and the position of objects of almost any surface type. The ideal solution for use in encoder-based applications that feature fast and dynamic processes.

SPEETEC Sensor Features

  • Non-contact measurement speed, length, and position of objects
  • Compatible with multiple materials, colours, and surfaces
  • Very high measurement accuracy and repeatability, speeds up to 10 m/s
  • Laser class 1, rugged design, compact dimensions, low weight
  • Standardised communication interface
  • Maximum resolution 10 m/s
  • Wear free

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Read More about the SICK SPEETEC Sensor Here