We recently took on a large project upgrading a metal forming operation at a Beryllium processing plant. The application utilizes two large DC motors, one to power the loading of raw material into the forming machine, and the other to power a bridle, ensuring the right tension, speed, and torque so the metal is formed to the correct thickness.
The motors were controlled by outdated programmable logic controllers (PLC), variable frequency drives (VFD), and human machine interfaces (HMI), and were obsolete within the Rockwell Automation product portfolio. This posed a liability to the organization in that if the line were ever to fail, it could’ve gone down for 4-6 months. The cost to the plant would’ve been significant.
Our team replaced the obsolete equipment with modern Rockwell Automation ControlLogix and FactoryTalk Optix solutions. We worked with the customer to build a solution within their budget, completing the project in two phases to spread the costs out over six months.
The customer can now quickly and easily get replacement parts and doesn’t carry the risk of production downtime.
Do you have an operation that needs updating? Give us a call.
Author:
Kim Phung
Automation Engineer
kphung@frommconnect.com