Elite Control Systems installs wireless system for Tarmac

The unmanned stacker and reclaimer machines are located in a fairly remote area of the plant and product travels along a rail track, creating a consistent accumulation of raw material. The stacker continues to transfer material onto a uniform stockpile until it senses that the level of product has reached its required height. Once a pile has been built, it will be reclaimed by the reclaimer and mixed with other raw materials, before being ground in the raw mill.

When Tarmac asked Elite Control Systems to assist Siemens in providing a way to monitor the stacker and reclaimer’s activities through the plant’s existing control system, a custom solution was devised. Usually, remote machines are connected by running cables in an expensive and disruptive installation procedure. By utilising a wireless solution, most of this installation work was not required, although a thorough preliminary assessment, involving an initial wireless audit, did need to be carried out. This was essential to ensure that the wireless solution could be implemented successfully.

Working closely with the manufacturer of the wireless equipment, Elite Control Systems carried out the assessment and then proceeded to install the specified Siemens Scalance wireless communication system. In this instance, the appropriate Industrial Wireless LAN (Scalance W786) components that comply with the required IEEE 802 standards were installed. This involved mounting the necessary wireless communication equipment at suitable points on the plant, stacker and reclaimer. The devices continuously transmit signals directly from the machines, which provides the necessary status information and makes it possible for plant engineers to remotely monitor the desired machine parameters. By further integrating this system into Tarmac’s existing network, the status of the stacker and reclaimer is now able to be visually displayed in the main PCS7 system control room.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldcement.com/europe-cis/21062017/elite-control-systems-installs-wireless-system-for-tarmac/