Our team has extensive experience in the dairy industry and has a thorough understanding of the process controls of these production facilities. We understand customer requirements and deliver the best results.
The Butter Retemp Project features one of the largest dairy processors in California as our customer. As such, they always aim to deliver the best quality products to their customers, which requires some process improvements. With this project, the purpose was to improve butter production efficiency and reliability with the integration of new logic into the existing Programmable Logic Controller (PLC).
This project consisted of two key components:
1. PLC Integration:
- New logic was integrated into the existing PLC based on the customer’s functional description. This ensures seamless communication between various equipment and streamlines the butter production process.
2. Pneumatic Control Panel:
- Our team designed and constructed a custom control panel specific to the customer’s process needs.
With these considerations in mind, our team implemented the following process:
1. PLC Programming:
- Programming the PLC to monitor/control:
- Valves
- Flow Meters
- Pumps
- Motor Starters
- The automated process minimizes downtime and eliminates manual labor.
2. HMI (Human Machine Interface) Programming:
- By creating an integrated graphical representation on the HMI, it enabled a more efficient monitoring and management of the butter production process.
- Having a simple and user-friendly graphical representation with standard color coding allowed operators to quickly monitor and control the system as needed.
To ensure that the implementation of the process improvements was working smoothly, our team conducted the following quality assurance procedures:
1. Factory Acceptance Test (FAT):
- Thorough and detailed FAT ensures:
- All devices are operating as expected.
- Hardware components are free from damage.
- The system meets the customer’s design specifications and is visually pleasing and comprehensive.
2. Onsite Startup:
- Verifying that the control panel functions as intended on-site.
- Any necessary addition of user controls during startup to ensure customer convenience and needs are satisfied.
- Operator training for a smooth user control.
Results
The Butter Retemp Project resulted in control optimization, reduced labor, and ensured optimal quality in butter production. The rigorous testing and integration of new technology contributed to reliable and efficient processing.
These improvements give the customer ease, knowing that their process control is running efficiently, and their product is being produced with quality and uniformity.
To get in touch with us and learn about how we can help you increase efficiency and enhance process controls contact us today!
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