Case Study

Ceramics Hot Press Control Panel Retrofit:

Overview:

A major automotive manufacturer needed to upgrade a control panel for a ceramic substrate hot press used in the high volume manufacturing of transmission control modules. Their existing panel was approximately 30 years old, and the Bosch PLC had long been obsolete, as well as several other key components. While we had been servicing them by repairing the obsolete parts, the funds finally became available for an upgrade.

Scope of Work:

AFI Systems designed and built a complete new control panel utilizing an Allen-Bradley Control Logix PLC system. A new 175KVA transformer was installed to transform the 480V three phase plant power down to 380VAC to accommodate the existing heaters, which had been shipped over from Germany. The PLC was programmed to match an existing machine that had already been retrofitted using a Control Logix system, with necessary debug and changes made to accommodate any differences between the two systems.

GE iFIX software was used for the HMI and SCADA Historian on an Advantech industrial panel PC, to maintain compatibility with other existing machines. A future potential project is to replace the iFIX software with an Inductive Automation Ignition server, to improve connectivity and data reporting functionality. On site technical services were provided to wire the new panel to the machine, startup, debug and test the system. Full CAD drawings and electrical schematics were provided, along with the PLC and iFIX project files.

Results:

With the retrofitting of the control panel and the integration of updated components, the machine achieved optimal operation reliability, leading to significant reduction in down time and an assured longer lifespan. The introduction of the Allen Bradley Control Logix PLC system bolstered the machine's design intent by adding precision, reliability, and ease of operation, thus greatly reducing the need for manual oversight. This build was complemented by a user-friendly HMI that mirrored the graphics and controls of its predecessor, allowing operators to transition without the burden of intensive training. This blend of old and new was further highlighted through the reuse and synchronization of components from the prior panel with the newly introduced ones, marrying familiarity with contemporary advancements.

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