Experience

Ingredient Handling

CDSL has extensive process controls experience. Whether upgrading existing systems, relocating or greenfield design, CDSL has the ability to support your project from conception to fruition. 

The customer requested a new system comprised of four process kettles. The kettles were existing and would be repurposed for the production of a new product. Reusing existing kettles would require upgrading their existing electrical controls to allow the kettles to be controlled via a central PLC. To accomplish the customer's goal, remote Ethernet I/O racks were installed locally to the kettles. This allowed us to minimize individual device wiring while still providing centralized control. The kettles were already equipped with valve controllers that had DeviceNet communications. These communication modules were replaced with Ethernet communication modules, allowing us to reuse the valve controllers over the same Ethernet network as the new remote I/O racks. Individual control components associated with the kettles were upgraded as part of this project as a way to maximize uniformity of sensors in the facility while minimizing additional staff training. To aid with the installation of these upgrades, an electrical installation package was generated consisting of electrical schematic drawings, a scope of work, a cable schedule and a contractor's parts list. Finally, custom PLC logic and HMI screens were developed in a manner fitting the control scheme used throughout the customer's facility.

Cost avoidance is important to our consumers, especially in the food and beverage industry. The ability to repurpose underutilized or sedentary equipment can make a big difference in the customer's bottom line. This project allowed us to help our customer not only put this equipment back into production but integrate it into their current plant-wide control scheme utilizing standardized PLC logic, HMI screens and controls hardware already familiar to maintenance personnel and operators.