Plant-wide engineering and asset management with seamless field integration

Glass manufacturing is a continuous process. For the electrical equipment and process instrumentation this means maximum fault tolerance under the most extreme conditions. The furnaces alone generally operate for over 10 years with production cycles of 24 hours a day. If a plant manufacturing float glass fails for a single day, this can cause enormous financial losses. Our field devices with modern diagnostic and maintenance functions offer – in combination with our asset management concept in the context of Totally Integrated Automation – enhanced fault tolerance and considerably reduced downtimes. They enable you to implement effective maintenance strategies and have proved themselves to be a catalyst for increasing productivity.

Engineering with the management tool for field devices

The SIMATIC Process Device Manager (PDM) is a powerful software tool for the easy operation of field devices. It supports vendor-independent operation, as well as configuration, calibration, commissioning, diagnostics and maintenance of any type of intelligent PROFIBUS DP/PA or HART process devices. The tool can be used either as a stand-alone product on the individual PC or programming device – or it can be seamlessly integrated in the SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system and the maintenance stations. In combination with our concept for asset management, our process devices with extended maintenance functionality are an efficient tool in increasing the general plant availability and reliability.

Asset management and maintenance strategies

Whether you have to respond to a fault immediately, or are simply planning preventative maintenance: Our plant asset management concept and our process devices support suitable measures and responses for ensuring maximum plant availability.

Our process instrumentation for implementation in the field offers comprehensive diagnostic and simulation functions. These support the user with evaluation of the status of a specific device – during commissioning, maintenance and service. They are also a useful tool in the development of preventative or corrective maintenance strategies. Examples of the functions that are available for preventative maintenance:

Examples of diagnostic functions which provide effective support for troubleshooting in the context of corrective maintenance (cyclic monitoring):

For pressure, level, temperature and flow measurement: Siemens field devices cover all the process measurements necessary in glass manufacturing. Weighing systems, conveyor scales, individual controllers and process recorders are also available.

Pressure/temperature

With SITRANS P DS III, we are offering you a range of pressure transmitters for differential and absolute pressure as well as flow and hydrostatic level measurements. The SITRANS T series comprises an entire range of temperature meters. The devices of the SITRANS TW series are 4-wire all-purpose temperature transmitters for rail mounting (resistance thermometers, thermocouples and resistance sensors, as well as DC voltage or DC current signals). The temperature transmitters of the SITRANS TH series are mounted on the sensor head and can be implemented with all standard types of sensor.

Level

Various technologies are available for level measurement: non-contact radar measurement with SITRANS LR460 and FMCW radar (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave), pulse radar measurement with SITRANS LR260 and LG200 (guided radar for narrow silos), continuous capacitive level measurement with SITRANS LC300/500 and capacitive limit monitoring with the POINTEK CLS 200/300/500.

Weighing components and continuous weighing systems

The SIWAREX product range can be perfectly integrated into the SIMATIC S7 PLCs and the SIMATIC PCS7 process control system. It comprises weighing and dosing electronics as well as weighing cells. Conveyor scales with a single belt are available. They are used for highly accurate weighing of the material flow of bulk goods and for applications under conditions of severe stress. We also offer conveyor scales with a double belt for the simultaneous control of glass batch materials and glass shards. Also available: systems for dosing by weight – available with different belt widths.

Wide range of flow meters

The electromagnetic flow meter of the SITRANS F M series are ideally suited to use in conductive media such as water and binding agents with an electrical conductivity of 0.1 µS/cm. The liners and electrodes of the sensors are available in different materials, so that they can be adapted to many different applications. Flow meters of the SITRANS F C series, based on the Coriolis principle, are used to measure liquids and gases. Their high degree of accuracy of 0.1% and reproducibility ensure maximum quality and minimum rejection rates. Apart from mass flow, volumetric flow, density, temperature and even fractions can be output. The vortex flow meter SITRANS F X, an all-round solution with integral temperature and pressure compensation, offers accurate volumetric and mass flow measurement of steam, gases and liquids. The heat values can also be calculated in the case of steam.

Positioner

SIPART PS2 is the most common positioner used today in linear and part-turn actuators. It is particularly flexible in hoists and offers extensive functions including intelligent diagnostics. The positioner is available in a Makrolon® aluminum and stainless-steel housing as well as in variants with external proximity actuator-travel sensors. SIPART PS2 also offers flexible implementation possibilities thanks to communication over PROFIBUS PA, FOUNDATION Fieldbus or HART.

Individual controller

The individual controllers of the SIPART DR product range are the ideal solution for independent closed-loop control and monitoring in extremely small glass manufacturing plants. They can also be used as backup controllers – if they are used, for example, over PROFIBUS on the SIMATIC PCS 7 process control system or on the SIMATIC S7 programmable logic controller. The SIPART DR 24 controller is an economical and compact solution for complex and highly specific multi-controller tasks.