Replacement Control Panel for Plating Line at Metal Plating Company
Replacement Control Panel For Plating Line
Control Panel specialist Controlsforce, were asked by a metal plating and heat treatment company to replace a Control Panel with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) running a plating line.
What was the problem?
Controlsforce were contacted to replace a Control Panel with a PLC running a plating line. The plating line was mechanically sound, but the existing Control Panel was 25 years old with an obsolete PLC. The Control Panel had been repaired and altered over the years, but was becoming increasingly unreliable. It was no longer supported by the original manufacturer and the original drawings were not up to date.
How Controlsforce helped
Site surveys were carried out to gather information about the existing panel design and process sequence. The following key steps were undertaken:
- Uploaded the existing software from the legacy PLC. The PLC logic was then migrated by hand to run to a new PLC
- Designed and built a replacement Control Panel to replace the existing one. The information required was gained from the original drawings and the site surveys
- Developed a software simulation to mimic the main movements of the physical machine. This allowed program development and testing off site in the office environment
- Installed the new replacement Control Panel using, as far as possible, the existing footprint and cable routes
- Checked the operation of safety components and earthing
- Commissioned and tested the plating line
- Supplied new up to date drawings for the replacement system
Some additional functionality that had not been available for some years, due to wiring issues, became available again after the new system was installed.
"We at Century Heat Treatment & Plating Co. Ltd made contact with David at Controlsforce to look at replacing our very old existing panel to one of our main plating lines. From start to finish under David’s management, planning and attention to detail this project was effortless for us at Century. They spent time on site taking all the information required and filming the plant in operation. When the day came for the swap to start they were here early to start stripping out the old panel then within 2 days the new panel was fitted and fully operational. I really can’t praise the team enough".
Rick Lilly (Director).
Control Panel Design and PLC Programming
To find out more about bespoke Control Panel design visit
https://www.theforcegroup.co.uk/controls-force/control-panel-design-and-build/
Controlsforce are here to help
If you’re looking for a new or replacement control panel, we would be very happy to discuss your project in detail. Please call our team on 0121 783 8676 or email us at info@controlsforce.co.uk
From the moment you contact Controlsforce, you benefit from industry leading expertise gained at the forefront of control system technology. Controlsforce are part of the Force Group of Companies, which also includes Valveforce, Heatxforce and Pumpforce.
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