UWT’s Visualization Project: Customized Solutions for Diverse Production Sites

Processing plants with multiple geographically dispersed production sites often face the challenge of centralizing the monitoring and recording of fill levels in numerous process containers. Immediate and accurate visualization of these levels is crucial to maintaining smooth operations, ensuring efficient production planning, and enhancing control.

In industries such as bulk material handling, integrating continuous level measurement and data monitoring with automated visualization has become increasingly essential. The measurement data from UWT silo sensors is easily displayed using license-free software, providing operators with the ability to access real-time information at any time. This efficient silo logistics system enhances transparency and reliability in production planning. Furthermore, customers and suppliers can be integrated into this system, facilitating smoother coordination. With the right combination of level and point level measurement, highly effective bulk solids management solutions can be achieved.

This was the case for an international plastics processor, which faced the challenge of tracking real-time fill levels across silo batteries at three different production sites, and making this data centrally accessible. The sensors also had to perform accurately and reliably, irrespective of the varying characteristics of the stored plastic granules, including DK value, dust generation, and fluctuating temperatures.

Centralized Fill Level Monitoring with a Modbus Network

UWT implemented a tailored solution involving the NivoTec® 3500 for level monitoring, NivoBob® 3100 electromechanical lot system for level measurement, and the RN 3002 full detector from the Rotonivo® series.

The NivoTec® 3500, equipped with a Modbus RTU interface, continuously monitors the level of various plastics in silos, regardless of bulk density or DK value. The Rotonivo® RN 3002 full silo alarm plays a crucial role in preventing overfilling. Its rotary paddle level switch can be adjusted to the required length and switching point. Both sensors are highly versatile and reliable in the plastics industry, suitable for use with solids, granules, and powders, and are easy to install.

Electromechanical lot systems can be activated through visualization software or manually, with the option to install a horn on silos to alert users when the fill level reaches the maximum. A pinch valve control can also be used to halt filling upon reaching the full alarm. The NivoTec® 3500 offers a complete solution, including power supply for sensors and project-specific electrical planning.

Core Components of the Solution:

• NivoTec® NT 3500: This system provides a comprehensive visualization of fill levels and enables centralized monitoring. It displays real-time data and ensures that information from all production sites can be retrieved and analyzed at a central point. The silo systems are connected to the NT 3500 controller via gateways and VPN tunnels, ensuring secure and reliable data transmission.
• NivoBob® 3100: This rugged lot sensor delivers precise measurements independent of plastic pellet properties such as DK value, dust levels, and temperature fluctuations, ensuring consistent and reliable data.
• Modbus Network: The communication between level sensors and the central visualization system occurs through a Modbus network, enabling fast and accurate data transmission, ensuring up-to-date fill level information is always available.
• Rotonivo® RN 3002: To prevent overfilling, the RN 3002 full detector monitors the maximum fill level and provides timely alerts to prevent overflow.

Key Challenges and Solutions:

The main challenge in centrally recording fill levels across multiple silo batteries at different locations involves specific demands on communication and measurement systems:

• Real-time Data Availability: The Modbus network ensures that fill level data is transmitted without delay, providing the real-time information required for efficient production planning.
• Precision and Reliability: The NivoBob® 3100 sensor offers accurate measurements that are unaffected by variations in material properties, ensuring consistent and reliable data.
• Centralized Management: The NivoTec® NT 3500 enables centralized management of fill levels across all locations, allowing management to make quick decisions based on real-time data.

Benefits and Results:

The UWT solution brings several advantages:

• Increased Efficiency: Centralized recording and real-time display of fill levels improve production planning and resource utilization.
• Cost Savings: Precise fill level measurement and prevention of overfilling reduce material waste and downtime.
• Improved Operational Safety: Reliable sensors and a robust communication network minimize the risk of incorrect measurements and technical failures.

Through the integration of gateways and VPN tunnels, the plastics processor was able to enhance operational efficiency and reliability across its three production sites. The flexibility and dependability of the chosen technologies have proven invaluable in the demanding environment of plastics processing.