FOOD & BEVERAGE FEATURE
By using a VSD to control the motor, speed can be more carefully ramped up and down, reducing the risk of damage. High peak starting loads can also be reduced by providing true soft-start control of the loaded conveyor. Speed is not the only factor at play here. Processes all along
the production line must be tightly synchronised to ensure that each and every product is of a consistent quality. If an item arrives at, for instance, a cutting machine a moment too soon or too late, or spends too much or too little time under a heater or in a chiller, this could render the product unfit for sale. Repeatability is therefore key.
CATCH THE DRIFT VSDs achieve repeatability using PID control, which provides a sophisticated constant feedback loop to ensure that the motor is always operating at the correct speed, while taking account of and automatically compensating for any external
To determine where the greatest
potential for improvement is, these areas are then further subdivided into what are known as the ‘Six Big Losses’
factors. This prevents drift and ensures that the conveyor is constantly running at the required speed, eliminating the risk of any desynchronisation with other machines along the production line. Drives throughout a facility can be linked via fieldbus, ensuring
that all parts of the process are working in perfect harmonisation with one another regardless of load. This also makes it easy to ramp up and ramp down, or accommodate new replacement gearboxes or conveyor belt systems, as the VSD can be adapted to ensure that it continues to reach the required setpoints for defined levels of speed and throughput.
ELIMINATING STRESS Conveyors, particularly when very long or heavily loaded, can require high starting torque. Without a VSD this puts enormous strain on the motor as it tries to ramp from an inert state all the way up to full speed. A VSD ramps up the speed gradually, like gears on a bike, vastly reducing shock load to the mechanical gear train. Using a VSD to lower the strain on mechanical parts reduces
the likelihood of component failure and downtime. The VSD can also provide constant feedback on the status of the motor, allowing issues like over - or undervoltage to be identified and mitigated long before they cause a fault. As well as reducing the cost of downtime, this also means that components need to be replaced far less frequently, while maintenance personnel are freed up to concentrate on other priority tasks.
ABB
www.abb.com T: 0808 258 2000
ABB is a pioneering technology leader with a comprehensive offering for digital industries. With a history of innovation spanning more than 130 years, ABB is today a leader in digital industries with four customer-focused, globally leading businesses: Electrification, Industrial Automation, Motion, and Robotics & Discrete Automation, supported by its common ABB Ability digital platform.
FOOD & BEVERAGE FEATURE
FACTORY EQUIPMENT | SEPTEMBER 2019 13
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72
