FEATURE DRIVES, CONTROLS & MOTORS
VARIABLE SPEED DRIVE ELIMINATES GRINDER STOPPAGES
Recurring grinder breakdowns caused by raw ingredient overload have been eliminated following the installation of an ABB drive at animal feeds producer, Burniton Mill’s facility in Scarborough
conductors of the grinder motor supply cable. Transformed into a 4-20mA signal, this is fed into the analogue input of the VSD controlling the screw conveyor. The speed of the conveyor is ramped up or down in inverse proportion to the current being drawn by the grinder motor – the
R
egular stoppages of a grinder used in the production of animal feed have
been eliminated with the installation of an ABB variable speed drive (VSD) to control the input of ingredients. The VSD regulates the speed of a screw conveyor to ensure the grinding mill is not overloaded with raw material. The system has also increased the amount of soft ingredients the grinder is able to process, improving productivity. Burniston Mill in Scarborough, UK
produces animal feed by grinding grains such as wheat and barley. These are then pelletised to form the finished product.
REDUCING DOWNTIME The original installation employed a vibrating table which fed the grain into the grinding mill. However, because of its age the table was unreliable and often over-fed the mill. The motor had to work harder, resulting in current overloads that tripped the motor and stopped production. This was happening every two weeks on average. On each occasion the grain had to be dug out by hand, stopping production for at least an hour each time.
Steve Barker, mill manager at Burniston
Mill, asked electrical systems specialist MP Electric to provide an alternative method for feeding the grinder. Working with ABB authorised value provider Halcyon Drives, a solution was developed using a 2.2kW ABB machinery drive to control the speed of the motor driving a screw conveyor. The new system monitors the current drawn by the grinding mill motor and adjusts the speed of the screw conveyor to ensure the mill motor is not overloaded. Control is achieved by using a current transformer on one of the phase
18 JUNE 2018 | AUTOMATION
Burniston Mill is now making better use of its capacity"
harder the grinder works, the lower the feed rate of the conveyor, and the less hard it works, the higher the feed rate.
This ensures that hard grains are not
fed into the grinder too quickly, whereas soft grains can be fed in at a higher rate. This has improved productivity by increasing the amount of soft Ingredients the process is able to handle in any given time period. Ian Robinson, director of MP Electric,
says: “Burniston Mill is now making better use of its capacity, as the grinder is not idling at a low speed when grinding soft products.”
ABB
new.abb.com/drives
COMPLIMENTARY SERVICE PROTECTS DRIVE INVESTMENT A
BB drives customers now benefit from a complimentary support agreement during the
warranty period. A new service from ABB gives users of medium-
and high-power variable speed drives (VSDs) complimentary access to a host of services throughout the warranty period. Drive users now receive access to on-site repair, rapid exchange of faulty parts with access to original spares, telephone support during office hours and technical query escalation. Customers only need to register the drive at the
point of commissioning to activate the service. The registration can be handled by ABB directly or through one of its authorised value providers. Alternatively, customers can download a registration app and enrol the drive themselves. Both telephone and ABB Ability cloud-based
remote support offers advice, guidance and issue resolution. This benefits those customers who are trying to get a drive up and running or seeking reassurance that the drive operates as intended. Reduced downtime and plant interruption is further enhanced by escalation to global experts who handle advanced user queries. For medium voltage drives, rare instances of drive failure or condition monitoring can benefit from ABB Ability remote support from specialist teams. Throughout the warranty period customers will
receive continuous support and engagement for backup. This includes advice on maintenance techniques, trends and practices. Customers will obtain priority notifications of upgrades and enhancements. The service is available for larger ABB industrial
drives which includes: ACS880, ACS1000, ACS2000, ACS5000, ACS6000, ACS6080, ACS580MV, Megadrive-LCI, DCS880 . “ABB Initial Care gets the best out of your
investment without any extra costs, while maintaining seamless operation,” says Stuart Melling, ABB business unit manager, drives & controls, UK. “By simply registering your drive you get valuable access to ABB’s immense application know-how and product expertise. ABB Initial Care reduces the risk of downtime and offers peace of mind support throughout the warranty period; it also introduces the customer to the wider benefits of ABB Drive Care .” Following the ABB Initial Care period, users have
the option to transfer to a full ABB Drive Care service package with associated costs. This service includes preventive care, complete care and replacement care and features maintenance services, specialised support, ABB Ability digital activities such as remote assistance and remote condition monitoring and failure recovery.
/AUTOMATION T: 01925 741547
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