M.Serdar DİNDAROĞLU
Technical Manager / Assistant General Manager
EMF Industrial Automation
The cement and concrete sector, one of the leading sectors of the economy, has a very important place not only in our country but also in the world. The fact that fuel and energy costs are higher compared to raw material inputs makes automation and optimization processes exceedingly important in this sector.
We now live in an age where conventional automation solutions are replaced by integrated automation systems including innovative approaches. One of the greatest problems in the cement sector is that many companies in this sector tend to carry out their business using conservative approaches and conventional methods and, unfortunately, they unrealistically resort to virtual modernizations while doing so.
Although the latest and the most state-of-the-art automation systems are used in appearance, this does not necessarily mean that your system is put together perfectly and that your automation software is working in the most effective way possible. Even if the best software and devices are chosen at the investment stage, the intelligence of the system is in fact based on the ability and knowledge of the group of engineers who design the system software using this infrastructure. In addition to choosing the most suitable systems, the right project design is the most important point when it comes to industrial automation. The team that will handle this implementation must have enough experience and necessary internal and external training.
As automation systems develop, user interfaces are becoming simple and, contrary to popular belief, the engineering behind the system is getting more complex. Providing the user with the most efficient framework is only possible through an in-depth knowledge of the respective automation system capabilities.
We all know that the Scada display and simple programming of the data collected from the field can be carried out on any platform independent from the infrastructure, however, the real added value is about configuring the system in a smart and rational way both to make things easier for the operator by providing him/her with effective information and to protect the system (investment) from operator- or system-based errors.
Good planning, system knowledge, and experience come into play at this point. It is a common knowledge that one of the most important problems operators face is dealing with non-standard, colorful, and animated screens and having a number of system generated warnings that are well above the sensory reflex threshold.
Another important aspect of the automation system shows itself in process control. According to a research, 80% of PID control processes lead the systems to do more oscillations in automatic mode than they do in manual mode. Also according to the same research, it is possible to improve the manufacturing costs between 0.8% and 4.3% just by increasing the efficiency of the PID control system. This is a highly effective and rewarding solution considering the relatively low investment cost.
In addition to process control, an important characteristic of the automation system is to provide operators and production engineers with accurate and filtered information about the process. An improper screen design delays, even hinders the detection of a system anomaly. Besides, the objective of system warnings, contrary to popular belief, is not just to report the cause of production failures but to guide the operator so that he/she can prevent failures through an anticipation of the situation using the available options.
In summary, a well-designed control system does not only offer optimum process control and maximum efficiency with minimum energy but also contributes to a sustainable product quality and an uninterrupted system work.
At EMF, we are proud of not having even a single unsatisfied client with our projects from the smallest to the biggest in our over 20 years of service in the sector. Thanks to our know- how and experience, we became one of the few companies offering 100% customer satisfaction.
Every project is an indefinite solution partnership with a client for EMF. The proactive support we offer from the start of a project continues even after the completion of that project. Our services also include a 24/7 technical support in order to meet the demand for an uninterrupted system work.