Operating worldwide in the process measurement technology, VEGA is a German brand that is used in all plants related to level and pressure in Turkey. We talked with VEGA Turkey General Manager Bahadır Avcı, about the measurement technologies and the services they offer to the cement sector.
Would you tell us about your company? What does VEGA do? What kind of structure are we talking about here?
What is the scope of turnover, how many employees are working? VEGA is a worldwide producer of process measurement technology. Product portfolio includes continuous level measurement, limit level measurement, pressure and radioactive based density measurement and devices and software providing integration into process control systems.
VEGA, the central office of which is located in the Black Forest Schiltach region, has almost 1,500 employees worldwide. It has been operating with its sister companies and distributors in 80 countries for over 50 years.
How long has VEGA been operating in Turkey?
We are in our 6th year as VEGA Turkey; yet, but beforehand, it has been operating for 30 years in our country through distributors.
You are one of the most ambitious companies in the field of process measurement. What exactly are the services you give to the cement sector in this field?
VEGA is a ‘Global Manufacturer’ for international cement companies operating in the cement industry and large facility producers. n the cement sector, we are the preferences of our valued manufacturers in Turkey in terms of level, pressure and density measurement. Our solutions start from the crusher section and continue to the measuring points in the cement silos. For example, we provide service with the solutions like level and limit measurement in breaker level, level measurement and limit level detection in conveyor belt transfer station, level measurement and limit level detection in raw mill silos, congestion detection in cyclone, measurement of level and pressure in clinker cooler, level measurement and limit level detection in clinker silos, pressure measurement in compressors, level measurement, pressure measurement and limit level determination, in cement silos, level measurement in solid fuel silos and limit level detection, level measurement and limit level detection in the liquid fuel tank, and limit level detection in the loading of the trucks.
For which sectors do you provide service? Which are the sectors you are most powerful in Turkey?
Apart from the cement sector, we provide service to many process industries such as mining, chemistry, petrochemistry, pharmaceutical and food industry, energy sector, waste water, ship and aircraft construction, manufacturing technology and so on.
Since starting operations as VEGA Turkey, VEGA brand has acquired an important place in the sector with the solutions it offers for many industries. Vega attaches great importance to radar technology and is a leading company that can develop products in this direction. We also provide services in the cement sector for radar level measurement and radioactive source measurement products. Cement is one of the most important basic stones used in construction works and in the construction of the underlay. Processes in cement production require large-scale productivity and management. The VEGA sensors reliably measure cement (from stone to silo or even packing) throughout the entire process.
Could you give more information about your products?
We can separate VEGA products into three main segments: level, pressure and radioactive-based density measurement:
1-Level: VEGA is a pioneer company serving the process industry in continuous measurement and limit level measurement with non-contact and contact measuring instruments in level measurement. It is one of the leading companies that develop and use 80 GHz technology in liquid and solid applications. Previously, in dusty environments, 26 GHz technology was used in the antenna part of the radar pollution and measurement errors caused by the pollution occurred in the process. With 80 GHz technology, erroneous measurements due to contamination in the sensor section of the radar have completely disappeared. In summary, the device is not affected even by the dust generated during filling. The fact, which we have specified for our radar level sensors, is also true for our level switches. That’s why we all devices are used for many years without problems in almost all cement factories in Turkey.
2-Pressure; In addition to VEGA’s pressure transmitters with metallic membranes, there are pressure transmitters with ceramic diaphragms, high-tech abrasion resistant. VEGA is also one of the technologically pioneering firms in this regard. The difference between the two is that membrane oil (delivery fluid) is located behind the sensor section of the pressure transmitter with metallic membrane. This liquid may leak by the impact that the sensor part may take. In this case, the measurement is completely incorrect. In ceramic diaphragm pressure transmitters, there is absolutely no such structure.
In the case of severe process conditions where corrosive effects may occur, if the sensor part of metallic diaphragm pressure transmitters is exposed to corrosive effect, cleaning and maintenance of the device should be done by separating it from the process. Otherwise membrane leakage may occur. In our own product Ceramic Diaphragm Pressure Transmitters, the corrosive layer does not affect the negative direction for a long period of time even if the transmitter part is covered. You do not need to show sensitivity to metallic membrane transmitters when you want to clean and remove the transmitter. As an example, you can even clean it with a wire brush. The unbreakable glass behind the ceramic diaphragm ensures a stronger structure. Thanks to the abrasion resistant ceramic measuring cell it can be easily measured in fluids containing hard particles such as sand.
3-Radioactive base density and level measurement;
There are two issues in the cement sector where we can make radioactive-based measurements. If one of them is to measure the amount of material passing on the conveyor belt, the clogging of the cyclones can be measured analogously. VEGA is also one of the leading companies in radioactive source density and level measurement.
You are among the first firms to come to mind when it comes to process measurement technology. What do you want to say in this regard?
VEGA is the first company that comes to mind when it comes to buying instruments related to level and pressure in every sector. As mentioned before, you can find VEGA products in almost all facilities.
Are there any studies on a new product?
Increasingly complex production processes require improved products. VEGA is making serious investments in new products and R&D. In general, the new products by Vega give direction to the sector. New product projects are being developed with the motto “Thinking outside the box.” VEGA is also among the innovative leaders of the year 2018 in Germany.
How long is your product’s life span?
The service life of our products varies according to the process conditions. If we give an example of this, we used nearly 50 devices in a factory established in 1978 and the majority of them are still working. If we give another example, our 12 radar level sensors installed in a factory established in 2000 still work well. With the correct installation and commissioning of our devices, the lifetime of the devices will take many years, as in the examples.
Since the menu contents of our products are easy to understand, it is very easy to put them into use. Our technical personnel provide a short training, after which the field staff can simply make changes easily or adjust the new equipment when there is any situation. In addition, VEGA, with its investments in Turkey, also added the Turkish menu option to the equipment. At the same time, our products also have Bluetooth technology. In difficultto-reach processes, you can interfere with the device from a distance of 25 meters.
What goals do you have for this year?
Do you think your estimates at the beginning of the year will coincide with the year end? Every day starts a new investment in Turkey. Investments do not come to an end; on the contrary, the number of investments is increasing day by day. In the past, 5 – 10 large projects were realized in the year, now this number is 15 – 20.
Although there are not very big investments in the cement factories, purchasing of our cement investments is always going on because they are open to receiving, changing and developing new technologies. Almost every day, cement factories are requesting or we are creating that request. Vega globally says; ‘Companies that use our product and receive our services will always continue with us’.
Would you tell us about your after sales services?
As VEGA Turkey, we have staff responsible for the service, also our vendors in each region is responsible for the customer in the technical field. They deal with both sales and technical support when necessary. In the field there is a lot of trouble, usually the vendor goes to service, sells the material, then goes to the technical service to put the device into use, and there occur problems during the commissioning (like wrong device selection). The fact that there are gaps between the field and office creates troubles in the project, as well. The situation is different in VEGA. In our case, we know what is going on in the field; we transfer to our customers with our own experiences and experience with which device will work without any problem. The person who does not know the field sells the wrong product. Right product should be in the right field. We attach great importance to a sustainable customer relationship.
VEGA manufactures its products in a compact system. For example, you can activate all the VEGA devices on the field with a single cell (PLICSCOM). We mean from the bottom up, the bodies and the indicators of all VEGA devices are the same. The electronics of the same device groups are identical. This means that the customer has a lower inventory cost.
Is VEGA Turkey responsible for the neighboring countries?
VEGA Turkey is not responsible for neighboring countries. But of course we can offer products to a company that does business with Azerbaijan. In addition, when we give products to any other country, if there is any difficulty in commissioning, VEGA in the relevant country steps in directly and gives service and technical support without question.
For example, a company in Ankara has established a facility in Israel. They urgently called us because they could not perform calibration because that facility is completely manufactured with our devices. Two hours later, all of our devices were set in the Israeli fields.
The culture of VEGA says “we have to be with the customer”. So if a customer wants support any technical issues, we respond very quickly.