Whether you’re processing ore, selling sand, making mushroom compost or measuring ingredients, the one thing all efficient processes have in common is the collection of accurate data. As processes scale up to industrial size, a small discrepancy in one place can mean big economic losses further down the line. Real time accurate numbers `in the moment’ are relied on. A huge array of measurement equipment exists for managing process flow, speed, mass, and so much more. What would data on your smartphone allow you to do? How could you use that to tune your process? Perhaps with IntelliRoll from Control Systems Technologies.
In a coal mine nestled in the dusty plains of Southern Queensland staff had a problem. The operation of the mine involves extracting a mixture of `product’ and `reject’ material then separating these two components effectively.
Their integrated state of the art technology wasn’t able to pick up the finer data they needed. They needed a simple way to separate the flow rates as effectively as separating the product itself. The answer was a fully autonomous weigher inside of a single roll. With wireless connectivity to their existing systems and simple installation it was a convenient solution. A small change in the form of a bright yellow roller made a big change in their process. Able to place this tiny weigher in between the chutes on their conveyor gave them a weight read out that let them hone their process to optimise real time output of usable product.
For another company in the mushroom growing industry, accuracy is important in making the best quality compost. Clever equipment created specifically for doing this at a large scale required a concertina conveyor which prohibited conventional accurate weighing due to space. A completely wire-free weigher inside a roll was perfect for their specific situation.
Supervisors now had the ability to use their smartphone app to monitor and inoculate each batch correctly without changing their processes.
The need for data collection and analysis is a vital tool for designing and monitoring effective and efficient processes. With the rise of IIoT technology and integrated manufacturing systems, the demand for real time monitoring is rising. Efficient processes need to be constantly managed and observed if industry is going to be able to minimise losses and increase economic gains.
