Page 16 - Energize March 2021

NEWS

Improving efficiency and product quality drives are rated for heavy duty and boast
two Safe Torque Off terminals and an
at bulk materials handling facility onboard PLC as standard.
The M701 has been applied as the PLC
control master, supporting a wide range
of feedback technologies and supplying
n the drive to remain competitive, companies are increasingly looking to bolster process advanced motor control. Additionally,
efficiency to improve productivity and, ultimately, their bottom line. Nidec Control Techniques for superior machine control, the MCi210
Iis helping South African companies on this journey, offering high performance drives suitable automation module has been used. This
for a variety of applications. module executes comprehensive programs
Recently, Control Techniques’ M400 and M701 drives were used for a new bulk fertilizer that can control multiple drives and motors
material handling facility in the Maydon Wharf precinct in Durban. The end-user, C. Steinweg simultaneously across real-time networks.
Bridge, can now operate with less handling and better controls, less degradation of product, and The MCi210 ensures higher performance
more tons per square metre, offering a superior product to the market and enabling efficiencies by delivering two additional Ethernet ports
for end-users down the line. with an internal switch; offering support for
standard Ethernet protocols; and a faster
The problem exchange thanks to a parallel interface with
The client’s premises in the coastal city of Durban operates custom bonded warehouses, empty and drive processor.
full container yard. At their facility, the company offers handling of bulk agricultural products, To automate the system, Nidec Control
break bulk and general cargo, as well as the containerisation of minerals and metals. With years Technique’s Machine Control Studio was
of experience in the industry, the company’s client understands that bulk materials handling can used, offering a flexible and intuitive
come with a variety of tricks and challenges, depending on the material and its purpose. environment for programming the
The Bridge Port dedicated bulk fertiliser handling facility is a C. Steinweg Bridge facility, Unidrive M series’ new automation and
offering warehousing and distribution of fertiliser which eventually reaches farmers around the motion control features. The programming
country. However, the facility’s previous handling system was inefficient, and caused product environment is fully IEC 61131-3 compliant,
degradation due to high contact of the fertiliser with machinery. This crushed the material, meaning that it was familiar and therefore
creating fine dust particles which decreased the value of the product while also causing problems fast and easy to use for the facility’s
for farmers down the line. control engineers.
After a massive fire in the Durban precinct in 2017, the company decided to rebuild their
facility to provide better controls over the end product, aiming to give the client a higher quality The outcome
product which is more profitable and more beneficial to the end-user. The new C. Steinweg Bridge terminal’s
dedicated bulk fertiliser handling facility
The solution operates faster, with a higher quality
C. Steinweg Bridge developed a new 60 000 m2 facility, purpose-built to cater for the needs of product. This ultimately results in much
fertiliser handling, making use of fewer touch points and automation. The new system makes improved efficiencies for the company, as
use of tipping points outside the facility. Conveyer belts then carry the material to a height and well as their end users down the line. “Not
distribute the material evenly into stockpiles. “This means no machine is required to push the only does the new facility layout cater for
material to create the stockpiles, as was done previously,” explains Roger Hogg, the company’s reduced congestion and higher throughput,
managing director. the technology from Nidec Control
“The use of Nidec Control Techniques equipment has been instrumental in the efficiency of Techniques enables us to keep a close eye
this new facility,” says Hogg. The Unidrive M400 has been used for the motors on the conveyors, on our delivery, giving us data on tons
crushers and chutes. The drive provides maximum stability and control of induction motors per second,” explains Hogg. “We are now
at all powers, improving throughput with advanced open loop motor control algorithms. The achieving more tons per square metre than
any other facility known to us, with larger
trucks moving more product, faster.”
While the facility has not been operating
for long as yet, Hogg and his team look
forward to gaining a wealth of data as they
move forward. “The SCADA system and
data on what, when, and where things are
happening at the facility will be instrumental
in our business decision-making down the
line. The information we gain from this
digitalised system will be invaluable to us
and our clients from a cost and efficiency
perspective,” Hogg concludes. n

Contact Jacqui Gradwell,
Control Techniques, Tel 011 462-1740,
jacqui.gradwell@mail.nidec.com

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