Production tools programming

Standard Process Control

For the ROTOCONTROL, we’ve created a page that shows the entire unit with a dynamic display of its measures.

Movement animations are represented in real time throughout the duration of the cycle, and a grafcet shows the exact location of the operation within the cycle.

Data use

Throughout the operation, the SCOVAL ROTOCONTROL records the changing sand measurements in its data base.

To use these measurements, we offer a variety of solutions:

• Open the database to view the data as a table,
• Open the data in the form of curves showing the sand’s compactibility and compression strength or the amount of water and additives.
• Display the operating time of 3 teams with a binary curve.
• Show the cumulative amounts of sand, water and additives introduced into the mixer.
• The different services can export through Excel which is a simple and complete operation adapted to their precise needs.

The measurements of compactibility, compression strength and temperature show the evolution of the sand and the effect of the casting on its quality.

The weight of sand, bentonite and other additives, helps to define the projection of the different items to be cast, which impact the quantity and therefore the price.

The duration of the cycle and the time of recording can define uptime and therefore the profitability of the equipment.

Our green sand mixers for foundries also have their own monitoring pages.

The curves of the engine power are shown in real-time to give a clear image of the different stages of the mixing cycle.

Dynamic readout of :

• The weight of the sand and the additives,
• The quantity of water,
• The sand’s temperature,
• the rate of engine use
• Rotocontrol measurements.

Data use

After each mixing cycle, a history of the temperatures (°C) and engine power (%) is made available for rapid visualization of the different systems’ behavior.

A selection of curves can be displayed for a less in-depth reading if the operator does not wish to view everything.

For a more complete view of the compactibility and compression strength, we display 2 graphs accessible through a simple right-click on the data.

One shows the compactibility where 0 corresponds to the input and the other numbers represent the deviation thereof.

The other represents the compression strength and works on the same principle as the compactibility graph.

The parameters of calculations and coefficients can be adjusted by advanced users with a level of Maintenance or Laboratory Technician.

Settings are also available for engine speed, mixing time or pulsing of the additives of the SCOVAL mixers.

In time, all this allows the Rotocontrol to be optimally adjusted to produce sand as close to the target as possible.

Settings: Rotocontrol and green sand Mixer

For a better performance and more accurate results, we’ve created a recipe management software.

Depending on the part to be manufactured, the sand needs to react differently. For example, the casting may have a large contact surface or a small contact surface, which will unbalance the nature of the sand in different ways.

Another possibility is the need for filling sand or contact sand, which both require sand with distinctive properties.

Once these different recipes have been established they become easily accessible with a simple click on the scrolling banner.

The parameters of calculations and coefficients can be adjusted by advanced users with a level of Maintenance or Laboratory Technician.

Settings are also available for engine speed, mixing time or pulsing of the additives of the SCOVAL mixers.

In time, all this allows the Rotocontrol to be optimally adjusted to produce sand as close to the target as possible.

Defect management and recording

A default history is stored for long-term readability.

Alarms or defects can be sorted by date or by defect type.

The ”unacknowledged alarm” banner (beige rectangle) is where alarms are placed when a remote support acknowledgment occurs. To define an alarm as acknowledged and cleared, an operator must select and click “clear”. We proceed in this way to be sure at least one person is made aware of the defect.

For maintenance teams, we have developed a visual and informative aid for the defects.

With a click on the red banner, a window appears showing a procedure of verification and troubleshooting, as well as a photograph of the exact location of the default.

In order to avoid wasting time, the maintenance crew can edit the help text to include a history of procedures, for example if the circuit breaker of an engine is located in an electrical box whose location might be forgotten.

After the first occurrence of a failure, the maintenance technician can edit the help text to alert colleagues where to go and what to do if the problem reoccurs.