In response to one of our customer’s reliability issues within a key area of their business, we were approached to help solve their problems, within their ore dumping system.
The wheel gripping cylinders within the system mechanism were unreliable, and were causing considerable system downtimes.
Through application of modern manufacturing methods, higher grade materials, and the introduction of technology, we offered a completely redesigned cylinder, which eliminated the key failure modes of the cylinders, and, gave the ability to tell you its actual position at any given time, which was part of the original concern.
To attain actual cylinder position we fitted a Transducer internally, this enables us to read the absolute position of the cylinder. The necessary electronics interface can be fitted remotely.
The output signal from the transducer is directly fed into the PLC and then converted into the actual position of the cylinder.
in this application, the transducer is being used to monitor the actual position of the cylinder.
Using the control interface in the PLC, this can be further enhanced to trigger alarms, when minimum or maximum limits are achieved or vice versa, and even further to be a key component within a closed loop feedback system, by moving the cylinder to specific stroke positions.
The addition of this technology is not limited to this system and can be employed in any situation, it also has long term benefits with respect to cylinder lifespan, through the ability to control and understand what your cylinder is doing.