The Cryostar Magazine N°3 : pdf file

BUSINESS CENTRESBelgian filling stations renewalperformed by Cryostar AutomationIn the first quarter of 2003, Cryostar Automationwas approached by independent Belgian gas supplier,IJS Fabriek Strombeek, to fully modernise itsturn-of-the-century installation.The customer was in search of solutions to providegreater efficiency and traceability, and softwaretechnology to enable precise production managementcontrol.After the initial assessment phase, Automationidentified the need to replace electrical cabinets,based on small PCs, Elintec input/output cards andTSX17 PLC, with Cryostar standard cabinets basedon SIEMENS and Profibus technology.Cryostar engineers opted, for the most part, torecycle the mechanics and kept the fully equipped,steel frame, valves and electrical cabinets. However,filling modules were added to enable the multitaskcapability.The greater part of the challenge was to replaceeverything without any loss of production.Cryostar Automation engineers achieved thisthrough the use of ‘configuration software’ to adaptthe new management programme to the existingconfiguration. They also initiated a programme ofrigorous mechanical, electrical and software testingat the Cryostar factory test facility.The outcome was Cryostar Automation solutionsprovided many new capabilities to IJS FabriekStromBeek’s installation, but above all the entiredesign was achieved with Cryostar’s main priority inmind – safety.Cryostar secured the safety of operators throughthree redundant levels – electrical, mechanical andsoftware. Plus, the software system is also secured bylimiting access to password and log-in.This is further enhanced by designating a certainlevel of access to individual operators, ensuring thesystem provides the rightinformation to the right person.Further more, there is apermanent check between thetechnical configuration of thefilling systems – through thesupervision PC – and the actionsselected by the operator.Thus negating ‘human error’as a source of fault.The filling station reconstruction was completedduring the summer of 2003 and to ensure ongoingsupport – first level assistance – a permanent link viamodem exists to Cryostar engineers.Cryostar configurationThe new plant installed for IJS Fabriek Strombeekincludes:> four Systems including: Monogas filling systems(N 2O, CO 2, O 2,) and mixtures systems (CO 2,O 2, Ar, N 2and He). These systems are fillingindustrial and medical gases. Each system has itsown interface;> five vacuum pumps;> seven cryogenic pumps;> one Supervision PC; and> five wireless barcode readers.Cryostar added valueSome of the new capabilities brought to IJS FabriekStrombeek’s process are:> multitask facility;> synchronisation function to minimise the gaslosses and therefore increase the productivity;> barcode traceability (filling and delivery process);> supervision software;> production reports software: results, time date,time spent;> maintenance support software: preventive andcurative, traceability of the defaults; and> link with existing AS400 software that controls thewhole fill plant (filling and delivery traceability,work orders).Spring 2004 7