ASL
specialise in the design and supply of advanced control and monitoring
systems, especially for the Metal Finishing and Treatments Industry. This
includes flexible low cost solutions for single or multiple process
treatments facilities and ovens.
In
particular ASL have developed systems for the Automotive and Aerospace
industry for improving process consistency and quality whilst also
monitoring every step of the process to provide complete
traceability. This provides essential records to assist
with NADCAP and other Quality Control Standards Accreditation. Each
step of the process is coded and all process data is collected
automatically. Typically, rectifiers are interfaced directly and the
process parameters are downloaded automatically. Systems
can include wireless terminals and bar coding, can be interfaced to
manual or automatic plants and equipment, including ovens, have any
number of process steps. Systems can also collect data from
various types of transducers and equipment, together with
manually entered inspection data.
We provide a design and build of control panels and systems,
ranging from small simple systems through to large complex systems. We
also provide site surveys, installation, commissioning, maintenance,
calibration and support services.
SCADA / Data Recording
ASL use an in-house designed SCADA system (the Data Management
System or DMS), which has been developed primarily to produce informative
reports for production and processing history. The report
systems have been designed to allow simple operation, whilst providing
all of the required information, which is usually customised to suit the
client and/or machine requirements.
Integrated control systems
The DMS provides,
- Plant overview and status information
- Detail information, sectioned by machine location / device
types / process
- Active alarm display
- Security system
- Data entry systems, for load programming
Includes use of bar code scanners, multiple part types per load.
- Setup information
Such as alarm limits, alarm filters, control parameters, set points.
- Part library database
Includes part photos.
- Diagnostic information
Includes PLC I/O, device parameters (such as temperature
controllers), equipment status.
- Historic data reports, selectable by shift period, day, week,
month
- Historic alarm reports
- Production reports
- Work history reports
Details history for each load, including how work was programmed,
processing details (with times and process parameters) and alarms that
affected that load during processing.
- Historic chart / trend data display
Includes overlaying of different charts.
- Audit log reports
Detailing all data chnages made by the system users, including log
on name, date/time of change, PC identification, previous and new data
value.
- Multiple PC display of real time and historic data reports
To allow the information to be dispalyed and controlled at the
location required. Each PC runs independantly.
- Remote support facilities
- Chemical maintenance facilities
Automatic and manual data logging, including note entry facilities
and historic reports.
- Maintenance schedules
Time and processes based scheduling (such as ampere-hours, plant
auto time), with note entry facilities.
Control facilities include,
- Temperature control
Includes variable set points based on process load requirements and
energy saving facilities.
- Rectifier control
Includes fixed and load based voltage/current set points, processing
based on time or ampere-hours, ramping control, output waveforms.
- pH control
- Conductivity control
- Level control
- Dosing control
Based on fixed or load based parameters (including ampere-hours).
- Consumption information
Gas, water, electricity, ampere-hours, dosed chemicals.
- Automatic loading facilities
For the metal finishing industry, plant control system features
include,
- Fixed sequence processing control
Includes single and multi-process systems.
- Intelligent random loading processing control
Allows multiple loads with different sequence and/or process
requirements to be processed in the plant at the same time. User
defined sequences and parameters.
- Load scheduling
Advising plant loading schedule for best plant utilisation.
Using magazine/storage positions for loads in plant to automatically
schedule work.
- Energy saving systems
Advanced software allows usage of facilities to be predicted,
allowing items of equipment to be put on standby or shutdown when not
required, while ensuring that items are back on line at required set point
when work arrives at that location.
ASL also provide simulation facilities, especially for assisting
with plant initial design and for major refurbishments, to help determine
requirements for best plant utilisation and for prediction of plant
productivity.