Increased efficiency in the plastics industry with APROL

Thomas Rienessl, plastics industry expert at B&R, says: "Better than any other system on the market, integrated automation technology from B&R does precisely that. With a system that reaches from the I/O level up to the process control system for the entire plant, B&R offers a complete solution cast from a single mould."

B&R's APROL process control system makes it possible to unite plant systems centrally into a complete system using any conceivable hierarchy. With a broad spectrum of functions - including integrated system simulation using MATLAB/Simulink - all levels of automation can be combined into a homogeneous complete system. With direct integration of external systems and signal sources, APROL allows an all-encompassing approach that ensures reliable and efficient operation of the system over its entire service life.

Continuous condition monitoring increases the quality of products and the availability of machines and plants, while at the same time reducing maintenance costs. B&R's APROL ConMon package provides vibration monitoring and analysis based on key condition parameters calculated from acquired measurement data.

When it comes to improving production efficiency, the first step is to analyse where, when and how much energy is actually being consumed. APROL EnMon is used to acquire all relevant energy data and generate comprehensive reports for its evaluation and interpretation. This easily integrated complete software, which runs on B&R's Automation PC 910, is a simple way to implement the requirements specified in ISO 50001. APROL EnMon helps considerably reduce energy consumption, with the resulting financial savings strengthening users' competitive edge.

Comparing the efficiency of each machine is the first step. APROL PDA (Process Data Acquisition) supports the often difficult task of recording process data throughout the entire production chain. Individual machines can quickly react to production parameter deviations by either compensating for them or stopping production. Rienessl says: "The system centrally and seamlessly archives all data for as long as it is needed. This not only ensures that manufacturing process quality can be verified, but also improves overall competitiveness."

To learn more about the APROL process control system, please go to www.br-automation.com.