Vision560 PLC/HMI used for on-vehicle analysis and control

Based in Mobile, AL, Aaron Oil Company is a leader in the used oil recycling and petroleum-based hydrocarbon reclamation sector. Aaron Oil has consulted with ENGraphted Inc to lead the development of a new-generation route collection truck.

Aaron Oil wanted to track the volumes of various liquids pumped through a collection truck by analysing the liquid as it was being loaded onto the truck. This real-time analysis data is used to route different waste products to their respected holding compartments on the truck and monitor individual totals for the various liquids.

It is common to find different liquids stratified within a single 'waste' tank at a customer location. Some of the stratified liquids may be considered a liability, while other layers may be considered an asset. Aaron Oil needed to separate these layers in real-time so as to provide an honest report as well as introduce a level of handling efficiency that believed to be second to none in this industry.

To do this, Aaron Oil used a Unitronics Vision560 PLC and HMI with a V200-18-E6B snap-in I/O module. The V560 PLC was able to provide the specific communication features and I/O support, as well as the HMI preferences were needed for this application. The PLC handled all of the on-board automation and data collection on the truck, accepting an input from an in-line multi-parameter analyser to keep a running total of various liquids pumped through the truck and to route various liquids into different compartments. It also provides usable output to an on-board PC for real-time invoicing purposes, giving the customer the most accurate gallon amounts. This information is also communicated on a real-time basis to a central office location via secure cellular VPN for accounting purposes as well. Finally, this information is combined with an external GPS-based driver-tracking system to promote efficient dispatching and to track driver performance.

The PLC also handled other mission-critical decisions and proprietary processes that cannot be replaced by human operation. The operator has the ability to override certain automated tasks at different security levels.

Guy Chetrit, PE, of ENGraphted Inc, comments: "The Unitronics V560 was a unified solution that was rugged and suitable for an on-road application. A specific set of I/Os was required, as well as the ability to communicate with other devices on-board, and handle network protocols. The V560 met these requirements and more. Other benefits of using the V560 PLC were the HMI features, the adaptability of the I/O modules that were compatible with this PLC and the ease of programming."

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