General Automation
Kansai Plascon Mobeni Batch Control System Upgrade
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Kansai Plascon Mobeni Batch Control System Upgrade
Abacus was approached to upgrade the plant's existing Schneider-based control system to the latest SIEMENS S7-1500 controller in conjuction with Advansys. The existing InBatch-based batching system was also upgraded to the latest version.
SCADA & other Visualisation
Tongaat Huletts SCADA
WinCC SCADA with web interface
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Tongaat Huletts SCADA
Solution Requirements
Abacus Automation was approached by Tongaat Huletts to provide a cost-effective network solution for its industrial equipment at a plant in KZN. At the time, all industrial communications took place over the refinery’s IT network but, while the network itself was structurally sound, there were administration and other issues. Primarily these revolved around IP allocation and reservation as well as the fact that all IT traffic, including e-mail, was now mixed with the industrial communication. As most system integrators will know, this is a less than desirable situation. So, a plan had to be made to separate the networks, giving the control and automation personnel authority to assign and reserve their own IP addresses securely.
Project Overview
The new network would need to link existing scada and PLC systems, mainly transferring process data as well as linking areas of the refinery that were previously without connectivity.
The Panhouse refines raw sugar before passing it onto the Rotex room where the sugar is sifted and then moved via screw conveyors to bins in the Packing Hall where the refined sugar is packed into its various final forms. One requirement of the new network would be to link the Panhouse to the Packing Hall and Rotex room, giving the Panhouse operators a better view (via new scada screens) of the status of the downstream machines, allowing them to react faster to problems occurring down the line. Previously, a problem in the Rotex room could go unnoticed and result in an unexpected crash-stop of the Panhouse. Now, the operators are able to be pro-active and initiate corrective measures as required.
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WinCC SCADA with web interface
Solution Requirements
Abacus was approached by a natural gas supplier, to provide a solution that allowed them to monitor remote end customer sites. Prior to the implementation of this solution, the customer would rely on telephonic information to decide how to co-ordinate gas delivery. Issues ranged from no feedback after working hours, to incorrect feedback due to human error. Our solution, therefore needed to accommodate the following requirements:
- Multiple users situated at different points in the country simultaneously querying the system for information.
- Strict end-user segregation, preventing other end-users viewing data that does not concern them.
- Reliable transfer of data from end-user sites to the supplier.
SIEMENS Automation Systems
SIEMENS SIMATIC automation components were chosen as the framework of the solution. While certain SIEMENS PLC’s can present process data using a built-in webserver, the development of multiple webpages for a complex process can be cumbersome and is limited in some aspects. SIEMENS SCADA products become the more robust solution to this by providing a web-based interface in parallel to a regular SCADA interface. This aids in development, cutting down on time spent as well as duplicate configuration. The solution also leverages the tried and trusted Internet Information Services built in to Windows to provide a reliable software framework for the web interface.
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Motion control
Mahle Behr BMW Assembly Line
Tiger Brands Robot Packer
Mahle Behr Porche Radiator Line
Continental Tyres 14 Fisher
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Mahle Behr BMW Assembly Line
BMW Radiator Assembly Line Upgrade
Abacus Automation was awarded the upgrade project by Mahle for the BMW radiator assembly line upgrade.
This project required synchronization of axes in the feeding and folding of the aluminium foil that is inserted into the tubes. Several other positioning axes were also required. The solution utilised an S7400 PLC using the Sinamics GMC library to control the Sinamics drives.
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Tiger Brands Robot Packer
Robot Packer Upgrade
Abacus Automation was awarded the project of upgrading the redundant control system, PLC and drives on the robot packer at Tiger Brands chocolate plant.
The solution used the Siemens S71500 PLC, Simotion D and Sinamics S120 drive systems. The motors on the robot arm were replaced by Siemens servo motors.
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Mahle Behr Porche Radiator Line
Porche Radiator Assembly Line Upgrade
Abacus Automation was awarded the project of upgrading the servo control system to use V90 profinet drives connected to a S71200 PLC.
This was a 5 axis system with no interpolation or synchronizing tasks required. This system provided increased diagnostic information which decreased downtime due to fault finding.
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Continental Tyres 14 Fisher
14 Fisher Upgrade
Abacus Automation was awarded the project of upgrading 18 Masterdrives to Sinamics S120. The Masterdrives used the F1 technology functions for positioning, coupled to GMC library blocks on the S7400 PLC.
The task was completed over a two week period during the December 2019 shut. Extensive PLC software and drive parameter changes were required for positioning tasks.
Crane Technology
Transnet/Siemens RTG Upgrades
Transnet RMG Crane
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Transnet/Siemens RTG Upgrades
RTG Upgrades
Abacus Automation was awarded the project by Siemens to upgrade 9 Kalmar RTG cranes for Transnet Port Authority.
This involved the replacement of the existing Masterdrives with Sinamics S120 drives. PLC, HMI and drive parameters action changes were necessary. The crane functionality was then re-commissioned to ensure all functions were performing correctly.
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Transnet RMG Crane
One of the biggest crane related projects that Abacus has completed was for the Transnet Port Terminal (TPT). Abacus supplied the automation solution including the variable speed drive cabinets and crane management systems on two Terex 40t rail mounted gantry cranes that were supplied to Pier 2 of TPT’s Durban port in November 2014.
SIMOCRANE & SIMOTION Technology
Abacus made use of Siemens’ scalable technology modules for crane automation (or SIMOCRANE), which is a software platform designed to increase productivity. The hardware for the solution included high-end programmable logic controllers (PLC’s), a drive controller (called a SIMOTION controller) and variable speed drives (VSDs) designed and optimised for crane use.
The crane management system resides on the computer in the crane’s cabin and provides the driver with all the information pertaining to the crane’s status and its fault diagnostic tools. The driver’s control desk relays signals to the PLC which processes them and passes these signals to the SIMOTION controller. The SIMOCRANE software is embedded into the SIMOTION controller and acts as the interface for the VSDs, which then moves the crane. The SIMOCRANE software offers functionality options for all crane types, and needs only be parameterised and commissioned according to customer specifications.
The solution is derived from Siemens’ collective knowledge from thousands of crane projects. “On a high-risk application like a crane there is very little room for trial and error or experimentation. Safety is a high priority and the software uses multiple safety checks and precautions. The SIMOCRANE solution has been optimised for performance both in terms of production as well as power consumption.
Prior to the 2014 installation, the last time RMG cranes of that size built in South Africa by Demag/Terex was about 25 years ago. This is significant because TPT, like all State-owned companies, requires that a majority of the products supplied are locally procured. Hence both cranes were designed, manufactured, erected, electrified and automated locally with only a few selected parts purchased abroad.
The production performance of the cranes has almost doubled the capability of the cranes they replaced, the drivers have expressed their pleasure with the new cranes, especially the performance of the sway control. -
