Control System Design

Control System Design

Challenge

Every successful product is the fruit of hard work, and this applies to every field of business. Intuition alone is not enough to create a product that people will love and use. You also need to do your research, thinking, planning, differentiating yourself, and more. Write about some of the challenges you faced in designing this product and what steps you and your team took to overcome them. 

Value

 Control Design Solutions, Ltd. (CDSL) provided electrical controls support for the design, procurement and construction phases on Project Travolta. This project transferred production of an existing product and a reformulated product to an existing line in the Midwest for a major food manufacturer. With engineering starting in mid-October, the project met the client goal of producing a one day commitment of each product by the end of December.

      CDSL was involved with the project from the concept as a member on the client’s core design team. A sequence of operation was provided to help achieve member buy in to the process and packaging changes required.

Some of the tasks required to incorporate these additional products into the existing line included:

  • Divert bulk rice to the mix system
  • Increase the sugar delivery rate from the existing bin to the surge bin
  • Deliver honey from the existing bulk tank to the slurry system
  • Deliver almond butter to feed after the mixer
  • Revise the vitamin feed system to handle graham flavor
  • Install a scalper in the system and route the fines to the regrind system
  • Revisions to the slurry make-up and batching system
  • Activate existing slurry enrober
  • Install a relocated air classifier
  • Install new dust collection system for classifier
  • Upgrade system to deal with allergens
  • Packaging modifications for new products


      CDSL developed PLC programs to control the equipment noted in the modifications above and to provide operator interfaces. The existing PLC program was also modified to support a Foxboro framework. CDSL also designed and supplied a new PLC panel for the air classifier, almond butter skid, scalping conveyor, dust collector blower and rotary valve.

      CDSL then provided on site support for I/O check-out, dry and wet mechanical check-out and engineering start-up. Once the line was accepted, CDSL conducted training classes for both the operators and the instrument technicians.

      This project illustrated CDSL’s ability to work across the entire process and packaging system, both modifying and adding equipment.


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