This line is used to treat fabric for vehicle tyres. We were asked to upgrade a machine, to adapt it to the regulations by adding better security and new functionalities.
The operation consists in impregnating the fabric in a latex solution and in its burning in thermal channels: after a first impregnation the fabric passes into a thermo-ventilated furnace, after which it is impregnated and burnt again in another furnace.
The plant has been made as to obtain a continuous production of fabric, no stops neither to load the material to be treated nor to remove the rolls obtained. For this purpose there are 2 areas located at the beginning and at the end of the line where sets of rollers move towards or away from each other, to cede or accumulate fabric, respectively in the loading phase of the new hank to be treated and the removing phase of treated hank.
To allow optimal move of the fabric in different areas of the line, the PLC obtains the tension level of the fabric from some load cells and manages the appropriate adjustments of the motor speed.
Finally, the hanks have been placed on a centring system to obtain a correct winding.
5 DC power motors, 24 asynchronous motors and 20 solenoid valves are used to operate the plant.
The plant control is assigned to a robust PLC whose outputs manage the DC drives, the motors, the solenoid valves, the whole is contained in a large 3-module cabinet.
The operator can control the system by a control panel on which there are indicators for to speed, temperatures, currents, tension in addition to a video terminal that can communicate with the PLC.