Vision1210™ Offers an Integrated Solution on Extruder Control System

Integrated Control Technologies of Texas (USA) is an industrial distributor, integrator and OEM that places its emphasis on drives and automation for the plastics industry. One of their most recent developed solutions for the plastics industry is the TEMPCOM Extruder Control System. (www.extrudercontrol.com)

THEIR PROBLEM?

They needed to develop an innovative solution for extruder control system retrofits specifically for the plastics industry. Their platform was to utilize “Integrated Component Technology” to reduce installation time and cost. They ended up selecting a temperature control module that consisted of PID control, solid state relay, current transformer and fuses for four individual temperature zones.

THEIR NEED?

A PLC control that would communicate to the module utilizing MODBUS communications as well as TCP/IP MODBUS communications for AC drive control.

THEIR SOLUTION?

“The Unitronics Vision1210™ met our control requirements as well as integrated the same ‘Integrated Component Technology’ as a combination of a PLC + HMI.” Said Scott Barlow, Vice President of Integrated Control Technologies.

The TEMPCOM system can control up to 120 temperature control zones and control up to20 drives on an Ethernet Network. Their program allows them to utilize indirect addressing through the use of the data tables yielding flexibility address assignments. The two MODBUS ports on the V1210 allow them to maximize speed in communication and control for the large number of zones. Utilizing shift registers in specified memory locations that are assigned to the specific addresses, information is exchanged between the modules and the V1210. Intelligent decisions for logic control are made upon the information received from the modules-resulting in a comprehensive extruder control system with very few components. Barlow says, “By selecting Unitronics, we remained consistent in our promotion of ‘Integrated Component Technology’ that we desired for our product offering.”