The Problem

S&S Machine Company required an automatic control system for a high volume hydraulic oil filtration system, which they were fabricating for a large machine building corporation. The control system needed to function reliably and unattended on a 24 hour, 7 day-per-week basis. The filtration system needed to include equipment diagnostics and alarms including troubleshooting and maintenance alerts. The system was to be installed outdoors and considerations were needed for the wide range of environmental conditions that this would impose on the hardware. The equipment was to be installed in a manufacturing plant in Pennsylvania.

The Solution

REAL Controls designed, fabricated and installed a PLC based control system using an Automation Direct PLC and touchscreen human-machine interface (HMI). Alert and status messages are displayed on the HMI. The system operates in an automatic mode continually but manual control functions are also provided through the HMI. Alerts are provided when maintenance is required, such as dirty oil filter replacement.

The Results

The new system was installed and tested during a scheduled shift shutdown and has continued to operate reliably for over two years.