Many of our clients in the metals sector require a complete turnkey service for the projects that we engineer, a service that we are happy to provide. Where Optima do not have the resources in-house, selected sub-contract companies are employed (typical disciplines include mechanical engineering and electrical installation). Our project management skills are employed in these instances to ensure on-time, on-budget conclusions are met.

Previous projects:

Levelling line upgrade

Replacing the existing Rextroth hydraulic control equipment. New drive controllers and PLC equipment installed within the existing cabinets. New operator Fascias fitted on all the existing operator desks.

Slitting line upgrade

Replacement of the Drive control system and associated desk control stations using GE Fanuc controllers.

Foil Annealing Line Engineering

Scope of works include furnace, distribution board, loopers and web transport.

De-greasing line upgrade

Replacement of 7 DC drives, control cubicles and control desks.

Coil Line Control System

Design and supply of the process control panel suite using Siemens and Wonderware equipment.

Hot Dip Galvanizing Line upgrade

Scope of control system supply includes emergency stop system, operator controls, VTU units.

Furnace control system

Supply of emergency stop system and operators control (de-scaling capstan & turntable) using Siemens equipment.

Bottom & Top forming mill control system

Supply of HMI development tools and emergency stop system using Rockwell equipment.

Purlin line software upgrade

Replacement of existing machine control system software using Rockwell SCADA.

Forming mill line upgrade

Upgrade includes an automatic product changeover corresponding to a barcode printed on the metal substrate, a semi-automatic mode based upon a queued product programme and automated production logging incorporating a joint detection mechanism.

Slitter line main drive replacement

Scope of works includes main control cubicle build and supply of closed loop AC motors.

Aluminium Strip Line

Turnkey project for strip processing line, 14 Siemens AC Sinamics Drives, Siemens PLC, SCADA, Servo drives, PROFISafe. Totally integrated package

Safety Scanner Issues and EN999

Posted on July 2, 2024

Optima were recently asked to advise on a safety guarding application for one of our customers.

There had been a number of false trips of the laser scanner causing the machine to stop. As a result of this, a plastic chain ‘barrier’ had been fitted as a temporary measure with instructions to operators to not breach the barrier whilst the machine was running.

The customer naturally wanted this rectifying as soon as possible, so Optima performed a short-notice service visit to site.

On the site visit, our engineer noted that the scanner was showing a code which indicated that the front screen required cleaning.

Once the screen was cleaned thoroughly the scanner did not show any faults or errors and was in normal run mode.

However, we performed further checks on the original software to ensure that the scanner configuration still met the requirements of the safety guarding application.

The diagrams to the left show the Warning Field configuration (Yellow) and the Protective Field (Red). Both of these were confirmed to be operational.

The warning field causes the klaxon to operate and the protective field caused an emergency stop of the machine.

We did, however find a few concerns that needed to be addressed.

1. None of the scanner safety circuit had been documented on any drawings.

2. Non-compliance with EN999 ‘Safety of machinery – the positioning of protective equipment in respect of approach speeds of parts of the human body’ includes a formula to be used to calculate the distance from a hazard that a safety zone must be triggered. Based on the stopping times of the machine, the scanner was placed too close to the machine to be effective in an emergency.

We are working closedly with our customer to assist them with this application and help them achieve a safe and effective solution to this.

If you need any support with safety applications or other upgrades, please get in touch.

Industrial Automation and
Control Systems Engineering

Metals