Mar 14 2012
CAS DataLoggers recently provided the datalogging solution for a plastic tubing manufacturer who needed to monitor their plastic extruders for both power and temperature to ensure reliable and safe operation.
Operators also wanted to track run time and make sure that all critical parts such as motors, drives, and feed screws were continually temperature monitored as the machine formed the molten plastic into the shape of the tubing and didn't exceed safe parameters. Power consumption was another important factor to watch, especially checking that the motors weren't drawing too much power. Therefore management began searching for a flexible and intelligent datalogger which could connect to most sensors and data measurement sources to record all the required signal types. The manufacturer also wanted to view all this data on trend charts, so this device also had to include an advanced, user-friendly software solution.
The manufacturer installed a dataTaker DT80 Intelligent Universal Input Data Logger adjacent to its plastic extruders. Additionally, a HMI5000 Series Touchscreen Maple Display was connected to an office PC for convenient data display and accessibility. Appropriate sensors were selected for temperature, voltage, and current, and were easily connected to the data logger's 5 to 15 universal analog sensor inputs and 12 digital channels. The datalogger also featured high-speed counter inputs, phase encoder inputs and programmable serial sensor channels for the flexibility to scale and log temperature, voltage, current, 4-20mA loops, resistance, strain gauges, frequency. The DT80 then began monitoring all the temperature and power data from the extruder and its key components, with its memory storing up to 10 million data points in user-defined memory with independent control of schedule size and mode to log only as long as needed. The intelligent data logger also archived data on alarm event for maintenance scheduling purposes, copying to USB memory and transferring via FTP if needed.
The dataTaker DT80 stand-alone solution featured a built-in display, 18-bit resolution measurements, and dataTaker's ruggedized design to withstand accidents and rough handling. The logger's extensive communications suite enabled users to connect to the DT80 locally, remotely or over the Internet via RS232 with modem support, Ethernet, and a USB memory slot for easy data transfer. Operators could use the web interface to configure the DT80, access logged data, and view current measurements as mimics or in a list using a web browser.
The dataTaker device also included free built-in dEX software featuring an intuitive graphical interface enabling users to configure the data logger, view real-time data in trend charts, tables, or mimics, and retrieve all historical data for analysis. Operators viewed these trend charts on the office HMI Maple Display for quick appraisal of temperature, power, and run time parameters. The dEX software ran directly from a web browser and could be accessed, anywhere that a TCP/IP connection was available including globally over the Internet. Personnel could use any of the logger's built-in communications ports to view dEX including Ethernet, USB and RS-232.
The plastic manufacturer's operations benefited significantly following installation of the dataTaker DT80 Intelligent Universal Data Logger. This low-power solution enabled continual monitoring of the plant's plastic extruders and their most sensitive components, making it easy for personnel to spot equipment issues as they developed and to effectively schedule maintenance. The included dEX software simplified configuration and proved suitable for both novice and experienced users, and also presented all the extruder data in accessible trend charts on the office's HMI Maple Display. This convenient setup allowed management to keep a constant eye on the manufacturing process without having to worry when and where the next failure would occur.
For more information on the dataTaker DT80 Intelligent Universal Data Logger, other intelligent datalogging solutions from dataTaker measuring a wide range of parameters, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit the website at www.DataLoggerInc.com.