Remote monitoring of drum unloaders is a premium service we offer Uniflow customers. With a system of software and hardware, our technicians can monitor your real-time pumping details locally or even from our head office in Richmond, VA.
HOW DOES REMOTE MONITORING WORK?
For drum unloaders, we mount a device to the control panel that plugs into a machine’s PLC, which IMMCO technicians can access using Wi-Fi.
The connection goes through a secure VPN tunnel with no access to the company network or the internet. The remote link is only active while being used by IMMCO, and it can always be enabled (and disabled) by the customer.
After installing the remote access on a drum unloader, our technicians can easily tweak the settings to improve pump rate, lower material waste, or reduce char. And more importantly, we can start troubleshooting without even having to be on site.
WHAT’S THE BENEFIT OF REMOTE MONITORING?
Normally, if a customer encounters a problem with a machine that they cannot resolve in-house, they request a visit from a service technician. And that’s expensive.
(not to mention time-consuming)
The best-case scenario sees the technician arriving the next day, but realistically, it might be a week or more if they’re tied-up on other jobs.
With remote access—and the customer’s assistance—we can usually diagnose a problem in less than an hour to get their process running again. Otherwise, we can get a part shipped the same day to get the customer back in operation quickly.
WHAT GETS MONITORED?
All the data in the PLC can be monitored, including inputs, outputs, faults, heat zone settings, actual temperatures, motor speed, and more.
When we gear up the machine, we’ll set initial parameters for things like heat output power and drum positions. For the best performance, settings should be calibrated to the customer’s unique environment, throughput, and materials run.
The platen heaters should deliver the wattage needed for pumping the adhesive at rate, but not so aggressively powered that the temperature overshoots the target. To protect the adhesive material and keep the platen cleaner, you also want to set the standby temperature so the platen cools down before it comes out of the empty drum.
Which all sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s easier said than done.
After making a change, finding the proper settings takes time—possibly hours of running and idling to get back to a steady-state. But it doesn’t have to be your time. IMMCO can monitor the settings remotely and fine-tune them for you.
It’s like having an auto-tune button for your multi-zone, non-linear process controller!
There’s even an opportunity to monitor multiple drum unloaders simultaneously by using the monitoring device on a single Uniflow and then running a data cable to the other machines.
That kind of multitasking is just part of what we do for our customers.
WHAT SUPPORT COMES WITH REMOTE MONITORING?
Whether the customer chooses the annual or the lifetime contract, they receive unlimited support from IMMCO during the contract period.
We can keep improving your machine’s performance over time, or even customize settings to your changing needs. If there’s an adjustment needed, an IMMCO engineer will take care of it remotely. And if there’s an issue, we walk you through how to repair it.
Our phone number is 804-409-8487, and we’re eager to chat.
ARE THERE SUCCESS STORIES?
We had a customer who was in the middle of a critical production run. The temperature sensor on their output failed, and, even worse, they didn’t have a spare.
This is the type of cataclysmic situation manufacturers dread.
We immediately tapped into their remote access, and were able to bypass the failed component to finish the production run with zero impact.
We love it when remote monitoring proves its value by eliminating downtime. However, there are time-saving benefits, too.
For instance, business was booming for one of our customers, and they wanted to run their pump faster for more output. Lucky for them, they had opted for Uniflow’s remote monitoring.
They called IMMCO, and we accessed their system and increased the motor’s RPM for them, and then re-tuned the temperature controls for optimum performance.
All the adjustments were made on the same day, successfully—with nearly no effort required from the customer.
Want to know another success? Our outstanding pump rates are 40% faster than the competition!
Click below to see the “pounds per hour” your adhesive will achieve with a Uniflow!
