A simple switch makes all the difference. Imagine how your plant benefits from:
- Overfill prevention: Material contacts a point-level sensor installed at the top of a vessel switching off a conveyor.
- Dry run avoidance: Material falls below a point-level sensor at the bottom of a vessel. A light or horn alerts operators to a low material level.
- Material ordered optimally: Point-level sensor installed at the midpoint of a silo triggers a light. More material is ordered when prices are low.
- Plugged chutes detected: A point-level indicator or flow detector indicates a plugged chute and alerts production or maintenance to inspect the problem. ensuring ingredients in a batch process are properly mixed.
Operational Technology—the practice of using hardware and software to control industrial equipment—continues to grow. Data from level or flow sensors can interact with the physical world of processing equipment, programmable logic controllers, distributed control systems, supervisory control, and data acquisition systems. OT helps reduce inefficiencies, prevent errors, and enables plants to do more work with fewer people.
“We’re providing, ‘the switch’ for many industries like agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and construction,” said Matt Virgillito, International Sales. “With so many different types of bulk material properties, BinMaster adapts and applies technology to perform reliably in diverse environments. We can offer capacitance probes for certain types of plastics or rotaries for more common agricultural grains.”
Virgillito said customers looking for level measurements aren’t always aware that entire processes can be automatically controlled to avoid overfilling or running out of product. Conveyors, slide gates, rotary valves, and more can be wired to be turned on or off by BinMaster point-level sensors.
Relays trigger alerts so operators know there’s a problem via an indication on a point-level alarm panel or a light, horn, or to a control room.
Several technologies are available:
• Flow Detect uses a microwave Doppler effect to sense whether material is flowing.
• Capacitance probes detect the presence or absence of material.
• Rotaries and vibrating probes can also be installed in y-pipes to sense blockages.
Imagine A Simpler System
BinMaster professionals consult with customers to determine needs. Tell BinMaster what you want out of automation. For OT interacting with physical systems BinMaster will typically suggest point-level sensors like rotaries, probes, and vibrating rods. IoT level detection that provides data via the cloud to your team, usually involves non-contact continuous-level sensors with radar or acoustic technology combined with BinCloud inventory management software.
