Oa Mechatronics (Continued)
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The FCD’s weigher-in-weigher system consists of a 5 kilogram weigher mounted above a 100 kilogram weigher. Small quantities are dosed into the 5 kilogram weigher which is then emptied after each dosing into the 100 kilogram weigher beneath it. Larger quantities are dosed directly into the 100 kilogram weigher. This combination of weighers is mounted on a moveable frame which locates it directly under each dosing position(s) and over its appropriate discharge position(s). This significantly reduces the risk of contamination.
The “heart” of the FCD is its industry leading ALFRA Grid Slides. Grid slides consist of two elements; a lower fixed grid slide mounted beneath an upper grid slide that moves in a horizontal, back and forth motion during the dosing operation. The grid slides are mounted on a plateau and are controlled by a hydraulic actuator combined with a moving frame. Sensors ensure that the correct grid slide is selected and measure its opening and stroke.
The “brain” of the FCD is its “OA Inside” embedded control system called OA2dose&weigh. This automation and control application optimizes FCD operations using not only the desired dosing amount, but also the desired dosing time and dosing accuracy as its inputs. OA2dose&weigh then computes an optimal dosing routine based on these constraints and executes FCD dosing operations. Rao states that “No other embedded control application in industry optimizes dosing and weighing based on all three of these constraints. This provides fully optimized processing resulting in high throughput and highly accurate, predictable dosings automatically, without inconveniencing the operator.
OA2dose&weigh also integrates with “OA4promas” to provide complete factory automation and control with full track and trace / product genealogy, batch control, and recipe management function. OA4promas was built on OAenterprise, the world’s first object-based industrial automation and control system, characterized by its component-based and highly distributed technical architecture.
Photo:
The FCD’s Combination Weigher Unit
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Oa Mechatronics (Continued)
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All OA Mechatronics Products, including the FCD, have been engineered using a “Mechatronics” approach whereby the mechanics, electronics, software, and control aspects of the system were designed and developed in unison. Mechatronics is a global initiative focused on improving product design processes. It integrates best development practices and technologies in order to streamline design, prototyping, and deployment. Mechatronics-driven products are generally more reliable, flexible, simple, and cost effective than traditionally developed products.
The ALFRA FCD has several significant advantages in comparison to traditional systems. The following summarizes these benefits:
High Throughput / High Accuracy – The grid slides’ large discharge area ensures mass flow and high speed dosings that result in shorter batch times with overall dosing accuracies of 99%.
Superior Product Flow – Grid slide operation in conjunction with each funnel’s stirring device eliminate rat holes, bridging, and dead zones. It also ensures discharge by “First In – First Out” processing.
Material Flexibility – The FCD’s grid slides provide the ability to dose and weigh powders and granulates with a wide range of material flowability and floodability.
Low Wear & Maintenance – The FCD incurs only minimal wear throughout its product lifecycle. Its unique service and cleaning position enables operators to have direct access into the weigher unit for quick and easy cleaning and maintenance.
Highly Efficient and Optimized Operations – The FCD’s revolutionary “OA Inside” embedded control system optimizes dosing and weighing operations.
Contamination Free Dosing – The weigher combination unit’s capability to locate itself under each dosing position(s) and automatically transport product directly over the desired discharge position(s) is a major contributor to contamination-free dosing. The other contributor is the FCD’s sophisticated aspiration system which eliminates dust from the system.
Proven Customer Success – The FCD has been successfully installed at several world-class feed customers including Agravis, Aveve, For Farmers, Le Gouessant, and Provimi.
Photo:
The ALFRA Flexible Component Dosing System
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Oa Mechatronics (Continued)
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About OA Mechatronics
OA Mechatronics, a division of KSE Holdings, provides ALFRA Dosing & Weighing Systems and Silos, as well as BMW Mixers and Dividers to the global Food & Feed and Industrial Manufacturing Industries. There are over 2,000 installations of ALFRA and BMW products worldwide. Its sister division, OA International (
href="http://www.oa.com" target="blank">www.oa.com), the developer of the world’s first object-based industrial automation and control system, OAenterprise, provides the embedded control optimization software. KSE Holding also has two EPC divisions, J. van den Berg and Rijkers Procestechniek which provide Engineering Procurement, and Construction services, including the design and build of new, highly automated mills. OA is headquartered in The Netherlands and has offices in Irvine California, Houston Texas, Charlotte North Carolina, Sao Paolo Brazil, and Poland.
For more information, please visit:
href="https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile/10731-oa-international.htm" target="blank">https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile...ernational.htm
href="https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile/9715-kse-process-technology.htm" target="blank">https://edir.bulk-online.com/profile...technology.htm
Photo:
OA’s World Headquarters in The Netherlands
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OA Mechatronics
A New Industry Standard for Dosing & Weighing by OA Mechatronics
Dutch-based OA Mechatronics, a provider of advanced, Mechatronics-driven products for the worldwide feed industry, has announced the availability of its state-of-the-art ALFRA Flexible Component Dosing System (FCD). The FCD is a dosing and weighing system that can dose from up to 32 silo locations. It is ideal for dosing small and micro ingredients for feed, pre-mix, mineral feed, pet food, and fish food. The FCD employs a unique and highly effective “weigher-in-weigher” system that doses amounts that range from 100 grams to 100 kilograms with overall dosing accuracies of over 99%.
Jay Rao, OA’s Chief Marketing Officer mentions “Today’s feed mills require a great degree of flexibility and accuracy in their production processes. They constantly encounter an ever increasing range of recipes, raw materials, and hand dosings, as well as increased labor and operator responsibilities. It was with these requirements in mind that we at OA Mechatronics developed the revolutionary ALFRA FCD. No other feed industry dosing solution can match its dosing range combined with its high dosing accuracy.”
Photo:
The FCD on display at Victam International 2007
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oa_international_1 (JPG)
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