Entering the digital future of material monitoring with VEGA level transmitters

Precise level information is important for preventing silo overfill and ensuring optimal material flow. Discharge mechanisms and conveyor systems must be continuously monitored and calibrated to prevent blockages and inefficiencies in the process. At Poloplast in Leonding, Austria, silo level measurement had, until the end of 2019, been carried out with a legacy system that was increasingly prone to errors and could no longer be maintained. This was an intolerable situation that required a reliable and future-proof solution. A case for VEGA level transmitters – and the starting signal for a project that impressively demonstrates how the interaction of advanced measurement technology and digital evaluation solutions in the cloud can create added value for plant operators.

After a comprehensive inventory and analysis of the existing infrastructure at the end of 2019, installation of VEGA level transmitters at strategic points in the silos began. The measuring ranges extend over distances of up to 20 metres, at process temperatures from -20 to +50 °C. One of the biggest challenges in level measurement in silos is the intense dust generation, which can impair measurement accuracy. VEGA transmitters deliver reliable measuring results even under these conditions.

Different models were used, including 55 VEGAPULS 6X for level measurement, a number of VEGAWAVE 62 and VEGAVIB S61 level switches as well as the intrinsically safe VEGATRENN 141 separator.

In 2021, the way visualisation was done was also changed: Signal processing and data transmission are now carried out via the VEGAMET 625 controller as well as the VEGASCAN 693 controller, which can collect signals from up to 15 HART transmitters. The data are transferred via an Ethernet switch and a router to the cloud solution VEGA Inventory System. There, the data are processed and made available to the operator via a website that visualises all measurement data. The web-based software was specially developed for acquisition and visualisation of level data, for example in storage tanks and silos. It is a service that is perfect for monitoring material levels and for vendor managed inventory (VMI) applications. Automated monitoring in combination with limit-level alarm messages allows potential problems to be identified and resolved early on before they affect the production process.

The overall solution implemented at Poloplast utilised the full range of adjustment options offered by VEGA instruments. This made it possible to align the levels precisely, thus enabling individual adaptation to the plastic processor’s specific requirements. The VEGAMET 625 controller has an integrated web server that allows simple integration into the company’s intranet/extranet. Three scalable current outputs enable control of displays and downstream systems – a PLC for example.Poloplast also deploys an additional current output on the controller to directly use measurement data to control the conveyor system. The controller also has interfaces for simple long-distance data transmission, which are used for inventory monitoring in storage silos equipped with VEGA level transmitters at remote locations.

The experience at Poloplast shows how companies that make use of cutting-edge technologies at an early stage not only improve their processes, but also gain a decisive competitive advantage. The future of material monitoring is digital.