Steer into a safe future with new technologies in time – HUBER retrofit solutions for tomorrow's plant control system

Like mechanical components, the control system components of your HUBER machine are subject to natural ageing and wear. These can have a negative effect on the function and operational safety of the plant and impair it. In the worst case, this can result in machine failure – with far-reaching consequences.

In practice, in such a "worst case scenario", the machines are operated non-stop or safety devices are bypassed. This can lead to extreme wear or even mechanical damage to the machines and, in the worst case, to accidents and personal injury. Long machine downtimes and thus high costs are the result.

Preventing risks for persons and plant with the HUBER retrofit solution

With the HUBER retrofit solution, downtime of the plant and possible risks to persons can be prevented at an early stage. Acute action is required for SIEMENS S5 and S7-200 series controllers. For these series, new spare parts are only available on the market at high costs and with long delivery times.

For the wastewater treatment plant Bonstetten, district of Augsburg, HUBER received the order to update the control system of the multifunctional HUBER Compact Plant ROTAMAT® Ro5 with HUBER Screen ROTAMAT® Ro2, HUBER Screw Conveyor Ro8 T and HUBER Grit Washer RoSF4 T to the current and future-proof technical standard.
 

Operational management of the wastewater treatment plant using the HUBER retrofit solution: safe, simple and fast

Silke Otterbein, who is in charge of the operational management of the wastewater treatment plant, says about this important renewal of the switchgear and control system: ”For us, the functionality and operational reliability of the mechanical pre-treatment system is very important. Unfortunately, the existing control system experienced increasingly frequent malfunctions and minor failures.” A complete failure of the mechanical pre-treatment system would have had catastrophic consequences for the subsequent wastewater treatment plant operation. The elimination of consequential damage would have meant immense costs and additionally high personnel expenditure.

”HUBER service consultant Erwin Wagner carried out a cost-neutral on-site survey of the switchboard and control system, followed by a project-specific quotation on his visit report,” says Silke Otterbein. ”The conversion itself went smoothly: the old hardware of the programmable logic controller (PLC) and the operating device were dismantled by the HUBER service technician and the new components were installed. All devices had already been programmed in advance for our machine technology and our needs. The complete system could therefore be put into operation again immediately after the replacement of the control system. Finally, the operating personnel were instructed in the new technology – this was easy due to the intuitive operation of the new touch display.”

HUBER installs new technologies

HUBER not only supplied and installed new PLC hardware, but also replaced the transformer with bridge rectifier for generating the control voltage with a regulated power supply unit, and fuses with circuit breakers. Instead of the screen’s existing level measurement with air injection, hydrostatic level measurement is now used for continuously measuring the water level. Thus, the plant is also well prepared for any heavy weather events.

”Our 20-year-old control system has been brought back up to the current and operationally safe technical standard, and we are now well prepared for the future” sums up Silke Otterbein.

HUBER would like to take this opportunity to thank Silke Otterbein from BSB5 Abwassertechnik GmbH & Co. KG and her colleagues on site for their trust and good cooperation and wishes them trouble-free operation of their plant.
 

Do you also have a HUBER machine or plant? Our recommendation:

Contact service (at) huber.de at an early stage before a machine or plant failure occurs. We will be happy to advise you without obligation on site or by phone to find the optimum solution for your plant together with you.