CC-LINK FINDS FITTING APPLICATION

CC-Link communications has allowed a modest project to automate a compressor house to be expanded to embrace the whole of Yorkshire Fittings Leeds factory.

The initial project was based on the installation of a SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) programme to monitor the performance of a bank of compressors. The main idea was to optimise energy usage, but it also became possible to log detailed operational data for productivity analysis allowing a move to predictive maintenance. 

The efficiency gains achieved with the compressors were almost immediate and, because of the data logging, full management reports were produced. These impressed the directors so much that they were soon asking the electrical engineers if the control network could be extended into adjacent areas of the plant. There was some scope for doing this and improved productivity was quickly noted.

It was not long before the idea of running the network across the entire site was taking root.