Temperature device upgrade solution
Published: 04 February, 2015
ABB’s latest generation of head mounted smart temperature transmitters have helped to provide a solution to a difficult upgrade project at Tata Steel in Port Talbot.
ABB’s solution involved thirty TTH300 temperature transmitters being used to replace Hartmann and Braun field mounted units installed in 1981 without the need for extensive retrofitting work.
With Hartmann and Braun now part of ABB, ABB was originally called to the site to quote for directly replacing the Hartmann and Braun TEU702 field-mounted transmitters with their modern day equivalent.
Despite still being operational even after 30 years of service, the TEU702 transmitters needed to be replaced as they could no longer be supported.
Steve Gorvett, temperature product specialist for ABB’s UK Measurement Products business commented: “Even though they were still in good working order, the TEU702’s relied on old technology that had been discontinued some time ago, such that no direct replacement was available.”
Developments in the design of ABB’s technology over the past 30 years initially posed a major challenge to replacing the old units with their nearest modern equivalent.
“Obviously a lot has changed in temperature technology since the old TEU702 units were installed. Fitting the nearest ABB equivalent product into the existing cabinets would have required a lot of work to change the fixing holes and mounting arrangements, which are completely different to those of the TEU702.”
To help overcome this problem, ABB took an alternative approach, which saw the existing field mount enclosures being reused to house its latest generation of head mounted TTH300 smart temperature transmitters.
Gorvett commented: “Part of the fun of engineering is to find new ways of solving problems, and this project was a perfect example…Even though a head mounted transmitter is not the immediately obvious solution to a field mount installation, it fitted the bill perfectly, saving a lot of time and disruption for the customer.”
A specialised mounting bracket was also developed which allowed the site to use its existing fixtures and fittings rather than incurring disruption by creating new ones.
Further savings on time and disruption were also achieved by ABB supplying every transmitter pre- configured and tagged, enabling the old units to be removed and new ones fitted within a very short period. Set-up time was also reduced by the TTH300’s easy to use HMI module. Using the HMI, operators can quickly reprogram the transmitters or check any details in-situ without taking them off-line.
“Installations such as these help to underline ABB’s ability to provide temperature measurement solutions perfectly suited to our customers’ requirements”, explained Gorvett. “By combining our extensive product portfolio with our extensive experience in the design, supply and installation of temperature solutions, we are confident that an ABB solution can be found to almost any temperature measurement problem.”
For further information please visit: www.abb.com/temperature
ABB says its forthcoming Switch to Robots seminar (bit.ly/S2RJune16) will explain how ongoing reductions in the cost and complexity of robotic automation are opening up new opportunities for UK SME manufacturing companies. Taking place at ABB’s Milton Keynes site on Wednesday 8th June 2016, the event will provide a simple step-by-step guide to introducing robot automation to the factory floor.
