清洗成本

Mike Gammon, a segment marketing manager for National Car Wash, was at a trade show last year in Las Vegas, when he noticed from the graphic representation on his laptop personal computer (PC) screen that there was a problem back home in Tennessee.

隧道指挥官系统的烘干机面板包含远程动物的Altivar驱动器,可帮助减少功耗和Exte
隧道指挥官系统的烘干机面板包含远程动物的Altivar驱动器,可帮助减少功耗和Exte

Though it was past closing time at the company’s Shelbyville, Tenn., car wash, an employee had failed to close the rear door on the facility. With just a few mouse clicks and keystrokes on his laptop, Gammon was able to close the door and secure the facility some 1,800 miles away.

这是吉姆蒙可以从笔记本电脑远程从他的笔记本电脑远程进行远程控制的一个例子,这归功于纳什维尔的国家洗车已经安装在其中几轮洗车上。该系统称为隧道指挥官,由Schneider Electric,由美国总部提供的Modicon Premium TSX 57可编程逻辑控制器(PLC)控制,该公司在帕拉图州的美国总部。

Keeping tabs

该系统包括一个触摸屏控制面板,可供操作员在每次洗车时使用。但是,当操作员远离面板,或者如果出现了操作员无法处理的问题,Gammon就可以根据需要进行远程干预。使用Schneider的透明就绪功能,该功能可以使用标准的Web浏览器对Internet进行远程监视和控制,他能够在公司配备的每个隧道指挥官设备上保留标签。

Gammon说:“当汽车穿过洗涤时,我实际上会看到汽车的图形,所有的刷子和组件都打开,代表PLC的输出和输入。”“所以我确切知道洗车场发生了什么。如果有错误,它会通过电子邮件提醒我,也会向我的手机发送消息。”

例如,传感器检测到vehicle at the end of a tunnel has not been driven out, and is stopped within the exit of a car wash. This triggers an “anti-collision mode,” automatically stopping the car wash conveyor system pulling other cars through, while displaying a message on the control panel to check and clear the exit. If the operator is dealing with a customer, emptying trash, or otherwise not monitoring the control panel, however, he or she may not notice the stoppage. But because the system also alerts Gammon via e-mail and a call to his cell phone, Gammon can quickly call the operator—who carries a phone at all times—to alert him or her of the problem.

鉴于隧道指挥官系统的自动化功能使国家洗车能够减少每个洗车场的值班员工人数,从三到四名工人到一个单一操作员,这种能力尤其重要。今天,甘蒙说。他补充说,它还无需在每次洗车时始终让“认识系统的才华横溢的人”担任值班的必要性。“所有的信息都传给我,这使我成为了那个才华横溢的人,因为它可以始终与洗车。”

对于国家洗车,使用隧道指挥官系统的益处是几个。Gammon说,最大的优势是每天每年薪水约60,000美元的薪水约60,000美元。其他福利包括节省能源成本的33%,部分是由于VFD提供的更精确高效的电机控制。与先前方法所需的更复杂的布线方案相比,CANopen连接的单电缆要求也显着降低了安装成本。

In all, according to Gammon, the savings provide National Car Wash with a return on investment of about six months for each Tunnel Commander system installed.

规划更多

Of some 50 car washes in the National Car Wash system, which includes Tennessee, Western Kentucky and Michigan, only three currently are tunnel washes—all three of which have been equipped with the Tunnel Commander system. The other washes include both self-service bays, and “roll-overs,” in which the washing apparatus moves over the car, which remains stationary.

甘蒙说,该公司在未来几年内计划将其所有洗车措施转换为配备隧道指挥官的隧道洗涤物。此外,对于将来的所有隧道洗涤措施,隧道指挥官将是强制性的。Gammon解释说:“这将是我们建立系统的要求之一,这样我们就可以远程监视他们的洗车,以确保它们在我们的特许经营协议所需的情况下高效地工作。”

其他Schneider组件包括八个电视转速型Altivar可变频率驱动器(VFD),用于操作洗车干燥机,鼓风机和水压控制的电动机,以及配备远程动物Advantys Advantys分布式输入/输出(I/O)系统的电动机控制中心通过CANOPEN(用于控制器区域网络)链接连接到PLC。各种传感器用于检测车辆的存在,肥皂溶液储罐水平,液压系统流体水平和其他参数,并且在需要时,系统可以自动进行调整或提醒操作员。

有关更多信息搜索关键词“基于Web的监控,” “基于Web的控制” and “透明准备” atwww.myenum.com

更多控制