This thesis presents the project of setting up automation for selecting fabric silos to stabilise preexpanded raw material in the production of expanded polystyrene (EPS). Raw material stabilisation is only one of the steps in the manufacture of expanded polystyrene, the other two steps being pre-expansion and final forming.
The aim was to automate the transport of raw materials through the pipes from the pre-expander into one of the eight silos for stabilising raw material. Transport takes place by means of the ventilator and the eight flaps, which are placed according to the silo that we want to fill. Silo selection and the system status overview are enabled by two operator panels.
The thesis first describes the entire process of expanded polystyrene production, with an emphasis on stabilising raw material. The next chapter covers the equipment used in the process, providing descriptions of the controller, touch screen, and associated software. The fourth chapter describes the entire process of setting up automation. It describes the project design, program operation on the controller and displays, and the process of the system startup.
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