A major manufacturer of roofing and insulation products in Alberta, Canada, produces asphalt shingles at one of their plants in Calgary. In this plant, the company maintains four 17-meter-high heated asphalt storage tanks.
The plant utilises level sensors to help keep track of the amount of asphalt in the tanks to manage inventory as efficiently as possible. The previously installed level sensors posed several challenges for the company.
These sensors could not obtain reliable readings, and finding service or support for the malfunctioning sensors proved nearly impossible for plant personnel. That all changed when the company reached out to VEGA.
The Misery of Malfunctioning Measurements
Level measurement is a critical function of most manufacturing operations, and asphalt shingles are no exception. When stakeholders and plant personnel have a clear picture of their inventory, they can keep their processes running efficiently without the fear of detrimental events like overfills.
Level sensor malfunctions can be inconvenient at best, and in some cases, disastrous. In this case, plant personnel had to take on the task of level measurement manually when their sensors malfunctioned.
This meant climbing up on the asphalt tanks to check the product level, and manual measurements are generally less precise than those obtained through purpose-built level sensors.
To climb these tanks, it is necessary to take additional safety measures, especially during winter months when snow covers the steps leading up to the tops of the tanks.
When the company’s sensors malfunctioned due to a lack of service or support, they began searching for a new supplier. This was when they discovered VEGA.
Reliability + Safety = 6X
Experts at VEGA assessed the shingles manufacturer’s heated asphalt tanks to determine what level measurement solution would be the best fit.
The sensor required would need to handle the high temperatures of the asphalt vapours and be resistant to buildup caused during the heating process. It was considered that the tanks needed a minimum measurement range of 20 meters from the existing mounting location above the tank.
The solution came in the form of VEGA’s latest non-contact radar sensor, VEGAPULS 6X. THE 6X® is designed to meet the needs of any level measurement application, and each sensor is built according to the cater for individual requirements.
VEGAPULS 6X can withstand process temperatures as high as 450°C, easily above the temperature output by the asphalt vapours. The VEGAPULS 6X can measure up to 120 meters, which makes it the perfect choice for measuring the level of asphalt in all four tanks of the company.
When presented with the benefits of VEGA’s sensor, the company agreed to place one on each of its four asphalt tanks.
The VEGA Difference
Some of the challenges caused by the company’s malfunctioning sensors could have been prevented with proper service and support. The company made the smart decision to entrust the commissioning and setup of their new sensors to VEGA service personnel. This ensured that they received the best possible service and expertise.
Thanks to VEGA’s efficient work, the commissioning and setup were completed quickly, allowing the company to get back on track without any further delays.
VEGAPULS 6X is designed to be simple and intuitive, from the point of purchase to usage in the field. Setting up multiple sensors has never been easier thanks to PLICSCOM, VEGA’s display and adjustment module. A VEGA representative set up the first VEGAPULS 6X and then copied its settings using a PLICSCOM module.
Setting up the sensors in the tank farm was a breeze. Simply copying the settings from one VEGAPULS 6X unit to the other three made the process intuitive and straightforward. With the PLICSCOM module, all four sensors were up and running within an hour.
Reliable instrumentation and expert service all under one roof
Equipped with VEGAPULS 6X sensors and backed by VEGA’s expert service team, the company now enjoys a clearer view of their asphalt inventory, allowing it to run the plant and produce shingles more efficiently than ever before.
The high precision of VEGA’s sensors is matched by their high reliability, meaning plant personnel don’t have to worry about trudging up slippery steps in the cold of winter to make level measurements. VEGA’s instrumentation not only offers user-friendly features but also provides robust and unparalleled support for level measurement sensors.
Miguel Petersen
VEGA Instruments (Pty) Ltd
Tel. +27 11 795 3249
miguel.petersen@vega.com
www.vega.com
