Operation of the Quickstep™ plant is made simple due to its robust features and intuitive interface. The purpose of this section is to introduce the interface, and highlight some of the key features that add to the overall appeal of the Quickstep™ plant.
CONTROL
The QS5 machine is operated via a stand-alone computer whereas the QS20 can be controlled in the same way or using a machine-mounted touch screen. Currently we use Allen Bradley/Rockwell or Siemens/Citect for the devices and programming.
MAIN MENU
The plant is fully automated, and creates parts based on pre-determined 'cure cycles'. These cure cycles are programmed into the plant, and can be added, edited or deleted by any user with Supervisor access.
The plant has 3 levels of operation - Supervisor, Operator and Maintenance. Access level is established via Username / Password verification. The picture below shows the main menu.
OPERATION
For day-to-day operation, users would be logged in as operators, and would be directed to the Production Control page. From here, users can start / stop cure cycle production, run Pre-Start checks, select different cure cycles, view production reports and check tank balances. Once a cure cycle is started, the plant console sequentially checks off every step.
CURE CYCLE CONFIGURATION
Cure cycles may be added, edited, and deleted, based on what parts are required - and what specifications are required for each part. Up to 12 cure cycles may be stored in the console's memory, and their specifications may be viewed by selecting 'View Cure cycle' from the 'Cure cycle Selection' screen. Modifications may be made to cure cycles by selecting them through the 'Cure cycle Sub-Menu'.
MONITORING
The Quickstep plant is well equipped to provide complete monitoring and diagnostics. The system is fitted with animated diagrams, which visually represent levels in tanks, as well as recording temperatures and pressures through all phases of operation. Valves are represented visually as well, and when opened or closed are displayed in green or red respectively. The same applies for the mould itself.
If a problem should arise during the course of production, such as a temperature being out of the range specified in the corresponding 'Cure cycle View', the system is fitted with context sensitive alarms, which alert the operator to both the existence and reason for the alarm. Fitted on the top of the machine are 2 lights, red and yellow. Depending on the urgency of the alarm, either the red will light up to indicate that there is a problem and the process cannot continue, or the yellow will light up to indicate that whilst there has been an alarm, it is still safe to continue.
The plant records every alarm that has ever been triggered, what the cause was, and when it was fixed. Pre-start checks ensure that the plant is ready for activation prior to any cure cycle being activated.
REPORTING
The Quickstep plant records a number of operating variables and can produce detailed reports for every part produced. These certificates graph the fluctuations in temperatures, pressures, and other variables that may affect the quality of the part over the course of its production.
OTHER FEATURES
Every Quickstep™ plant also comes with an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, ensuring that if a power outage is encountered, valuable information about temperatures & pressures is not lost, and therefore if the part in production has been affected. If there was a large drop in temperature, or decreasing temperatures for too long, the part can be 'fast finished' - where cold HTF is run through the curing chamber to cool the part, so it can be removed and started again. If the part was not adversely affected, then the plant simply picks up where it left off, as it remembers where it was up to in the cure cycle.