Quality control of meat products.

A manufacturer and supplier of meat products to the food industry is using two ABB RVG200 paperless data recorders to help ensure its products are produced to the highest levels of safety and quality. Used by the food producer to monitor and record temperatures in different parts of its factory, the two recorders are helping to ensure that the right ambient conditions are maintained throughout its production lines, freezers, raw meat chillers and despatch area.

The meat products produced here are then used by other food manufacturers as part of products, such as sandwiches and canned goods. It supplies a range of processed meat products that can be delivered chilled, frozen, cooked or raw to suit customers’ production and packaging needs.

Accurate temperature control is vital in helping to ensure the quality of the company’s products. Previously, temperature monitoring across the site was decentralised, with separate monitors indicating any temperature variations in particular areas. If an unexpected variation occurred, the QA department would need to spend time finding out when it started and which batches of product may have been affected.

To help overcome the problem, the company wanted a central monitoring system but had judged PLCs as too expensive for the application. A solution that could remotely change the set points of the temperature monitors was desirable, as some are sited in areas where access is difficult.

ABB recommended its RVG200 paperless recorders to meet the needs of the application. With 24 inputs enabling direct connection of mA, mV, TC, RTD, voltage and digital signals, the recorders provide the ability to collect reliable, highly accurate data from connected process instruments.
Together, the two recorders are used to collect data from across the site. One recorder monitors temperatures in high risk areas while the other deals with low risk areas.

Both are mounted in a panel which has a beacon light that is activated upon the occurrence of a temperature alarm to attract the attention of the QA staff. The panel also has a dedicated button to acknowledge alarms. The appropriate recorder shows the area where the temperature alarm occurred, together with the time and duration and the recorded temperature variation. In the event of a temperature variation outside of normal working hours, the production manager and QA staff can also now be notified by emails sent by the RVG200s to their smart phone.

Compared to the company’s previous set-up, the new temperature management system provides a much greater degree of intelligence, with the costs involved being a fraction of those of purchasing and setting up a PLC-based system. The Technical Manager for the meat producer, reported: “Using the RVG200 recorders has provided a simple and cost-effective solution to our needs. Using the recorders, it is now much easier for us to keep on top of alarms and get the data to prove we are keeping production areas at safe temperature limits.”

If there is a problem, the company’s QA staff can now quickly identify and isolate the production batch and test it to ensure it reaches the standard required. By using the RVG200’s icon-based menus or by swiping through the screens, the QA staff can quickly find the data they need. The data can be viewed in a variety of formats, including individual or grouped data in chart, bar graph or digital indicator displays. The RVG200’s ethernet connection is used to transfer data to ABB’s DataManager Pro PC software for analysis. DataManager Pro provides fully automatic collection of data, ensuring its database is kept fully up to date at all times.

This allows trend data to be analysed and makes it easy for the company to perform the due diligence tasks demanded by its customers. It can respond to requests to show particular temperature records of specific areas for periods specified by the customer, allowing it to prove that it has full control of its temperature regime.

Alarms can be disabled for scheduled events such as cleaning. The system can also distinguish between temperature variations caused by a chiller door being left open and the rise in temperature caused by a scheduled defrost cycle, ensuring time is not wasted investigating events with a known cause.

“Using the recorders has given us a much greater understanding of the causes and sources of temperature conditions around our site,” says the company’s Technical Manager. “We’ve also been able to further improve our quality control by making it quicker and easier to find and remove any batches that might have been affected by a temperature variation. Now, for example, if an alarm condition was flagged up at 11.30 am, we can immediately see how long the temperature was beyond the set limits and can take action to check the quality of any products that may have been affected.”

The RVG200 is part of ABB’s ScreenMaster family of paperless data recorders, offering a flexible solution for a range of industrial and commercial applications.

@ABBMeasurement @ABBelec #PAuto #Food

Performance evaluation.

The GX90XA-10-V1 module enables Yokogawa recorders and data loggers to be used in performance evaluation tests for the development and production of electric vehicles (EVs), fuel-cell vehicles (FCVs), and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHVs) as well as the on-board batteries used in such vehicles. Such tests typically require the measurement of multiple channels under high-voltage conditions.

Recorders and data acquisition systems (data loggers) are used on production lines and at product development facilities to acquire, display, and record data on temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, pressure, and other variables. Yokogawa, a world-leading manufacturer of recorders, offers recorders and data acquisition system solutions for the collection and control of data as part of its OpreX Data Acquisition lineup. To meet market needs and comply with industry-specific requirements and standards, the company continues to add new I/O modules with enhanced functionality to this lineup.

For the development and production of EVs, FCVs, PHVs, and on-board vehicle batteries, performance evaluation tests involving the measurement of voltage levels in multiple battery cells must be performed. The batteries used in such vehicles can have hundreds of interconnected cells, and the voltage levels at all these points must be measured simultaneously. The test devices that are used must be capable of withstanding voltages of several hundred volts (high common mode voltage) that are typically applied between the measuring terminal and the ground. The high-voltage analog input module developed by Yokogawa allows the measurement of multiple channels under high-voltage conditions and is thus well suited for the development and production of rechargeable batteries as well as vehicles that use those batteries.


The GX90XA-10-V1 analog input module can be mounted on the following OpreX Data Acquisition products: GX series touchscreen paperless recorders, GP series portable paperless recorders, and GM10 scalable modular data loggers.

1. High voltage, multiple channels
The GX90XA-10-V1 has two layers of insulation and can withstand a common mode voltage of up to 600 V ACrms or 600 V DC, and is capable of sampling data at intervals as short as 100 ms. With the GX and GP series recorders, the module can accept up to 450 inputs; with the GM10 data loggers it can accept up to 420. With capabilities such as these, the GX90XA-10-V1 is ideal for use in tests on production lines and at development facilities that evaluate the performance of vehicle batteries with multiple channels and under high-voltage conditions. The module is also ideal for evaluating the high voltage levels used in the electrolysis process in electrolysis tanks.

2. Open network
The GX and GP series recorders and the GM10 data loggers are all compatible with the Ethernet LAN standard and the Modbus communications protocol, which are both widely used in industrial networks, and thus can connect and communicate with upper-level control systems and third-party products. When the GX90XA-10-V1 is mounted on a GX or GP series recorder or on a GM10 data logger, voltage measurement data can be monitored from a host system, and the collected data can be uploaded to a database for sharing.

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Paperless recorders and data acquisition system.

Yokogawa is to introduce release 4 of the SMARTDAC+® GX series panel-mount type paperless recorder, GP series portable paperless recorder, and GM series data acquisition system next week. With this latest release, new modules are provided that expand the range of applications possible with SMARTDAC+ systems and improve user convenience. New functions include sampling intervals as short as 1 millisecond and the control and monitoring of up to 20 loops.

Overview of new release and background of development
Recorders and data acquisition systems (data loggers) are used on production lines and at product development facilities in a variety of industries to acquire, display, and record data on temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, pressure, and other variables. Yokogawa offers a wide range of such products, and is one of the world’s top manufacturers of recorders. Since releasing the SMARTDAC+ data acquisition and control system in 2012, Yokogawa has continued to strengthen, with the introduction of a variety of recorders and data acquisition devices that meet market needs and comply with industry-specific requirements and standards.

Yokogawa now provides new modules with strengthened functions that meet customer needs for the acquisition and analysis of detailed data from evaluation tests. These modules decrease the cost of introducing a control application by eliminating the need for the purchase of additional equipment.

Enhancements
The functional enhancements available with release 4 are as follows:
1. High-speed analog input module for high-speed sampling
To improve the safety of electric devices such as the rechargeable batteries used in everything from automobiles to mobile devices, evaluation tests must be run to acquire and analyze detailed performance data. For this purpose, sampling at intervals as short as 1 millisecond is desirable. However, this normally requires an expensive, high-performance measuring instrument. When the new high-speed analog input module available with release 4 is mounted, a SMARTDAC+ system can sample data at intervals as brief as 1 millisecond, which is 1/100th that of any preceding Yokogawa product. This is suitable for such high performance applications as the measurement of the transient current in rechargeable batteries and vibration in power plant turbines. A dual interval function has also been added that enables the SMARTDAC+ to efficiently and simultaneously collect data on slowly changing signals (e.g., temperature) and quickly changing signals (e.g., pressure and vibration).

2. Proportional integral derivative (PID) control module
In applications that need both control and recording, such as controlling the temperature of an industrial furnace or the dosage process at a water treatment plant, there is a need for systems that do not require engineering and can be quickly and easily introduced. To control temperature, flow rate, and pressure, it used to be necessary to use a recorder and a controller for each control loop, or to engineer a solution that combined a recorder with a programmable controller or touch panel display. When the new PID control module available with this release is mounted, the SMARTDAC+ can control and monitor up to 20 loops. PID control is a kind of feedback control. It controls process variables such as temperature, pressure, and flow rate for each loop. A loop is a series of control operations involving the receipt of a reading from a sensor or some other detecting element, the calculation of the difference between the measured and the targeted value, and the issuance of an instruction to a valve or some other control element to correct the measured value. With the GX and GP series recorders, an intuitive touch panel user interface and screens for the monitoring and operation of temperature and flow rate are available. In addition, web functionality that is a standard feature on all GX and GP recorders allows for remote monitoring and control via a web browser.

3. Four-wire resistance temperature detector (RTD)/resistance module for precise temperature measurement
Temperature sensors operate on the measurement principle that the electrical resistance of a metal varies in proportion to changes in temperature. While three-wire RTDs are widely used in many fields, research institutes and manufacturers of products such as air-conditioning equipment require the higher level of precision possible with 4-wire RTDs. To satisfy this need, Yokogawa has released a 4-wire RTD/resistance module for the SMARTDAC+.

Major Target Markets

• GX series: Production of iron and steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, pulp and paper, foods, pharmaceuticals, and electrical equipment/electronics; water supply and wastewater treatment facilities
• GP series: Development of home appliances, automobiles, semiconductors, and energy-related technologies; universities; research institutes
• GM series: Both of the above target markets

Applications
Acquisition, display, and recording of process data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure.

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Strip chart recorders to record electronically!

Yokogawa has enhanced its μR10000/μR20000 series strip chart recorders with the addition of an SD card slot, giving them the ability to record data both electronically and on paper. Release of the new recorders with this hybrid recording system is scheduled for mid-February 2015.

Development background

Recorders are used in many different industrial and test & measurement applications in a large variety of industries to acquire, display, and record process data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure. Although recorders today are shifting from paper to digital recording systems, there is still a strong demand for chart recorders that can record data on paper, especially in countries such as China, South Korea, and Japan.

In the 1950s, Yokogawa was the first company to release recorders in Japan, and it introduced the world's first microprocessor-based multipoint recorder in the 1980s. Since then, the company has continued to release innovative new products, and is now one of the world's largest suppliers in this market. The SD card slot enhancement brings the convenience of electronic data recording to paper-based recording systems.

Enhancement
The hybrid μR10000/μR20000 series recorders now come with an SD card slot, enabling them to record data electronically as well as on paper. This new function offers the following advantages:

1. Backup: In the event of an interruption to the recording to paper due to a paper jam or ink running, data can still be recorded electronically, ensuring data integrity.
2. Extended recording period: The new recorders can accept SD cards with a storage capacity of up to 32 Gbyte, which is ideal for recording data for long periods of time. This gives Yokogawa's customers the choice of recording all data to paper or to the SD card.
3. Saving configuration settings: Configuration settings for the recorder can be saved to the SD card, should it be necessary to load the recorder settings onto another unit.

Major target markets
Industries such as iron and steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, pulp and paper, foods, pharmaceuticals, water and wastewater, electrical equipment, and electronics

Applications
Collection, display, and recording of temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, pressure etc.

The future!
The recorder market, mainly for paperless recorders, is expected to expand. In addition to enhancing its chart recorders, Yokogawa will upgrade its paperless recorders to improve both data processing and network connectivity. As a leading manufacturer of recorders, Yokogawa will continue to release innovative new products that meet its customers' needs.

Recorders comply with FDA 21 CFR Part 11!

Yokogawa has announced release 2 of the SMARTDAC+(R) GX and GP series paperless recorders. With these new versions, which are to be released next month (April 2014), all GX series panel-mounted recorders and GP series portable recorders will comply with the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines, and accommodate an increased number of inputs. In addition, a new graphics display function is available as an option.

Development background
Recorders are used on production lines and by R&D personnel in various industries to acquire, display, and record data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure. Today, Yokogawa is one of the world’s top suppliers of recorders.

A shift from paper recording systems to digital recording systems is currently underway, and these digital devices are often used on networks. There is also an increased demand for touch-panel user interfaces like those found on mobile devices and the capability to centrally handle a larger number of inputs from devices spread out over a wide area. To accommodate such needs, Yokogawa announced the release of its GX and GP series recorders in October 2012.

With the functions that are included in release 2, the GX and GP series recorders now comply with the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines that are widely followed within the pharmaceutical industry, are capable of handling an even larger number of device inputs, and are easier to use.

Enhancements

1. Compliance with FDA 21 CFR Part 11 - In response to requests from US pharmaceutical companies, the FDA 21 CFR Part 11 guidelines were issued in 1997. These stipulate what is required for electronic records and electronic signatures to have the same validity as paper-based records and signatures. With release 2, the GX and GP series recorders now comply with the FDA guidelines on the use of electronic records and electronic signatures in production operations. It is expected that the Yokogawa recorders will also comply with similar regulations that have been established in countries other than the United States.
2. Accommodation for up to 450 inputs - With release 2, the GX and GP series recorders can now be used with up to six expansion units, each of which can accommodate up to 60 inputs. Including direct inputs, this gives each recorder the ability to handle a combined total of up to 450 inputs. The cables connecting the expansion units and the recorders can be up to 100 metres in length, which allows the expansion units to be installed closer to sensors and thereby reduces cabling costs.
3. Custom-designed graphics display function (optional) - A new display function is now available that allows users to supplement the recorder’s standard figure and chart templates by uploading graphics that can be created using a separate image editing program. For example, a graphic of a water tank or some other facility can be prepared that can be displayed together with temperature and pressure values on the recorder screen. With this function, a recorder can also function as a process display unit or console panel, in addition to its main data recording function.

Major markets for the GX series include production plants in industries such as iron and steel, petrochemicals, chemicals, pulp and paper, food, pharmaceuticals, water supply and wastewater treatment, and electrical equipment and electronics. For the GP series, they include R&D units in industries such as consumer electronics, automobiles, semiconductors, and new energy; universities; and research institutes

Applications include acquiring, displaying, and logging data such as temperature, voltage, current, flow rate, and pressure.

Future product development
SMARTDAC+ stands for smart data acquisition and control. In addition to the GX series and GP series paperless recorders, the introduction of other products series as well as input modules for a variety of signal sources and output modules for control applications is planned for the SMARTDAC+ system, thereby supporting a wide range of data-gathering control applications such as production process monitoring and performance evaluation. As a leading company in the recorder market, Yokogawa will continue to respond to a wide variety of needs with the release of new products for the SMARTDAC+ system.