October 25, 2009 - To allow the users of BarcoVision’s MES systems to complete their system with energy monitoring, EnergyMaster monitors power consumption, the use of water, steam, compressed air, gas and other types of utilities. EnergyMaster combines the collected energy consumption data with the production data such as units produced to come up with reports such as the “Specific Energy Consumption” or SEC graph and the “Performance Characteristic Line” or PCL. Savings in cost of energy are often very easy to achieve, provided the reasons for losses are known. Energy meters and consumption meters can be connected to the data units already installed on the production machines. So users of a BarcoVision MES system don’t have to worry about getting the data to a central computer system.
With the introduction of 3 new power consumption meters, BarcoVision makes it easier for customers. Software and meters can be purchased from the same supplier. The meters are designed for interfacing with our data units. The meters don’t need a display and keys to allow settings and initialization as all this is done through the data unit display and keyboard of the data unit. Thus the BarcoVision meters are a more economical proposition than other power meters available on the market.
Two types measure active and reactive power only: the first with a pulse output, the other with a Modbus serial interface. The third type allows a full analysis of power consumption for installation in power distribution panels. Of this last type up to 31 meters can be put in a serial line connected to just one data unit. BarcoVision also introduces a consumption meter for compressed air, especially for measuring the air consumption on air jet weaving looms. The same concept applies, there is no display on the air consumption meter as it interfaces with the data unit.
The air consumption meter allows an easy installation. In most cases only 2 holes have to be drilled in the pipe, using a special gauge. Fixing the meter with the 2 probes in the holes makes the pipe airtight and ready to work. Not only does the EnergyMaster software work in conjunction with the BarcoVision manufacturing execution systems such as PlantMaster, WeaveMaster and SedoMaster it can also work as a stand alone energy monitoring system. In stand-alone mode, some data units are located in the plant.
Up to 31 energy meters can be connected to each data unit. From these data units the meter data is transmitted to a PC server via a wireless network. Energy related data can be exported to other systems such as the plant’s ERP system.
