April 7, 2016 — Rockwell Automation recently supplied South African Breweries’ (SAB) first fully automated and networked EtherNet/IP-based control system for its new maltings plant in Alrode, South Africa. The new control system will integrate traditionally disparate, malt-production processes into a single, networked, EtherNet/IP-based solution to provide plant-wide visibility and actionable data from the malting plant’s production floor to SAB’s top floor. The new maltings plant will account for more than half of the breweries’ South African and Namibian malt production when fully commissioned early in 2016. In a move to support the local economy, the new maltings plant will increase local malt production from 60 to 90 percent, reducing the financial impact of imported malt.
The plant will greatly enhance the production capabilities of its predecessor by increasing malt production from 42,000 to 150,000 tons per year. All devices and processes within the plant are integrated in a single, secure network with dual-port, EtherNet/IP-based hardware connected in a device-level-ring (DLR) configuration. Controlled by Allen-Bradley ControlLogix controllers and Allen-Bradley Stratix industrial EtherNet/IP switches, the motor control centers comprise more than 500 E300 intelligent electronic overload control relays, 70 Allen-Bradley PowerFlex 750 AC drives, and 50 Allen-Bradley SMC Flex smart motor control soft starters for motor starting, stopping, control and protection with greater production efficiency.
To address the plant’s energy metering, energy consumption, load shedding and harmonics analysis, Rockwell Automation supplied a range of its Allen-Bradley PowerMonitor metering solutions. Technical partner, MSE, provided all packaged motor control centers distributed throughout the plant to reduce cabling costs. In order to keep the plant running nonstop, all motor control center, device-level hardware is equipped with the Rockwell Automation automatic device configuration (ADC) for automatic self-healing and configuring of replaced components. ADC, paired with the Rockwell Automation DLR network that ensures uninterrupted, real-time device communication, provides SAB with greater network resilience and reduces unplanned downtime.
About Rockwell Automation
Rockwell Automation Inc. a company dedicated to industrial automation, information and making the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell Automation employs over 22,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.
