| "AUTOMATION OF
THE HOT DIP GALVANIZING PROCESS" - CURRENT STATE OF THE ART AND THE NEXT STEPS. Abstract: The  system has delivered high
performance control for the entire range of products and operating conditions which occur
on a typical high volume hot dip coating line. This has been achieved by applying
appropriate control technology to overcome the inherent difficulties in the process and
developing a comprehensive and flexible Process Management system to interface with
operations and engineering personnel. In practice this has meant that the has automated the horizontal
positioning of the knives and the setting of wiping pressure to achieve specified product
coating requirements.
The product tracking and performance
analysis of the process management system have provided customers with the necessary
product quality assurance information. In addition, the system has provided operations
personnel with the information to successfully maintain plant equipment at the standards
required to continue supplying the most demanding products such as automotive exposed
panels.
This paper discusses the existing system
and the next steps which IAS are taking towards full automation of the hot dip galvanising
process. These include crossbow control (current), vertical and angle positioning of the
knives and automated plug detection and cleaning (being investigated).
mailto:hatchias_info@hatch.ca for a copy of
this paper. Click here for information
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