Intelligent solutions for monitoring manufacturing and subassembly of HVAC systems

March 11, 2023 1:47 pm

To build efficient HVAC systems, Daikin India wanted to implement intelligent solutions that support remote data acquisition for a cost-effective and sustainable means of monitoring the manufacturing of HVAC systems.
HVAC systems regulate airflow, heat,ventilation, and air conditioning in homes, office buildings, and even vehicles. Essentially, HVAC systems are key mechanical solutions developed to ensure thermal comfort and manage to build air quality.
Conceptualising a smart monitoring and management solution for Daikin India
Expert knowledge of production equipment and strictly controlled processes are required to build efficient HVAC systems. For this reason, monitoring the HVAC manufacturing process, collecting equipment data, and analysing production operations is essential. However, implementing a robust network infrastructure that adequately monitors the HVAC manufacturing process can be challenging and costly. Accordingly, many manufacturers are looking to implement intelligent solutions and advanced technologies that support remote data acquisition for a cost-effective and sustainable means of monitoring the manufacturing and subassembly of HVAC systems.
System Requirements
This project involved conceptualising a smart monitoring and management solution for Daikin India, a subsidiary of Daikin Industries Ltd. and a leading HVAC solutions provider in India. Daikin India produces a wide range of energy-efficient air conditioning systems for residential, commercial, and industrial buildings.
Daikin India wanted to implement an equipment monitoring and data collection solution to optimise energy efficiency and productivity at its factories. However, the available installation space and network capabilities were limited because the HVAC subassembly lines featured numerous programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Therefore, the company needed a compact yet versatile solution for acquiring and visualising production data without high networking/infrastructure costs.
To facilitate equipment monitoring and operational optimisation, Daikin India needed a system with the following capabilities/specifications:
• Supports smart real-time monitoring of HVAC sub-assembly lines
• Enables seamless acquisition and visualisation of equipment data
• Minimizes and streamlines data transmissions
• Configurable PLC I/O data collection flexibility
• Reliable industrial-grade hardware
Solution
The solution provided by Advantech comprised its ESRP-PCS-UNO2271 equipment connectivity data gateway, which supports more than 400 PLC communication drivers and self-defined data conversion protocols. Furthermore, the ESRP-PCS-UNO2271 gateway was pre-installed with Advantech’s WebAccess/ HMI software package to enable integrated development and data visualisation for real-time monitoring.
The ESRP-PCS-UNO2271 gateway is also used to gather machine data from PLCs via I/O devices. The provision of comprehensive I/O interface support allows the gateway to be easily expanded and the uplink/downlink connectivity optimised. After collection, all data is transmitted to the UNO-2483G automation computer, which is the platform for Advantech’s WebAccess/SCADA software package.
This solution would allow the company to dynamically configure the Modbus/TCP protocols, integrate PLC I/O data, and store collected data on a database server for real-time visualisation. Data can then be displayed on a dashboard as dynamic graphs and historical trends to facilitate analysis and operational optimisation. The dashboard can also be used to review event alarm notifications and adjust set-point and status data.
Products Implemented
ESRP-PCS-UNO2271 equipment connectivity data gateway UNO-2483G automation computer with Intel® Core™ i7/i3/Celeron® processor, 4 x GbE, 2 x mPCIe, and 1 x HDMI/VGAWebAccess/SCADA software package with 5000 tags.