System Integration & Control Systems Design


Optimum nutritional content

August 2018 System Integration & Control Systems Design

Infrabaker International (Infrabaker) develops, builds and markets infrared ovens for food preparation. In response to a special customer request, the company had to reengineer its existing concept to enable the defrosting of frozen fish, which required infrared radiation not only from above but also from below. When it came to the control system, drives and safety of the new oven model, Infrabaker opted to use components from Siemens.

Technology deployed in the new solution includes an integrated drive system (IDS) and engineering in the TIA (totally integrated automation) Portal, which allows the company to benefit from greater efficiency, improved reliability and lower engineering costs.

The major advantage of preparing foods using infrared technology is that this gentle cooking method does not destroy valuable nutrients. Working in cooperation with fine sheet metal specialist Wegra, Infrabaker had developed a series of modular design infrared ovens which allowed the standard model to be extended as required. However, this approach was not adequate to meet the needs of All Freez, a fish and shellfish wholesaler looking for a way of defrosting its products efficiently without compromising their nutritional value. Not only were the dimensions of the standard ovens too big for All Freez, the company also required a solution that could be flexibly deployed in different locations without the need to dismantle and reassemble it. In addition, the standard solution did not allow the fish to be heated as required from above and below simultaneously. Infrabaker took all these requirements into account and then went to work on the development and implementation of a mobile, compact new oven.

Integrated solution for greater efficiency

From the beginning, the developers were in no doubt that they would be using the integrated portfolio of solutions from Siemens to implement the new oven. The radiation intensity of the infrared lamps is controlled by the Siplus HCS (heating control system), while the IDS comprises Sinamics V90 and Sinamics G120C converters. The individual components are connected over a Simatic ET 200SP distributed I/O to a Simatic S7-1500 control system, operated from a user-friendly safety and comfort panel. The equipment is rounded off by a Scalance S615 VPN router to ensure optimum network security, allowing Infrabaker to track the status of the devices remotely and intervene if required.

For more information contact Jennifer Naidoo, Siemens Digital Factory and Process Industries and Drives, +27 11 652 2795, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Optimising the product design process
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
OPmobility is partnering with Siemens to adopt its Teamcenter X Product Lifecycle Management software. OPmobility’s increasingly complex products now include electronics and software, to create energy storage systems, which include battery and hydrogen electrification solutions and fuel tanks.

Read more...
Siemens automation portfolio, your bridge to the industrial metaverse
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Step into the future with Siemens’ automation portfolio, your bridge to the industrial metaverse. Our cutting-edge solutions integrate AI, digital twins and real-time simulation, driving smarter, more efficient production.

Read more...
Siemens elevates automotive and aerospace simulation
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced the latest update to its Simcenter portfolio, delivering advancements in aerostructure analysis, electric motor design, gear optimisation and smart virtual sensing. These enhancements are designed to streamline workflows, accelerate certification and provide deeper insights into system performance.

Read more...
The state of the SI industry remains strong and is expanding
System Integration & Control Systems Design
The system integration (SI) industry is expanding with the adoption of AI, automation and data sharing, allowing companies to improve operational efficiency and competitiveness across diverse sectors.

Read more...
Photorealism-enhanced digital twin with digital reality viewer
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced its Teamcenter Digital Reality Viewer, a new software solution that brings the NVIDIA Omniverse platform and accelerated computing to Teamcenter, enabling high-quality, high-performance photorealistic visualisation of large, complex datasets common in engineering and manufacturing.

Read more...
Immersive engineering for the industrial metaverse
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens Digital Industries Software has announced that it is delivering on its next-generation immersive engineering roadmap in collaboration with Sony Corporation. This brings together Siemens’ NX software for product engineering with Sony’s breakthrough head-mounted display (HMD) to enable the industrial metaverse.

Read more...
Siemens to empower startups with cutting-edge technology
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens has launched Siemens for Startups, a new program to empower early-stage engineering and manufacturing startups.

Read more...
The symbiotic relationship between OEMs and SIs
Schneider Electric South Africa Editor's Choice System Integration & Control Systems Design
While businesses tend to turn directly to original equipment manufacturers OEMs or vendors when embarking on IT projects, the role of the SI as a key facilitator and partner cannot be overstated.

Read more...
Flexible and precise dispensing technology
Beckhoff Automation System Integration & Control Systems Design
The Scheugenpflug ProcessModule axis system forms the basis of Atlas Copco’s dispensing and screwing cells and a flexible integration platform for general contractors and machine builders. Precise process sequences are ensured by TwinCAT CNC and servo drive technology from Beckhoff.

Read more...
Breakthrough innovations in industrial AI and digital twin technology
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Siemens is showcasing its vision for the future where data, AI and software-defined automation will converge to enable unprecedented flexibility, optimisation and continuous improvement across the world’s industries, for companies of any size.

Read more...