South African engineering solutions company Omniflex has developed a wireless telemetry solution using mobile two-way radios which allow companies to collect data from remote sites for the control and monitoring of processing plants.
Omniflex reports that its Maxiflex system (based around Motorola's GM340 mobile two-way radio) has proved highly popular with the mining and petrochemical industries that use it to control the daily operations of automated process plants, monitor performance and to provide early warnings when a fault occurs.
In areas where distances are too vast to run cabling to a central hub, wireless communication provides an appropriate solution. By connecting a central processing unit with built-in modem to the accessory port on the radio, the user has full control of all push-to-talk functions and can connect to a local area network (LAN).
Omniflex’s Maxiflex telemetry system uses Motorola’s GM340 mobile two-way radio
"Up to 255 out-stations can exist on a single channel, providing maximum use of resources. We are also able to prioritise communication, so that the most important data is received timeously," explains Ian Loudon, sales and marketing manager for Omniflex. The company has significant experience in the field of industrial electronic instrumentation and automation and has developed a LAN protocol to run on analog radio, providing a data link for applications such as electrical out-stations and oil pumping schemes.
Customers currently using Maxiflex systems include Toyota, Anglo American, De Beers, SASOL, Sappi, Shell Research UK, British Nuclear Fuels, Hong Kong Harbour Authority and Engen. Toyota's manufacturing plant in Durban, depends on some 22 substations for power. The company uses a wireless telemetry system to detect electrical faults, overloads, loss of power and fire hazards.
"Our energy consumption averages 20 to 30 MW," explains Jaco Delport, technical specialist: Electronics at Toyota SA. "The substations send error alerts to us via radio links which enables the constant monitoring of power supplied to the plant and ensures that we are notified immediately should a problem arise. Dynamic and accumulated electrical demand parameters and consumption figures are also transmitted back via the network. In the event of a loss of power, we can switch over to a UPS to prevent downtime."
The substation automatically sends an alert to the radio control room with details of the fault and who to contact. This ensures a rapid response in an emergency situation and can save millions of rands in loss of production due to power failures.
Mike Barton, owner of Motorola authorised dealer, MD Tronics, notes that although the radio is ideal for data transfer, it can also be used in voice mode for on-site communication. "The radio is packed with features that include voice-operated transmit for hands-free operation, emergency signalling which can send a pre-recorded message to a pre-defined group of people and option board expandability for encryption and voice storage," he says.
"The GM340 meets the need in the market place for a quality product at an affordable price. It is reliable and well-supported throughout the African continent - this is critical to ensure that the telecommunications infrastructure remains operational," adds Loudon.
Although Omniflex has expanded its business globally, its strong local presence and engineering expertise have resulted in the company being the preferred supplier of industrial electronic instrumentation and automation products for many of South Africa's Blue Chip companies. "We expect the successful rollout of this application to gain favour with other companies operating in environments similar to those in South Africa. It is therefore important that we use quality products that have strong local back-up services," he concludes.
For more information contact Ian Loudon, sales and marketing manager, Omniflex, 031 207 7466.
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