When Avbob Industries of Rustenburg were looking for an automated system to cut granite slabs for tombstones, they chose Welkom Industrial Controls and Adroit Technologies.
Welkom Industrial Controls were already providing a reliable and professional service on the repair and servicing of the granite polishing machines used at Avbob's facility in Bloemfontein. These machines were being run with Telemecanique PLCs and Avbob previously had to bear the cost of bringing out technicians from France in order to effect maintenance.
As Welkom Industrial Controls were rendering a valuable service to Avbob and helping to cut costs on the PLCs, the company was approached to look for an automated solution for their granite slab cutting operation.
"We chose a Schneider Premium PLC," said Welkom Industrial Controls' Teddy Richards, "together with the Adroit Technologies scada package, engineered to control the 3 m circular diamond cutting saw."
The saw is programmed to cut on three axes; lengthwise, across and vertically, and is able to cut as many as six slabs at a time in any combination of six different sizes.
"Prior to the automation," continued Richards, "the slabs were being cut manually. Now, with the saw travelling at a speed of up to 3 m per minute, production has been increased by 35 to 40%."
Two saws are already in operation, with a third destined to come online by December. All operations are controlled by user-friendly Adroit scada from a single control room, by one operator.
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