Meeting the demand for more complex process control systems

01 April, 2016

“These teams can procure all the necessary components, both from our own product lines and from external suppliers in order to achieve the most effective solution for the client. At the same time all the components must be seamlessly integrated and work together to deliver the required control structure and meet the necessary industry standards.”

Cleanliness, safety and product quality

Each industrial sector has its own requirements and these must be adhered to if any new product is to be accepted under the current certification scheme. There are statutory requirements of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points) for the food processing industry that set very precise standards with regards to cleanliness, safety and product quality. These standards are aimed to protect the consumer and they are enforced rigorously in most countries by regulation.

Industries that are required to adhere to stringent hygiene regulations need process control systems that will seamlessly integrate into the existing, predominantly stainless steel process structure. Bürkert ensures that all pipework associated with a design is fabricated and welded by engineers that are ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) coded for process piping.

Similarly, components and systems operating in potentially explosive atmospheres must be suitably tested and certified as safe for such an environment using the ATEX and IECEx standards. This is an area that requires considerable expertise and design knowledge in order to deliver a packaged solution, typically on a skid or in a cabinet that is tested and guaranteed to operate safely once installed.

Saunders concludes: “The benefits of collaborating with an industry leader that has the resources and expertise to deliver bespoke or short run projects should not be underestimated. The potential to reduce manufacturing lead times and costs as well as providing a guaranteed fixed cost of ownership allows a client to concentrate on their core business and improve their own productivity.

“The depth of knowledge and experience within Bürkert ensures that the finished solution will fully satisfy the client’s expectations. The completely in-house build programme will ensure that all the necessary components, including HMIs, PLCs and their programming will be integrated and ready to connect with the host system. We continue to support all our customers with their own projects, however, sometimes you need the scope and resource of an original equipment manufacturer to deliver. The fact that we are using our Systemhaus resources more and more in the UK just serves to underline the fact that the market has changed and will continue to do so.”