Mobile Conveyor Control Systems

Learn how DynaGen controllers, Tyro radio remote control and Messenger telemetry products can be used to create an integrated control solution.

Mobile Conveyors Provide Flexibility and Efficiency

rock crusher mobile conveyor with a rock pile

Mobile conveyors are widely used in agriculture, aggregate production, construction, and mining and offer a range of benefits that can be greatly enhanced with wireless automation and tight integration to engine and machine control. Combined with engine and machine control solutions, mobile conveyors become easily adjustable, allowing for quick adaptation to changing process needs. A mobile conveyor enabled with wireless automation can improve production capacity while providing a wider field of view, enhancing safety for operators when transporting hazardous materials.

Integrated Controls Can Boost Productivity and Safety

Operating mobile conveyors efficiently requires intelligent machine control systems to effectively control and regulate movement and overall performance while enhancing operator safety. Utilizing Cattron’s application engineering expertise and an integrated controls approach will result in optimized control over the conveyor’s speed, direction, and material-carrying capacity. The system architecture can be set up to enable a radio remote control option. Wireless remote controls allow operators to interact with the conveyor without any physical interface, boosting safety and efficiency. Incorporating our cloud-based telematics solutions can add another level of intelligence, enabling real-time monitoring, remote diagnostics, and machine tracking.

The Cattron integrated controls approach can add significant value to your business.  Machine operators will benefit from our market-leading technology and system expertise:

remoteIQ on desktop computer with dynagen and tyro industrial remote controls
  • Integrated DynaGen™ engine controllers offer end users reliable control over engine performance in extremely harsh environments. They are a central point of monitoring for warnings and failures, providing seamless engine and conveyor control integration. DynaGen controllers can transform mechanical systems into a J1939 gateway and enhance the communication interfaces to other devices and systems.
  • Tyro™radio remote control solutions offer end users a way of controlling speed, direction, height, and on/off functions without being at the control panel, increasing operator safety.
  • Cloud-based monitoring with RemoteIQ™ allows end users to track high-value equipment through GPS location monitoring and provides remote equipment visibility and oversight through intuitive dashboards and alarm notifications.

Choosing the Right Engine Control Partner

Our integrated solutions are designed to meet the needs of both machine OEMs and end users. We offer durable plug-and-play engine controllers and panels, including rapid prototyping, variable speed capabilities, wireless remote control modules, cloud-based remote monitoring and diagnostics. In addition, our CANbus-based hardware seamlessly connects everything, using optimized wire harnesses, sensors and HMI products.

Our comprehensive approach means we work closely with the Engine OEM and the Machine OEM to boost productivity, ensure maximum uptime and prioritize safety.

Contact us for a consultation.


Integrated Mobile Conveyor Control

A comprehensive solution incorporating DynaGen engine controllers with a Tyro wireless remote control for safety.

Dependable electronics are an absolute necessity in hazardous environments. However, the combination of combustible gases or dust with an arc or a spark from these products can potentially cause devastating fires or explosions. Whether you are at the chemical plant, on your oil platform or offshore drilling rig, in your mill, or somewhere equally as dangerous, all of your equipment is likely carrying a hazardous rating like Class I Div 2, Class I Div 1, IECEx/ATEX Zone 1 or Zone 2. But what does that mean exactly and how does this affect what lighting you should buy? Read on for more clarity on hazardous environments and ratings.

What is a hazardous location?

Hazardous locations are in more places than you think and it’s important to be aware of them if you are purchasing electronic equipment including LED lighting. Even your local gas/petrol station is considered a hazardous location because of the potential for an explosion. If, for example, a spark or lit cigarette collides with a drop or puddle of gasoline – FIRE! Your gas station needs hazardous-rated lighting.

According to UL (a US-based global certification laboratory), a hazardous location is “where explosion or fire hazards exist due to the presence of flammable gases, flammable or combustible liquid-produced vapors, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers or flyings.”

This could mean anything from the obvious like a drilling rig or chemical plant where highly flammable substances are mined or processed. Or it could mean the less obvious like a mill or sugar processing facility where the minute particles in the air have the potential to create a spark in the right conditions. Each facility is rated differently, based on their potential for explosion, which we’ll dive deeper into below.

What are some of the hazardous UL Ratings?

UL ratings are seen and adhered to most often in North America but do apply to countries in South America, Asia, and the Middle East. When looking at a hazardous UL rating, you’ll find the Class first and then the Division.

Dialight most often sees and certifies Class I, II, and III. The main difference between the three is the presence of flammable gases/vapors; combustible or conductive dust; or fibers like wood chips and cotton (see the chart below). The lower the Class the higher the hazard.

The Division (1 or 2) is what defines the likelihood of there being hazardous substances in enough ignitable concentrations in the atmosphere (i.e. what is the likelihood that there is enough gas or dust in a given situation that it would ignite or explode and what is the circumstance for that). If your facility is Div 1, it means that the particles or gases/vapors created at your facility are always potentially going to ignite and severe caution is needed to prevent a spark (think chemical processing). Div 2 means that an explosion or fire could only happen in the event of some breakdown or system failure but that extreme caution should still be observed to prevent catastrophe (ex. A platform in an oil refinery may be a CI D2 environment as the decks tend to be outdoors and far enough away from the source of the flammable gas. It would only become hazardous if an abnormal condition occurred like a valve failure or similar accident.)

UL_Haz_Doc

What are some hazardous ATEX Ratings?

IECEx/ATEX ratings are seen most often in Europe, Australia, and parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. They are relatively similar to UL ratings in that the lower the Zone the higher the probability is for fire or explosion based on the materials present and their concentration in the atmosphere. Both UL and ATEX classify certain substances in groups. Check out our ATEX reference chart below.

Atex_Doc

Angular measurement in harsh environments

The compact GIM500R inclination sensors in robust aluminum housing are ideal for use in harsh environments.
When it comes to tough outdoor use, many sensors reach their limits. Inclination sensors by sensor expert Baumer stand for maximum reliability and durability even in a harsh environment. Thanks to the extremely robust and resilient design, the new GIM500R sensors are ideal for outdoor applications in mobile automation and ensure maximum system uptime.

The GIM500R inclination sensors excel by ultra-high accuracy up to ±0.1˚ for absolute reliability and precise positioning. The E1-compliant and uncompromising design with optimal EMC properties, IP 69K protection and corrosion resistance up to C5-M is particularly addressing demanding outdoor applications. Their shock and vibration resistance up to 200 g respectively 20 g and the wide temperature range from +85 down to -40°C make the inclination sensors particularly durable in temperature fluctuations and any type of soiling. The integrated EN13849-compliant firmware meets the highest requirements on reliability which allows for standard components to be used in functional safety systems up to PLd level. Another hallmark of the new series is optional redundant system design where required.
Inclination sensors of the GIM500R series stand out by their compact aluminum housing, high cost-efficiency and maximum flexibility in system design. They fit in the confined installation space prevailing in mobile automation and heavy vehicles.
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Further information

Innovation for Agriculture

Baumer strives to be leading in sensor technology. This means our customers have access to new trends in sensing technologies. We work together with customers, universities, and partners to demonstrate capabilities of and put to use emerging technologies.

Radar Technology – Miniaturized Radar Sensors

A new class of radar sensors will become available that have the potential to complement ultrasonic sensors. These radar sensors may be used for defined targets for positioning tasks and also for distance measurement on natural targets for e.g. boom height or implement control. Radar waves are less susceptible to environmental influences, and experience little damping in air at short distances. First field tests with this new developments confirmed good canopy penetration.
Recent advances in the SiGe BiCMOS process allow for operating frequencies well beyond 100GHz in mm bands and sub THz frequency ranges. Possible applications include wireless multi Gbps data communication, automotive radar and active and passive imaging systems for e.g. aircraft navigation under clouds, fog and dust conditions. Transceivers and antennas can now be fully integrated onto a single chip in standard semiconductor processes. This, and an active and fast adaption especially in the automotive industry, will result in the availability of miniature devices in the near future that will complement existing technologies such as ultrasonic sensors.
Radar devices in small packages in the mm band have advantageous beam propagation properties. Beam forming by a dielectric lens allows for a simple field of view and gain tailoring. At a field of view of less than +/-10° a linearity error of better than +/-6mm can be achieved. These properties compare well to e.g. ultrasonic sensors. Especially in the agriculture equipment environment ultrasonic sensors are extensively used due to their robustness and resistivity to dirt.