RichardWagner,MaxKlinger, KarlMay– composer, visual artist,
cult author –all created completelynewexperiences in their
respectiveart forms. For the“WorldCreators”exhibition,which
ran from16May to15September 2013at theMuseumof Fine
Arts inLeipzig, Festomadeaverymoving contribution. Using
136actuators, valve terminalsand controllers, renownedartist
rosalie transformed the creative forceandvisionof these three
great artists into large-scale, kinetic-interactive light sculptures
and installations. TheGrandCanyon“May–DeadEnd”wasa
constantlychangingdisplayof colour.Visitorsentering themoving
22-metre longand6.5-metrehigh light sculpturewere takenon
avoyage into the fantasyworlds createdby the famousnovelist.
Modern Festoautomation technologybrought thesculpture to
lifeandhelped toprovide the constantly changingshape, colour,
imagesandsounds that visitorsexperienced in the21minutes it
took towalk through it.
TheGrandCanyon“May–DeadEnd”:
A constantly changing
displayof shape, colour, imagesandsounds–brought to life
by Festoautomation technology.
Photos:© rosalie
Germany
Bringingart to life
Festoanimateskinetic sculptureby rosalie
Worldno. 1:
TheMexican Fresnillomineyielded
41millionouncesof silver in2012,making it the
most successful silvermine in theworld.
Everything inview:
Eachflotation cell hasa
control cabinetwith front-enddisplay FEDwhich
displays thedegreeof openingof thedart valves.
TheDFPI copeswith theharsh conditions
in themineby combining the functions
of a linear actuator, aposition controller andadisplacement encoder.
tohydrophobic surfaces in theflotation
cells, i.e. surfaceswhicharedifficult towet
withwater, andmake thesilver particles
float upwards. Special lances introduce
air into theflotationbath. Theair is then
graduallydistributedbyhigh-speed
stirrers. Tensidesand foamstabilisers
contained in theflotationbathstrengthen
thebubblesso that thesilver particles
float upwardswith thebubblesand can
beskimmedoff togetherwith the foam.
Theother particles remain in the turbid
bathandare continuouslypumpedaway.
Aharshenvironment
Eachflotation cell hasoutlet valveswhich
control the level of the foamat the topof
thebathand the concentrationofmetal.
In conventional applications, linear actu
atorswithexternal displacement encoders
andposition controllers control theopen-
ingand closingof thedart valves.Oneof
thedisadvantagesof conventional solu-
tions is that theyareextremelysusceptible
tomalfunctionsandbreakdowns industy
andmuddyenvironments. Theexternal
sensorsneed regular readjustment and
recalibration. Taking theplant out of
service for readjustment and recalibration
costsa lot of timeandmoney. “People
in themining industryput upwith these
interruptions formanyyears. Theywere
simplynot awareof anyother solution,”
says JuanRucobo,HeadofSystemControl
at the Fresnillosilvermine.
Newdriveoffersprotection
Fresnillo isno longer among themines
whichare forced toaccept downtimesdue
to technological reasons. “Festoproject
engineersdevelopedanautomationsolu-
tion inwhich the linearactuatorsno longer
need tobe recalibratedandalsono longer
breakdownbecauseof external sensors,”
explains JuanCarloCelaya, ProcessAuto-
mationManagerwith FestoMexico.
The reason: Fresnillo isoneof thefirst
mines in theworld touse thenew linear
actuatorDFPI from Festo insteadof
conventional linear actuators. TheDFPI
combines thoseof a linear actuatorwith
the functionsof aposition controller
andadisplacement encoder. All the
componentsaresecurelyand compactly
enclosedbya cylinder barrel. In compari-
sonwithmodular systems, theactuator
offers impressive robustness foroutdoor
applicationsandexplosionprotection for
zone2. TheDFPI thus regulates thedart
valvesand the level of the foamextremely
effectively.
Simpleoperation, reliableservice
Eachflotation cell isalsoequippedwith
a control cabinet inwhich thevalve
terminals typeCPX-MPA for activating the
actuatorsDFPI are installed togetherwith
theprogrammable controller CPX-FEC.
There isalsoa front-enddisplayFEDwhich
displays thedegreeof openingof thedart
valves.
At all stages, fromengineering through to
purchasing, installation, commissioning
andoperation, thecompletesolution from
Festo increases theproductivityof the
system right along theentirevalue chain.
Thesystem canbe configuredquicklyand
iseasy tocommission.Thesalesengineers
from FestoMexico technical support
areonhand toprovide theemployeesat
thesilverminewithexpertiseandspare
parts.
1.2014
trends inautomation
Synergies/Festoworldwide
42
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