Perfectly cared for

Article of 30 October 2020 

Autoreinigung

Cleaning agents for car care consist of numerous different substances. In the course of the production process, these first have to be stored, then transported and mixed, and finally filled into containers. Automation technology makes this faster, simpler and more reliable.

Water, alcohol, glycerine, surfactants, oleic and acetic acid, sodium and potassium hydroxide and much more: for the production of car cosmetics, numerous different substances are used. Before car body, motor or carpet care products are made from these substances, they pass through different production steps, like being mixed and filled into containers.

In the production plant, numerous different materials are stored, transported, mixed and filled into containers.
In the production plant, numerous different materials are stored, transported, mixed and filled into containers.

In order to increase productivity, the production cycle can be completely automated – from the raw material to the filling line of the finished products. An important focus: the automation of the process valves. These play a central role during the entire production process, as they perform an opening and closing function and control the flow rate of the various substances.

Automated process valves ensure the reliable distribution of substances in the various process steps.
Automated process valves ensure the reliable distribution of substances in the various process steps.

Customer-specific complete solutions

The Croatian company Alfa Car, which supplies a wide range of cleaning agents for exterior and interior car care as well as for interior fittings, has automated the entire production process in a new production facility. Festo took on the project management for this and selected over 200 ball valves from various manufacturers, including local ones. It was essential that the valves were suitable for the potentially explosive environment in the factory. Festo also supplied its own quarter turn actuators and limit switch attachments as well as six valve terminals of the VTUG type.

The limit switch attachment on Festo’s DFPD quarter turn actuator is mounted on a third-party ball valve for automated opening and closing.
The limit switch attachment on Festo’s DFPD quarter turn actuator is mounted on a third-party ball valve for automated opening and closing.

The valve terminals ensure the smooth integration of process valves from different manufacturers into the higher-level control system. This is the basic prerequisite for the automation of the new plant to function optimally. It is therefore a customer-specific complete solution – from the process valve through to the valve terminals. This comprehensive solution guaranteed fast integration into the new plant and ensures maximum reliability of the future production process.

Compact in the control cabinet: the VTUG valve terminal with PROFINET bus connection controls the process valves.
Compact in the control cabinet: the VTUG valve terminal with PROFINET bus connection controls the process valves.