• To convert the sorter control system to the Siemens SIMATIC S7 industrial standard.

Objective:

• To guarantee great plant reliability
• To exchange the existing VMEbus control system incl. the DIO modules for new control technology based on the Siemens SIMATIC S7 400/ET200
• To create convenient sorter statistics and/or error evaluation and controls via a visualisation PC
• Conversion was implemented during operation.

• The specification of the customer, DPD, was to ensure unrestricted production while the plant is being converted. The technical challenge that Berghof faced was to establish a switching mode with short transition times and at no risk to the existing system.
• The new control technology was built in such a way that it was possible to continue to use the old system parallel to the new. By simply switching the SPS outputs between the new and the old system, it was possible to commission the new system during the daytime parallel to normal production in the night shift using the old system.
• The new control system was introduced to production via multiple production tests after which the switchover was made back to the old system. After the new control technology was finally introduced for production the old system remained in place as a fall-back solution. Only after the new control system had been in use for a longer period was the old control system dismantled.