| Here are some screen shots of the touchscreen operator interface. Click on the images to see a larger view. |
| This recent development project involved creating a 2 axis precision linear positioning system for 2 large vertical bandsaws (Scrag mill w/8"wide bands 55" diameter wheels, & 60HP ea.) The large mass of the bandsaws made hydraulic actuators ideal so we developed an electro-hydraulic positioning system using PLC control logic and digital servos for +/- .005" positioning accuracy with hydraulic actuators. The system, allows the customer to be highly flexible in their milling process while achieving maximum yield from the material at a much lower cost than expensive scanning systems. For more detail on this system please read an excerpt from the manual on our manuals page. |
| This is a horizontal band resaw mill control system with a Silvatech setworks system integrated into the operator panel. Silvatech recently dissolved their operations and we have developed a more modern setworks control system for our customer, a local sawmill manufacturer who has traditionally used Silvatech setworks controllers for their mills. Our system is more flexible and significantly lower cost than the Silvatech systems we are replacing. |
| Inside view of the PLC based Scrag mill control panel. |
| This is a trimsaw MCC and control panel, this very simple cotroller automatically senses rough board length as the board travels into the enclosed trimsaw and trims the board to the longest standard length possible (up to 20') while displaying the current cut length to the operator. The operator may also override the automatic selection to trim wane or other defects. There are 9 trim saw motors, and a variable speed feed motor. We make use of circuit breakers in place of fuses for long term economy of operation, at $10+/fuse these days, the initial extra cost of a circuit breaker is only 1 set of blown fuses away from paying for itself. |
| To the left is a 3 axis gantry servo control panel. This system used traditional analog servo amplifiers with a Delta Tau PC-104 format (very small) controller (below) in conjunction with windows based CNC software. The system had a travel of 92 x 96 (x & y) with a continuous rotary "w" axis. The system was capable of feedrates of 550 in/min. as delivered but was designed to be capable of doubling that feedrate if required. |
| Below are some basic Filterpress control panels and plate shifter controls. A filterpress is a batch filtration device with typically plastic plates on which filter cloth is draped. The press is used to clamp the plates to form a seal around the perimeter of the plates. Slurry is pumped into cavities in the body of the plates called chambers. The slurry passes through the filter cloth lining the chamber separating the liquid from the solids in the slurry. The liquid then passes through sealed channels out of the press, while the solids are left in the chamber. When the batch is complete the solids have formed semi dry "cakes" in the chambers between plates. Some filterpress plates are as small as 250mm (10") square and are easily separated by the operator to remove the cakes in the chambers, however some plates can be as big as 2000mm (79") square and weigh hundreds of pounds when laden with cake. Typically on presses larger than 630mm or where process chemicals are hazardous to the operator, a plate shifiting mechanism is installed to shift (separate) the plates mechanically using hydraulic or pneumatic power. Here at Fox Prints, we have designed a full compliment of filterpresses, press hydraulic systems, plate shifters, drip trays, roll bars and a host of associated equipment as well as control systems for press equipment in use at plants in the US, Canada, Mexico, Korea, and on offshore equipment for a major press manufacturer. Our equipment designs are currently in use in companies like Dupont, GE, Kerr McGee, Kodak Polychrome, BP, Unifirst, Amalgamated sugar, Exide batteries, James Hardie, and many more. |
| Fox Prints 615 Harrison rd - Norway ME 04268 V 207-744-4028 F 207-743-8148 inquiries@fox-prints.com |
| Please contact us for a quote on your controls requirement, we can build from your designs or design a system from scratch for you. We are presently developing a mill setworks package utilizing servo driven ball screw actuators pre-packaged as "electronic cylinders" to replace aging Silvatech or similar setworks systems. We do not have parts or provide service for Silvatech setworks, but we can quote you on replacement systems. Our setworks systems feature color touchscreen operator interfaces with custom application design as shown here with a overhead dog carriage sharp chain scragg mill. The system shown allows the operator to pre-select a dimensional cant size while randomly position the bands for the desired opening face. They can then take board sets on each face equally or unequally while the display constantly informs the operator of the number of sets remaining until the cant size is achieved. While making board sets the system automatically accounts for kerf. Once no more sets can be made the system automatically positions the bands for the pre-set cant dimension on the next set trigger. This allows the operator to keep his mind on production while automating optimization. |
| Here we have utilized a radio remote controller to replace a traditional corded pendant control for a filterpress shifter control. This simple box eliminated the need for a sliding cable festooning track and all the associated custom support brackets required, allowing for very simple installation on existing equipment without the need for an engineering visit to design appropriate hardware for the traditional festooning system. The hardware cost for this system is roughly equal to the hardware cost of the festooning system, however the installation and maintenance costs are virtually eliminated. |
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