Predictive Adaptive Control for Batching and Blending

Success in the competitive manufacturing business takes more than the latest technology or equipment. It requires a strategy that increases efficiency, reduces costs and generates profits – constantly and consistently. For batching, blending or filling control systems, that strategy for success is Q.iMPACT (Q.i.).

Plasticolors, in Ashtabula Ohio, is a specialty colors house that creates all kind of color pigments and dispersions for main manufacturers in the plastics, coating, and inks industries. The company uses Q.i to continuously tighten accuracy of its filling batches on-the-fly. The automated filling of their SoluPak pre-weighed tubes of liquid pigment is consistently performing within the accuracy of ±1% or better.

Michael McCormick, Plasticolors’ coatings industry manager, comments: “Our company has always made custom solutions, but Q.i enables SoluPak to meet the needs of our customers, and exceed their expectations even more.”

Reduce costs by tightening tolerances
Rick Georgia, Plasticolors’s plant engineer adds: “Q.i. checks the flow rate at each dispense, will adjust the cutoff accordingly to stay in its target window, and will change the valve program down to the last can. Whatever spill hits the scale, Q.i calculates the new shut off in 6-8 seconds, and the next fill is even closer to the target. I’ve never seen Q.i take more than two subsequent fills to hit its target.” Georgia reports that IND780 with Q.i has increased the accuracy of Plasticolors’ 4-8 lb. containers by 25-50% per can, which means less fatigue for its operators, saves a lot on material costs, and delivers better quality product to its end users.

Predictive Adaptive Control
Q.i is a real-time, predictive, adaptive optimization of batching, blending, filling, dosing or formulation processes. The PAC (Predictive Adaptive Control) algorithms proprietary to METTLER TOLEDO build a real-time mathematical model of the material transfer process for each material path. They then automatically learn and compensate for natural process variations in each active material transfer, constantly updating and predicting the precise adjustment required yielding the most accurate material cutoff for every material transfer. Thanks to the advanced control provided by the PAC algorithms, complex multispeed systems, with gross and fine feeds, are unnecessary. Q.i delivers significantly shorter material transfer time, increasing manufacturing throughput in real world applications by up to 30 %, and improving material transfer cut-off repeatability by up to 90 %. Raw material waste is reduced, which in turn lowers raw material costs.

IND780 Q.iMPACT weighing terminal
The Q.i. applications take advantages from the already advanced processing power and the intuitive interface and programming flexibility of the IND780 weighing terminals. The IND780Q.iMPACT controller works in conjunction with existing PLC or DCS system. With seamless integration with the leading process control systems, the terminal takes command of the material transfer control and of the measurement aspects of the operation.