Elevate Controls offers full-cycle development of embedded controllers. Our consistent development process adapts to the unique requirements of your project and ensures a quality outcome every time. We use industry standard tool chains that ensure efficient use of resources, and design protect to allow for future variation and scalability.
Background
Our client is an Australian leader in creating accurate, 1:10-scale models of conveyor transfer chutes that support the mining and minerals processing industries. These functional models allow engineers to evaluate and refine chute designs in a controlled environment, reducing risk, cost, and uncertainty prior to full-scale implementation.
Our client required a control infrastructure to overcome the limitations of manual motor drive operation and feedstock moisture monitoring, including speed, repeatability, and insights from test runs.
The Challenge
Our client aimed to streamline its chute modelling workflow and present engineers with improved data visibility in real time. The system needed to:
- Automate conveyor belt motor drives for repeatable and efficient testing
- Monitor moisture content in the feedstock in real time
- Provide an accurate volume flow rate calculated from a 2D laser scan of the belt.
- Provide a centralised interface for user control and data visualisation
- Enable live monitoring and correlation of process variables during testing
- Log and store test data for offline analysis and engineering reports
The Solution
The team at Elevate Controls designed a turnkey automation solution. It was housed in two plug-and-play instrument enclosures, creating a modern, data-driven research platform.
The solution featured several benefits:
- A high-performance controller interfaced with Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), hall effect sensors, and inline moisture sensors.
- It supported full real-time motor control and sensor feedback for dynamic system regulation.
- Supported 4–20 mA analog signals, 24V digital I/O, Ethernet, and Modbus communication.
- Enabled coordination across all system components with minimal latency and high reliability.
- Converted the existing PC into a multi-functional Human Machine Interface (HMI) for system configuration, monitoring, and control.
- Provided engineers with intuitive access to real-time operating conditions and performance parameters.
- Captured key metrics, including motor power usage, belt speeds, and moisture levels throughout each test.
- Allowed operators to visualise live trends, correlate data across test cycles, and export results for deeper engineering analysis.
The Outcome
The successful implementation of Elevate Controls’ system brought our client into a new era of automated chute testing. Manual operation was eliminated, allowing engineers to focus on test design, data interpretation, and process optimisation.
