Issue plics®

SIMPLY BETTER: plics® has been simplifying process measurement since 2003. FIELD REPORTS: 10 years of experience. LIFE CYCLE: Saving time and money with plics®.

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T he idea to bring together all measuring principles into a single, simple, unified plat-

form evolved from practical experi-ence. Posing the question, “What will be required of measurement technol-ogy in the future?”, VEGA invited users from the chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and food industries, as well as from the plant engineering and construction sector to participate in a roundtable discussion. The conclusion that was reached that the current tech-nical level and performance of instru-ments are good, and they now cover practically all requirements and appli-

The instrument platform plics®

Measurement technology, never before as simple

cations. But, there was one, unani-mous opinion, “Make instrumentation simpler – and by that we mean in every respect: from selection to planning, to setup and commissioning, right through to day-to-day operation.”

One important milestone on the way to an integrated instrument platform was in 2000. The development depart-ment decided in future that all sensors, even the complex radar, would fit into the small VEGASWING 61 level switch housing. Since 2003, all VEGA instruments share the same housing platform. That also applies to the elec-

tronics and adjustment concept, which is unparalleled to this day.

plics® for decision makers: ▪ Lower costs right from the start ▪ Synergy e�ects ▪ E�cient work input

plics® for users: ▪ Solutions for level and pressure - Radar, ultrasonic, guided radar - Vibration, capacitive, conductive - Process pressure, di�erential - pressure, hydrostatic

▪ Approvals for all industries ▪ Easy servicing

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The instrument platform plics®

ContentsP. 7 The natural solution: VEGA!

Corbion Purac has relied on VEGA sensors for level and pressure measurement in its processes for many years.

P. 12 Unwavering reliability Co�ee roaster Lavazza is all about “black gold”.

P. 15 Foam? No problem! State-of-the-art automation and control technology ensures

the high quality of vermouth at Martini & Rossi.

P. 19 VEGA and nothing else For many years now, the modern food company Maggi has worked

together with VEGA for its level and pressure measurement needs.

P. 24 Partners forever The Dutch water authority Hoogheemraadschap Holland

Noorderkwartier ensures water quality and dry feet.

P. 28 plics® ahoy! At Berg Maritieme Meetsystemen, reliable instrumentation gives ship

captains confidence in dealing with hazardous tank contents.

P. 30 It couldn’t be better Chemiewerk Bad Köstritz is a company fully committed

to the production of inorganic specialty chemicals.

P. 33 Pure energy EnviTec spans the entire value-added chain in biogas production.

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I t all started with a vision. The idea of a modular system for measur-ing instruments that could improve

everything in process automation. This new modular concept would not only shorten delivery times dramatically and combine the optimal housing with the most suitable electronics for every application, but also standardize the operation of all measuring principles. Admittedly these were very ambitious goals, but nevertheless the big break-through was made. Our VEGA devel-opers introduced to the process indus-try an intelligent instrument system with a unified platform and a standardized adjustment concept that at once made everything simple.

Today, it seems completely natural that an instrument concept can incor-porate all these abilities. But let us remember: before VEGA introduced the instrument concept plics® in 2003, there were no platform concepts in the world of process measurement tech-nology. Rather, a bewildering confu-sion of designs dominated the scene: every measuring principle had its own housing concept, individual electronics and software. In addition to that, every type of instrument had di�ering instal-lation and commissioning procedures

and its own adjustment logic. For users in factories that meant having to invest huge amounts of time and money for training and to constantly adapt their thinking to di�erent instruments during work.

At the beginning of the new millen-nium, it was high time that measure-ment technology finally arrived in the modern world. Therefore, our stated goal at VEGA was to radically simplify level and pressure measurement tech-nology. It sounds simple enough, but if you want to make something com-plicated into something simple – you first have to think long and hard. And that’s what we did, the engineers in our development department strained their brains for years. Behind closed doors there was a lot of tinkering, testing, discarding and rethinking going on, in order to realize the vision of a standard-ized, easy-to-use instrument platform for all measuring methods. As if the task wasn’t di�cult enough already, a short delivery time and backward compat-ibility of the adjustment software were also written as musts into the specifi-cation. Oh and while we were at it, we decided that the platform, to which all the di�erent measuring methods were to be adapted, should also be as small

The original – 10 years old, better than ever!A decade has passed since VEGA revolutionized the measurement technology industry with a bang: the intelligent instrument platform plics® was launched on the market. In the meantime nearly 1.7 million plics® instruments have been sold and are now in use around the globe.

as possible. We didn’t want to do things by halves – we wanted to create a real breakthrough in measurement technology for the benefit of all: for us as the manufacturer, for buyers, plant builders and, especially the users, the people who operate the instruments day to day.

Today we know it was worth the e�ort! The number speaks for itself: approximately 1.7 million – that’s how many plics® instruments have been delivered to date. Our customers in the process industry have quickly real-ized that plics® is a well thought out and mature concept, right down to the smallest detail.

Often, you can only see with hindsight just how good an idea really is. Today, on the tenth anniversary of plics®, we can look back and proudly say: there is still no other manufacturer who has managed to house a radar instrument with such high performance in such a small space, to enable this integrated modularity. The original is simply the best, and has been now for 10 years! Is there a better reason to celebrate? Happy birthday, plics®!

Günter Kech, Managing Director VEGA Grieshaber KG

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Quickly ordered, money saved

The instrument platform plics® reduces the time, and hence the costs involved in selecting and ordering. Because plics® answers the question: “What instrument do I need for my application?” quickly and useful tools are on hand. Like the Internet appli-cation “Finder” at www.vega.com, which guides the user systematically to the most suitable measuring principle for the given process conditions. The

It can take some time for your level and pressure instrumentation order to arrive ...

... or it can be there before you know it.

model of the instrument is then chosen using the on-line “Configurator”. This application assists in ‘assembling’ all the individual components, from hous-ings to electronics and process fittings. The result: the optimal instrument for the customer requirement.

Of course, VEGA customers can

always get in touch and talk to an expert who will consult and create an

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o�er for them quickly. All these ser-vices enable consulting and tendering to be completed within an amazingly short time.

The customized instrument is deliv-ered almost as fast as the ordering process itself. 80 % of all instruments are assembled and ready to deliver within five working days.

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C orbion Purac is a major inter-national producer of organic chemicals and polymers

based on lactic acid. As an industry and world market leader in lactic acid products, Corbion Purac has commit-ted itself completely to biological solu-tions – a concept that is also reflected in the company slogan: “Pure by nature”.

With this specialization, Corbion Purac is active in a large number of markets. The company’s main industry

focus is food and chemical, as well as the polymer market. Purac has 5 pro-duction plants in Europe, the United States, Latin America and Asia and employs 1,100 people worldwide.

The plant in Spain is specialized in the development and manufacture of new products. 140 employees work here, producing more than 10,000 tons of biochemicals every year. About 80 % of the products are shipped abroad.

The natural solution: VEGA!For many years Corbion Purac has relied on VEGA sensors for high-quality level and pressure measurement in its processes. The intelligent plics® concept is just one of the reasons.

Purac plant in Spain.

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Purac has recently started an excit-ing new project: in a joint venture with BASF, Purac will start producing Succinic acid by fermentation, to make PBS (polybutylene succinate), in order to replace the current oil-based plas-tics.

15 years of trust in VEGAJosep María Sas, Technical Manager

of the plant in Spain, has been working for Purac for over 25 years. He is responsible for the new bioplastics project, as well as for the maintenance department. Mr. Sas talks about his experiences working together with VEGA: “We’re trying to standardize all of our technical equipment. For level measurement technology, we rely solely on VEGA as a reliable supplier.

“VEGA supplies measuring instruments with all the necessary features, thinks along with the customer and always finds a solution.”

The beauty of working with VEGA is that they not only supply instruments with the features we need, but they think proactively and o�er complete solutions.”

Purac uses the level measuring instruments mainly in containers and tanks in which di�erent products are stored, from raw materials required for the production of lactid acids, to inter-

Level, point level and pressure sensorsfrom VEGA on a critical measurement:The fermentation process in lactic acidproduction use the plics® instrument platform as a common standard for alltanks.

Throughout the 15 years of this busi-ness relationship, VEGA has always proven to be especially flexible when it comes to finding solutions for our ever changing demands on level instru-mentation,” says Josep Maria Sas, full of praise, and adds: “You can always count on the reliability of VEGA’s meas-uring instruments and their amazingly fast delivery. Also, whenever there’s a problem, the response is immediate.

mediate and final products. Currently, a total of 350 level gauges from VEGA are deployed in Purac’s plant in Spain.

In addition to the level sensors, there are also pressure measuring instru-ments from VEGA in the Purac plant. Sas remembers a di�cult pressure measurement problem that VEGA solved for his company: “After the sterilization process in our fermen-

Josep María Sas Technical ManagerCorbion Purac Spain

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tation tanks, when the temperature drops from +120° Celsius to the normal process temperature, it’s di�cult to maintain positive pressure, which is necessary to prevent air entering from the outside. With the previous pres-sure transmitters we often had pro-blems because their readings were inaccurate. But since we’ve changed to VEGABAR 52, with a flush mounted ceramic measuring cell, the problems have simply disappeared.”

play”, exclaims the technical manager of Purac with enthusiasm. “It is espe-cially practical to be able to carry the handy, user-friendly PLICSCOM display module in your pocket when doing the rounds through our expan-sive facilities.” The technical manager mentions further arguments in favour of plics®: “For the maintenance team it is no longer a problem to replace an old or damaged sensor. They only have to order a new electronics module, and hey presto! That makes their work easier and saves the company time and money.”

Another important aspect for Purac is the delivery time, especially for some particularly di�cult applications. Purac decided to buy all pressure trans- mitters for a new plant project from VEGA, because the alternative supplier of pressure gauges had a delivery time of 30 days. “When we inquired with VEGA and were told that they needed only ten days to deliver the instruments, I was very pleasantly surprised,” says Sas. “Then I realized that it is the plics® concept that makes such short delivery times possible.”

With plics®, the user gains the precious gift of time from VEGA. Selecting the most suitable instrument is easy, but if you do need help, a competent team member is happy to assist you and make an offer in no time. The “Speed” concept ensures a build time of no more than five days.

“Thanks to plics®, setting up and commissioning VEGA sensors is as easy as child’s play.”

Fans of plics® right from the start Purac has benefited from the advan-

tages of the intelligent instrument system ever since VEGA introduced the plics® concept in 2003. “Thanks to plics®, setting up and commissioning VEGA sensors is as easy as child’s

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The installation of level and pressure instrumentation can be rather complicated …

… or as easy as child’s play.

When installing a sensor,time is money

The significant cost advantages of the plics® instrument platform become apparent especially during the instal-lation of a measuring instrument. The modular approach of plics® makes connecting the instruments quite simple: All instruments are connect in the same way. The secure spring-loaded terminals allow fast and reliable

electrical connection. No matter what type or version, whether 4 ... 20 mA or digital, the sensors can be confidently put into operation. Since all housing versions can be rotated independently of the process connection, users can easily align their sensors to fit the local cabling.

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Even measuring points in extremely tight spaces become less daunting thanks to the compact plics® housings. Handling is easier, too, as the instru-ments are much lighter due to their compact design.

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Unwavering reliabilityFor co�ee roaster Lavazza, it’s all about “black gold”. The company has to keep close track of its product inventory at all times, and that’s why reliable level measurement in the co�ee silos is essential. Lavazza recently presented VEGA with a tricky problem – measuring the level of ground co�ee in 22 metre high silos, which it has solved with flying colours.

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M ore than 17 billion cups of Lavazza co�ee are drunk each year. Practically every-

one knows the brand. Founded in 1895, the roasting house today is one of the largest in the world, with a noticeable presence in 90 countries. Their turn- over was 1.33 billion euros in 2012. They have four production plants across Italy, three in the north – Turin, Gattinara and Verres – and one in the province Isernia.

The triumph of yellowLavazza has to know at all times how

much co�ee is stored in their silos. For that reason the company decided in 2003 to visualize its inventory in the control and monitoring system. “Before we made the investment, we put a VEGA guided wave radar level trans-mitter through an endurance test. After

It was most of all the simplicity of plics® that convinced the co�ee expert. Simplicity in all aspects – from selection, installation and setup, to calibration and day-to-day operation. Another impor-tant criteria was the high reliability of the instruments in continuous operation, which has already been demonstrated. Last but not least, our company appre-ciates the fast delivery and excellent service provided by the Black Forest instrumentation specialist.

Immediately after the test, the company bought 18 VEGAFLEX guided wave radar sensors for some 11 metre high silos and two years later, a further 80 for 18 metre silos, as well as another 12 for some smaller ones. In the years that followed, the engineering team has purchased and installed additional

“In all those years there was only one case of instrument malfunction due to the electronics. VEGA replaced the electronics and one minute later the process was up and running again. 1 : 0 for modularity.”

Consistently reliable readingsOne of the biggest challenges for the

co�ee specialists was the level measure-ment of ground co�ee in the 22 metre high silos. The successful solution? The powerful non-contact VEGAPULS 68 radar sensor. This instrument always delivers the correct values and thus forms the basis for optimal process control enabling production process to be continuously improved. In addition, customer and VEGA worked together to develop a solution for level measure-ment in the 6 metre high co�ee silos

“In the last 10 years a close, successful partnership with VEGA has emerged. Together we have found solutions for a number of critical applications – with positive results for both sides.”Mr. Luciano Zattarin, Roasting and Utilities Engineering Manager.

with another non-contact radar device, VEGAPULS 67.

“In the last 10 years a close, success-ful partnership with VEGA has emerged. Together we have found solutions for a number of critical applications – with positive results for both sides,” empha-sizes Luciano Zattarin.

the test was successfully completed, we then took a major strategic deci-sion: equip all of our plants with the yellow sensors!” remembers Luciano Zattarin, who is responsible for roasting and plant operation at Lavazza and has been with the company for 31 years. “We benefit from plics® every time we work with, or service the instruments. The unified platform allows us to do this in a very simple way – with no surprises and no lost time.”

VEGAFLEX, non-contact VEGAPULS radar as well as VEGAWAVE and VEGASWING point level switches for bulk solids and liquids.

Today, around 400 plics® instruments are operating in Lavazza’s facilities in Italy: more than 200 VEGAFLEX 61, over 40 VEGAPLUS 67 and VEGAPULS 68 as well as 100 VEGAWAVE 61 and VEGASWING 61 level switches.

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Setting up and commissioning level and pressure instrumentation can be a science in itself …

… or as easy as adding one plus one.

Faster into operation

The display and adjustment module PLICSCOM is used to set up and com-mission an instrument directly on site. Technicians can navigate through the clear menu structure with only four keys. Along the way they are supported by well-known terms, structures and graphical elements. Anyone who has once put a plics® sensor into operation can use that knowledge – completely independent of the measuring principle – to set up and commission any other sensor.

Alternatively, setup can be carried out with PACTware. The adjustment software is based on the FDT concept, which integrates di�erent device and communication drivers. This means commissioning of all plics® sensors is independent of how they are connected in the field, whether via 4 ... 20 mA,

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HART, Profibus PA or Foundation Fieldbus. PACTware is a guarantor for smooth and reliable instrument start-up. Additionally, even the most recent software version can still be used for all previous instrument generations – delivering real added value for users.

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M artini & Rossi has been distilling vermouth in the small town of Pessione in

northern Italy since 1863, using a top secret recipe comprising over 50 di�er-ent herbs and spices. This is a world famous brand with a distinctive taste and is a symbol of Italian lifestyle. Since 1994 it has belonged to Bacardi-Martini Group, the third largest spirits company in the world.

In addition to various types of ver-mouth, Martini & Rossi also makes Asti Spumante, a sparkling wine known worldwide. This wine is produced exclusively from grapes harvested in Piemont. Each and every year the 400 employees of the company bottle roughly 100 million litres of alcoholic beverages. In 2012 the company turn-over was 350 million euros. The com-pany’s policy has always been “Quality comes first.”

Foam? No problem!State of the art automation and control technology ensures the high quality of the vermouth and other products at the highly traditional company, Martini & Rossi. For over 15 years instruments from VEGA have also played a part in this. Our sensors have been monitoring the production of a wide variety of fortified wines. To the delight of the customer, VEGAPULS radar sensors always provide accurate measured values, even with the presence of foam.

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Commitment, what more do you want?

Paolo Anelli, head of process meas-urement and control engineering at Martini & Rossi, has worked at the company for 28 years and together with VEGA for over 15 years: “We feel good in this partnership”, he says, “there are close relationships between our employees and those of our sup-plier, we are well looked after.”

The company benefits greatly from, among other things, simple and precise instrument selection and extremely fast deliveries. “The plics® instruments are just great in day-to-day operation,” stresses Anelli. “And, if something untoward does happen, the service technicians come within a very short time and are always well prepared.”

The manager is also a fan of the uni-versal, standardized instrument plat-form plics®, because the instruments are so easy to install and operate. Adjusting an instrument to suit a par-ticular measuring point requires only a

few easy steps, due to the predefined approach to application parameters, such as medium or vessel shape. These cover practically all applications needed in the production processes at Martini & Rossi. But that’s not all, plics® also minimizes the spare parts inven-tory and the costs involved in training the technical sta�.

Many good reasonsA customer chooses certain instru-

ments for a variety of reasons, not least of which might be well-founded trust in a certain supplier. Some of these reasons are tangible, some are not. “For us, VEGA is a company with the right structure, high flexibility and out-standing instruments. It is able to serve customers who, like us, are looking for excellent service and strong support,” says the manager.

Before the instruments were put into operation, the employees were trained thoroughly in their use and informed about the benefits they would bring. Of course the company also tested the

MARTINI is a celebration of Italian light-heartedness and zest for life. MARTINI brings the perfect “Riviera feeling” to any occasion.

Paolo Anelli, Head of Measurement and Control EngineeringMartini & Rossi

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instruments at length before the final decision to purchase was taken. After the acid test was successfully com-pleted, nothing stood in the way of a rewarding collaboration between the

two companies. “We had a strong part-nership with VEGA long before plics® was introduced.”

Precision and reliability delivered, dangers avoided

The spirits manufacturer meas-ures the level of sparkling wine and other alcoholic beverages in cylindri-cal storage tanks with the following product families: non-contact radar VEGAPULS  62 and 63, guided wave radar VEGAFLEX  61, 65 and 81. In addition to that, it uses the tuning fork level switches VEGASWING 51, 61 and 63 for point level monitoring. Pressure measurement tasks, for example in the bottling lines and autoclaves, are taken over by VEGABAR 52, 53 and 55. Over 100 instruments from VEGA are in operation in the production facilities.

“plics® instruments are just great in day-to-day operation.”Paolo Anelli, Head of Measurement and Control Engineering.

Except for ATEX approval and certifi-cation, the instruments do not have to meet any special requirements for the level measuring tasks in the tempera-ture range between -5 °C and +20 °C. “They just have to work and provide reliable, stable and repeatable read-ings, nothing else,” says Anelli with a chuckle. “Of course, precision is another absolute must.”

Martini & Rossi makes this stringent demand of every measurement, no matter how di�cult the process con-ditions are. For example, when the vermouth is transferred into smaller barrels, high quantities of foam collect on the surface, making the level meas-urement very challenging. No problem for VEGA, the level specialist simply plugged in a special plics® module with higher sensitivity, this enabled measurement with the degree of accuracy and stability the customer wanted. “In this way we were able to solve the problem that was a�ecting all 40 of our VEGAPULS 63 sensors. It was done without having to remove a single instrument from the process, a perfect example of the added value of plics® and the clear advantage of modularity,” emphasizes Anelli.

In developing plics®, special emphasis was made when designing the devices for the user, to make commissioning and operation of over their entire life cycle as simple as possible. Thus, even with the newest version of the operating software, you can operate all generations of devices.

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A lmost everyone has eaten Maggi’s well-known ravioli in tomato sauce at some time.

Other famous Maggi products include instant soups, sauces, seasonings, condiments, bouillon, ready meals, as well as side dishes such as mashed potatoes or dumplings. The products taste great and are fun to eat – an enjoyable meal is always guaranteed. The company, founded in 1897, now

belongs to Nestle Germany, but it’s still run in harmony with the philosophy of the company founder, Julius Maggi.

Runaway victory for VEGAWhen Ferdinand Nutz, techni-

cal group leader for automation and control, began working at the Maggi plant in Singen (Germany) over 25 years ago, there were already several instru-ments from VEGA in operation there.

When shopping at a grocery store, you can hardly avoid running into the distinctive yellow and red emblem of Maggi somewhere. The company’s name is synonymous with contemporary cooking. For many years already, this modern food company with traditional principles has been using instruments exclusively from VEGA for level and pressure measurement.

VEGA and nothing elseThe most popular pasta ready meal – ravioli in cans – comes off the production line in the traditional-rich Maggi plant in Singen.

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Unlike today, the company procured sensors from various suppliers back then. Now, throughout the whole plant, there are pressure and level sensors of all kinds from the Black Forest instru-mentation expert. “There is, I think, not much from VEGA that we don’t have in use. I have no idea where you actu-ally can’t use their sensors. We chose the “yellow ones” as the standard years ago because of the better technology and, when it came to purely capacitive level measurement, they were unbeat-able,” Nutz recalls.

For example, back in the mid 1980’s, capacitive sensors could be adjusted to the di�erent dielectric constants of raw materials; such as sugar or salt, etc. This technology could not be taken for granted back then. Another big plus: high reliability of the measuring probes, just fit and forget.

Ingenious platform conceptThe group leader appreciates one

particular advantage of the instrument platform plics®: the fact that the hous-ings can be tailored to the individual requirements of the plant. Wet areas, for example, require more robustness – plastic housings are totally unsuitable. plics® makes it possible: the user can select a special housing for hygienic applications that can even withstand CIP cleaning without di�culty. What is more, the plics® generation allows elec-tronics modules to be exchanged to suit the type of switching output needed, and instruments configured exactly according to customer requirements.

“Our people quickly learn and master the standardized adjustment

concept of plics® sensors. This saves time and stress.”

Ferdinand Nutz, Technical group leader for Automation and Control Technology

View into the liquid fat storage area: VEGABAR 64 pressure transmitters measure the level and temperature of the oil in the tanks as well as the feed pressure in the pipes.

Technicians can take the display and adjustment module PLICSCOM from one instrument to another or leave it in an instrument as a permanent display. “It’s always the same user interface – it’s much easier for our people if they don’t have to work with di�erent tools

all the time,” explains Nutz. “They par-ticularly like the large display that allows them to read level, pressure or tem-perature values directly on site, saving them long walks to get to a visualization computer.”

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Whether a pressure or level sensor, the operation and adjustment are prac-tically the same. The display and adjust-ment module is practically self-explana-tory. That means less training e�ort and more saved time.

plics® provides ways to save work and capital throughout the entire life cycle of an application: logical choice of the measuring method, simple housing selection, fast installation, menu-driven setup, easy maintenance, and well-thought-out service. Anyone who has ever commissioned or performed maintenance on a plics® instrument can easily apply the experience to other measuring points.

View into the dry mixing centre, where the oils are metered out. In the oil metering station, VEGACAL 63 capacitive rod probes measure the level, while VEGABAR 52 pressure transmitters monitor the pressure of the nitrogen blanket.

The customer is kingFor Nutz, good customer care is just

as important as the purely technical aspects. He feels the collaboration with VEGA couldn’t be better. “Sometimes it happens that an instrument stops working because an employee drove

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“What I really like is that VEGA analyses every defective instrument and finds the cause. We get results, solutions – and great ideas.”Ferdinand Nutz, Technical group leader for Automation and Control Technology

into it with a vehicle or overstressed it with a high-pressure washer. It’s not the instrument’s fault, but the fact is we need a replacement fast because the process has to keep running,” says the engineering group leader. “Whenever I have called VEGA, we’ve always received help quickly.” Because we are relatively close to the factory, some-times the new instrument even comes on the same day or the next morning at 9 o’clock. At the very most, it takes five days. This engineer knows only a few companies that can deliver in such a short time.

“What I really like is that any defective instrument is analysed to find out what the cause is,” says Nutz. One day, for example, a pressure transmitter on an outdoor silo failed, the why remains mostly a mystery. With VEGA it’s dif-ferent. The customer gets the results of the fault analysis and can take appro-priate action. In the above case, the large temperature fluctuations from -18 °C in winter to +55 °C in summer were probably too much for the instru-ment. “The field service engineer came and told us that, for this area of appli-cation, we should either use a di�er-ent sensor type, cover or insulate the sensors. Our supplier always has good ideas and suggestions to help us find a solution,” emphasizes Nutz.

The right know-howA few years ago VEGA helped the

customer solve a particularly tricky problem. The challenge: measuring the level of hot (80 °C) tomato sauce in the reservoir of a rotary filling machine at very high speeds. The rod probes supplied on the machine were simply

unable to cope with the high speed and rapidly changing filler level. Add to that the relatively high temperature – not exactly a simple measuring task. “VEGA came up with a really good solution using VEGAFLEX 63 guided radar. We would have probably stuck

with the original solution and problems if we hadn’t had this option,” says Nutz with a big smile. The manufacturer of the rotary filling machine was so enthused about the sensor that he has since incorporated it into his machines.

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Level and pressure instrumentation is often somewhat short-lived …

… or made to last forever.

Stable operation

Automated processes require instru-mentation that ensures maximum reli-ability without continuous large invest-ments of time and money. Reducing the running costs of a sensor was an important point on the specification sheet for the development of plics® instruments. Thanks to their compact design and encapsulated electron-ics, these instruments deliver reliable measurement data even under extreme climatic conditions. This small housing volume significantly reduces the forma-tion of condensation during tempera-ture changes.

Extensive quality checks ensure that the sensors meet the stringent require-ments of many di�erent industries. The materials of the housing, the elec-tronics and the sensing elements are designed so that they never reach their limits in everyday use.

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With plics® and PACTware, asset management is much easier. The manu- facturer-independent sensor setup and asset management software can detect and evaluate fault messages system-wide and thus provide an ideal basis for decisions on maintenance measures.

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and farmer alike, and each has di�erent requirements. Pumping stations ensure that the water level is kept as stable as possible – when levels are high, excess water is pumped into the sea and when there is a shortage, water is drawn from it.

Since North Holland is bordered on three sides by water, the province con-sists more or less of polders (reclaimed

Partners foreverVEGA Meet- en Regeltechniek in the Netherlands, founded in 1966, was the first international subsidiary established by VEGA. The state authority Hoogheem-raadschap Holland Noorderkwartier, which is responsible for water supplies, dike construction and maintenance, water quality monitoring and road management in the province of North Holland, is one of its most loyal customers.

H oogheemraadschap Holland Noorderkwartier is a state agency whose administra-

tive organization is similar to a coop-erative. It’s function: water supply, treatment and control, dyke building and maintenance, water quality moni-toring and even road management in North Holland. In a province north of the North Sea Canal surrounded on three sides by water, the organization

is based in the city of Heerhugowaard. It arose in 2003, from the merger of six water authorities and employs 700 people.

Clean water and dry feetIn North Holland although the land is

largely low and flat, it is used for many di�erent purposes. No matter how the land is utilised, ground water level is important for everyone – city dweller

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land areas). The vast majority of the inhabitants of North Holland live below sea level. This requires stable and secure dykes, and it is Hollands Noorderkwartier’s job to look after them.

With its water management systems and 20 sewage treatment plants, Hoogheemraadschap handles waste-water from both households and indus-try. Their responsibilities also include management of the polder roads, as well as the navigation of the waterways to ensure that they are accessible and always open.

Hundreds of “yellow ones” VEGA Meet- en Regeltechniek in

the Netherlands was VEGA’s first sub-sidiary abroad. The water authority is one of its most loyal customers, it has relied on measuring instruments from VEGA for over 45 years. Erwin Meijers, Senior Electrical Engineer, has been with the organization for 14 years. He also worked with VEGA instruments for just under 10 years at his previous job, and was thus able to continue working with the “much-loved” yellow ones. The instrument platform plics® makes the daily work of the engineering team at Hoogheemraadschap a lot easier.

Meijers especially praises the simple setup and maintenance as well as the user-friendliness of the instruments.

The wet sludge from the 20 sewage treatment plants in the region is col-lected and dried in the so-called SDI (Sludge Dry Installation). The dried sewage sludge in pellet form is stored

Pressure measurement in a fermentation tank with VEGABAR 52 always

delivers precise measured values.

“plics® makes setting up and commissioning VEGA sensors as easy as child’s play.”

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in an 8 metre high, steel bunker with a diameter of 6 metres. The level inside is measured by a VEGAPLUS 68 sensor. Since the substance continues to give o� gases, the process pressure in the bunker is continuously monitored with a VEGABAR 52 pressure transmitter. The dried sludge is loaded directly from the bunker onto trucks. This material which is a valuable fuel is then delivered to a Cement Central.

Hoogheemraadschap use their measurement readings for both moni-toring and process control.

The water authority uses hundreds of VEGA instruments from all product families in a variety of pressure and level applications; on water table level monitoring, in water supply and sewage treatment plants.

Absolutely reliable: Level measurement in a fermentation tank with VEGAPULS 68.

“Service was the decisive factor in choosing VEGA. In addition,” notes Meijers, “plics® allows simple instru-ment selection, fast installation as well as easy access to all instruments.”

Other important factors: fast delivery times and high reliability. The German measurement specialist fulfils both, to the customers great satisfaction.

The adjustment software PACTware allows cross-manufacturer integration of instrument and communication drivers into one user interface. All settings on a sensor are made with the appropriate device driver (DTM). The DTM interface of plics® sensors is clear and always structured the same.

“The PACTware software o�ers us the added benefitof being able toadjust and monitorall field instrumentsthroughout theplant from a PC.”

Erwin MeijersSenior Electrical Engineer Hoogheemraadschap Hollands Noorderkwartier

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T he company Berg Maritieme Meetsystemen, founded by Menno van den Berg in 2010

in Papendrecht, Holland, specializes in custom solutions for measurement and control systems, gas detection systems and ship stability computers on inland vessels. These include level measure-ment systems for cargo tanks. Last year the company generated a turn-over of 1.7 million euros with a total of just 7 employees. Despite the young age of the company, its owner can already draw on 20 years of experience

with VEGA measurement technology. Before he founded his own company, he worked in the industry for many years and experienced VEGA’s tech-nology and customer policy first hand. He knows exactly what counts in the industry: reliability and quality at a fair price. And he heads Berg Maritieme Meetsystemen true to this motto.

Reliability is the top priorityThe solutions o�ered by van den

Berg allow reliable measurement of levels and pressures, dependable indi-

Reliable level and pressure instrumentation gives ship captains confidence in dealing with hazardous tank contents. One provider of such instrumentation, the three-year-old start-up company Berg Maritieme Meetsystemen in Holland, relies fully on the measurement technology from VEGA.

plics® ahoy!

cation of readings as well as precise control of valves and pumps in cargo tanks on barges. Maritime laws and regulations also require the installation of alarm systems to prevent the over-filling of tanks. “The products our cus-tomers transport vary greatly, which represents a special challenge espe-cially for the employed measurement technology,” explains the company founder. “High or low temperatures, overpressure or underpressure in a closed system tank as well as changing physical/chemical properties make the

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high or high-high alarm detector. This instrument has significant advantages over the widely used float switches and reliably prevents the overfilling of tanks. VEGA sensors collect additional plus points for their simple installation and setup. “Learning by doing without long and costly training – that makes measurement technology a pleasure,” says van den Berg with a smile. “This is a critical point, because our custom-ers are generally not interested in the technology itself. The instruments just have to work. Ideally, you shouldn’t even notice that they are there. But of course it’s hard not to notice those bright yellow housings on deck.”

Support is decisiveAnother major advantage of the

instruments, in van den Berg’s opinion, is that you can retrofit the display and adjustment module PLICSCOM when-ever it’s needed. Just exchange the

lid and you’re finished. The company benefits especially from this feature because the instruments can be sup-plied with or without local display, depending on what the customer wants. Since a few modules are always on hand for service purposes anyway, the company can react quickly to cus-tomer requests without having to main-tain a large, costly inventory.

“Apart from the obvious quality of the instruments, the support we get from VEGA Netherlands is the decisive argument as to why we do business together,” emphasizes van den Berg. He knows the instruments well, but in his opinion, his supplier knows the require-ments of Berg Maritieme Meetsystemen and the industry in general even better. “VEGA can help us in most situations, almost always finding a good solu-tion. For a small company like us, this is probably just as important as the quality of the plics® instruments itself,” says van den Berg in conclusion.

task even more di�cult.” Whether they’re transporting fuels for industry or for road vehicles, liquefied gas for energy gen-eration or ammonia for chemical syn-thesis, ship captains rely completely on the instrumentation installed on board. As there is no back-up safety system, instrument failure can endanger human life or cause serious environmental pol-lution. “No captain or ship owner wants to see his name associated with such an event. That’s why it’s so important that the ship systems function reliably at all times. I can always rely on the tech-nology from VEGA,” confirms van den Berg.

To measure the levels in cargo tanks, the company installs VEGAFLEX 60 and 80 or VEGAPULS 60 sensors. Over 200 of these instruments are in use so far on its customers’ ships. Depending on the conditions on board, radar sensors can show their strengths in areas where other systems, such as bubblers, have extreme di�culties. Van den Berg uses VEGASWING 63 as a

GWR sensor VEGAFLEX 61, mounted on a hatch of a chemical tanker, measures thelevel of a wide range of different chemicals.

VEGAFLEX 81 guided wave radar, mounted on the cargo hatch of the lubrication oil tanker Atlantic Energy, measures the level in the storage bunker.

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M ore than 180 years after its founding, Chemiewerk Bad Köstritz has developed into

a modern, medium-sized family busi-ness with 240 employees and healthy growth. The company is organized into three independent divisions: silicic acids, sulphur compounds and the molecular sieves.

Silicic acids like silica sol and silica gel are used, among other things, as mineral binding agents in refractory materials or as fillers in paper and paints. The sulphur compounds, primarily thio-sulfate and sulphites, are bought espe-cially by consumers of agricultural fer-tilizers and photochemicals. The prod-ucts of the newest division, “molecular sieves”, are used primarily in adsorption

Chemiewerk Bad Köstritz, or CWK for short, is a medium-sized chemical company fully committed to the production of inorganic specialty chemicals for almost two hundred years. Now, for over a decade, the company has relied on sensors from the instrument platform plics®. To date, CWK has never had to dial the service hotline of VEGA.

It couldn’t be betterIdyllic location: Chemiewerk Bad Köstritz near Gera in eastern Thuringia (Germany).

processes, such as in the manufacture of industrial gases.

In close cooperation with its custom-ers, CWK develops tailor-made solu-tions for special technical applications. Besides the high-end product quality, top priority is given to environmentally friendly, resource-saving production and plant safety. The way the company

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sees it, “Responsible Care” is not just a nice slogan – it’s a way of life, a cor-porate culture. Correspondingly high demands are placed on the quality of the technology used.

A favourite for each applicationplics® sensors from VEGA are being

used on more than 100 measuring points. The measured values are the basis for reliable plant operation and the production of high quality products. Despite the enormous range of pro-cesses in the plant, many of the sensor applications have similar configurations. This means good experience at one measuring point can be easily trans-ferred to others.

Siegfried Götze, as head of the central technology department, knows the special requirements of all three busi-ness segments. He plans and coordi-nates capital investment and is respon-sible not only for measurement and control technology, but for the entire infrastructure of the company as well.

To quickly and easily find the right instrument for each application, his measurement and control techni-cians and engineers employ the plics® instrument program. For storage tanks without agitators they prefer to use GWR sensors of type VEGAFLEX 81. Their clear favourite for all liquid chemi-cal solutions is the non-contact radar sensor VEGAPULS 62. For bulk solids such as sulphur, the company swears by VEGAPULS 68 or its “little brother” VEGAPULS 67. For all demanding applications with agitators, high tem-peratures, foam, steam and conden-sate, the radar sensor VEGAPULS 66 is CWK’s first choice.

Accepted by all for good reason “Throughout the company there

are a large number of level measuring points equipped with plics® instruments and they all work to our complete sat-isfaction. Data transfer during new installations has proven to be a major

advantage of the system”, empha-sizes Goetze, who is also a member of CWK’s management. The technicians on site extol the great reliability of the instruments, which they can count on even under harsh operating conditions. All employees especially appreciate the user-friendly, foolproof handling.

This high approval reflects the general satisfaction with the low maintenance e�ort, the reliable technology and the fast and simple installation of the sensors. Indeed, the simple transfer of instrument parameters with the display and adjustment module PLICSCOM is considered the criterion par excellence.

“I’m very pleased with the time and cost savings, as well as the high system availability that we get, thanks to the reliable level measurement technol-ogy from VEGA,” continues Götze. For CWK, it’s the short delivery times, the competent and approachable field sta� and, last but not least, the good price-performance ratio that round out the overall picture of VEGA as a reliable supplier.

The response of the technology manager when asked about his expe-rience with VEGA service: “In over 10 years we haven’t needed it once.”

“Service? ... In over 10 years we haven’t needed it once.”

Siegfried Götze, Head of Central Technology

VEGAPULS 62 radar sensors measure the level in the preparation vessels of the silica sol production system. Clearly visible on the containers are the agitator drive motors.

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You can wait a long time for first-class service from level and pressure instrumentation suppliers …

… or get it right from the start.

Service as a matter of principle

Diagnostic messages according to NE 107 – ‘Maintenance required’, ‘Out of specification’, ‘Function check’ or ‘Failure’ – allow predictive main-tenance of all plics® sensors. For in depth analysis and diagnostics, plics® sensors have data storage capacity for 100,000 measured values and 500 sensor events.

All information on the technical con-figuration of a plics® instrument is avail-able upon entry of its serial number at www.vega.com. The corresponding documentation and the latest oper-ating software are also available for download there.

Service

Operation

Setup

Installation

Ordering

Selection

Costs

Instrument platform plics®

Other suppliers

If quick help is needed, VEGA is at your side with advice and assistance: ▪ 24-hour service hotline directly to our own service technicians:

▪ Fast, professional repair service ▪ Easy replacement of plug-in electronics module

▪ Smartphone app for retrieval of all relevant instrument information

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S ince its founding in 2002, the EnviTec corporation has been headquartered in Lohne,

Northern Germany. Meanwhile, the company operates from 15 locations in Europe and the USA. As a global tech-nological leader in the e�cient produc-tion of this renewable energy source, the biogas specialist enjoys the trust of its many customers around the world. Its installed capacity of over 300 mega-

watts makes EnviTec the market leader in Europe. The plants are on the cutting edge of technology, setting new stand-ards in the industry, and are therefore in great demand around the world. Quality always takes top priority. To guarantee a high standard, the company only works with select suppliers, and espe-cially those who have the same under-standing of quality. VEGA has belonged to this select group since 2006.

EnviTec spans the entire value-added chain in biogas production: this young, medium-sized company o�ers integrated energy concepts from production to marketing. This leading energy plant provider uses in-house technology to manage almost 600 EnviTec production facilities worldwide – fully automatically and around the clock. To ensure reliable process control, the company relies on sensors from the plics® instrument platform from VEGA.

Pure energyView of the Köckte biogas plant, in the background

is one of the fermenters where gas is produced.

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Out of the niche with full throttleModern plants for biogas production

have long since left the realm of niche technology and become highly e�cient producers of a noble energy source called biomethane. Biogas that has been purified to natural gas quality can be fed directly into the public grid. In this respect it is ideal as a decentralized energy supply and can thus replace – over the long term – fossil natural gas and accelerate the energy transition. Plant operators are municipalities, large and small scale agricultural enterprises, as well as EnviTec itself within the context of project partnerships. Such a facility with a capacity of 1.8 mega-watts was built at the Köckte site in Salzwedel, Germany, commissioned recently in October 2013. This makes it one of the most high-yield facilities in Germany. The location was chosen due to the great abundance of local input

material and its proximity to a natural gas pipeline, into which the biomethane is fed.

Totally organic – from manure to gas

The input materials, corn silage and manure, are first mixed and shredded, then pumped into a fermenter. This is a large container with a conical roof, typical of biogas plants. Here is where bacterial fermentation takes place in the absence of air. Bacteria convert the organic matter into biogas, which is collected under the flexible plastic roof. The dehumidified raw gas from the fer-menter is then compressed to about 10 bar. In the next production step it is passed through special plastic mem-brane modules consisting of thousands of hollow fibres bundled together in a stainless steel tube.

The smaller CO2 and water vapour molecules migrate faster through the micropores of the membrane, while the valuable methane gas collects on the high pressure side of the membrane. EnviTec’s biogas upgrading system, known as EnviThan – gas separation with plastic membrane modules – is a highly e�cient technology for biogas production. This technology is environ-mentally friendly and significantly more energy and cost e�cient than conven-tional methods. It delivers pure energy.

This process technology need not fear any comparison with those used in the chemical industry. The same applies to the measurement and automation tech-nology requirements. It is summed up in a few words: high e�ciency and avail-ability, continuous automatic operation, long service life.

Volume flow measurement with VEGADIF 65 via an orifice plate.

Benjamin Schelleckes,Technical Sales Support,EnviThan Gas Processing

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Filter modules make high-purity biogas with 97 % methane content from the raw gas.

Success in a pocket with plics®

Benjamin Schelleckes, head of tech-nical sales support, is responsible for the entire automation and optimisation of the plants since 2006. For him, there is no question that he needs a global partner like VEGA for the instrumenta-tion, one who has extensive experience and insight into biogas plants and pro-cesses.

“I especially appreciate VEGA because it delivers its products and services on time, and my contacts there are reliable and always available when I need them” says Schelleckes. In the area of instrumentation, plics® has allowed him to standardize a worldwide system that provides supply chain managers with simple, yet ver-satile instrument selection as well as flexibility in process adaptation that covers a wide range of measurement tasks. Simple, standardized opera-tion is critical if the sensors are to be accepted by project managers and plant operators. With just one display and adjustment module, the service technician has, as it were, the settings of all measuring points in his pocket. “The robust and reliable plics® sensors are the basis for the automatic, long-term operation of our biogas plants,” declares Schelleckes, who is obviously convinced.

“High availability and good service are important to us. That’s why we really appreciate VEGA.”

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plics® – easy is betterVEGA’s proven platform concept plics® shows how time and costs can be e�ectively saved through the use of cutting-edge measurement technology.

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V EGA has thought the “easy is better” principle through from start to finish. plics® is thus in a

position to solve measuring tasks from the most demanding related to level and pressure.

The plics® modular principleThe idea is simple: each instru-

ment is assembled from prefabricated assemblies after the order is received. This way VEGA customers get the optimal device to meet their require-ments, made to measure and fast. This is where the plics® modular concept pays dividends, as these instruments are more cost e�cient over their entire life cycle.

The componentsEvery plics® instrument consists of

multiple components: First, the sensing element is combined with the requested

process fitting and a housing of plastic, aluminium or stainless steel. Then, the electronics module is inserted. On top of that comes the display and adjust-ment module PLICSCOM, which is then directly accessible under the lid. Using PLICSCOM, anyone who has ever operated one plics® instrument can operate all other plics® instruments without di�culty.

VEGA makes measurement technology easy

Handling measurement technology always means responsibility. Its good to know that VEGA is constantly working to make both instrument configura-tion and adjustment even more simple. That’s because simpler and easier to use is also more reliable: reducing the probability of mistakes and increasing functional reliability.

Selection Ordering Installation Setup Operation Service

Instrument platform plics® Other suppliers

Time expenditure and costs are reduced through the use of cutting-edge technology. The savings apply to the entire life cycle of the instrument.

Trend-setting measurement technology orientates itself around the people who use it. Every plics® sensor is assembled from components according to the customer’s specifications, fulfilling his application requirements perfectly.

Costs

Hyg

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Radar

Ultrasonic

Guided radar

Vibration Capacitive

Microwave barrier

Process pressure

Di�erential pressure

Thread

Flange

Hygienic fitting

Customer-specific

Hydrostatic

Hygienic standards

Ship approvals

Explosion protection

Safety standards

Display and adjust-ment module

Electronics Housing Process fitting

Sensor

PLICSCOM

VEGACONNECT

4 … 20 mA/ HART

Profibus PA

FoundationFieldbus

Plastic

Aluminium

Stainless steel

Aluminium double chamber

Plastic double chamber

Stainless steel double chamber

Level switch

Selection Ordering Installation Setup Operation Service

Publisher

Add: 2206, Tianjin Ocean Shipping Mansion, No.1 Ocean Shipping Plaza, Hebei District, Tianjin, ChinaTel: 0086 22 26273296Fax: 0086 22 26273297Post Code: 300010

© VEGA 2014

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Join us in celebrating 10 years of plics®. Make an appointment with your personal contact at VEGA. Learn about the advantages of the instrument platform plics®.

plics® contactContact us today to learn more about the advantages of plics® technology:0086 22 26273296

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Happy birthday plics®!