A US provider of fuel and control systems for aircraft engines recently had its furnace control improved by a company who services the thermal processing industry, helping both furnace OEMs and equipment end users.
Woodward Inc., which develops and delivers motion control and integrated propulsion systems, recently had its vacuum furnace controls and automation platform upgraded by United Process Controls (UPC). The new generation controls provide streamlined reporting for NADCAP compliance as well as seamless integration with the company’s enterprise planning (ERP) system.
In addition to complying with NADCAP, the enhanced controls also meet AMS 2750E specification for thermocouple tracking. Now, the Protherm 710 controller tracks the thermocouple, its serial number, and usage history; identifies when a thermocouple needs to be replaced based on running hours, days in service, and temperatures reached; and alerts the operator when it’s time to change the thermocouple.
“The workplace at Woodward is top notch. Their commitment to ongoing improvements is an excellent example of a manufacturer understanding the potential of new technology to drive better overall equipment effectiveness, to maximize furnace availability, and to deliver well-engineered, quality products. UPC process controls and control systems add more automation and real-time visibility of production, which will ensure that furnaces continue to operate at maximum efficiency for years to come and at the same time uphold Woodward’s high quality standards of its operations and products,” said Jason Walls, UPC engineer responsible for the Woodward project preparations and start up.
Future upgrades of furnace controls and automation are planned at Woodward, and UPC will participate by supplying Protherm series and Atmosphere Engineering series process controllers and connecting them into the SCADA platform.
