Miller Magazine Issue: 116 August 2019

59 COVER STORY MILLER / AUGUST 2019 the lab, and then enter the data in the com- puter, meant hundreds or even thousands of kilograms processed out of specifications. It was better than letting the production run wild, but it was not the best solution either. Special care must be taken to choose the milling equipment that includes actuators to control the gaps and distances that in turn control how grain is processed. An actuator is anything that transform a signal (in gen- eral, electrical or pneumatic) into a physical action. For example, a valve that controls how much fuel is burned by the dryer. Or a hydraulic cylinder or a screw that controls the pressure exerted by milling rolls. Retro- fitting an old system with actuators is gen- erally possible, specially when they are con- trolled by screw and levers, but not always. It is pointless to invest money and time in an expensive SCADA system if later you use it only as a simulator and change all the variables manually on the plant. A good automation project should detail all the machines, the sensors, the actuators, and the flows involved. Whoever you choose as your supplier, make sure the documenta- tion before the delivery of the items is as ex- haustive as possible. The documents should detail what is to be done and how. Nobody will give you engineering information for free, but in the contract you could specify a time (like two months) after the down payment, to supply drawings, manuals and plans, be- fore any item is physically delivered. That way, you (or some consultant you hire) will be able to spot any problems beforehand and demand changes. You have to consider the pros and cons according to your specific situation. But, if you are reading this article, chances are your facility is mid to large. It is very unlikely a small miller would take time to read about the latest developments in industry. So, it is very likely that you will benefit a lot from automation. Try and send an email to one of the many advertisers in our magazine. I am sure one of them will be able to help you. Asia’s largest animal feed event For more information, please visit: www.victamasia.com BITEC Bangkok, Thailand 24 - 26 March, 2020 VICTAM ASIA is firmly established as the event dedicated to the animal feed processing industry within Asia. Co-located with VICTAM ASIA is GRAPAS ASIA, the event for the grain and rice processing industries. VIV Health & Nutrition, the event for feed, pharma & genetics in the animal protein production, will also be co-located with VICTAM Asia 2020. Victam Corporation T: +31 33 246 4404 E: expo@victam.com W: www.victaminternational.com See us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+ or scan the QR code Supported by Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB)