Eaton seals ‘smart’ supply deal

Power management company Eaton has landed a deal to exclusively supply automation equipment to Advetec Advanced Environmental Technologies.

The developer of bio-thermic waste disposal technology said it chose Eaton as an ongoing supplier because it needed a new control system for its equipment that could meet a diverse range of challenges.

Advetec’s thermal digesters make use of bio-stimulation, a method of invigorating and stimulating thermophilic and extremophilic bacteria so that they digest organic waste.

They must deal with organic waste of all types, including ‘difficult’ material such as abattoir by-products and hospital waste – sometimes around the clock. In addition, most operators’ skills are more aligned with physical handling of bulk waste than the operation of sophisticated control systems, said Advetec.

The first digesters produced by Advetec used a conventional control system that “did not fully meet the requirements and challenges,” said the company.

The Advetec engineers decided to base the design of a new control system on Eaton automation solutions and its SmartWire-DT, which allows all of the main components within the control panel to be linked with standardised plug-in cables instead of ordinary panel wiring.

They also selected Eaton’s XV-152 touch-screen operator interface panel, which has an integrated programmable controller (PLC).

Advetec said it had built Eaton automation solutions into its two most recent machines and was planning to integrate it into all future machines.

“The new control system is proving exceptionally popular with our customers,” said Craig Shaw, managing director at Advetec.

“They love the simple touchscreen user interface, they’re impressed with the neatness and simplicity of the control panel and machine wiring, and are very enthusiastic about the diagnostics we’ve provided.

“Additionally, our customers like how easy it is to change sensors and other components on site without the need for specialist expertise.”