Coperion feeders - Communication protocol and programming

Here is a summary of the job we need a solution for. We have two feeders from Coperion called K-Tron feeders, which are used to feed powder. They are equipped with Control Modules and are currently operated via the local fully functional display and keypad assembly mounted on the control module. We intend to control and program these feeders through a host computer. The machines feed materials into a reactor and during operation, the reactor temperature varies in a range. We need the feeder to respond to these changes and trigger an operation. For example, if the temperature exceeds the operating range, the program should trigger and stop feeding and resume once the system is restored. So, we would like to read the temperatures (using simple thermocouples) and then communicate with the feeder’s stop/start action using a computer. To do that we have additional controllers called K-link MODBUS TCP /Ethernet IP Module KCM which would need to be installed in the KCM board and interfaced with the host computer via a PC based application/program.

Below are the details/requirements of this job

1. Develop PC based application to connect to feeders using K-Link Modbus TCP/ Ethernet IP Module KCM
controller
2. PC application shall read temperature every 1 second
3. PC application shall start feeding automatically if the temperature is within the set range. Please refer to the logic diagram.
4. The PC application shall stop feeding automatically if the temperature is above the set range. The application should abort and go to standby if the temperature exceeds the ‘safe temperature’. Please refer to the logic diagram.
5. PC application shall allow the user to configure the temperature set range. The application should allow the user to configure Tmin, Tmax, ∆T, and Tsafe. It should also allow the user to change from active to standby mode. However, the data recording shall continue at all times. This would be ‘record only’ mode.
6. PC application shall record the following data every 1 minute in CSV file format.
• Time date stamp
• Temperature
• Feeder state (on/off)
7. PC application shall have a graphical user interface (GUI) to display the following information.
• Current temperature
• Feed state
• Set temperature range
8. GUI shall allow the user to set temperature range.
9. PC application shall allow the user to stop the feed manually.
10. The application should record the ‘cumulative feed time’, which is the feeder’s total time in the ‘FEED’ mode in one run.
11. Kinaltek will provide the computer/laptop. Please advise the minimum configuration required for the laptop?
12. For the K-link Modbus TCP/Ethernet IP Module KCM controller, we need to define the IP address. Code 3 for read, code 16 for write. Please see attachment
13. KCM feeder communication board. Please see attachment.
Attachments:
-
- Basic logic diagram.
- Technical Manual-Smart K-Link Configuration for SCM and KSL using SmartConfig.
- Coperion K-Tron Product Information Smart K-Link Interface Boards for KCM
- Technical manual- Smart K-link Modbus TCP/Ethernet IP Module KCM controller applications
- IP address setting
- KCM feeder communication board

Please let me know if you would be able to do this, and if so, please provide a timeline and quote.

Regards,
Bilal Khan