This type of application deals with the control of automatic train washes.
The projects involved circuit design, plc and hmi application software, and commissioning.
Key components:- Mitsubishi AnS series PLC, Beijers E series hmi
Please scroll down to see more detail of the application
What the plant does
An automatic train wash works in a similar fashion to an automatic car wash, except that with a car wash the brushes move and the car remains stationary, but with a train wash the brushes remain stationary and the train moves. On top of this, a train wash has more components, and is physically much larger.
As a train approaches, a switch on the track activates the wash. A pair of brushes move into contact with the train, and detergent sprays start. This is the first stage. The train then progresses, through another pair of brushes, before being sprayed with water to remove the detergent. In some cases, the windows are sprayed with reverse osmosis water, to prevent streaks on the glass.
These are some photos of a couple of the train washes that PJC Systems have been involved with. One of them was in Ireland, and had to cater for a number of different trains, all having slightly different wash criteria. The type of train had to be determined by monitoring the wheel configuration of the leading axles. The other was in Delhi, India, where the train type was always the same. At the time, this was the first automatic train wash in India.
The slideshow above shows some of the hmi screens that PJC Systems have designed for this sort of application. The status of the pumps, levels in tanks, and status of the brushes and sprays are all depicted in graphical format, along with the stage of the wash cycle that is running. When more than one type of train can be washed, the train recognition is also shown on the hmi. The timing of the cycle is governed by track switches, so there are very few parameters needing operator adjustment.