Third autoclave panel commissioned

March 2006 System Integration & Control Systems Design Surveillance

Thermacon has recently completed commissioning its third autoclave control panel at Tekglas in Steeldale, Gauteng. The entire project was planned and designed by the company, which subcontracted Atlas Industrial to supply the panel, whilst Thermacon supplied all heaters, temperature probes, pressure transducers and related monitoring and controlling equipment.

The uniqueness of the latest system is that both the pressure and temperature control profiles run fully automated and is the first of its kind in South Africa.

The challenge for Thermacon was to ensure that the heat up cycle times had to meet an exact and critical pressure profile curve so as to ensure that the bonding in the toughened glass requirements were met to avoid in excess of 10 tons of glass being produced at substandard quality. One batch of glass can take up to 48 hours to be cured, thus the importance of requiring critical control. The 8 x 3 metre autoclave is one of the largest in South Africa, and as such many new and yet untested criteria faced the designers. All safety monitoring equipment with fail safe systems are built into the system. Thermacon Manufacturing is also capable of upgrading existing systems for similar applications. The picture shows a view inside the autoclave.

For more information contact Richard Mayr, Thermacon Manufacuring, 011 708 2659, [email protected], www.thermacon.co.za

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