The traditional brewery Lammsbräu in Neumarkt in the Upper Palatinate is a long-term customer of SPANGLER Automation. Within the scope of an extensive retrofit programme, the process of malt kiln was completely equipped with new hardware, the wiring diagram and the software were revised and several plants were connected to the existing control system.

State-of-the-art automated handicraft

For more than 16 years Spangler Automation has been delivering Lammsbräu with hard and software, like for example the automation of the water treatment and fresh water well pumps. In 2021 it was necessary to modernize the process of malt kiln. The kiln drying of malt is a drying process which essentially affects the taste and colour of the beer. To ensure the product characteristics and the quality in future as well, the whole process had to be brought up to date. Spangler used the old documents of the drying plant and conveyor plant as a base and with the help of EPLAN developed a new, digitised wiring diagram that was designed smaller and more clearly arranged.

Spangler has chosen the programming and the user interface of the touch panel in a way that the functionality was increased, and a finer setting of the programmes was enabled.  The brewers’ experience was included in the design of the process flow which allowed a more user-friendly design. In addition to the new control cabinet for the control Siemens S7-1200, on-site control boxes were assembled.  These pushbuttons determined for the manual operation of the engines are available for the staff as alternative to the automatic operation or the touch panel. The extended retrofit makes it possible to connect the drying chamber and the conveyor belts to the control system, which already controls the other plants of the malthouse.

Precise preparation for a quick implementation

The electrical assembly of the control cabinet and the start-up had to be carried out during the yearly maintenance of the building at Lammsbräu, that means within three days. This required detailed planning and exact preparation, from the software to the last wire. Beyond the requirement of start-up, Spangler programmers accompanied the first drying process and took over fine adjustments.
Lammsbräu can now count on a reliable supply of spare parts, higher safety provisions and automated-backed processes. An optimal retrofit package to guarantee the quality of beer appreciated by the customers.

SPANGLER Automation has been a Siemens Solution Partner for several years in the sectors -Factory Automation- and -Industrial Strength Networks. As one of 20 companies worldwide, Spangler now went through the certifying process also in the industrial sector Water & Wastewater and was awarded with the official certificate in June 2022.

Competitive advantages for Spangler customers

Spangler is a longtime certified Solution Partner. After the sectors “Industrial Strength Network“ and “Factory Automation“ now the certificate for the industry module “Water & Wastewater“ was achieved. Spangler convinces in this industrial sector with a long-term expertise in automation of water treatment as well as environment technology. As only one of 20 companies worldwide, Spangler can now actively access Siemens’ product and system experience and support its customers with their different requirements even better.

Close exchange as a benefit for Spangler customers

Spangler’s industry and application know-how paired with Siemens’ range of services in the field of automation and drive technology results in tailor-made solutions for Spangler’s customers. Siemens offers trainings and courses for Spangler employees as well as professional technical support which is exclusively available for Solution Partners. The close cooperation and common on-site visits save the customers a lot of time and ensure the productivity and availability of their plants.

The long-standing customer Schirmbeck GmbH had commissioned SPANGLER Automation to carry out the automation of the new glass grinding plant. The control of the mills, conveyor systems and silos, which are from different manufacturers, were coupled with a master control by Spangler and provided with a uniform visualisation. An aeration in the Spangler control cabinets, especially designed for this, prevents deposit of the fine glass particles on the electronic components.

Saving resources with recycling

Glass is made of the raw materials ash, soda, limestone and sand and can be infinitely often recycled. Besides the saving of raw material, another advantage of recycling is the significant reduction of the energy expenditure. The reason for this is that for the melting and new forming of recycling glass significantly less energy is needed than for the new production of glass. Spangler’s customer specialises, among other things, in glass recycling and since 2022 also in grinding to finest glass powder. Here, waste glass is cleaned, sieved, weighed and ground in various steps over a long conveyor line until it is finest milled in the double hammer mill or processed to powder. As the last step the powder is collected in huge silos, where it is stored until transportation.

Exchange of data and energy recovery

Spangler was responsible for the engineering and drafted the overall planning of the automation according to customer’s requirements. For this, a Siemens CPU 1513F-1PN, which was programmed with the processes of the silos and the conveyor system, at the same time was applied for the controls of the mills and filters. The three control units of the various plant manufacturers received a uniform design via Spangler HMI visualisation. A PN/PN (ProfiNet) coupler of Siemens for network separation guarantees a controlled movement of data between the different sections of glass grinding.

Process data and messages of all plants are displayed on the Spangler control unit and reflected on the PC in the central office. Because of the distance of the plant to the office, a fiber optic cable was used.

Due to the very fine grinding of the glass and the dust produced that may also be deposited in the control panels, a strong ventilation system which is not quite commonplace was applied. Fresh air is directed via a pipe system through a fine filter and ‚blown‘ into the control cabinets. The overpressure created prevents glass particles to be  deposited in the housing. The air heated due to the  power loss of the control cabinets is re-utilized for heating the weighing rooms. Optimal utilization and recovery of heat and energy.

Schirmbeck and Spangler are already planning further orders, like for example modernisation of the glass sorting. “ We have been co-operating with Schirmbeck since 2010 and are glad that we can support them in such an important sector as recycling “ says Spangler’s sales manager Hubert Rackl. „Preserving raw materials and living space with sophisticated automation is a matter of concern to us.“.

17 pump stations are connected to the canal system of Dietfurt an der Altmühl, which convey the local waste water to the sewage treatment plant. With the aim to monitor it centrally and automated, SPANGLER Automation has retrofitted the large remote maintenance system of the home community and implemented it into the existing control system of the sewage treatment plant. This guarantees continuous individual monitoring based on measured values, data and possible fault messages.

Electrical engineering for data monitoring

More than 6.000 inhabitants in 37 urban districts are connected to the canal system of the town Dietfurt an der Altmühl, including Spangler. 17 pump stations convey the local waste water to the sewage treatment plant, where it is cleaned and treated and returned to the water cycle. As the pump stations cannot be controlled every day, a warning and a data transfer system was required. SPANGLER Automation was commissioned by the city of Dietfurt to take over the project work and implementation; in 2008 it has already implemented the control system of FlowChief in the sewage treatment plant. Since then, step by step every pump station was retrofitted with a Siemens S7 1214C control system and a remote maintenance modem for data transfer and was connected to the control system by LTE remote communication. The conversion of the technology was carried out during operation and included, besides the retrofit of the current measurement, the expansion of the operating mode switches. Furthermore, the order also included deactivating of the existing fault message system via landline and activation of the new LTE remote communication. The whole alarm system technology is now maintained – fail-proof – via a battery buffered voltage supply.

Monitoring of the waste water system

All measured values and data, like levels, operating hours of the fault messages are transferred to the central PC of the sewage treatment plant, registered and shown, clearly arranged and intuitively operable, via a Spangler visualisation. In addition to that, a power monitoring of the pumps provided information about power consumption and the mechanical state of the pump wheels. To be in a position to immediately react and in order not to lose time with driving to the stations, every pump can be switched on and off via remote control in the central at the touch of a button.

The sewage treatment plant Dietfurt now profits from a quicker recognition and thus a quicker removal of possible faults, a consistent monitoring of the data and a long-term secured supply of spare parts. Spangler is very proud to be able to support their own home community in this way.

The best graduates of apprenticeship were honoured by the Chamber of Handicrafts. One of them was an electronics technician from Töging.

The Chamber awarded 64 craftsmen and craftswomen from all East Bavaria with a certificate of honour for their excellent performance. Maximilian Beer is one of them. As electronics technician for automation, he completed his training at the medium-sized family company Spangler in Töging.

Good frame conditions during apprenticeship

Beer, who started his apprenticeship in 2018, was supported by the good conditions he found in his training company. Already at the beginning he was prepared for the apprenticeship in an intensive training. Regular changes in different departments as well as competent persons to contact are standard at Spangler. Thanks to this formula for success several excellent results could be achieved in the past. Regularly, the Töging company train excellent graduates in different apprenticeships.

Chamber win and state win

After winning the Chamber, things continued to be successful for Beer, because at the 71st performance competition of the German skilled trades at state level, he secured the state victory as one of 103 journeymen and women. And he was also able to prove his skills in the subsequent performance competition at national level and placed very well with a 4th place.

Handicraft with future

Now, Beer is working as a constructing engineer for the electrotechnical engineering of plants and plans plants of all sizes all over the world. “From hydrogen projects in the United States to regenerative drying plants in Egypt, there are always exciting projects”, he describes his working life. As a demanded and highly qualified expert he takes over responsibility for tomorrow’s technology.

For the second time Spangler has carried out the safety training “Access in enclosed rooms of waste water treatment plants” with many motivated participants.

In addition to extensive theoretical knowledge many practical exercises were carried out on the correct use of personal protective and rescue equipment. You can find a review of the last training in the May 2022 newsletter.

In the future this important service training will not only take place for Spangler employees but also for external participants. Interested parties are welcome to contact the Spangler Service Team for further information: service@spangler-automation.de.