Control Projects
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Mine Winder Safety System
Formac designed a mine winder safety system for Westinghouse UK. The purpose of this system was to detect slack winder rope in the event of an obstruction in the mine shaft. A microprocessor based system was used to read striped magnetic pulses on a guide rope and then compare the mine cage speed with the winder motor. The output of the system was used to interlock with the mine winder safety system.
In-Cage Coal Mine Communication System
Formac designed an intrinsically safe (BS1259) communication system for Westinghouse UK. It allowed miners travelling in a mine cage to communicate with the surface. The system used an RF carrier magnetically coupled to the guide wire via a toroidal transformer.
WESCAD Mine Cage Depth Detection System
Formac designed and manufactured a microprocessor controlled cage depth detection system for Westinghouse, UK The system measured mine cage depth using a magnetically striped rope and then comparing the depth against pre-set levels and providing outputs for interlocking the winder and other control equipment.
WESMIND Intrinsically Safe PLC Control System
This Intrinsically Safe (BS1259) control system design provided Westinghouse with a generic distributed PLC control system which could be used underground yet programmed from the surface. WESMIND incorporated many advanced safety features such as cable fault detection and fail safe control outputs. The system was used widely by Westinghouse in the UK and also sold to its technology partners, ABB who used the system for several mine Winder contracts in China. The system is still in use today on a few remaining UK coal mines.
Mine Cage Safety Signalling System
Formac designed and manufactured a signalling system for mine cage communication to surface winder operator. The purpose was to provide a secure means of signalling for shaft inspections and emergencies. The system utilised specific audible frequencies to request the winder operator to raise or lower the mine cage.
Safety Monitor for Chinese Coal Mines
Formac designed and manufactured an event logging system for ABB Sweden, which was used on their Chinese mine winder projects. An industrial computer with a custom hardware interface provided a long term record of winder speed and interlocking signals for safety audit purposes.