Score of the year?

[Orfy]

SCORE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've just picked up a selection of these components! for free.
Around $5000 dollars worth!

Any suggestions as to a use?

 

[sirsloop]

hrmm.. box, touch screen, computer, aluminum brackets...looks cool... whats it supposed to do?

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Touch screen toilet?

I dunno....maybe automated mash?

 

[McKBrew]

Put em on E-bay and see how much of that 5G's you can put in your pocket!!

 

[Alamo_Beer]

Put em on E-bay and see how much of that 5G's you can put in your pocket!!

You mean brewery right?

 

[Orfy]

Brewery Automation?

 

[the_bird]

What happened to KISS?

 

[jjasghar]

What happened to KISS?

i think they are still touring....but i'm not to sure ....

 

[Orfy]

I have 3 R&D engineers all offering to help design and build me a brewery and I have most of the parts. We're righting alot of old R&D stuff off at present and I'm tasked with desposing of it. I have 3 of the cabinets, touch screens and PC's plus I have 8 spare kegs.

I'm finding it very hard to resist.

I now have most of the parts to build 3 rims/herms/steam thingy automated breweries.

I'm not sure if I will or not but the resources are there. I think I'll start building some component parts I can always sell them if I don't want to use them.

 

[kladue]

Orfy,
Are they scrapping the front end computer and display or the entire system with IO modules and hardware. If it is the entire system then you should be able to assemble an automation system limited only by your imagination and endurence.

 

[Orfy]

It's not got any IO modules but I know where there are some including valves etc.

All I need is pipe and pumps (I think)

Then It's a case of trying to get the engineers to understand the requirement for the software.

 

[thebikingengineer]

Give them beer, they'll understand. Of course, you'll want to make sure you explain before they have too much beer, and design the system after they've slept off the effects of beer.

 

[Cede]

Full automation is not a good choice.
Assisted brewing is maybe better

I'm still working of my future brewery to automate mash temp and sparging.
I might also try after that to deal with HLT heating automation....

You're lucky, I'll only have a 2x16 chars LCD, not touch screen !

 

[user 574]

Problem with automation is you are missing a lot of I/O and various other modules that may be needed. I'd focus in on one part of brewing and probably the HLT. Start with a temp monitor and a float sensor.

It could be a cool project and since you got some guys who do this for a living (I used to) they should be able to create some nice MMI (man machine interface) screens showing the HLT graphically filling up (& calculating volume) with a temp reading. Contols on the touch screen. Then add some logic that tracks the HLT water to the mash. Focus on the monitoring aspect 1st, and contol later (since that'll take more electrical stuff). You know you're gonna have to stop doing that batch sparge right .

As long as the end result is shiny orfy. I wish I had this hobby when I was in the controls industry.

 

[kladue]

Orfy,
Any of the associated sensors or control hardware destined for the same fate as the touch screen and other parts. Sounds like you need to convince the engineers that sharing their stashes of parts and sensors is for a good cause. Next comes the hard part, getting 3 engineers to agree on a single design approach for an automation system and features for your new system.

 

[D2T]

Next comes the hard part, getting 3 engineers to agree on a single design approach for an automation system and features for your new system.

Truer words were never spoken.

 

[Fingers]

Next comes the hard part, getting 3 engineers to agree on a single design approach for an automation system and features for your new system.

Well, three engineers or one good technologist.

 

[thebikingengineer]

Next comes the hard part, getting 3 engineers to agree on a single design approach for an automation system and features for your new system.

So, how many engineers does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

On an unrelated note, how many engineers are replying on this thread and picturing just how to do this? I'm one.

 

[Cede]

I was thinking about using flow counters to calculate how much water or wort is transfered.
Those counters give 752 impulsions per litre and cost round $60.
I'll buy one to test and see what can be done

thebikingengineer => I'm also supposed to be an engineer in mechanics and automated processes but I worked only in computing .... so I must have lost many skills

 

[olllllo]

Next comes the hard part, getting 3 engineers to agree on a single design approach for an automation system and features for your new system.

You just imposed "simple" on the design spec. It's already doomed.

 

[kladue]

This should be an interesting adventure in brewery automation, simple would be all digital control, next step up would be analog inputs and digital outputs, last step up would be analog inputs and outputs plus digital inputs and outputs. From there it is software strategy and features that tend to drive one crazy when additional scope and feature what if's keep pushing out the completion date. This is why i prefer to stay on the hardware installation side of control systems and let others burn themselves out on the system integration side, plus it is profitable and entertaining to tell the engineer's that it would not work as they designed it.