Manufacturing and materials

Complete revamping of a furnace: migration to S7-1500 with SIL and ATEX zones

Client
INDUSTRIAL CUSTOMER
Year
2025
Area
Engineering
Subsector
IRON AND STEEL

Scope

Complete modernisation of an installation based on hard-wired logic and legacy PLCs: reverse engineering, new panels, S7-1500 PLC with a SIL zone, ATEX field boxes and WinCC Unified HMIs.

In this revamping project we transformed an obsolete installation, based on hard-wired logic and legacy PLCs, into a modern, safe and efficient architecture. We started with reverse engineering of the existing system so that no process function would be lost.

BeforeBefore: Power and control panels: from hard-wired logic to the new cabinets with an S7-1500 PLC and HMI
AfterAfter: Power and control panels: from hard-wired logic to the new cabinets with an S7-1500 PLC and HMI

Power and control panels: from hard-wired logic to the new cabinets with an S7-1500 PLC and HMI

BeforeBefore: Furnace control desk: from analogue indicators to a WinCC Unified HMI screen
AfterAfter: Furnace control desk: from analogue indicators to a WinCC Unified HMI screen

Furnace control desk: from analogue indicators to a WinCC Unified HMI screen

What we did

  • Replacement of the old power and control panels
  • Migration of two PLS 511 PLCs to a Siemens S7-1500 with a SIL zone
  • Complete renewal of the field boxes in accordance with ATEX regulations
  • Drawings produced in EPLAN, with all documentation updated
  • Two new HMI screens in TIA Portal WinCC Unified, with standardised libraries
  • Safety fencing with interlocks at the furnace access
Cabinet with a Siemens S7-1500 PLC and safety modules for the SIL zone

Results

  • Greater reliability and availability of the installation
  • Regulatory compliance in functional safety (SIL) and ATEX
  • Simpler, standardised operation from the new HMIs
  • Greater safety for people around the furnace

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