Case Studies

End of Line Test Station for Beverage Dispensing Valves

Fountain Beverage Dispenser
Posted in Business Intelligence, Consumer Goods, Digital Workplace Solutions, Food and Beverage, LabVIEW, Test & Measurement Automation, Test Stand

Summary

DMC supplied a fully automated end-of-line tester for high-end beverage dispensing valves. The system tests and calibrates each valve to ensure that it meets the client's stringent manufacturing standards. The test stand supplies varying pressure water to the valve throughout the test to simulate different real-world conditions. During each phase of the test, extremely accurate coriolis flowmeters within the test stand continuously monitor the flowrate through each section of the valve to ensure that it performs to specifications. Historical data from each test is logged to a database for reporting and SPC analysis.

In order to ensure that the test stand will meet the current and future needs of the customer, DMC programmed the LabVIEW software to be completely flexible and user-configurable. None of the test sequences are hard coded allowing the customer to easily change the test sequence, limits, logging information, and pass/fail criteria. This allows them to make quick changes without the need for a programmer.

Beverage Valve Test Stand 3D Model

3D Model

Micromotion Elite

Micromotion Elite

NI Compact DAQ

NI Compact DAQ

Solution

DMC was hired by a major supplier of beverage dispensing equipment to modernize and improve their end of line test station. Their line of sophisticated beverage dispensing valves utilize internal flow and pressure monitoring and adjust for varying syrup and water pressures producing the perfect mixture every time. These complex valves undergo an extensive testing and calibration procedure before being shipped to the end customer. Their old test system was nearing the end of its usable life and needed to be modernized.

DMC was asked to completely redesign and modernize the test system while increasing its throughput. After meeting with the customer to determine their needs (and to find out what they liked and disliked about their old system), DMC redesigned the new test stand from the ground up. We started the mechanical design with a 3D model to ensure that all of the components could be fit into the required footprint. The control system was designed to utilize all off-the shelf industrial components to facilitate maintenance and upgrades. A PC-based Data Acquisition and Control System based on National Instruments hardware and software was developed to control and monitor all of the equipment within the test station.

The test procedure is entirely customizable by the end-customer, providing them with a huge improvement in flexibility over their previous test stand. As the test is running, data is continuously logged to a database for reporting and statistical analysis. Since the test sequence is highly configurable, it is important that the test sequence is managed by a version control system. DMC incorporated Subversion (an open source revision control system) into the software to manage the versioning of the test sequences. This ensures that they are always running with the most recent version of the test sequence.

Learn more about DMC's test and measurement automation services.

Customer Benefits

  • Full control over test functionality without requiring program changes
  • Increased accuracy and repeatability
  • Increased throughput by 200%
  • Use of standard off-the shelf components for easy maintenance 

Technologies

  • Software:
  • Hardware:
    • National Instruments CompactDAQ
    • Emerson Micromotion Elite Coriolis Mass Flow Meters
    • Omega Pressure Sensors