Constanta Vaga LLC completed a project for the design, manufacturing and implementation of a vinegar production line control system. The solution is intended for automatic dosing of water and acetic acid according to a selected recipe, mixing of the finished solution and further transfer of the product to storage tanks.

The system is based on the KV4 weighing controller and the Kinco K606-24DT industrial PLC. The delivery set included 1200×1200 mm platform scales and a control cabinet for the vinegar production line.

Project Task

The Customer uses a 1 m³ process tank equipped with an internal mixer. The tank is installed on platform scales, allowing the filling process to be controlled by weight.

Water is supplied from the system through an electric valve. Acetic acid is supplied by a pump. According to the selected recipe, water and acetic acid are dosed into the tank, then mixed and transferred by pumps to one of two storage tanks. The finished product is later taken from these tanks for filling and packaging as required by production.

System Scope

• 1200×1200 mm platform scales;
• vinegar production control cabinet;
• KV4 weighing controller;
• Kinco K606-24DT industrial PLC;
• water valve control;
• acetic acid pump control;
• mixer motor control;
• finished product discharge pump control;
• level monitoring in storage tanks;
• production cycle and total product weight recording.

Operating Algorithm

After power-up and scale zeroing, the operator presses the “Dosing Start” button. The “Dosing” indicator turns on, and manual control of the water pump, acid pump and mixer is blocked.

The system then starts automatic dosing of two components. Water is dosed first, followed by acetic acid. Dosing is performed according to a recipe stored in the controller memory. The system can store up to 12 different recipes, allowing the operator to quickly select the required production mode.

The acetic acid dosing accuracy is 0.3%.

After dosing is completed, the “Mixing” indicator turns on and the mixer motor starts. The mixing time is 3–4 minutes and is adjusted during commissioning. When the mixing time is completed, the mixer stops and the “Mixture Ready” indicator turns on.

The finished mixture is discharged manually by the operator. The operator selects the discharge direction and starts the required pump. Discharge is performed by pump No. 1 or pump No. 2 into one of two storage tanks.

The discharge process stops automatically either by a high-level sensor signal in the storage tank or by the weight reading in the dosing tank. When the scale shows zero or near-zero weight, the discharge pump stops.

After complete discharge, the “Mixture Ready” indicator turns off. If the weighing tank is empty, the “Scales Empty” indicator turns on. The scale readings are reset to zero, and the production cycle can be repeated.

Production Accounting

The KV4 weighing controller stores data on the number of completed dosing cycles and the total weight of product that has passed through the scales. At the beginning of a new shift, the counter can be reset by the operator.

The implemented system made it possible to automate the vinegar preparation process, improve component dosing accuracy, reduce the influence of the human factor and provide convenient accounting of the produced product.