Mosaic system
Mosaic systems form the interface between man and process ( HMI ) and can be part of control rooms . A mosaic system is composed of color-printed plastic plates, display and switching elements.
construction
A mosaic system is made up of individual building blocks. These modules all relate to a uniform module grid. Typical grid sizes are, for example, 18, 24, 36 or 48 mm.
The mosaic blocks of one grid size can now be arranged side by side as required. The arrangement is reminiscent of the arrangement in a mosaic , which ultimately led to the naming.
The individual components of a mosaic system can theoretically be put together to form mosaic walls of any size. The world's largest mosaic plaque was supplied by Mauell to Florida Power & Light . The mosaic system is 52 m wide, 5.80 m high and equipped with around 450,000 blocks.
Depending on the application, the manufacturer uses different material combinations.
Areas of application / application
Mosaic systems are mainly used in control rooms for process control technology or network control technology. However, they are also used in other areas of measurement and control technology. Typical examples are power plants of all kinds, switchgears for energy suppliers , sewage treatment plants and building monitoring . In a mosaic system, not only colorful stones are put together to form a process image . In the simplest case, there are also switches for triggering commands and lamps for signaling messages. More complex systems can also include measuring instruments, recorders, and monitors.
history
In 1961, at the trade fair in Utrecht, the mosaic technology , which was then improved and patented by the company Helmut Mauell GmbH , is presented. To this day, Mauell is a leader in the installation of control rooms with mosaic technology. There are currently four other companies, MLP , Pro-Plan , SACO Controls, Supteam-Subklew and Jürgen Kramer (BSK) , which manufacture the corresponding mosaic systems.
future
The market for mosaic systems is shrinking. Of the approximately seven manufacturers, only four survived. The biggest competition is the large screen projection . However, the lighting system also has its downsides. The advantage of the mosaic systems is the possible interaction with the process. Furthermore, a high degree of long-term stability and freedom from maintenance. The disadvantage is the rigid structure, which can only be changed with great effort. In the course of screen technology, which emerged in the 80s, mosaic control rooms have increasingly lost their importance. While with mosaic technology, all information is offered on the mosaic at the same time - and must also be observed - the screen technology offers the possibility of selective selection and alarm-related switching. This leads to savings for the operating personnel of a production plant and complex systems are also easier to operate.
If the entire system still has to be constantly monitored, a large-screen projection is the best option. A large screen projection can be used very flexibly. Any desired image can be displayed. In general, devices with rear projection have established themselves . These large screen back wall projectors are available, for example, in 67 inch size and can be stacked almost seamlessly. The size of the video wall is therefore only limited by the space available and the financial strength of the customer. In the future, a combination of large screen projection and mosaic system will be used more and more.