Custom engineering based on tried and tested FÜLL systems
About the method: FÜLL has sophisticated system technology and software that is modified individually for each customer. After thorough analysis of all production processes on site, process engineering and all processes were developed, produced and programmed for the systems of SHERWIN-WILLIAMS, Central America.
The project started with the phase of project development in March 2011 and took about 18 months. Several on-site meetings with the FÜLL sales and development team were required during this time. It became clear that parts of the building had to be built anew for the new system. The detailed planning effort during that time ensured that the following implementation phase went smoothly and efficiently:
- 1 Automatic 64-component dosage system with complete 64-component tank storage for color pastes, additives and solvents for water- and solvent-based paints;
- 1 system with fully automatized processes for production of solvents for the entire bandwidth of the paint industry were developed and built, and
- 9 further dosage systems for solid and liquid auxiliary materials were connected to the central FÜLL control with EX-protected terminals.
FÜLL connected the entire automatic and manual dosage systems to the central computer of SHERWIN-WILLIAMS with the smart software. This means that all orders are centrally loaded on all FÜLL terminals for processing of the orders. Every employee can view the precise status of order processing centrally and on all terminals. Every input/work step of an employee at a FÜLL terminal can only be started/ended via password and confirmation of each step. FÜLL also took over the basic and detailed engineering for the customer’s own large tank storage with 25- to 50-ton tanks.
An essential demand of the corporate management of SHERWIN-WILLIAMS was the subject of safety, and specifically EX protection. After all, the boiling point of some of the solvents is at only 21 degrees Celsius. This temperature range is exceeded every day in El Salvador! All produced systems and equipment provide maximum safety for the EX area and are built according to the strict specifications of ATEX. Concerning safety and environmental compatibility, the new system is “state of the art”.
All production processes have been linked with each other and integrated into the existing ERP system of the company. This was the prerequisite for complete reproducibility of the processes, and thus the warranty for a consistently high-quality end product.