The most important points at a glance
During the retrofit of the grain collecting station in Merstetten TG, not only the control and visualization were renewed, but also the field electrical equipment (essentially the electrical installations and the electrical switchgear). The aim was a plant that is up to date according to current standards, with higher availability and better operability. What was decisive was less the mere replacement of components than the clean resolution of interfaces between linked plants.
We at SF Elektro-Engineering AG repeatedly see in such projects certain patterns: the bottleneck is not the most visible component, but the coordination within the overall system. That is why a retrofit in a historically grown plant is particularly worthwhile when operating reliability, standard compliance and availability are to be improved simultaneously.
Why was this retrofit of the grain collecting station demanding?
The project in Merstetten TG was more challenging than a usual undertaking due to its size, complexity, possible linkages and high throughput. For plant managers in production and technology, that is the point: in a grain collecting station the benefit of a retrofit depends not only on the control but on the stable cooperation of all plant parts. When one line is coupled to another, small impurities quickly become operating risks. A timely reconstruction between seasons is only possible with thorough planning and a strong, well-coordinated commissioning team.
- Historically grown plant with many existing dependencies
- Linked plant parts with sensitive interfaces
- High throughput and thus little tolerance for errors
- Requirements for standards, safety and traceable documentation
- Adherence to renovation schedules
What solution was chosen for the electrical equipment?
The solution included the renewal of electrical installations and electrical switchgear as well as the modernization of automation and process control technology. In this way the plant was renewed not only functionally, but also brought up to the latest state of the art according to applicable standards. This is important for a grain collecting station because partial modernization often only relieves pressure in the short term but leaves the structural risks in the background.
| Aspect | Partial renewal | This project in Merstetten TG |
|---|---|---|
| Technical focus | Individual components | Automation, process control technology and electrical equipment |
| Plant logic | Existing weaknesses often remain | Interfaces between linked plants were targeted and addressed |
| Standards and safety | Pointwise adjustments | Entire plant updated to the latest state of the art |
| Suitability | More for clearly delimited island solutions | For historically grown, networked bulk material plants |
Contrary to the assumption that a retrofit is mainly a control project, the leverage in such plants often lies in the electrical base. That is where it is decided whether the modernization runs robustly later or whether the next fault remains tied to an old interface.
How did the implementation proceed at SF Elektro-Engineering AG?
From getting to know each other to implementation, about 2 to 3 years passed, and the on-site reconstruction lasted several weeks. This shows how much groundwork is involved in a retrofit of this scale: clarifications, planning, approvals and coordination with the existing systems take time. For a team like ours, this lead time is not a disadvantage but a prerequisite for a clean result.
During implementation, interfaces between the linked plants were the central driver of effort. In practice, we have seen that such points are rarely solved cleanly with standard solutions. What matters are on-site details, flexible adjustments in the workflow and willingness to recheck technical assumptions before they become a problem in ongoing operation.
What to pay particular attention to with linked plants
The more a grain collecting station is networked with other plant parts, the more precisely interfaces, signals and dependencies must be captured. If you standardize too early here, you risk later bypass solutions in operation. For historically grown plants, tailor-made solutions are often more economical than a full package for all areas.
What results did the retrofit bring?
Das Projekt lag bei über 500k CHF. Der Umbau vor Ort dauerte mehrere Wochen, und die Phase von Kennenlernen bis Umsetzung erstreckte sich über ca. 2 bis 3 Jahre. Im Betrieb wurden MTTR und MTBF optimiert, die Anlagenverfügbarkeit ist sehr hoch und die Benutzerfreundlichkeit ist gestiegen.
For Grain Mittelthurgau AG this meant mainly increased operational safety in daily use. The figures show the project framework, but the real benefit lies in the combination of high availability, better maintainability and a plant that has become more transparent for ongoing operation.
This is a flagship project for our solutions for grain collecting stations.
What do production and technology learn from this retrofit?
Historically grown plants require a tailor-made solution. Complete solutions are especially suitable for island solutions such as individual dryers, but not for complex linked processes with many dependencies. This precise classification is important for decision-makers because it makes the investment framework, implementation duration and later operating safety realistic.
If you are modernizing a grain collecting station today, you should first check the interfaces, the electrical equipment and the standards-compliant overall architecture. Only then can you decide cleanly whether a retrofit offers the greatest leverage or whether individual plant parts should be treated separately. This is the kind of modernization where planning translates directly into availability.
Frequently asked questions
When is partial replacement no longer enough for a grain collecting station?
Why does a retrofit often take several years to implement?
How can you tell afterwards whether the effort paid off?
Is retrofit suitable for other bulk material plants as well?
Planen Sie ein Retrofit für Ihre Anlage?
SF Elektro-Engineering AG, Flums