Posted to News on 1st Aug 2016, 00:00
Enclosures protect control equipment in milking parlours
Controllers for milking parlours have to be simple to operate, easy to install and easy to maintain. But crucially, they must also be strong, reliable and above all accurate. The enclosures specified to house the control equipment have to protect sensitive control electronics positioned in and around the harsh parlour feeding and wider dairy farm environment.
Specialising in the design and manufacture of control equipment for milking parlours, Davlec is a family owned, Mid-Wales based electronics manufacturing company with over 33 years experience. From its origins, designing, manufacturing and servicing equipment for the dairy industry, the company has grown to provide a full contract electronics manufacturing service to clients from a wide variety of industries.
As the range of electronic feeder control equipment offered by Davlec continues to expand, the quality and range of the equipment has to be rigorously maintained to keep the company in the forefront – supplying the increasing advances and demand for efficiency within the dairy industry. The Davlec range of systems includes replacement boxes for older installations, through to individual point controllers and fully programmable feeding systems, plus a wide range of auxiliary parlour control equipment, including pulsation control boxes, liquid level controls and plant washing systems.
Choice of enclosures for these controllers is a critical design decision. Justin Bernard, Davlec’s chief engineer who has been with the company for over 18 years, says: “Davlec has been using the Fibox range of enclosures for many years now, because we have found that they provide our design teams with the latest and best resources, both in advanced enclosure technology and customisation, as the industry evolves. We’re constantly refining our systems to give our customers the best outcomes available and we’ve found that Fibox can provide access to the depth and breadth of enclosure products to match the pace of the technical development activities we need.”
Two examples of the Davlec range are the ‘Multi C1’ – an in-parlour auto-ID automatic parlour feeder system – and the popular ‘Touchfeed’ system – a digital touch keypad controller for single feeder stalls. To shield the devices’ sensitive automated controls, both these systems utilise the Fibox MNX and the Piccolo enclosures, which offer IP67 rated protection and are designed to withstand the harshest of environmental conditions. With a reputation for
dependability and performance the both the Fibox MNX and the Piccolo ranges of enclosures are representative samples born of one of the most advanced polycarbonate and ABS injection moulding technology platforms available today.
Steve Gallon, Fibox UK managing director, says: “Of course, technology is only a means to an end. Preparing an accurate personalised service in selecting the right product to deliver the best outcomes requires close cooperation between experienced project engineers and designers. At Fibox, we endeavor to deliver an innovative, tailored service that is designed to ensure that whatever sensitive equipment you manufacture we will provide an enclosure system that guarantees that equipment is adequately protected, allowing it to perform reliably and accurately for the long term.”
