Flow Measurement Control System for Loose Tube Fiber Paste Based on PLC and Database Operations

Time: 2025-03-17 15:43:39 Source: Henan Province Jianyun Cable Co., Ltd.

Introduction

In the production of loose tube optical cables, fiber paste is essential for protecting optical fibers from moisture and mechanical stress. Traditional manual filling methods lead to inconsistent paste usage, higher material costs, and quality risks. This study introduces a PLC-based flow measurement control system, combined with database operations, to achieve real-time monitoring and closed-loop control of fiber paste flow.

1. System Design and Structure

1.1 Key Components

The system consists of:

Clamp-type ultrasonic flow sensors for measuring flow rate and time.
Siemens S7-300 PLC for data processing and control.
SQL Server database for data storage and analysis.
SCADA system (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) for real-time monitoring and alarm display.

1.2 Working Principle

Using ultrasonic transmission time difference measurement, the system calculates flow rate as:

\frac{\Delta t \times r^2 \times c^2}{2L}

where:

$Q$ : Instantaneous flow
$Δt\Delta t$ : Time difference between forward and reverse ultrasonic signals
$r$ : Pipe radius
$c$ : Speed of sound in fiber paste
$L$ : Distance between sensors

2. Control System Architecture

Module	Function
Ultrasonic Flow Sensor	Measures real-time flow
PLC (Siemens S7-300)	Data acquisition and control
SQL Database	Data storage and analysis
SCADA Interface	Alarm monitoring and data visualization

3. Real-Time Flow Monitoring and Control

3.1 Instantaneous Flow Monitoring

Detects flow rate in real-time
Provides instant alarms when paste is missing
Adjusts fiber paste pump speed to maintain consistency

3.2 Cumulative Flow Calculation

Tracks total paste usage for each tube
Supports cost analysis and material optimization

4. Database Operations and Data Analysis

Real-time data is uploaded to SQL Server
Allows historical data tracking for quality management
Supports production cost analysis and defect traceability

5. Results and Performance Improvement

Parameter	Before System Implementation	After System Implementation
Average Paste Consumption	1.09 L/km	0.90 L/km
Consumption Reduction	-	17%
Production Quality Stability	Unstable	Highly Stable

6. Conclusion

The PLC-based fiber paste flow measurement control system ensures real-time monitoring and closed-loop control.
It reduces paste consumption by 17%, saving raw materials and costs.
The integration of the database and production management system allows for data-driven quality management and defect traceability.

7. Keywords

Fiber Paste Flow Control
PLC-Based Automation System
Real-Time Monitoring and Alarm
SQL Database Data Analysis
Loose Tube Optical Cable Manufacturing

8. References

Wu Shuhong et al. (2024). Flow Measurement Control System for Loose Tube Fiber Paste Based on PLC and Database Operations. Wire & Cable, No.6, 2024. DOI: 10.16105/j.dxdl.1672-6901.202406012
GB/T 19666-2019 - General Rules for Optical Cable Manufacturing
IEC 61158 - Industrial Communication Networks