Customer Problem:
A leading manufacturer of commercial brewing and distilling equipment faced an urgent need to deliver a 400L Gin Still to their customer. However, the traditional lead time for designing, building, programming, and shipping a UL certified control panel for the still was 8 to 16 weeks.
With time and budget being a critical factor, they sought an affordable solution to expedite the process without compromising quality.
Think-PLC Solution:
Think-PLC responded promptly to their need for a solution by designing, building, programming, and shipping a UL certified control panel within the manufacturers’ required turnaround. Additionally, the team at Think-PLC created a solution that was robust and commercial enough to be compatible with their mechanical still.

- Efficient Design: Within just 4 days, Think-PLC’s engineering team quoted and designed a custom control panel to match the specifications of the gin still, using 3D modeling techniques.
- Advanced Proportional Integral Derivative (PID) Controls: Integration of advanced PID controls, along with Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD) measurement sensors, allows the still temperature to be monitored accurately, eliminating the need for manual regulation.
- Functional Wiring Solution: Think-PLC implemented a profinet ethernet-based solution to cut down on the number of wires within the control panel.
- Remote Commissioning: Think-PLC was able to deliver the control panel in a ready-to-program condition. With remote support from Think-PLC, commissioning of the system was achieved, saving the customer over $8,000 in travel and on-site support costs.

Results
Reduced Time to Market: Despite the tight deadline, Think-PLC delivered the control panel within just 2 weeks, allowing them to meet their customer’s delivery schedule without delay, resulting in a 56% more efficient timeline.
Ease of Reprogramming: The implemented control system allowed for easy reprogramming, eliminating the necessity for specialized engineers and enhancing the manufacturers’ competitiveness in the future.
Value-Driven Approach: Think-PLC’s solution embraced a value-drive approach by offering affordability as a crucial component. The solution that Think-PLC provided allowed the end-user to commit to the system without exceeding their budget limitations while still ensuring accessibility to high-quality equipment for their customer.