Controls News 13
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Partnerships:
cooperative relations with customers
Cooperation to ensure the reliable and smooth
operation of large BACnet systems
BACnet offers a broad range of standardised functions,
many of which are neither expedient nor necessary for
individual operators. Anything superfluous makes oper-
ation more complex and increases costs. In many areas,
however, BACnet provides a great deal of flexibility and
room for interpretation.
These two aspects make it highly advisable to define an
automation standard that is valid throughout the prop-
erty and implement this as a planning specification. Op-
erators/owners can then use BACnet expediently and
without ties to specific manufacturers.
Customers can use the results of the official test labora-
tory WSP as a basis for determining the basic abilities of
devices in relation to BACnet. A BACnet certificate con-
firms which functions these devices support. But how
can owners/operators ensure that the planning speci-
fications in a project are actually realised? And how can
they ensure that these specifications are also adhered
to throughout the entire life cycle? This is particularly
critical if manufacturers with their own service person-
nel also conduct systemmaintenance within a property.
The following three companies are working with us to
develop a practical, simple and reliable solution for op-
erators of large BACnet systems:
–
Frankfurt Airport (Fraport)
–
VW AGWolfsburg plant/VW Kraftwerk GmbH
–
STRABAG Property and Facility Services
An additional function BACnet monitor is being imple-
mented on the basis of the Saia-Burgess web panel.
We are working with the partners to create a specifica-
tion sheet, conduct initial testing and carry out endur-
ance testing in large «multi-vendor» BACnet systems.
No-one can make a product like the BACnet monitor on
their own.
One aim of cooperation:
the reliable and smooth operation of heterogeneous BACnet systems
Cooperation since 2001 – reducing CO
2
and
energy costs through combined heat and power
We have now been working with the major heating
companies BAXI and Vaillant for 10 years to test and
launch innovative energy supply systems. Initially, the
focus was on fuel cell systems although the scope of the
cooperative relations has since grown.
BAXI fuel cell system
It took 10 years for the two cooperation partners Vail-
lant and Saia-Burgess to truly harvest the first fruits of
their work. During this period, we assigned a senior ap-
plication engineer to spend more than 50% of his time
working within the scope of the cooperative relations
and many special electronic modules were developed.
The first major result came in 2011 with the launch of
a mass-production Vaillant-Honda combined heat and
power system for private homes.
The lean production of the controller/control electron-
ics at Saia-Burgess Controls can be seen here:
Video web code en1369b.
For Vaillant, the cooperation has also paid off from a
reputation perspective. In November 2011, Vaillant
received an award from the German government for
the most sustainable product on the market. None of
the companies involved could have achieved such
success on their own.
Fruits of 10 years of cooperation:
Vaillant receives the award for the most sustainable product
BACnet monitor
Visualise
Take manual action
Monitoring function
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