Ethiris VMS monitors the world's largest cable factory

NKT HV Cables AB is using Kentima’s software Ethiris VMS in its production plant to monitor the manufacture of high-voltage cables for the transmission of alternating and direct current. The facility is being expanded and will be the largest of its kind in the world!

NKT HV Cables AB has for many years used the video surveillance system Ethiris VMS from Kentima in its production plant in Karlskrona. Ethiris VMS is used to monitor the production of high-voltage cables for the transmission of alternating and direct current. NKT is currently carrying out an extensive expansion of the facility, which will be the largest of its kind in the world.

NKT’s flexible and reliable solutions supply power to interconnectors, hydro and nuclear power plants, onshore and offshore wind parks, oil and gas platforms and solar power plants.

The current project involves doubling the size of the factory in order to produce larger volumes, break away from fossil fuels and meet the global transition to renewable energy. The production facility has been using Ethiris VMS since 2010 with great success and will continue to be expanded and upgraded.

Ethiris VMS is an advanced and flexible software for video surveillance and is ideally suited to this type of large and complex facilities like NKT’s where high demands are placed on functionality, performance, stability, reliability and operational safety.

Guard Automation AB, formerly LMT Elteknik AB, is the system integrator for the installations and partner to Kentima. For many years, they have supplied monitoring systems to modernise and increase the efficiency and operational reliability of NKT’s facilities. Guard Automation is an innovative company that provides qualified technical consulting services in a number of areas.

With Kentima’s security products, Ethiris VMS and Ethiris NVR, Guard Automation has updated the existing Ethiris system but, more importantly, has made a significant expansion of the entire system. The original part of the facility contained around 200 cameras and initially Kentima supplied four Ethiris NVR servers with 400 camera licences, i.e. 100 licences per server.

"The fact that Ethiris VMS is a complete surveillance system, with high reliability and stability means that we have a problem-free production chain!’, says Kristian Arlefur, Automation Engineer, NKT HV Cables AB.

The process monitoring system in the original part has been basically cloned to be used in the new parts. Today, the facility has around 800 camera licences and access to the latest version of Ethiris VMS. Physically, the system is split between two locations in the facility. To meet all the high demands that NKT (then ABB) originally had on the system, Kentima developed a function at the beginning of the collaboration that became the now standardised and attractive cluster/redundancy function in Ethiris VMS.

Functions such as these are critical in facilities where process stoppages incur huge costs, which in turn puts very high demands on the surveillance system, its functions and stability. The functions in Ethiris VMS are perfectly suited to a advanced production facility like NKT’s.

Each machine has an installed Ethiris client with one or more monitors for the operator. The superior SCADA system sends orders to the Ethiris Server cluster, which in turn remotely controls the relevant clients as to which cameras to display on the nearly 100 Ethiris clients, all based on which machines are part of each manufacturing batch.

"We have worked with Kentima for many years and are more than satisfied! Products, documentation and support are always of high quality!’, says Richard Denckert, Sales Manager Energy & Industry, Guard Automation AB.

The cables in the factory are manufactured for up to 640,000 volts of direct current and 3 gigawatts, which is equivalent to the electricity for all households in Denmark. The thick cables are covered with a plastic material called PEX (cross-linked polyethylene), which is an insulating material. During manufacture, these must not be cooled too quickly and the cables must be given time to dry. For optimal results, the cables should dry hanging, which is why there are three high cable towers. The cables pass through the factory via machines and processing stations. There are up to 100 stations, three stations for each treatment.


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