Bürkert’s SideCONTROL range of electropneumatic positioners and controllers can be fitted to almost any pneumatic control valve actuator, bringing digital communication capabilities to installations without requiring their replacement. It offers a fast, straightforward route to upgrading analogue pneumatic control valves, sidestepping the time, expense and complexity that a complete digital overhaul would involve. The original pneumatic valves stay exactly where they are — SideCONTROL devices are simply added alongside them, with no downtime or disruption to running processes.
This makes it possible to bring digital benefits to any application built around analogue pneumatic control valves. Where processes rely on the continuous, modulating control of flow, pressure, temperature, level or other variables, moving to digital control can boost accuracy, precision and repeatability. It also opens the door to round-the-clock monitoring, reporting and alarms, cutting both downtime and the labour needed to manage it.
Digital connectivity
Rather than a full transition to a digital control system — with the added hardware costs and development and commissioning complexity that involves — SideCONTROL works as a straightforward retrofit for pneumatic control valves already in service.
The simplest path is fitting a Bürkert SideCONTROL device that communicates over IO-Link, creating a point-to-point, two-way digital link to an IO-Link master module. This delivers fast, bidirectional communication over standard cabling, giving plug-and-play connectivity to the IO-Link master without needing extra switches.
Devices in the range with onboard Profibus can also connect directly to Profibus masters, while communication is likewise possible via the AS-i protocol or Bürkert’s CAN-based büS system bus, connecting to a suitable master or gateway.
For appropriately configured units, high-speed Ethernet integration is also available, covering EtherNet/IP, Profinet, Modbus TCP and EtherCAT.
Straightforward hardware integration
The SideCONTROL lineup starts with the Type 8791 digital electropneumatic positioner, built for mounting on either linear or rotary actuators. It communicates via IO-Link, AS-i or büS and comes with built-in diagnostics for tracking valve condition.
The Type 8792 builds on this with a graphical display and keypad for easier configuration and commissioning, along with expanded connectivity through Ethernet or fieldbus networks.
The Type 8793, meanwhile, is a digital process controller with an onboard PID function for local control-loop operation, offering the same digital communication options as the Type 8792.
All SideCONTROL devices mount to virtually any pneumatic control valve actuator design, including NAMUR-standard linear and part-turn actuators. Non-standard actuators are also covered — including Samson’s Type 3277 — via an adaptor kit suited to valve strokes between 7.5 mm and 30 mm.
Simple commissioning
The X.Tune commissioning tool built into SideCONTROL devices uses self-teaching to get valve position tuning right from the start. It automatically adjusts control parameters to match the actuator and process conditions, sharpening the valve’s response time, stability and accuracy — and single- and double-acting actuators can be switched between at any point.
The Type 8793 process controller adds its own P.TUNE function, which self-optimises PID parameters to automate process control initialisation.