Panel boards · semi & full automation

PLC Control & Automation

Consistent rice quality should not depend on who is on shift. MDT PLC control panels run the whole parboiling and drying line from one place — automatic steam valves, temperature and moisture control, and sensors that flag faults before they become breakdowns.

The recipe runs the plant

In a manually operated mill, quality follows the operator. A valve opened a little late, a temperature read a little high, a tank emptied out of sequence at 2 a.m. on a harvest night — each one costs colour, uniformity and head rice. These are labour-oriented faults, and they are the hardest kind to trace after the fact.

MDT automation removes that dependence. Once your process parameters are set, the PLC holds them — every batch, every shift, every season — and tells you immediately when something needs attention.

One PLC panel controls the entire parboiling & drying section
Automatic steam valves — no manual timing errors
Auto temperature and moisture control for consistent rice quality
Sensors detect faults in elevators and electrical fittings

Choose your level

Semi-automatic or fully automatic

Not every mill needs or wants the same degree of automation on day one. MDT supplies both, and a semi-automatic plant can be upgraded later.

Level 01

Semi-automation

The key process variables are automated; batch sequencing stays with your operator. The most common upgrade path for an existing mill, and the fastest return on spend.

Automatic steam valves on soaking and steaming
Temperature probes with automatic control
Water inlet, drain and circulation valves operated from the panel
Operator sets and starts each batch; the panel holds the parameters

Best for: existing mills modernising in stages, and owners who want tighter process control without changing how the plant is run.

Level 02

Full automation

The complete line soaking, steaming, cooking, drying and transfer sequenced and supervised by a single PLC panel, with minimal operator intervention between intake and dried paddy.

Full batch auto across all tanks, automatically
Level sensors control filling, holding and discharge
Online moisture measurement feeding back to drying control
Fault sensing across elevators and electrical

Best for: new turnkey plants, high-throughput mills, and operations where uniform colour and repeatability are contractual with buyers.

Electricals

Motors and gear boxes

Automation is only as reliable as what it drives. MDT plants use German-technology IE-series motors and gear boxes throughout — chosen for high efficiency, power saving and long service life under continuous mill conditions.

German-technology IE-series motors and gear boxes
High efficiency and power saving on continuous duty
Long-life performance in mill environments

What it changes
What automation means for your mill

Repeatable quality — the same colour and cooking properties every batch, not shift to shift
Fewer stoppages — faults are flagged before they become breakdowns

Less labour dependence — less reliance on one experienced panel operator
Better throughput — tighter control means less rework and fewer rejected batches