In any process industry, instrumentation and automation play an important role for its techno-economical growth. There is a fast growing need of instrumentation in sugar industry in the light of overall automation which will help in increasing the efficiency of the process and save energy. During 1970's the level of instrumentation in sugar industry was very poor and minimal. The implemented instrumentation systems were either pneumatic or electrical. Most of these were in non-working conditions. Hence, the purpose of their implementation could not be availed for correct process operations.
The main reasons for the non-working conditions of instruments were:
Low level instrumentation
Frequent failures due to hostile environmental conditions
Poor maintenance
Lack of Instrumentation Engineers/ Technicians.
In view of the above reasons, VSI started instrumentation division in 1977 for improving the efficiency of sugar plants through effective instrumentation measurement and control systems. The main activities of the division are teaching, training, development and extension services.
In order to meet the main objective of the instrumentation department i.e. to improve the efficiency of the sugar plants through effective instrumentation measurement & control systems, the objectives of the instrumentation department are further detailed as under:
Collecting the information of existing instrumentation systems in the sugar factories.
Preparing the specific action plan for the phase wise implementation of the instrumentation systems.
Collecting the information regarding the advanced instrumentation systems at National and International level.
Implementation of the proper process instrumentation and control systems in new/ expansion/ modernization sugar plant.
Interaction with the instrument manufacturers, educational institutes and eminent personalities in the instrumentation field to strengthen the extension services as well as academic input.
Attending the various seminars/ workshops / symposiums/ exhibitions dedicated to instrumentation measurement and control to understand the latest trends in the instrumentation engineering.
Render the instrumentation maintenance services to the various sections/ departments of the Institute to minimize the discontinuities in the research work.
Development of the instrumentation laboratory in line with the advancement in instrumentation engineering.
Evaluation and improvement in the performance of the trained staff by establishing good rapport during the factory visits for resulting healthy growth of instrumentation & automation.
Co-ordination with the registrar regarding the academic input.
Upgradations of practicals and corresponding manuals, booklets for theory and practicals related with the teaching & training programmes
