How can the temperature and safety of polyurethane foam (PUR) mattresses be monitored? The client's challenge

Our client produces mattresses and other polyurethane foam products for the furniture, medical and other industrial sectors. In practice, this means the constant need to monitor the production conditions and storage of finished products. It was important for the customer to precisely monitor the temperature in the warehouse, because even a slight increase could reduce the quality of the foam, causing deformation or loss of desired properties.

The second important element was to control the chemical process itself during the production of foams – in this case, the correct temperature directly determines the correct course of the reaction, affecting the technical and functional parameters of the finished mattresses.

At the same time, the production and storage of polyurethane foams carried a real fire hazard, including the risk of spontaneous combustion. The customer therefore wanted a reliable solution that would immediately detect a rise in temperature and enable alarms to be triggered quickly, protecting people, materials and the entire plant. This enabled the company to avoid financial losses due to downtime and gain a greater sense of security in their daily work.

How does the PLC ensure automatic temperature control of the polyurethane foam? Our solution

In response to the customer's needs, we proposed the use of wireless JUMO Wtrans temperature sensors, placed at the most important points of the polyurethane foam production process and at the storage locations of the finished mattresses. These sensors measure the temperature on an ongoing basis and transmit the readings wirelessly directly to the central JUMO variTRON 300 PLC controller. The controller collects and processes data in real time, comparing it with predefined safety thresholds. If the permissible values are exceeded, variTRON automatically activates alarm procedures.

The entire system is connected to a SCADA platform (cloud-based), which allows operators to visualise the temperature in the production hall and warehouses at all times. This means that technical staff can see the current status of all measuring points at any time and can react immediately to any deviations. The system has been designed so that wireless transmission works stably even in difficult industrial conditions, eliminating problems associated with wired sensors, such as cable damage or signal interference. All data is simultaneously transmitted and archived in the SCADA system, enabling accurate analysis and reporting.

How has automatic temperature monitoring improved the safety of PUR foam production? Customer benefits

Thanks to automatic temperature monitoring, mattress production has not only become safer but also much more efficient. Thanks to instant fire alarms, which are sent automatically when set temperatures are exceeded, employees can react immediately to threats before a more serious problem arises. This has significantly reduced the risk of foam self-ignition, and the entire plant can safely operate around the clock.

The customer also noticed a significant improvement in the quality of the mattresses. Thanks to constant temperature monitoring, the chemical process takes place under controlled conditions, minimising the number of rejects caused by uncontrolled temperature changes. This means less material waste and lower complaint-related costs. In addition, employees no longer waste time manually checking the temperature and can focus on key tasks - such as improving the production process or better warehouse management.

As a result, the customer has gained specific savings, greater production efficiency and the certainty that each product meets the highest quality standards. This allows them to confidently develop their business without worrying about safety or quality control risks.

About the author

My name is Ewelina Szmit and I have been working in content marketing for several years, combining my professional skills with my passion for writing. I am convinced that even the most technical topics can be presented in an interesting and accessible way for everyone. Outside of work, I unleash my creativity by creating newspaper collages. I like to spend my free time being active, walking my dog or running.

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