A New Standard in Dust Collector Control Intelligence

Announcing greenBOX DCC – the Programmable Control Interface for Dust Collectors

(plus greenBOX DCS Monitoring-Only Variant)

The Missing Link in an Ecogate System - and in every dust collecting system

Every workstation gate, variable frequency drive (VFD), and sensors in an Ecogate‑equipped dust collection ventilation system communicates intelligently over industry standard Modbus.  Until today, the dust collector itself was still controlled by a rigid, stand‑alone PLC with limited data, user interface from the previous century, no software updates, and no remote access. If something at a dust collector stops working nobody knows why, and maintenance will learn about it too late  - at a time when the entire system stops and operators start complaining about dust everywhere. 

greenBOX DCC closes that gap. It is a purpose‑built Control Interface for the dust collector that replaces legacy PLC panels with a fully programmable, sensor‑rich module that communicates natively with any Ecogate greenBOX control unit over industry-standard Modbus RTU and can control any dust-collector brand.

From Ecogate's R&D Lab: greenBOX DCC in development.

From Ecogate's R&D Lab: greenBOX DCC in development.

What greenBOX DCC Does

Capability	Details
VFD-Based Motor Control & Reporting	Starts & stops every dust collector motor (cleaning arm, air-lock, vacuum pump, transport fan) with gentle VFD ramps—eliminating in-rush peaks, reducing mechanical shock, and extending motor and mechanical parts life. Moreover it reports motor voltages, currents, power, and automatically recognises locked motor or broken belts.
Comprehensive Sensor Suite	• Fan total static pressure & filter differential pressure  • System air volume & velocity from Ecogate Average Air Velocity Sensors (AAVS)  • Ambient temperature → triggers automatic winter / antifreeze mode for filter bags  • Relative humidity & barometric pressure → compensates airflow calculations    • Ambient Air Quality and Particulate-matter (PM) levels → filter-health insight  • Motor vibration, current, voltage & power — anomalies (lock, broken belt, overload, over-temp) generate instant alerts
Industrial I/O	Three 4-20 mA analog inputs (for vibration sensors, bin level etc), Four × digital inputs, Four dry-contact relay outputs, plus a Modbus Master port that daisy-chains all VFDs on a single twisted pair. If more inputs and outputs are necessary two or more boards can be used.
Adelie Programming Language (APL)	Configure logic, maintenance timers, warnings, and custom interlocks directly from the familiar greenBOX UI—no external software or site visit required. The entire unit is user programmed, monitored, updated from greenBOX user interface. It is connected to greenBOX via single Ecogate Master cable (which provides power supply and Modbus communication)
Dashboard,OTA Firmware & Remote Access	Secure TLS-signed firmware updates, live dashboard, and alert delivery over any greenBOX- connected to the internet via ethernet cable.

Result: Maintenance teams see every motor state and ventilation metric in one place, can act before a fault stops production, and are never locked out by undocumented PLC code. They can change behaviour of control unit themself and set what is reported to them.

greenBOX DCS – Monitoring‑Only Variant

Need visibility-only into your collector? greenBOX DCS provides the same sensor package and APL logic as DCC—but without VFDs to control dust collector motors (if you prefer to add VFDs later it is possible because Modbus Master is included - control board is identical to greenBOX DCC). Drop it in, gain data, alarms, and remote dashboards instantly.

Why Replace the Old PLC Panel?

1. Undocumented Code – Typical PLCs ship with only a wiring diagram; software logic is a black box. No user guides are provided.

2. Out‑of‑date UI – resistive PLC touch‑screens user interface pale next to modern web dashboards.

3. No Remote Service – VPN boxes and licenses are rarely installed, blocking OTA (Over-The-Air) support.

4. Limited Monitoring – critical errors are not reported as locked motors, broken belts, true air velocity, air volume, and AQI are invisible.

5. Fixed Logic – Even minor tweaks require a controls engineer on‑site.

With greenBOX DCC you get documented, field‑editable logic, modern security, and full system transparency.

Benefits at a Glance

• Less Downtime – Early warnings for belt break, motor lock, overload, over‑temperature, vibration trends and high differential‑pressure.

• Longer Equipment Life – VFD ramps cut mechanical shock; on‑demand operation slashes run‑hours.

• Energy Savings – Avoid demand spikes and stop motors when airflow is not required.

• Lower Installation Cost – One Modbus pair controls every VFD—no bundles of start/stop conductors.

• Maintenance Clarity – All data in plain English on the greenBOX screen or any phone/computer.

• Future‑Proof – Firmware and APL logic update over the air.

• UL-Rated Safety – Interface assembled in a UL-rated facility and housed in a UL-listed industrial enclosure.

  
  

From Ecogate's R&D Lab: greenBOX DCC  - project “Rockhopper” continues sailing through trials.

Technical Highlights

Module	Specification
Processor Board	ARM-based embedded controller, purpose-built by Ecogate for dust-collector duty
Enclosure	UL-rated industrial panel
Inputs	3 × 4-20 mA, 4 × digital (if more inputs is required multiple interface boards can be used)
Outputs	4 × dry-contact relays  (if more inputs is required multiple interface boards can be used)
Communications	RS-485 (Modbus RTU Master to control VFDs, Modbus Slave for communication with greenBOX control unit)
OTA Security	TLS-protected firmware sign & apply; automatic firmware update via greenBOX

Roadmap & Availability

• Engineering samples: Q3 2025 – Ecogate is actively field‑testing prototypes and welcomes pilot partners.

• Commercial release: 2026 – Full production quantity & support.

Help Us Shape Technology

Operate or maintain dust-collection equipment? We value your perspective. Tell us which data points or control functions will simplify your day—together we’ll build the most capable dust-collector interface on the market.

Give us your product feedback here.

greenBOX DCC – Take control of the last black box.

- Ecogate Team