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Schneider Electric Case Study
Mavrix Welding AutomationNew Berlin, Wisconsin
Welding Automation OEM Grows Business With More Flexible Machine Design
By Glen Senger, President, Mavrix Welding Automation and Ashish Patwardhan, OEM Material Working Segment Manager, Schneider Electric
In Brief
GoalBuild a machine with high-end capabilities
and modular design that allows for
flexible machine configuration without
changing the mechanical components
of the machine.
SolutionSchneider ElectricTM automation solutions
helped Mavrix build a machine with greater
intelligence and modular design to ensure
repeatable operation, enabling Mavrix
to design, develop, and commission
machines faster while achieving higher
volumes and maintaining quality and
robustness of the machines.
Results• Greater machine adaptability and flexibility
• Simple operation
• Ability to expand the equipment design
• Greater productivity
Products Featured• ModiconTM M258 PAC
• MagelisTM GTO Advanced HMI
• SoMachineTM Programming Software
BackgroundThe scarcity of skilled labor has created a growing trend in the use of
automation for many manufacturing applications. When welding operators
are scarce, manufacturers must turn to automation to keep up with
customer demand.
Mavrix Welding Automation in New Berlin, WI, designs custom welding
machines for metal buildup, hardfacing, and metal spray applications used
in heavy-duty applications, such as metal recycling, cement, rock crushing,
dredging, oil and gas, and steel mills.
As a small, family-owned original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Mavrix
must be more flexible than the larger manufacturers to stay competitive.
President Glen Senger doesn’t have the luxury of turning down a customer
order just because it is a complex request.
“We are always willing to take on new opportunities and stretch our abilities,
and that sometimes means expanding our products,” Senger said. “Customers
like our products and ask us back again to do a little bit more the next time.”
ChallengeFor 26 years, Mavrix built its welding lathes with a proprietary circuit board
controller utilizing DC motors and drives with potentiometers. This solution has
been reliable throughout the years, but to meet expanding customer demands,
a more modular design with high-end capabilities required the power and
flexibility of a PLC.
The challenge was in the machine design itself. To maintain reliability of the
machine and minimize redesign, Senger decided to change only the controls
of the machine while leaving the mechanical components intact. This would
save on design and manufacturing time and reduce costs for additional
parts stocking.
“Our customers trust the reliability of the components we use to make our
equipment work with great uptime,” Senger said. “So my commitment was
to only change the front end of the machine and how the operator interacts
with the machine. The back end, such as the motors, drives, and wire
feeder, had to be the same. We didn’t want to introduce a lot of new components.”
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Schneider Electric Case Study > Mavrix Welding Automation
“Having a machine with greater intelligence to ensure repeatable operation
gives manufacturers the advantage to achieve higher volumes and get the
same results time and time again,” Senger said. “It’s critical to have a machine
that can hardface (apply wear-resistant weld metals to a part’s surface)
precisely and reliability.”
Repeatability is only as good as the operator setting the dials on the
potentiometers, which control axis speeds, wire feed, and voltage. A
programmable system with setup management allows operators to easily
save and recall empirical machine setups for different parts. This ensures
consistency and quality, which is important in an ISO-certified facility.
The SolutionAs a small shop, Mavrix doesn’t have idle resources for programming and
design. For assistance finding a solution and selecting a platform that
would work seamlessly with the rest of the components, Mavrix turned to
Schneider Electric. Schneider Electric also helped identify a local system
integrator partner, Temple Control Systems of Milwaukee, to design and
deliver the new control system.
“I wanted to cut down on how much research I needed to do and call a
partner that already had the know-how. That’s where the knowledge base
of Schneider Electric was so important,” Senger said. “The success of our
transition into the PLC world was based on the local support we got from
Schneider Electric and the quality of the components we use,” Senger said.
“If I didn’t have that team of resources doing this project, I would have
missed my deadline and jeopardized the quality of the end product.”
“ Having a machine with greater intelligence to ensure repeatable operation gives manufacturers the advantage to achieve higher volumes and get the same results time and time again.”
— Glen Senger, President, Mavrix Welding Automation
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Schneider Electric Case Study > Mavrix Welding Automation
Control Panel
Mavrix Welding Automation | 4
Schneider Electric Case Study > Mavrix Welding Automation
To handle the digital and analog I/O requirements, including high-speed
encoder inputs and pulse train outputs, the Modicon M258 controller
was the right solution. The M258 is compact with embedded Ethernet
and an advanced instruction set that makes it very adaptable.
Paired with the M258 controller is the Magelis GTO advanced touch screen.
The GTO features embedded Ethernet and includes all necessary built-in
tools for machine interface plus recipe management, alarm management, user
security, and screen snapshot. Together, the M258 controller and the GTO
touch screen provided all necessary functionality to deliver the solution.
SoMachine is the all-in-one OEM solution software used to bring the
whole system together. A single software for developing, configuring, and
commissioning the entire machine including logic and operator interface.
SoMachine is one package with one project file, one cable, and one download.
SoMachine supports the IEC 61131-3 programming languages and provides
all standard data types, functions, and function blocks necessary for machine
control and can be extended with user defined objects.
Adaptability Is Key
Mavrix needed a solution that was adaptable so it would be easy to add
capabilities to the machine when customers required it. In the past, when a
customer requested additional functionality on the machine, like an additional
temperature or speed controller, it required mounting a new device in the panel,
which was time consuming and costly.
Today, the Schneider Electric solution provides adaptability. To add an axis
or new capability to the machine doesn’t necessarily require rework of the
control panel. Functionality modifications can be addressed in programming.
This improves Mavrix’s time to market.
The controller allows Mavrix to control multiple axes, which can be turned on
and off depending on the machine configuration. Each option can then be
turned on and off via the touch screen at runtime depending on the specific
machine configuration. After configuration, the human-machine interface
(HMI) only displays parameters that are relevant. Having a single template
project with selectable options provides consistency and simplifies program
version management.
Mavrix HMI Run Screen
The Schneider Electric solution provides adaptability. To add an axis or new capability to the machine doesn’t necessarily require rework of the control panel. Functionality modifications can be addressed in programming.
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Schneider Electric Case Study > Mavrix Welding Automation
“We save time now because we’ve already designed the panel layouts and
PLC programs that are developed on a single platform, so they can be used
for future machines, even beyond just welding lathes,” Senger said.
Simple Operation
Compared to the toggle switches used in the old design, the Magelis touch
screen provides a lot of information to the operator. It provides all the same
controls plus system status and fault messaging so operators can easily
troubleshoot problems and take action to minimize downtime.
“Previously, operators had to use speed pots to tweak set points. Now they just
enter the values into the touch screen and the controller accepts it,” Senger
said. “It has taken some of the black magic out of the commissioning of the
machine because the capabilities are more inherent into the system already.”
Mavrix VRW
It provides all the same controls plus system status and fault messaging so operators can easily troubleshoot problems and take action to minimize downtime.
Mavrix Welding Automation | 6
Schneider Electric Case Study > Mavrix Welding Automation
Operator ease-of-use was another key factor in Senger’s design requirements.
The new control system needed to have a similar look and feel to the older
circuit-board-based machines so that operators didn’t have to be retrained.
The touch screen was laid out to match the toggle switches and lights on the
older machines, thus reducing the transition for operators.
“The customers love the touch screen and can navigate easily because it’s laid
out the same way,” Senger said. “We wanted to make sure any operator could
walk over and run our new machine because it has the similar look, feel, and
terminology as our older equipment.”
Future Looks Bright
Mavrix expects to be a bigger player in welding automation by developing
more custom applications for hardfacing. Having the flexibility to expand its
equipment design will keep the company in the running with larger competitors.
“The new PLC-based equipment is an important part of our company’s
flexibility,” Senger said. “Now I can build a machine that does exactly what
the bigger OEMs can do. We will have more opportunities.”
Another reason Mavrix chose Schneider Electric is because it’s a globally
recognized brand.
“When I present this new solution to customers, their heads shake with familiarity
because they use Schneider Electric products already,” Senger said. “When we
serve customers out of this country, we won’t have many challenges with service
and parts because Schneider Electric has locations around the world. Partnering
with a brand that is globally accepted and available is one of the big factors in
helping me win business and take our business to the next level.”
“ When we serve customers out of this country, we won’t have many challenges with service and parts because Schneider Electric has locations around the world.”
— Glen Senger, President, Mavrix Welding Automation
Schneider Electric provides comprehensive energy solutions
that transform the way businesses manage their environment,
efficiency, and costs.
As the global specialist in energy management with operations
in more than 100 countries, Schneider Electric offers integrated
solutions across multiple market segments, including leadership
positions in energy and infrastructure, industrial processes,
building automation, and data centers/networks, as well as a
broad presence in residential applications. Schneider Electric is
dedicated to making individuals’ and organizations’ energy safe,
reliable, efficient, productive, and green from Power Plant to PlugTM.
Schneider Electric USA
8001 Knightdale BoulevardKnightdale, NC 27545Tel: 888-778-2733www.schneider-electric.com/us ©
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June 2015
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