bosch rexroth usa 2011 d&c local...email: [email protected] high torque vane...

USAlocal01 | 2012

Sumere estmonderuo05

Estermen oucleimmonderem est01

Germene uiome pleometrertreme Zimoi ewemenum18

Aluminum structural framing proves ideal for solar installations

16

Rexroth expands production in the U.S. 07

Hydrostatic fan cooling in nontraditional applications18

2drive & control localEDITORIAL

The year 2011 was a busy one for manufacturing companies, and it ended almost as robustly as it began. The pressure to perform has never been higher. At Bosch Rexroth, we’ve been taking steps to re-shape the company according to our customers’ needs —matching up our capabilities with the specific requirements of key industries. We’ve also been working hard to increase our capacity and streamline our processes throughout our organization. We’re taking every step we can to continue earning the trust our customers place in us.

In the current issue of drive&control local, you’ll see examples of our new integrated industry approach in photovoltaics,

where we partnered with Bosch Solar Energy to complete a large solar project at the Bosch Automotive Proving Grounds facility in Flat Rock, MI. You’ll also read about Brenton Engineering and Oak State Products, two customers in the food and packaging industry who worked with our industry team and our channel partners to create value for their customers.

We hope that you enjoy reading the drive&control local. In addition to the wide range of application stories, you’ll also find tips on lean manufacturing, information about the benefits of hydrostatic fan drives, and news about our latest products, such as our innovative hydraulic filters. Finally, you’ll learn more about our expanding

production capabilities in the U.S., with additional factory space in Fountain Inn, SC and a new logistics center in Charlotte, NC. It’s an exciting time at Bosch Rexroth. We’re looking forward to 2012 and to being busier than ever on your behalf.

Sincerely,

Berend Bracht

Regional President,

Bosch Rexroth Americas

Dear Readers:

3CONTENTS

FEATURE

18 Blowing in new directions: Hydrostatic fan cooling in nontraditional applications

TECHNOLOGY

04 Brighter ideas: Rexroth automation solutions for the photovoltaic industry

08 Integrated control system streamlines new case packers

12 A new twist in hydraulic filter design

16 Aluminum structural framing proves ideal for solar installations at Bosch Automotive Proving Ground

20 Lean and green: Sustainability for medical device manufacturers

NEWS

05 High torque vane motors come to San Antonio

06 New GoTo Products app delivers digital resource for GoTo Focused Delivery Program

07 Rexroth expands production in the U.S.

10 Personalized training reduces downtime, improves efficiency for press technicians

14 VarioFlow conveyors offer total package for Oak State Products in case packing, cartoning

22 Expanded Rexroth YouTube channel delivers OEM demos, technical updates, training and more

8

10

18

16 12

CREDITSdrive&control local is the magazine for Rexroth US customers. Published by: Bosch Rexroth CorporationCorporate Communications, Charlotte, NC Kevin Gingerich (responsible for content)Editor-in-Chief: Susan Strauss [email protected]

Editing and design: Godfrey, www.godfrey.com All rights reserved. Any reproduction or copying, either in part or whole, requires prior permission of the publisher. drive&control local is mailed using automated data processing.

01 | 2012 USA

4drive & control localTECHNOLOGY

Photovoltaic manufacturers and OEMs supplying this growing global industry can now draw on the automation expertise of Bosch Rexroth to help improve productivity, product quality and throughput with this new PV industry brochure.

Precision and reliability are the basic prerequisites for the successful manufacture and use of solar systems. Rexroth’s electric drives, controls, pneumatic, linear and assembly technology deliver this performance. Rexroth’s modular automation systems simplify operation and reduce training and maintenance times.

Rexroth helps machine manufacturers and system integrators speed up the entire engineering process through perfectly coordinated automation system interfaces, as well as insight on how technologies used in other highly demanding manufacturing applications can be successfully adapted to the demands of solar cell production.

One example is the contactless linear motion system, which carries highly sensitive solar cells through process chambers via an externally mounted linear motor. Another is Rexroth’s TS 2pv transfer system, which conveys thin film and wafer-based solar modules without vibration.

And since the PV manufacturing industry has a truly global footprint, Rexroth can provide manufacturers with global support in standardizing and increasing the efficiency of production systems. Represented in more than 80 countries, Rexroth’s closely enmeshed service network can provide a range of services throughout a solar project’s lifecycle — up to support and framing technology for cell installation.

Ò www.boschrexroth-us.com/solar

Brighter ideas: Rexroth automation solutions for the photovoltaic industryNew brochure details advanced drive & control technologies to improve productivity.

�PV manufacturers and systems integrators discover how Rexroth drive and control technologies offer productivity and system design advantages.

01 | 2012 USA

5NEWS

Rexroth recently opened a new sales office in San Antonio, Texas. This new location will house sales and product management for Rexroth’s High Torque Vane Motors, formerly known as Rineer Motors.

Versatile high torque vane motors are used in a variety of applications, including top drives, power tongs, mud pumps, fan drives and winches in the oil and gas market; roof bolters, tram drives and conveyors in the mining industry; directional drilling, augers and pull-down circuits in construction.

“Establishing an office in San Antonio with an experienced sales and support team will help us serve our customers and

distributors in the Southwest, which is one of the key markets for these products,” said David Blanco, Product Sales Manager for Bosch Rexroth Corporation.

The office’s convenient Isom Road location — just minutes away from San Antonio International Airport— provides easy access for visiting customers, and serves as a home base for the office staff to assist customers and prospects throughout the Southwest.

Contact: David Blanco Email: [email protected]

High torque vane motors come to San AntonioSales office expands support for Southwest customers and distributors.

6drive & control localNEWS

New GoTo Products app delivers digital resource for GoTo Focused Delivery ProgramFast, convenient app puts all GoTo resources in one easy-to-use package.

�The new GoTo iPad App puts all current GoTo Focused Delivery Program print catalogs into one easy-to-use and convenient digital resource for Apple iPad users.

For engineers and OEM project managers on the go, Bosch Rexroth has just released the GoTo Products app to the iTunes App Store. It’s now faster and easier than ever for Rexroth customers to browse the industry’s most popular collection of products for manufacturing, automation and machinery engineering.

The GoTo app has features and resources that help users find the information they need quickly and easily: User friendly search tools make it easy to find the right technology or part number from among Rexroth’s thousands of Drive & Control products and jump instantly to basic product and technical information. The app lets users build product lists and e-mail them, create

“favorites” lists, view helpful product videos and connect with

Bosch Rexroth in the U.S. on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube — all from one easy interface.

Now entering its third year, Bosch Rexroth’s GoTo Focused Delivery Program streamlines everything to make it easier to get a selection of Rexroth’s most popular products faster. The new GoTo Products app carries the program a significant step further by putting critical GoTo information at the ready, anywhere at anytime. Look for it in the iTunes App Store by searching for “Bosch Rexroth” or “GoTo Products.”

For more information on our GoTo Program and iPad app, visit www.boschrexroth-us.com/GoTo

01 | 2012 USA

7NEWS

Rexroth expands production in the U.S.Two new facilities in the Southeast support production and delivery focus for two key business sectors.

“ The growth markets in the Americas and Asia have become more important for the long term.”

— Dr. Karl Tragl, Chairman of the Management Board of Bosch Rexroth AG

Sustained growth in two business sectors, as well as a strategic focus on customers in mobile hydraulics and factory automation, has spurred expansion in the U.S. In Fountain Inn, SC, where Bosch Rexroth produces hydraulic components for the North and South American markets, the company recently completed the purchase of its third building. The $80 million investment will more than double manufacturing floor space at the hydraulics manufacturing campus, making it Rexroth’s largest hydraulics manufacturing facility in North America. It also will add approximately 160 new jobs over the next five years. The expansion is the result of the inc reased demand in mobile hydraulic components to comply with more stringent Tier 4 Final emissions regulations for off-highway vehicles.

In Charlotte, NC, Rexroth has concentrated the manufacturing of its linear motion and assembly technologies products. To make room for the expanded

�South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley addresses guests and media at the announcement of Bosch Rexroth’s $80 million investment at its Fountain Inn, SC plant. The project, opening in 2012, is expected to add 160 local jobs over the next five years.

�Ceremonial ribbon cutting at new Rexroth facility in Charlotte, NC. Pictured are: (from left) Martyn Johnson, Dale Carrol, Erwin Wieckowski, Berend Bracht, Kurt Waldthausen, Justin Hunt.

manufacturing operation, the company has opened a new 67,000 sq. ft. Logistics Center for warehousing and shipping operations. The expansion in Charlotte has resulted in approximately 45 additional jobs.

The move bolsters Rexroth’s strategy to intensify its focus on customers in key industries, and to provide a higher level of application support and service. The Charlotte location establishes a hub for the factory automation business sector near many key customers in the Southeast region, as well as supporting product sales from other key locations for automation products.


Brenton Engineering, a large provider of packaging and palletizing equipment located in Alexandria, MN, spent months consulting with customers and vendors before designing the next generation of its popular BrentonPro Series of case packer machines. “The feedback was to make it a faster and simpler all-servo machine,” said Mike Grinager, VP of Technology for Brenton Engineering. “With the new design we did everything we could to reduce the complexity of the machine. We took out the pneumatics, and our engineers removed more than 200 moving parts, reducing costs by one third. Plus, the integrated servo motors and drives that we now use require less space than even the smallest motors we used previously,” said Grinager.

As a result, Brenton’s new BrentonPro Mach-2 case packer is an all-servo-driven, side-load case packer featuring an IndraDrive Mi integrated motor/drive platform from Bosch Rexroth.

According to Grinager, the multi-axis machine reaches speeds of up to 25 cases per minute and can accommodate a variety of

cases. Brenton developed the Mach-2 case packer to minimize the environmental impact of packaging operations through the appropriate use of electric servo drives, resulting in lower energy consumption — including zero air consumption — and less product and packaging waste. The company worked closely with local Bosch Rexroth distributor Motion Tech Automation during this phase of the development.

Rexroth’s compact, scalable IndraDrive Mi integrated motor/drive system satisfied the design challenges of the high-performance packaging equipment. The system combines each servo motor and drive amplifier into one compact unit mounted directly on the machine, outside of the control cabinet, according to Shawn Nelson, sales engineer at Motion Tech.

A single cable running from the cabinet is daisy-chained to each motor/drive unit and provides both power and communication. Thanks to the integrated system, design engineers reduced the size of the Mach-2 control cabinet by 25 percent. The IndraDrive Mi

Integrated control system streamlines new case packersBrenton Engineering designed a new line of side-loading case packers to exceed current

“green manufacturing” end-user trends, featuring a servo control system from Rexroth to increase speed and reduce energy costs within a compact footprint.

01 | 2012 USA

9TECHNOLOGY

easily accommodates the multiple functions of the Mach-2 case packer without increasing the size of the electrical cabinet.

Brenton Engineering’s innovative controls team also used the IndraDrive Mi distributed input/output system (I/O), said Nelson. Having four I/O outputs directly on the motor eliminated the need for extra wiring and other costs associated with purchasing separate I/O outputs from another vendor.

“The Mach-2 has become a standard for Brenton Engineering,” concluded Grinager. “Rexroth technology allowed us to simplify the design of the Mach-2 case packer and reduce extraneous parts and energy consumption in the machine.”

Ò www.boschrexroth-us.com/success_stories

Contact: Dan Throne Email: [email protected]

�The BrentonPro Series Mach-2 uses a Rexroth integrated motor/drive and motion logic control platform to improve machine performance, save energy, lower costs and remove more than 200 moving parts.

“ Rexroth technology allowed us to simplify the design of the Mach-2 case packer and reduce extraneous parts and energy consumption in the machine.”

—Mike Grinager, VP of Technology for Brenton Engineering


The Courier-Journal, owned by the Gannett Corporation, is the single largest daily newspaper in Kentucky, with a daily circulation of 150,000 and a Sunday circulation of 250,000. The newspaper, based in Louisville, commissioned a state-of-the-art KBA Colora web offset press in 2004.

The Courier-Journal has three editions that print each night. “We’ve been running everything on one press for about two years,” said Tom Letto, production director at the Courier-Journal. “Any downtime now is extremely critical.”

The KBA press includes a Rexroth digital intelligent drives system comprised of electronic drives, motors and controllers utilizing SYNAX firmware to provide Electronic Line Shaft capabilities (ELS). The SYNAX system uses synchronized electric drives and motors to implement the press functionality. Rexroth’s Syntop software interfaces with the electronic control system.

Several years after the installation, the press began to experience more frequent errors. “We wouldn’t have any advance warning and our technicians didn’t have a clear indication of which areas to begin troubleshooting,” said Letto.

Personalized training reduces downtime, improves efficiency for press techniciansTechnicians at the Courier-Journal received an advanced training course that covered the press’ communications systems, the capability of the controls and the information that could be accessed via Syntop software.

�Because the Courier-Journal technicians now understand the error and troubleshooting codes, the staff has developed a new procedure to monitor the software. It is now checked once a week for warnings, effectively preventing failures before they occur.

Photo courtesy of KBA

01 | 2012 USA

11NEWS

“ Before the Syntop training, we were averaging 92 percent on time. Since then, we’ve gone to being 98 percent on time and better performance overall.”

— Tom Letto, production director at the Courier-Journal

Mark Schwab, Bosch Rexroth service engineer, said the Rexroth system is designed to monitor a multitude of parameters throughout the press and display warning and error codes when anomalies in the overall application are identified. Although these warnings and errors do not necessarily indicate that the Rexroth equipment is the root of the failure, they are vital in the troubleshooting process.

Letto wanted to be able to resolve any future problems internally in a quick manner to improve uptime. It was decided that the best approach was a maintenance and troubleshooting class covering the SYNAX system and Syntop.

“We reviewed the communication that occurs between Rexroth equipment and other parts of the press. The technicians also learned to troubleshoot using Syntop software to diagnose faults and how to resolve them,” Schwab said.

“Before the Syntop training, we were averaging 92 percent on time,” said Letto.

“Since then, we’ve gone to being 98 percent on time, better performance overall.” The Courier-Journal technicians have developed a new procedure to monitor the software weekly to check for warnings. According to Letto, “The Syntop codes give you enough general information that you can predict failures. In addition, the training cut the troubleshooting time

in half,” Letto said. “So if we do have a problem, it’s not as critical.”

Letto is a board member of the KBA Users Group, which provides valuable information on best practices of successful press operation among the companies in North America who use KBA web presses. “We’re participating in a weeklong web-based Syntop training later this year,” Letto said. “Technicians at four printing sites within the Gannett Corporation will participate.”


Contact: Tom Jones Email: [email protected]


A new twist in hydraulic filter design Hydraulic fluids flow through filter in a “cyclone” pattern that improves flow, increases absorption capacity, keeps filter cleaner and protects hard-working industrial and mobile equipment from contamination.

01 | 2012 USA

13TECHNOLOGY

Keeping hydraulic fluids free from contaminants has been a challenge for high-tech hydraulic systems. But the more sophisticated the hydraulic component, the more damage that dirt and other contaminants can do. In response, designers have steadily increased the sensitivity of filters.

However, all filters eventually become saturated with contaminants and need to be replaced or serviced before performance is compromised. Often, the first sign is a sudden drop in hydraulics efficiency, which often results in a shutdown until the filter is replaced or cleaned. Regularly scheduled maintenance can be inefficient because filters can be replaced when there’s no need. In addition, filters can clog unexpectedly, so sudden drops in machine performance can’t always be avoided.

Bypass check valves can keep hydraulics operating longer as dirt accumulates, but the bypass line can turn into a backflow channel if hydraulic fluid pressure drops below certain levels, allowing contaminated fluid to recirculate through the system and cause damage.

A solution is Bosch Rexroth’s new 110 LE(N) “cyclone” filter series, a system that spreads the particles out more evenly and directs the larger, heavier ones away from the filter while the fluid flows through. In the filter, the hydraulic fluid deflects off a protective sleeve and flows in a spiral pattern around the filter materials as it moves down toward the filter bowl. The residue is then simply removed from the bowl.

A pressure spring in the filter orients the filter element to the grooves in the filter bowl bottom and protects the filter element from uncontrolled movements due to flow and vibration. The filter bowl bottom’s design helps to distribute the pressure evenly and prevents overburdening of the filter in demanding applications.

When the 110 LE(N) filter needs service or replacement, a yellow traffic light sends a signal to the control, which indicates that the element is at 75 percent capacity. At 100 percent capacity a red light warns it is time for replacement.

The filter element itself features six layers of asymmetrically arranged inorganic glass fiber media, boosting efficiency and capacity while keeping pressure loss to a minimum. A protective sleeve made from perforated plastic film protects the filter against mechanical damage and ensures that the hydraulic fluid flows evenly to the entire filter area.

The advantages of the “cyclone” design have already been recognized in the 2011 iF (International Forum) Product Design competition; the 110 LE(N) hydraulic filter’s “cyclone” flow approach is a good example of a new concept in engineering that offers enough user benefits that it just might take the hydraulics world by storm.


Contact: Ken Traub Email: [email protected]

�The mechanical/electronic contamination indicator gives operators advance warning when filter maintenance will soon need to be performed — without opening the hydraulic line.

In Rexroth’s new 110 LE(N) “cyclone” filter series, the hydraulic fluid deflects off a protective sleeve and flows in a spiral pattern around the filter materials as it moves down toward the filter bowl. The residue is then simply removed from the bowl.


VarioFlow conveyors offer total package for Oak State Products in case packing, cartoningEasy-to-assemble modular approach adds both packaging capacity and flexibility for contract packager.

�VarioFlow modular capabilities help Oak State achieve smooth and efficient operation from conveyors totaling hundreds of feet, integrated within a relatively small plant area.

01 | 2012 USA

15NEWS

When food product consumers’ tastes change, food product manufacturers’ processes need to change with them to stay ahead in a competitive marketplace. Oak State Products is a Wenona, Illinois-based contract packager and manufacturer of baked goods.

As the 21st century began, Oak State was challenged to stay ahead of food product marketers’ demand for changes and adjustments to packaging styles in response to shifting consumer demands. When Oak State’s customers switched from one style to another — i.e. a shift from 2- or 3-pack cartons to open-pack trays — it was difficult to add or convert production lines because the space for product conveying was quite limited. Production line changeovers also were challenging because of space limitations.

Working with experienced Bosch Rexroth integrator NCC Automated Systems, Oak State turned to Rexroth VarioFlow single-strand flexible chain conveyors to help solve these challenges. Oak State had previously installed VarioFlow conveyors at its facility devoted to cartoning and packing, and was pleased with the results.

The VarioFlow modular conveyor concept lends itself to rapid system design, quick installation and quick start-up. VarioFlow blends a modular design with numerous product options to create a reliable, reconfigurable system. With high chain tensile strength (up to 1250 N) and low chain friction, VarioFlow promised reduced energy use, lower maintenance and longer service life.

NCC integrators artfully blended modular VarioFlow 90 and S 160 conveyors to create a full-featured system for efficient transport of food products in wrapped sleeves, plastic trays and cartons — all within existing space limits. To ensure a well-coordinated system in a relatively small space, designers included both inclining and declining conveyors, alpine conveyors and overhead transport, thus ensuring that packing and other machines would work efficiently alongside or underneath the conveyors.

The flexibility of the new conveyor lines means that Oak State is poised to respond almost immediately to changes in customer ordering patterns and preferences. That includes potential expansion, to meet increased demand, and increases in production line speed, to meet tighter deadlines. Reconfiguring a line now takes an hour or so, as opposed to days. Because

changes on short notice happen all the time, Rexroth conveyors give Oak State the essential ability to perform rapid adjustments whenever the need arises.

It’s clear that Oak State represents an excellent showcase for VarioFlow, for modular conveyor concepts themselves, and for the value that a creative, responsive integrator can add. Best of all, the new system is likely to bring continued benefits to Oak State, in terms of flexibility and expandability, for as long as consumers continue to enjoy snack foods and desserts.


Contact: Amy Defayette Email: [email protected]


Bosch Solar Energy manufactures crystalline silicon and micromorph thin-film solar modules for customers throughout the world. The Bosch Proving Ground, an automotive testing facility in Flat Rock, MI, proved to be an ideal geographic location to install 50kW worth of the company’s ground-mount photovoltaic technologies. The campus, featuring a controlled environment used for evaluating Bosch vehicle technologies, offers plenty of open space with few interfering tree lines and receives a large amount of sunlight throughout the year. To speed up the installation, the company used an innovative slide-in mounting system for micromorph thin-film solar modules, featuring aluminum structural framing from another member of the Bosch Group, Bosch Rexroth Corporation.

Rexroth’s aluminum structural framing portfolio contains more

than 120 different lightweight and load-bearing profiles that can be easily configured for diverse applications ranging from lean manufacturing workstations to architectural framing for residential housing. The aluminum profiles can be assembled into any arrangement required, based on the physical environment and space limitations, without specialized equipment or complex engineering.

Rexroth’s solar panel mounting system features variable track lengths, bracket spacing and insert dimensions. The aluminum profiles used for the mounting system range from 30 mm x 50 mm to 45 x 90 mm. Together with the slide-in track, the system forms a complete unit that securely encloses the modules. The module structure also is perfectly matched to the Rexroth system; Bosch Solar Energy’s micromorph thin-film solar

Aluminum structural framing proves ideal for solar installations at Bosch Automotive Proving GroundInnovative Rexroth slide-in photovoltaic module mounting system reduces material costs, speeds installation.

01 | 2012 USA

17TECHNOLOGY

modules can withstand force up to 2,400 Pascal in this mounting system, corresponding to 770 pounds of weight acting on the module.

Another component of the innovative Rexroth system is a small, thin C-shaped plastic insert placed over the edge of the glass. The plastic protects the glass from coming into direct contact with the aluminum frame; it also facilitates smooth installation into the C-channel of the mounting profile and can be customized to accommodate solar modules of various thicknesses. Rexroth also developed rubber-coated stops that are bolted to the underside of the aluminum frame where the glass rests when it is installed.

Traditionally, solar panels were installed by bolting clamps into the aluminum frame and tightening them to hold the solar panel

to the frame. Because the Rexroth system requires no brackets or clamps, can be installed using ordinary tools and does not require specialized installation expertise, installation went quite smoothly. The Proving Ground realized significant savings in installation time, materials and material costs (which were reduced by about 40 percent).

The installation is expected to generate up to 63,400 kW hours per year, or about 15 percent of the testing facility’s energy needs. That means the Bosch Proving Grounds has become a proving ground for Bosch solar technologies as well.


Contact: Kurt Greissinger Email: [email protected]

Aluminum structural framing proves ideal for solar installations at Bosch Automotive Proving GroundInnovative Rexroth slide-in photovoltaic module mounting system reduces material costs, speeds installation.

�The framing system is easy to install. Once the initial framing is in place, the PV modules simply slide into place, creating a quicker installation with a durable frame that’s rugged and weather-resistant.

“ Rexroth structural aluminum framing helps solar energy users take full advantage of this new, environmentally-friendly technology — and helps cut installation costs as well.”

— Helen Nigg, Bosch Solar Energy Director of Sales

18FEATURE drive & control local

Blowing in new directions Hydrostatic fan cooling in nontraditional applications.

Compliance with diesel engine emissions standards such as EPA Tier 4 and EU Stage 3b has resulted in significant changes for engine cooling systems in vehicles and equipment. Lower emissions engines have brought about a need for increased cooling capacities and as much as 20 percent larger space requirements for the radiator and cooling system components, along with more precise coolant temperature control.

A solution that has found growing application is hydrostatic fan drive systems. Offering both the ability to pack more cooling capacity into confined spaces and variable speed performance, they allow emissions standards to be met more easily without significant compromises in terms of performance, size or weight. As emissions regulations have expanded to cover greater engine power ranges, hydrostatic fan systems have been applied to a widening range of mobile machines.

However, applications such as diesel- electric locomotives and engines in the oilfield and marine auxiliary generator sets do not typically include an engine-driven hydraulic pump for fan motor speed control. Instead, they have traditionally relied on engine-driven fans, electric motors with dual speed windings, pneumatically actuated fan hubs, viscous clutches or oil/water heat exchangers.

The adoption of a mobile-type temperature loop controlled by a hydrostatic fan can offer a number of advantages in those types of applications. They include:

•The radiator location and layout becomes freely configurable.

•Power density is 10 times that of an electric motor (by volume).

•Speed control is variable.

�Hydrostatic fan drives give design engineers latitude in arranging the fan system and all its components within the bounds of the space available. Pumps, plumbing, controllers and radiator(s) can be located wherever there is room.

•Closed-loop temperature control is possible.

•Fan noise reduction and fuel savings can be realized.

•Cooling performance is not dependent on engine speed (standstill benefits).

•The pump draws only the power required by the fan.

• Up to 900 hp per fan is possible, even using standard off-the-shelf components.

•Multiple operation modes can be configured for emissions compliance.

•Engine control units (ECUs) already have hardware for pump control.

•CANbus connections (coolant and fluid temperatures from ECU) are available.

•Fan systems are reversible — allowing debris to be blown off radiator surfaces.

•The technology has demonstrated long service life in other applications.

Controlling optimum engine combustion temperature levels alone is not enough to meet today’s more stringent emissions

19FEATURE01 | 2012 USA

standards. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR), cooled exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), multi-stage turbocharging and engine- coolant temperature control strategies need to work together to achieve best results and meet standards.

A common limitation to implementing many of those technologies can be the highly populated engine compartment. Hydrostatic fan drive systems can help solve this problem by providing engineers with greater latitude in system layout. Compared to traditional belts or driveshafts, hydrostatic fan drive components and the radiator(s) can be located wherever there is free space on the machine or vehicle.

In addition, variable speed fans can be turned completely off at start-up or in low ambient temperature conditions, allowing the engine to reach operating temperature quickly and achieve proper emissions control sooner. Design and development engineers can utilize these advantages and focus on maintaining emissions standards without sacrificing engine performance.

Optimization of the temperature regulation capabilities improves the overall efficiencies and performance of the emissions system. Recent designs use separate heat exchanger(s) for EGR, charge-air and/or engine coolant. Hydrostatic cooling systems easily accommodate these supplemental heat exchange systems by sharing hydraulic pumps, sensors and temperature loop controllers.

The ability to reduce the overall weight or axle load by

rearranging the system structure is another advantage of hydraulic systems. Strategies include moving the radiator location from inline with the engine to an overhead mount incorporated into the framework or relocating hydraulically driven auxiliary system components.

For locomotive applications in particular, where 50 to 70 hp fans are the norm, the weight savings alone are enough to prompt implementation of this technology. Further weight reductions by use of hydraulic motors as compressor and traction motor blower drives and for auxiliary alternator power sources can naturally follow. Four-cycle engine designs have also been able to eliminate large reservoirs by “sharing” engine oil as a transmission medium.

Auxiliary generators used in marine and oil/gas exploration often already have hydraulics associated with them, providing power and controlling winches, thrusters and other miscellaneous hydraulic cylinders or working motors. Although traditional keel cooling and classic generator set designs have restrained the utilization of hydraulic fan additions to these existing hydraulic systems, upcoming Tier 4 emissions standards may force a change.

For a long period of time, OEMs have been able to accommodate stricter emissions requirements, often with upgrades that did not greatly alter their base designs, but Tier 4 is much more challenging and not easy to achieve. By adopting cooling solutions such as hydrostatic fans from the mobile equipment world, applications like locomotive or marine/oil field gen-sets can benefit from a proven Tier 4 technology. The unique combination of power density, layout flexibility and variable speed control gives such nontraditional applications the ability to address Tier 4 challenges while benefiting from advantages that are simply not possible with existing traditional designs.

To read more on our customized cooling systems download a copy of our brochure Rexroth Solutions and Components for Railway Applications. www.boschrexroth-us.com/specialmachinery

Contacts: Andy Fellner Email: [email protected]

Steffen Fischer Email: [email protected]

�Hydrostatic fan systems have the potential to be used in a wide range of applications. A good example is the roof-cooling module used in passenger trains.


Lean manufacturing and green manufacturing are not always considered at the same time as companies plan their factory improvement initiatives. Often, in “going green,” a company will aim for a certain certification — ISO 14001, for example — and will plan specific initiatives to achieve that goal. Similarly, the emphasis with lean is mostly on reducing the classical “7 types of waste”: defects and errors; waiting; inefficient processes; over production; excess inventory; wasted motion and excessive material handling.

In general, medical device manufacturing environments have a head start in both lean and green, since they’re generally well-organized and clean; however, opportunities for improvement usually reveal themselves when forward-thinking managers observe and measure waste reduction from both lean and green points of view.

As more and more industry segments invest in efforts to become more sustainable and use lean to improve their operations, they are discovering common practices, shared goals and complementary outcomes. Thus, it makes sense to explore how reducing waste can help achieve both lean AND green goals for medical device manufacturers. A few things to consider:

Inventory reduction: Inventory reduction through smart material flow and positioning can have a green impact as well: reducing the amount of energy to move materials, reducing forklift-related emissions, even potential reductions in land use through more compact production facility footprints.

Reusable technology: Bolt-together aluminum structural framing materials for workstations provide lean flexibility and ease-of-reconfiguration for fast-changing medical device

Lean and green: Sustainability for medical device manufacturersHow lean and green initiatives can work together to improve sustainability,

01 | 2012 USA

21TECHNOLOGY

�Lean techniques generate reductions in energy use, emissions, materials utilization — using lean to get green.

Inventory reduction through smart material flow and positioning can have a green impact as well, such as reducing the amount of energy to move materials.

manufacturers — and they are more environmentally friendly and reusable compared to welded steel or stainless steel systems.

Energy audits: Since many state-of-the-art medical devices employ microelectronics, manufactured with highly precise automation systems, make sure to conduct an “energy audit” of your automation systems, to make sure your systems are optimized for the most energy-efficient operation.

This can include assessing whether individual axes of motion have had the proper sized electric drive and motor; it’s often the case that system designers will “over-size” motors for the load they need to carry, causing them to draw more power than is absolutely needed for a given range of processes, increasing energy demands without performing productive work.

Pneumatics optimization: Proper sizing of pneumatic components is a prerequisite for optimal energy use. Using equipment that is sized according to the given application can save at least 15 percent of air volume, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach in component selection.

And a proactive effort to identify and correct leaks and failures in hoses across an entire medical manufacturing facility not only reduces energy consumption, it helps ensure that all systems are operating in the most lean and efficient manner they’ve been engineered to deliver.

Contact: Kevin Gingerich Email: [email protected]


Expanded Rexroth YouTube channel delivers OEM demos, technical updates, training and more

Rexroth has been rapidly expanding the range of material on

its Rexroth YouTube channel. The company regularly adds

OEM videos demonstrating how Rexroth technology is used

in successful machine applications across a range

of industries.

For example, one of the latest videos shows how Brenton

Engineering (www.brentonengineering.com), a large provider

of packaging and palletizing systems, used a Rexroth

integrated motor/drive and motion control logic control

platform for a new line of

case packing machines.

Engineers can learn how

the Brenton engineers

worked with Rexroth

to make the best use of

advanced drive &

control technologies to

achieve the efficiency

and production goals

of the BrentonPro

Series Mach-2.

Beyond case history

videos, Bosch Rexroth

has also added training videos, such as informative segments

on programming the IndraMotion MLC platform. There are

eye-opening animation sequences demonstrating how some

of the latest Rexroth technologies, such as hydrostatic

regenerative braking and linear motion systems, are

providing advanced solutions to improve energy efficiency

and automation productivity in multiple industries.

With its dynamic capabilities, YouTube provides a successful,

convenient, easily accessible medium for engineers

interested in new

technologies to review

various applications

of Rexroth products

in action. Rexroth

tweets a video of the

week every Thursday;

bookmark the page

and check in regularly

for new and in-depth

product information

that helps stimulate

new ideas.

01 | 2012 USA

23TECHNOLOGY

Bosch Rexroth Corporationwww.boschrexroth-us.com

Mastering challenges together — Rexroth makes it easy to implement automation. Our many years’ experience in a wide range of industries has given us extensive application knowledge. We offer this comprehensive understanding to the tasks you bring us, leading to ingenious solutions.

Regardless of the drive technology used, we thought ahead and integrated intelligence throughout. This consistency makes you more efficient — from planning to start-up and daily operation. Your benefits are real: Increased productivity, improved energy efficiency and maximum machine safety. You can count on Rexroth to have the appropriate drive and control solution to meet your needs exactly.

Tough Application Ingenious Solution

Exactly

Bosch Rexroth CorporationCorporate Communications14001 South Lakes DriveCharlotte, NC 28273

Telephone (800) 438-5983Facsimile (704) 583-0523E-Mail: [email protected]

bosch rexroth usa 2011 d&c local...email: [email protected] high torque vane...

Documents