spectrum - siemens global website · spectrum productive long runners ... seven simatic s7-319-pns...

October 2006

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Systems and solutions for the metal forming industry

metal formingspectrum

Productive Long RunnersPress lines with pre-assembled Sinamics S150 converters

Metal Forming Solution Package for Automation of Presses

Economic Forging with Simotion

Productive Long RunnersPress lines with pre-assembled Sinamics S150 converters

Metal Forming Solution Package for Automation of Presses

Economic Forging with Simotion

spectrum metal forming 2006PublisherSiemens Aktiengesellschaft, Automation & Drives Division (A&D),Nuremberg, Germany

Group Executive ManagementHelmut Gierse, Hannes Apitzsch, Dr. Peter Drexel, Anton S. Huber,

Responsible for ContentPeter Miodek

Responsible for Technical ContentEmil Egerer, Thilo Sporbert

Publishing HousePublicis KommunikationsAgentur GmbH, Corporate PublishingP.O. Box 32 40 91050 Erlangen, GermanyTel. +49 (0) 91 31/91 92-5 22Fax +49 (0) 91 31/91 92-5 94

Editor in chief:Christoph Manegold

Layout:Jürgen Streitenberger

Copy editing:Daisy Kraus

DTPDoess Prepress, Nuremberg

Printed byWünsch, Neumarkt

This edition was printed on environ-mentally-friendly chlorine-free paper.

© 2006 by Siemens AktiengesellschaftMunich and Berlin, GermanyAll rights reserved by the publisher.

Circulation: 1,000

Printed in Germany

Cover pictureSchuler AG spectrum metal forming 2006

2 CONTENT

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Dear readers,

The metal forming tech-nology industry is alsoaffected by the shift inthe markets to EasternEurope and Asia as wellas increasing globali-

zation. In addition, there is a demand forgreater product flexibility and short com-missioning times which is expressed in turnin modular machine concepts and flexibleproduction systems. All this leads to newstrategies for which we offer important, ifnot the most important, components withour innovative concepts.

With the open control architecture inSimotion and the homogeneous Sinamicsdrive platform, we offer you an excellentstarting position for the forming technologyof the future. This also includes high per-formance communication with Profinet.

We offer added value with our branch-specific know-how which we provide specifi-cally for many technological applications inthe form of intelligent solutions which canbe adapted to the respective machinerequirements quickly and with little effort.

Together with the proven Simatic sys-tems for the control and the operation andmonitoring, we also offer an investment-protected platform to be able to totally auto-mate complex systems such as a press shoptoo under the aspect of system availability,life cycle costs and increase in productivity.

As a globally active and recognized auto-mation partner, we invite you to join to facethe challenge of the increasing interlacing of mechanical, electrical and informationtechnology. Visit us at the Euroblech 2006and see for yourselves what we can do foryou as your “leader in productivity”. We lookforward to you and your challenge!

Your

Dr. Ali Haj-FrajHead of Business Development Metal Forming TechnologySiemens A&D Motion ControlErlangen

LARGE PRESSESMechanical press lines

3 Productive Long RunnersPress lines from Schuler with pre-assembled Sinamics S150 converters

Press main drives8 Cold Cuts

Sinamics drives in the BMW press shop

Feeding10 Mastering the Technical

ChallengeTotally Integrated Automation in feeding systemsPlant availability

12 Fast TroubleshootingProfibus line diagnostics in large scale cross bar press

Order No.: E20001-A470-P620-X-7600002100 RÖE66 1006

The following products are registeredtrademarks of Siemens AG:DRIVE-CLiQ, ET 200, MASTERDRIVES, MP270,MP370, ProTool/Pro, S7-300, SIMATIC,SIMATIC Multi Panel, SIMATIC Panel PC,SIMODRIVE, SIMOREG, SIMOTION,SINAMICS, STEP, TIA, TP170, WinCC

If trademarks, trade names, technicalsolutions or similar are not listed above, thisdoes not imply that they are not registered.

Simotion for feeder control14 Under New Management

Motion control system replaces control and positioning modules on press feeders

TRENDSSimotion solutions

6 Even Easier and More EconomicalSimotion for automation of presses

Safety Technology17 Safe Stamping

Certified safety components for press automation

FEEDERSHandling with Simotion

16 Feeding in StyleMore accurate and faster handlingtechnology with Simotion

PIPE BENDINGInnovative control with Simotion

18 Getting a Grip on CostsDrive-based Motion Control System on Automatic Pipe Bending Machines

MECHANICAL PRESSESScrew press automation

20 New Product, Proven ControlAutomotive supplier relies on Simotion

PRESS BRAKESPipe Manufacture

22 60,000 Kilonewtons Under Perfect ControlSheets become pipes – fully automatically

HYDRAULIC PRESSESSimotion for synchronous control

23 Controlled from the Sheet to the Filter CanHydraulic press with handlingtechnology under Simotion control

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EDITORIAL

spectrum metal forming 2006

3LARGE PRESSESMechanical press lines

Press lines from Schuler with pre-assembled Sinamics S150 converters

Productive Long Runners

The press manufacturer Schuler in Göppingen is building a new press line for the Turkishautomotive company Tofas and is equipping it with automation and drive technologyfrom Siemens. A highlight of the project is the use of pre-assembled converters for themain drives. The experiences with this are so good that the Sinamics S150 is to be used asa standard drive for mechanical presses by Schuler in the future.

Tofas gets a highly modern equipment for its press shop with the mechanical press line from the “AutomotiveLine”(illustrated here: Mechanical press line, PSA, Trnava, Slovakia)

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The mechanical press line is also beingequipped with a fully automatic die changerfor the first time at Schuler like those whichare already a standard in the transfer andsuction presses. This allows a complete dieset to be changed in about three minutes.The following die is outside the press on acarriage and can be inserted automaticallyafter the old die has been discharged, alsoautomatically.

Continuous operation requested

This press line is being designed in contin-uous running technology at the request ofTofas – a first for Schuler. Here, the pressesdo not come to a brief standstill at TDC butrun continuously as the name implies. Thismeans that the immense mass of the pressdo not have to be braked for every strokewhich is an advantage for the life of theclutch and brakes. In addition, energy issaved because no kinetic energy is lost by

4Mechanical press lines

LARGE PRESSES

Türk Otomobil Fabrikasi A.S., or Tofasfor short, is a Turkish automobilemanufacturer with its headquarters

in Istanbul and a factory in Bursa. Theymainly produce Fiat models for the domes-tic market and for export under license aswell as some models developed specially forTurkey. Tofas’ figurehead is the productionof the Fiat Dòblo which was voted Van of theYear by branch journalists in 2006.

The company, with a current staff of 500,can boast a rapid growth of almost 20 per-cent per year. Tofas claims to have big plansfor the future: No less than 250,000 vehiclesper year are to run off the production linein future.

To achieve this capacity, the Turkishshowcase company required a modernpress shop and so they ordered a newpress line from Schuler in Göppingenwhich will be going into operation at thebeginning of 2007.

Press line for large body parts

Schuler is delivering a fully equippedmechanical press line from its “Automo-tiveLine”, consisting of a head press with apressing force of 20,000 kilonewtons andfour sequential presses with a pressingforce of respectively 10,000 kilonewtons aswell as a blank loader and the end-of-lineequipment.

The bolster area of the head press andthe sequential presses measures 4,600 x2,600 millimeters. It produces large bodyexterior parts such as fenders, doors androofs. The parts to be pressed may weigh upto 55 kilograms, the maximum part size is4,100 x 2,100 millimeters.

Crossbar feeders featuring efficient,space-saving linking are used to feed theindividual presses. An additional impor-tant advantage: High speeds can beachieved even with large, heavy parts.

The new press line willproduce large exteriorbody parts such asfenders, doors androofs, like thecomparable system atFAW-VW, Changchun,illustrated here


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Kurt Beyerlein, Group Leader Electrical

Design Large Presses at Schuler


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More information:www.siemens.com/sinamicsE-mail: [email protected]

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the continuous braking. Last but not least,this continuous running technology hasincreased the number of strokes fromtwelve to thirteen strokes per minute andwith it the total yield of the machine. Thedemand for continuous operation also hasa considerable effect on the constructionaldesign of the press: The flywheels must belarger so that a increased drive power is alsonecessary. It is also important that there isnot too great a drop in speed between thepresses so that the offset remains the same.This ensures synchronization of the pressesand enables continuous running.

The new press line therefore also makesvery high demands on the drive and controltechnology for Tofas as far as the power ofthe drives and the responsiveness of thecontroller is concerned.

Main controller with seven fast Simatic S7-319-PN

Seven Simatic S7-319-PNs equipped witha Profinet communication interface andenable a link to the Ethernet network areused as a press main controller.

Schuler ultimately chose the currenthigh-performance model of the Simatic S7-300 series due to the high performancerequirements and increased address rangewhich the continuous running technologydemands from the communication andresponse times.

Siemens is also providing the visualiza-tion system in the form of Simatic WinCC6.0. The SMV (Schuler Multi View) devel-oped especially for presses is used. Thisapplication was also developed jointly withSiemens. It was important for Tofas to beable to switch the language easily to Turk-ish and to operate the whole system intu-itively.

Ready-to-connect Sinamics S150 converter

Another first for Schuler is the equipping ofthe press line with the new Sinamics S150converter technology which is deliveredcomplete and ready-to-connect by Siemens.State-of-the-art IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipo-lar Transistor) power semiconductors areused which are air or water-cooled depend-ing on the application and can be mountedin a standard compact electrical cabinet.The power range of the converters in theso-called cabinet design extends from 75kilowatts to 1,200 kilowatts.“The structureof the cabinets is functional and well

thought through,” Kurt Beyerlein, GroupLeader Electrical Design Large Presses atSchuler, praises. The electrical cabinets areoptimized to the installation situation inthe press line with regard to the volumeand are designed in IP54 type of protectionbecause the presses are often operatedunder oily conditions.

“We no longer had to bother with design-ing the electrical cabinets and could con-centrate fully on the press technology,”Kurt Beyerlein reports. The converter cab-inets are delivered directly to the buildingsite virtually in a “plug&play” condition.Only the input and output cables to themotors need to be run.

The Sinamics S150 converters areequipped with a regulated DC-bus for thefour-quadrant drive for energy feedback.Active Line Modules (ALM) are used withwhich the motor voltage is decoupled fromthe mains voltage so that mains fluctua-tions within the permissible mains toler-ances have no influence on the motor volt-age. These converters are therefore very“trip-proof” which is important in coun-tries with weak power grids.

“We will be using the Sinamics S-150converters as standard equipment in thefuture providing that the customer doesnot specify a different drive technology,”Beyerlein explains the future equipmentstrategy of the press market leader.

Instead of the previously common DCmotors, Schuler now uses three-phaseasynchronous motors as drive motors forthe flywheels. Three-phase motors and the

corresponding converters are more expen-sive to buy but the three-phase motors arethe better choice when the total costs areconsidered because they require less main-tenance costs throughout their life cycle.

A good team: Siemens and Schuler

“We again have a close, intensive coopera-tion on this project,” says Kurt Beyerlein inassessment of the partnership. Siemensprovided fast, intensive support especiallyin the design and configuration of theSinamics S150 converters.

Schuler and Siemens technicians trav-eled to an initial commissioning of theSinamics converters at the Nuremberg fac-tory to convince themselves of the effi-ciency of the new drive concept.

Siemens will support Schuler in person-nel training for the new Sinamics convertergeneration to enable the press manufac-turer to install and parameterize the drivesdirectly on site itself. For the initial instal-lation at Tofas in Bursa, it is planned forthe first two drives to be commissionedby Siemens and the rest of the drives bySchuler.

The project at Tofas continues the suc-cessful cooperation between Siemens andSchuler. In fact, it reaches a new dimensionas far as the use of pre-assembled convert-ers is concerned. �

“We will be using theSinamics S150 converters asstandard equipment in thefuture providing that thecustomer does not specify adifferent drive technology.”


6Simotion solutions

TRENDS

A ll solutions for the automation ofpresses and press-related handling de-vices – SimoPress, SimoTrans, Simo-

Feed and SimoRoll – have in common that theyare based on functional components and tried-and-tested expertise. They also require a lotless engineering effort – from the conceptphase through to commissioning.

All software applications can be used sepa-rately and in combination with each other. And the best thing is: Simotion is platform-independent, regardless of what conditions theuse of Simotion press solutions is planned,Simotion and its applications are independentof the used hardware, whether in the compact,PC-based or the drive based version.

Mechanical universal presses

Mechanical universal presses are distin-guished by their high flexibility because theyare suitable both for cutting and forming. Incombination with single, progressive and com-bined dies, small to medium-sized parts can beproduced. With the Simotion SimoPress tech-nology application, the user gets press func-tions for main drive control, cam control unit,die protection and press force monitoring.Ready operating screens for ProTool/Pro orWinCC flexible keep the engineering effort toa minimum.

Electronic transfer

In the electronic transfer, the mechanical driveelements are replaced almost completely byelectrical servo drives running in sync withthe main press movement. Particularly inter-esting for the electronic transfer is the on-the-fly switching between real and virtual presscontrol value. It guarantees adaptation undermechanically unstable conditions so that atrouble-free process is still possible. SimotionSimoTrans contains all the essential functionsfor transport of workpieces within a press forjerk-free motion of the machine and the work-piece.

Feeder systems

Feeders are used both for part transport andfor loading and unloading systems in presslines. They are an essential factor for increas-ing the productivity and flexibility of a pressor press line. Their main task is to reduce thetime for the loading and unloading processand thus the total yield of a press system.Simotion SimoFeed enables the rational exe-cution of the workpiece transport in the pressline. Production processes can then be de-signed flexibly and at the same time produc-

Simotion for automation of presses

Even Easier and MoreEconomicalThe new Simotion solutions for optimizing press operations makethe automation of presses even easier and more economical. TheSimotion SimoPress application covers all the essential functions formechanical universal presses. Together with Simotion SimoTrans,Simotion SimoFeed and Simotion SimoRoll, the user gets a completepress package with which he can adapt the whole press shop moreflexibly and productively to changing production requirements.


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Simotion SimoFeed3 Acceleration and speed-optimized motion

control3 Software limit switches can be adjusted by

HMI screens3 Operating modes: automatic, single step, set

up3 Position data of the profile by “teach-in” functions3 Input of the feeder movement by points table3 Override both on speed and on acceleration3 Sheet stacking function

Simotion SimoRoll3 Input of feed movement (profile

modulation) by program blocks3 Roller lifting, automatic sheet threading and

end of sheet check3 Generation of additional nominal values

depending on the number of strokes andfeed length

3 Specification of the maximum speed and a speed override3 Transparency by extensive diagnostic functions and dialog

guidance by wizard3 Roller follow-up operation3 Roller diameter correction

tion ancillary times reduced because thepickup and setdown position of the work-piece takes place precisely and within thepress cycle.

Roll feeder

The Simotion SimoRoll application offerssolutions for single-axis roll feeding,zigzag roll feeding and double axis rollfeeding. This allows economical manu-facturing of large quantities at the fastestcycle times and a wide range of compo-nents in small batches. By appropriateparameterization of the feed movement,Simotion SimoRoll ensures favorable jerkand impact conditions for movement se-

quences which are very easy on the mate-rial and the machine. In addition, unnec-essary production ancillary times areavoided by using highly dynamic travers-ing profiles.

Safety technology

Optionally, these applications can also besupplemented with the safety functions forspeed and standstill monitoring necessary insetup mode by complementing with SimaticF periphery. This represents a particularlyeconomical solution for the event that aSimatic F controller with certified presssafety components (EN 954-1 or EN610508)is used in the system.

Standardized and open

The effort for engineering, programming,commissioning and documentation is re-duced considerably by these ready-to-applysolutions. Thanks to the open source code,the functions of the solution package offer abroad and solid basis in which special func-tions can also be implemented effectivelyand easily. With standard solutions such asthe metal forming solution package, the timeto market can be reduced considerably anda company’s market position improved. �

More information:www.siemens.com/metalformingE-mail: [email protected]

Simotion SimoPress3Main drive control with stroke number

specification and ramp runup3 Positioning of the main drive for stroke

height adjustment or tool change3 Cam control unit with dynamic brake angle

calculation for OT stop3 Distance-distance and distance-time cams with and without

dynamic shift3 Process monitoring such as die protection and press force

monitoring3 Static and dynamic position, feed control and wet counting3 Tool and machine data management

Simotion SimoTrans3 Acceleration and speed-optimized motion

control for long traverse lengths3Movement by higher order polynomials and

thus favorable jerk and impact conditions3 Easy tool adjustment by entering parameters

in templates or, alternatively, by linking toCAD systems via OPC

3 Plausibility check of the entered movement data3 On-the-fly control value switching for adaptation to the

mechanical conditions3Monitoring of the encoder functionality possible by redundant

control value coupling3 Specification of the maximum possible number of strokes

Highlights


8Press main drives

LARGE PRESSES

circuits. The filter mats therefore have to bechanged frequently in conventional elec-trical cabinets with through ventilation toprevent contamination or overheating inthe cabinet.

New electrical cabinet concept withSinamics

Contamination of the converter cabinetscan be prevented by a new structural con-cept in which the cabinets are hermeticallysealed. The heat loss of the power elec-tronics is dissipated by air-water heat

exchangers in this solution. In addition, theheat exchangers receive the cooling watereither from autarchic, directly adjacentcoolers or from a central factory coolingwater supply. This special cooling systemoperates very reliably even at high ambienttemperatures of up to 50° Celsius. Suchhigh temperatures are no rarity in summereven in Germany because the convertercabinets are often mounted on platformsunderneath the shop roof. Siemens sup-plies converter cabinets which are individ-ually adapted to BMW’s wishes with a com-plete, autarchic cooling system which areused for the entire necessary performancerange – from blanking presses throughpress lines to large transfer presses. Withthe new chassis units from the SinamicsS120 series, the drive technology candesign modularly and a particularly clearand compact cabinet design can be imple-mented with which all specific customerrequirements can be met. The compactstructure of the Sinamics S120 chassis units

Sinamics drives in the BMW press shop

Cold CutsThe modernization of the main drive of a blanking press in a blanking line atthe end of 2005 has brought decisive advantages to the BMW factory inDingolfing: low maintenance effort for the drive, high operational reliability,service friendliness of the components and energy saving. A tailor-made pressmain drive with state of the art three-phase AC technology which fully meetsthe required dynamic properties and saves additional operating costs has beeninstalled for this.

The modernization of the press maindrives in press lines, transfer pressesand blanking presses has been on

the agenda at the BMW AG for a long time.Maintenance-intensive DC drives are beingreplaced consistently by three-phase ACdrives. Since the air in the press shop isusually relatively oily due to the hydraulicsystems and the lubricating devices, thisoil mist settles on the electrical equipmentand machine parts. This can cause unex-pected failures of the automation and drivetechnology due to overheating and short

cold water set control> temperature regulation> monitoring> control> IP 54 version

air-water heat exchangerin the cabinets

cold water set

compressorpump

evaporatorand fan

air conditioningsystem

water circuit

water tank

Schematic diagram of the cooling circuits for the Sinamics converterof the blanking line at BMW Dingolfing

has proven particularly effective at powersabove 400 kilowatts.

The new Sinamics converters also bringclear advantages in the operation andmaintenance. The control panel for thedrives now clearly indicates the mostimportant drive parameters and the oper-ating and fault messages appear in plaintext. The modular structure of the chassisunits also reduces the wiring expense. Withthe new Drive-Cliq technology, all thedevices including the motor can be con-nected easily. Even the motor rating platedata and the tachometer signals to the con-verters are transmitted via the communi-cation interface. EMC interference can bereduced to a minimum by this bus tech-nology. The software tools of Sinamics withgraphic user guidance simplify commis-sioning and service.

Clear advantages in the operating costs

The Sinamics S120 chassis units consis-tently continue the Simovert Masterdrives

and increases the product quality. Produc-tion downtimes are rarer because invertertripping in the case of a power failure isruled out. Last but not least, energy can besaved by common utilization of severalmotors via the DC bus.

After a few months in operation on ablanking line at the BMW factory in Din-golfing, the planning and maintenance per-sonnel are convinced by the concept. Theproduction with Sinamics is highly satis-factory and the virtually maintenance-freeconverters are amortized after only a shorttime in operation. �

series with active front-end technology(AFE) already being used successfully atBMW. The new active line modules (ALM)from Sinamics S120 are self-controlled,pulsed feed-feedback units for three-phasecurrent drives, consisting of current con-verter with vector control. IGBT modulesand clean power filter. They are particularlysuitable for press operation because theyexhibit fewer losses due to the sinusoidalmains current and minimum mains feed-backs (25 percent fewer current harmonicsin comparison with diode or thyristorbridges). Due to the adjustable power fac-tor (e.g. also cos phi = 1) of the ALM, theconverter can even be used for reactivepower compensation of other consumerswithin certain limits. The high availabilityalso ensures an uninterrupted productionprocess and consistent quality on unstablemains and the low-loss mains feedbackcauses lower energy costs. A controlled DCbus gives the ALM an extremely high drivedynamic which reduces speed breakdowns


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The press shop in Dingolfing with about 1,800 employees processes more than 1,400 tons of sheet steel and aluminum every day

BMW

which distributes the instructions to thecontroller.

The Simotion motion control system actsas the controller. Each machine in the feeder,such as reel, straightener and roller feed areequipped with Simatic ET 200 I/O modules.The operator panel is based on the easy tooperate Simatic multi panel MP 270 whichcommunicates with the Simotion controllervia Profibus. This control equipment enables,motion control that is gentle on the machineand the material.

As soon as the operator selects the rightrecipe from the Simatic WinCC flexible HMIpanel, the software sends all the necessaryinformation to the machine with which theright parameters can be set within seconds.

“The easy recipe management not onlyallow the machine to be set up more quickly,maximizing the production time. They alsoeliminate the potential for operator error.The job will run exactly the same way eachand every time, with none of the variationyou get because one operator sets it up oneway and another does it a little differently,”Barry Lewalski, Regional Sales Manager atCoe Press explains. “That’s a decisive advan-tage for the customer in quality control.”


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Coe Press Equipment Corporation ofSterling Heights, Michigan, USA,produces precision technology and

control units for feeding massive coils ona reel into presses that stamp out bodyparts for automobiles, household appli-ances and other products. The companyreceived the order from a leading supplierto the automotive industry (Level Tier One)to build a feeding system for a press of theSpanish manufacturer Fagor Arrasate.Instead of the previously used standardequipment, they decided to use Siemenscontrol technology for the automation forthe first time. This gave Coe Press theopportunity to carry out a reference proj-ect and at the same time establish them-

selves as the preferred supplier of the TierOne automotive supplier.

Manual operation is in the past

The setup of a blanking press feeder hadalways been a time-consuming processwith 10 to 20 different manual adjust-ments. The operators first had to center thecoil on the reel, align the coil edge guides,set the straightener to flatten the sheetmetal and thread the coil to the feeder, allby hand. The length, speed and feed pro-gression length were also set manually.

These manual operations are no longernecessary in the system built for the auto-motive supplier. The parameters are enteredas recipes in the Simatic Multi Panel MP270

Maximum precisionis one of the main

properties of thefeeding machine of

the Coe PressEquipment

Corporation

LARGE PRESSESFeeding

For the automation of the feed system for a new blanking press of aSpanish manufacturer, the American company Coe Press, chose a moderncontrol and drive concept from Siemens for the first time. The motioncontrol system Simotion D automatically performs all of the setupfunctions and, thanks to Totally Integrated Automation, the system wasput into operation two weeks ahead of schedule.

Totally Integrated Automation in feeding systems

Mastering the Technical Challenge

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the equipment running again, which max-imizes the customer’s uptime. That’s verypowerful in keeping a customer happy,”Lewalski confirms.

A better product in record time

Thanks to Totally Integrated AutomationCoe Press was able to design a complex,sophisticated feeder system. The coopera-tion paid off: Their own market positionimproved and the company became a pre-ferred worldwide supplier to the Tier Oneautomotive company. “We were able todeliver a system that is meeting the cus-tomer’s expectations ahead of schedule,”Lewalski praises. “Working with Siemenswas an extremely positive experience thatcreated genuine advantages for Coe, forFagor and for the end customer. It wassome of the best teamwork I’ve ever seen,and I hope that we will be able to work withSiemens in the future on other projects.” �

neering and diagnostics and reduces thedevelopment and maintenance costs. Thanksto this homogeneity it was possible to com-plete the commissioning phase two weeksahead of schedule. This saved Coe Press alot of valuable time when the end customerasked for an earlier delivery of the feedersystem.

Because of its clean automation archi-tecture with Simotion, Sinamics and Profi-bus, the finished machine could be reassem-bled faster and with fewer mistakes afterbeing broken down for transport to the cus-tomer than with the previously used automa-tion with several drive systems and bus sys-tems. The wiring in the new machine isafter all much cleaner and less complexwhich simplifies both commissioning andthe ongoing maintenance.

Another advantage of the automationwith TIA is that the control system is linkedto the machine manufacturer via remoteservice.

This allows for troubleshooting from aremote spot over the Internet when a prob-lem occurs. “If the equipment has shutdown because of a simple programmingfault, we can easily clear the fault and get

The local Siemens partner, ElectromaticProducts, helped with engineering theequipment, Siemens engineers workedwith the Coe Press team to develop the con-trol programs using some of Coe Press’sexisting software as templates. “That allowedus to learn from the experience and be ableto reuse that knowledge on the next proj-ect,” Lewalski reports. “Siemens went aboveand beyond in supporting us.”

Debugging in half the time

At the end of six-month build cycle, theSiemens team came to Michigan to load theapplication software Simotion SimoRolland start commissioning. “One of the hugeadvantages we saw in the Siemens approachto the technology was in the commission-ing phase”, Lewalski stresses. That is be-cause of the optimum method for checkingall the communication channels and mak-ing sure they are working . Whenever prob-lems occurred, Siemens was able to isolatethem quickly, which allowed us to correctthem and move on.”

The Simotion D motion control system isbuilt up on the basis of Totally IntegratedAutomation (TIA). This simplifies engi-


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The feeding machine is set upautomatically: The SimaticMulti Panel MP270 passes onthe setup instructions to theSinamics drives via theSimotion D drive controller

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One of the biggest transfer pressesin the world can be found at Audiin Ingolstadt. The 75 meter long,

4000 ton suction transfer press fromSchuler presses up to four large body partssimultaneously. The press line is made upof a plate loader and six workstations forforming, trimming and cutting the up to 30kg heavy body parts such as body side pan-els, doors, longitudinal beams, fenders, en-gine bonnets and roofs. A special feature ofthe plant is that it can process either steelor aluminum plates.

The press is operated in three shifts sothat a trouble-free production process isessential. Even short standstills of a singlemachine have an effect on the entire pro-duction and process chain in the just-in-time production at Audi. The diagnosticrepeater from Siemens can contribute to acontinuous production process by early de-tection of developing faults.

Profibus DP under control

The whole plant is controlled by a centralSimatic S7-400. This is linked via the Ether-

net to another eight S7-400 controllers. TheWinCC server responsible for the visuali-zation is also linked via the Ethernet.

The first S7-400 controls the technolog-ical units blank loader, washing machineand oiler. Another six control units whichare identical with regard to their hardwareand user program take over the control ofthe press stages 1 to 6. The eighth S7-400controls the finished part removal and thefeeder. One or more Profibus DP lines forthe periphery stretch out from every S7-400 controller. Some of the Profibus DPlines are complemtented by AS-i lines. Thecontrollers are networked additionally withthe DP/DP coupler for fast, direct data ex-change.

The Profibus DP lines are distributedvery widely in the plant which makes themideal for the use of the diagnostic repeater.Therefore a total of 35 diagnostic repeatersare installed in the press which well provetheir capabilities here. This already beginsduring commissioning.By tracking the net-work topology it can be determined quick-ly and easily at what distance which DPslave is mounted. The cascading of up tonine diagnostic repeaters allows greaterdistances to be covered on the one hand– a total distance of one kilometer can be

Profibus line diagnostics in large scale cross bar press

Fast TroubleshootingPlant availability and avoidance of production failures have top priority in the automotive industry. Therefore preventive maintenance and fastlocalization and elimination of malfunctions is mandatory. Diagnosticrepeaters on the Profibus can provide effective support as the exampleof a large scale press at Audi in Ingolstadt demonstrates.

Integrated in Step 7,preventive maintenancemeasures are possiblewithout profoundProfibus knowledge bybus diagnostics

12Plant availability

LARGE PRESSES

nance technician information about howfar away and between which DP slaves thefault is located. In connection with the pre-viously recorded topology the position ofthe fault can then be determined quicklyand clearly. ■

which enter the yellow area, this is a signthat there is an error which occasionallydisturbs the bus. Every fault is stampedwith date and time. This time stamp allowsthe event to be assigned to an appropriateentry in the diagnostic buffer. There theevent is displayed graphically and in plaintext with specification of the fault location,the cause and instructions for elimination.This gives the commissioner or mainte-

achieved – but also allows for a physicalsegmentation and branching within themachine on the other hand. For documen-tation purposes (for example for plant ac-ceptance) or for later maintenance work,this topology can be printed either as agraphic or as a table. This can be done sim-ply and easily from Step 7 without an addi-tional tool.

Simple preventive maintenance

For preventive maintenance the diagnosticrepeater offers a possibility of detectingwarning signs from the production processearly and reliably without special Profibusknowledge before acute failure of the ma-chine occurs. Developing faults can there-fore be detected in advance and eliminatedin time during a regular maintenance in-terval or a regular machine shutdown – forexample to change a tool. The diagnosticrepeater has a long-term statistics monitor.The device records the faulty telegrams andreflections if necessary on the bus over al-most any period of time. These are repre-sented in the form of a traffic light functionin connection with Step 7. As long as thebar is in the green area, the Profibus is run-ning stably and no problems are to be ex-pected. If sporadic or regular peaks occur

HMI WinCCSimatic S7-400

Industrial Ethernet

Prof

ibu

s D

PET 200S

Diagnosticrepeater

S7-400

ET 200S

Prof

ibu

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ET 200S

Diagnosticrepeater

S7-400

Converter

Prof

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P

ET 200S

Diagnosticrepeater

S7-400

ET 200S

Prof

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ET 200S

Diagnosticrepeater

S7-400

Converter

•••

•••

More information:www.siemens.com/simatic-netE-mail: [email protected]

Au

di

The suction transfer press fromSchuler at Audi in Ingolstadt isideal for using Profibus diagnosticrepeaters on account of its largedimensions

Schematic diagram of the plant configuration of the Schuler large-scale press

The body parts can weightup to 30 kilograms

13


14Simotion for feeder control

LARGE PRESSES

Motion control system replaces control and positioning moduleson press feeders

Under NewManagement

At the moment,twenty different toolsets can be set up, upto 60 data recordssaved and read outagain when requiredby a portable SimaticMobile Panel MP177

BMW’s Munich press shop has tried thecombination of Simotion D and Sinamicsin practice on a test feeder – and theresults are good

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costs but still with enough storage andpower reserves for demanding tasks.

Universally useable system solutionfrom one provider

The responsible press shop control plan-ners ultimately chose the Simotion D (drive-based) motion control system and adapteddrives of the modular Sinamics S120 seriesfrom Siemens from the solutions suggestedby various providers and set up a “testfeeder” to examine the properties of the sys-tem under practical conditions. The homo-geneous system solution from Siemensseemed to those responsible to be the mostfuture-safe solution and, with its wide vari-ety of functions, predestined for use in thepress shop. Owing to past experience, maxi-mum industrial compatibility was alsodemanded for the new components, espe-cially regarding the stresses caused to thepress by shock and vibration. Other argu-ments in favor of Siemens as the equipperwere the availability of spare parts and asmooth functioning of the local technicalsupport.

Mobile with the Mobile Panel MP 177

The job of the feeder mechanisms is totransport the preforms from press to pressvia storage systems (orientation or reverserstation). In order to achieve maximum yieldof the preforms, as optimum as possible anadaptation of the feeder system to the pressprocess control is necessary. The faster themovements are made, the shorter the totalthroughput time, the softer and more har-monious the part transport and the lowerthe stress of the tools and mechanics onthe line which runs at up to 11 strokes perminute. With the dynamic duo from Siemens,the necessary movements could be effectedvery quickly and, thanks to graphic sup-port especially by the Scout engineeringsystem, also very conveniently. For exam-ple, the looping of individual movementsin an overall rounded, precise and absolute-ly collision-free process. With a portableSimatic Mobile Panel MP177, the present20 different tool sets can be set up easily, upto 60 data records saved and read out againof necessary. The possibility of entering acorrection factor in automatic mode hasalso proved very useful. For example, devi-ations in the production conditions due tovarious influences can be compensatedsimply at the press of a button. Simatic

The BMW AG has been using positio-ning modules in its Munich pressshop for many years and is nowlooking for a technical andeconomical alternative. Afterexamining several alternatives, theautomobile manufacturer chose acombination of Simotion andSinamics as a new future-safesolution. The result is a first concreteapplication in the production: thefeeder system on a large press line.Other press-specific applications willfollow.

E lectronic modules have always beenaffected more strongly by the ravagesof time than mechanical modules

because the innovation cycles and thusthe life cycles on the electronics sector areshorter. Control components thereforehave to be replaced from time to time whilstthe mechanics show hardly any or no seri-ous signs of wear. Replacement of the sys-tem is inevitable at some time. The Munichpress shop of the BMW AG also found itselfin this situation with the large press lineGP-113 with four sequential presses (press-ing force 630 tons, table size 2,500 x 1,730millimeters) which alternately producesstructural parts (reinforcements, interiorsheets) for several models at German loca-tions. The transfer of the preforms frompress to press has been performed for yearsby special feeder systems with orientationand reversing stations. These are con-trolled by Simatic controllers in conjunc-tion with specialized positioning modulesWf723C which are now being phased outmore than 25 years after their market launch-ing. In order to have a long-term successorsolution up its sleeve for the years to come,BMW discussed several alternatives duringa workshop.

Initially only the necessary positioningfunctions were to be simulated and the“well-oiled” HMI processes largely retainedto achieve as high an acceptance as possi-ble with the press operators. Later the newsolution was to be useable for other tasks inthe press process control. Always follow-ing the motto of the automobile manufac-turer: Only as much technical effort as nec-essary for the respective task to keep down

Multi Panels MP370 Touch configured withWinCC flexible are used for operating andmonitoring the feeder mechanisms.

Homogeneous engineering

The head of setup, control technology andmaintenance of the Munich press shop,Reinhard Promm, highlights the perfectlyfunctioning interaction of the two systemcomponents Simotion D and Sinamics aswell as the modular structure of the systemabove all. “This dispenses with the need forinterfaces and the problems associated withthem and individual drive solutions withdifferent numbers of axes can be imple-mented simply and at low cost. The integra-tion of all automation components fromSiemens in one project also simplifies thetroubleshooting during operation in addi-tion to the engineering. This homogeneitycontributes to a further reduction in down-times and keeping productivity at the high-est level,” Reinhard Promm praises. The “elec-tronic rating plates” of the implementeddrive components from Siemens simplifyboth commissioning and maintenance be-cause, for example, Sinamics motor mod-ules or servo motors (1FT6/1FK7 with inte-grated absolute value transmitters) do nothave to be parameterized first by hand whichis very time consuming and susceptibleto error, but their data can be transferredautomatically to the Simotion D controlunit by the digital system interface Drive-CLIQ.

State-of-the-art communication

Because a modern, fast and reliable commu-nication is all part of a future-safe solution,BMW has networked all Simotion controlunits, operating units, distributed periph-eral devices ET 200, the actual press con-trollers and a Simatic Panel PC with WinCCinterface acting as a line computer over thefuture industrial standard Profinet.

The automobile manufacturer has founda process-safe control concept for the futurein the new solution developed jointly withSiemens. Other applications are alreadybeing planned, including automation of thebelt feeder of a coil press. �


15

More information:www.siemens.com/simotionE-mail: [email protected]


16Handling with Simotion

FEEDERS

T he machine manufacturer Nordabased in Brescia near Milan in North-ern Italy was founded in 1971 and is

this year celebrating its 35th anniversary.The company is concerned exclusively with

the handling of sheets and as become aninternationally recognized expert in thisfield. They have installed about 7,000 sys-tems worldwide to date which provide theirservices in many different branches of

industry. In addition to transfer systemsand destackers their products include ver-satile manipulators and systems for feed-ing sheets on coils.

One of the latest solutions from Norda isthe recently presented manipulator calledTwist. It controls the handling of sheets upto medium size in up to 4 moving axes andcan therefore be used for a wide range ofapplications. The main area of applicationis the feeding of sheets into presses andthe subsequent removal of the formedintermediate product.

The manipulator was called “Twist” fora good reason. Its special feature is theintroduction of an additional rotationalaxis which lends the machine a previouslyunknown flexibility. Added to this is a con-siderable increase in the speed which sat-isfies the general wish to increase produc-tivity by faster and faster working cycles.

Continuing the good experience

When Norda began developing the Twist itsoon became clear that the new machineplaced high demands on the control of thenumerous possible movement sequences.“We chose Siemens because Siemens offersa flexibly applicable solution which fits allour applications and is based on recog-nized industrial standards”, Norda’s Headof Development Alberto Ferrari, explainsthe reasons and is convinced that he hasmade the right decision. “We were alreadyfamiliar with Siemens from a project con-cerning the control of three axes. The resultwas simply excellent and Simotion is ourstandard for 3-axis transfer systems today.”

On the hardware side, Twist is controlledby a Simotion D435 with Simodrive 611U.A Panel TP270 with a 10 inch touchscreenserves as a user interface. The system offersa homogeneous digital control of all movingaxes in a precision previously unknown toNorda. The programs are saved on a CF cardwhich is easy to change and therefore allowsfast conversion from one work process toanother. The sequential programming ofthe individual moving axes is supplementedby a teach-in function which speeds up theprogramming and set-up of new movementsequences considerably. �


More accurate and faster handling technology with Simotion

Feeding in StyleThe working cycle of a production plant is always determined by the slowestlink. In sheet forming this is often the feeding of the sheets and their exactpositioning in the press. A task which the Italian specialist Norda S.p.A. hasnow better under control thanks to Simotion from Siemens and relies quiteconsciously on recognized industrial standards.

The additional rotational axis gives the“Twist” a previously unknown flexibility


17

P resses are some of the most dangerousproduction machines and must there-fore meet the highest safety require-

ments. A Simatic CPU from the S7-300F orS7-400F series which can control both stan-dard and safety-oriented hardware serves asa basis for setting up a press safety control.The distributed periphery ET 200S-F islinked over Profibus which offers the possi-bility of transmitting standard signals andsafety signals (with the Profisafe protocol) si-multaneously. For small distributed con-trollers, the F-CPU from the ET 200 series canbe used. Depending on the required quantityframework and response times, the user canselect CPUs of different efficiencies to set upflexible topologies. The standard programfor the press control and the press safetyprogram can run on the CPUs simultane-ously and without mutual interference.

Certified press safety components

The library of press safety components issuitable for the safety oriented automationof mechanical eccenter presses as well ashydraulic press brakes or pneumatic presses.The function modules meet the highestsafety requirements with EN 954-1 (category4) and IEC 61508 (SIL 3). By implementingcomplete press safety functions in self-con-tained software modules, the programmersoon gets a runnable safety program. Heuses the software option package Distrib-uted safety for Step 7 for this. The safety pro-gram is written in the languages LAD (ladderdiagram) or CSF (Control System Flowchart).A password protection ensures that thesafety program cannot be manipulated. Thecertified components ensure a clear pro-gram structure and the acceptance of thesafety functions in the utility model testingcan be speeded up considerably.

Flexibility and certification

Although the certification specifies fixedsafety components and functions, the userstill has room for flexibility. The wide selec-tion of CPUs and bus systems allows imple-mentation of central or distributed safetyconcepts for the various presses. Since themanufacturer is constantly expanding thecomponent library, it can be adapted quicklyto the current standards or special customerrequirements. �

More information:www.siemens.com/safetyE-mail: [email protected]

Certified safety components for press automation

Safe StampingThe high safety standards in presses demand very fast response timesfrom the controller and a defined sequence of safety functions. Thepress safety library makes automation of press safety functions eveneasier and more economical. The user also requires much lessengineering effort – from the concept phase to the design check.

Safety TechnologyTRENDS

Siem

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AG


18Innovative control with Simotion

PIPE BENDING

Automotive suppliers and sim-ilarly demanding users, prima-rily in Eastern Europe but also in

Asia, were who the Lang MaschinenfabrikGmbH & Co. KG had in mind when develop-ing new series of fully automatic machinesfor the manufacture of three-dimensionallybent pipes. The manufacturer from Michel-stadt in Odenwald, Germany, who has builtup an international reputation for PLC orCNC-controlled pipe bending machines hasnow developed a machine concept with anextensive range of functions tailored exactlyto meet the needs of this clientele. Afterexhaustive comparisons of the automationsuggestions of different providers, Lang ulti-mately chose a homogeneous solution fromSiemens.

“The new machine series should be ableto cope with various technical tasks quicklyand in top quality so that we needed a veryefficient control and drive system. This hadto be easy to set up, operate and monitor,maintain and extend with the commonbranch software.

This places high demands on the HMI sys-tem and requires maximum openness andcapacity for integration,” Dipl.-Ing. Jörg Fuhr-mann, Head of Electrical Engineering atLang, names the key requirements of theproject. Also, a modular machine kit was tobe created to achieve a certain standardiza-tion and reduction in the variety of parts andat the same time keep the costs under close

control by multiple use of as many hard-ware and software components as possible.

Fast and reliable technology

The three-dimensional bending of pipeswith diameters of 5 to 65 millimeters

is effected in this case by a hydraulicbending axis and one servo motor-

driven axis each for the transportand turning of the pipe. For the

first time on a Lang machine, the fast, accurate motion controlof these axes is provided by the new Simotion D425motion control system withadapted drives of the mod-ular Sinamics S120 seriesfrom Siemens which soonrevealed itself to be theoptimum technical andeconomical solution in acomparison of differentconcepts.

With its integrated logic,motion control and tech-nology functions, thesystem integrated in the drive chain offers all the functions neces-sary for the pipe bend-ing which, thanks tothe graphically sup-ported configuration

Drive-based Motion Control System on Automatic Pipe Bending Machines

Getting a Grip on CostsWith Simotion and Sinamics, a well-known manufacturer of pipe bending machines relies on proven,reliable Siemens standard components for the automation technology and therefore creates idealconditions for maximum functionality and flexibility, high operating convenience and maximumacceptance in the targeted market segment.

with Scout and especially the Motion Con-trol Charts, can be combined much faster ina runnable process than by the conventionalprogramming route. Position-controlled,absolute and relative positioning as well as moving with an adjustable torque andsubsequent fast synchronization of thenominal value to the specified actual valuesof the transport axis were especiallydemanded.

The movements are performed by 1FT6servo motors with absolute value encoders.“If we had wanted to do this in a conven-tional way, for example by positioning func-tions in the drives and their coordinationby PLC, this would easily have taken twiceas long,” Jörg Fuhrmann is convinced. Withthe extensive scope of functions of Simo-tion, on the other hand, a sufficiently reli-able and accurate process was available injust one day and pipes could be bent auto-matically. This now has to be perfected andadditional functions added. With the expe-rience which has been made, it is easy toimagine controlling the retained hydraulicaxis with its own control directly by theintegrated functionality of the Simotionsystem which would lead to a further reduc-tion in costs.

A considerable time saving was alreadyachieved by taking over the developed“original” configuration from the CompactFlash Card from the first machine for a fur-ther machine for smaller pipes. The engi-


19

neering effort is therefore minimal, thetime-to-market a lot shorter: Delivery isquicker than before.

Homogeneous and open for individual tools

In addition to the well-known high reli-ability of the products and the good reputa-tion of the equipper in the targeted mar-kets, the Totally Integrated Automation ofall components also stood in favor of ahomogeneous and, at the same time, openSiemens solution.

The openness makes it possible to useself-developed or purchased, branch-spe-cific software products without program-ming effort on the Human Machine Inter-

face of the bending machine, a Simatic PanelPC 577 flexibly configured with WinCC flex-ible. For example, for the graphically sup-ported optimization of bending processesincluding collision monitoring so that thescope of functions can be extended indi-vidually to suit the user’s wishes.

Lang is very pleased with the new solu-tion on the whole: “All in all, the newautomation concept with Simotion andSinamics offers us exactly the flexibility andperformance the target group requires atoptimum costs,” Managing Director SabineNeff sums up. �

More information:www.siemens.com/simotionE-mail: [email protected]

Functionality, ease of operation, performance and price are in harmonyin the new pipe bending machine 65 CNC from Lang

An important sales argument is the userinterface which can be switched betweenseveral languages online under WinCCflexible, here with Cyrillic characters

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Zdas not only produces machines andcomplete plants for cutting andforming sheet metal. The company

with its headquarters in Zdár nad Sázavouin the Czech Republic also has its ownproduction with different metallurgicalprocesses, for example for manufacturingcastings and free-form forgings. They alsoprovide a wide range of services from toolmanufacture through general overhaulingof machines to the planning and installa-tion of complete production systems.

Where it is a question of solutions forthe automation of production processes,Zdas has been relying for many years onthe Czech Siemens system partner CompasAutomatizace and therefore on Siemensautomation systems. The company spe-

Iron brought into shape

The starting product for the productionprocess of the Zdas plants are blanks.They are delivered on pallets and are firsttaken to a vibration container where theyare sorted and aligned. Then they arepassed by a feeder to the induction fur-nace where the metal is heated up to theoptimum cutting temperature. In a sub-sequent test station, volume and temper-ature of every part are measured. All partswhich do not meet the defined criteria aresorted out and fed back into the furnace.The others first reach an upsetting pressand from there to an LVE screw press.Here, every blank passes through threeprocessing stations – preforms, drop

cializes in the automation of productiontechnologies and IT solutions in the field ofproduction and is the market leader in theCzech Republic.

Zdas also has Compas Automatizace onboard for the latest extension of its prod-uct portfolio. The project was a productionline for manufacturing forgings as theyare primarily used in the automotiveindustry. Zdas wanted to rely on the sameautomation technology as had alreadyproven itself in other departments. “Weuse almost exclusively Siemens products”,Zdas project manager Pavel Pospichalexplains. “We know them very well, areable to administer them and we can guar-antee their high quality and availability ofspare parts”.


20 MECHANICAL PRESSES

Automotive supplier relies on Simotion

New Product, Proven ControlGood experience is always a convincing argument. That’s what the Czech company Zdasthought which relies almost exclusively on Siemens controls in their wide product portfolio.With the result that Sinamics also plays a decisive role in the fully automatic production of theforgings for automobiles produced in the Slovakian Republic in the future.

Screw press automation

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forges and finally deburring – until it hasfinally found its form and is ready fordispatch.

Process steps firmly under control

The whole system is controlled by a SimaticS7-300. Individual plant components suchas the furnace and the manipulators havetheir own control systems which commu-nicate with the master plant control via thefast Profibus. The Simotion D425 motioncontrol system which is combined with aSinamics S120 drive with Active Line Mod-ule has been used for the forging press.The Active Line Module is the optimumsupplement for this application which isassociated with extremely fast changes inthe operating status. The drive in the press-ing process starts after all with full intensityto then feed back energy to the mainswithin a very short time. The Active LineModule provides minimum mains reac-tions and offers the advantage that the fil-ter for compensating harmonic currentsand voltage fluctuations which would oth-erwise be necessary can be omitted whilstguaranteeing a permanent direct currentsupply.

Remote control with added safety

The whole control system is controlled andmonitored by a remote control stand whichis connected by VPN (Virtual Private Net-work). It has been ensured that the wholeplant can be operated with minimum per-sonnel. Normally only one employee isnecessary who only has to supervise the

line and monitor the accuracy of theprocesses. A Simatic Panel PC MP 270B inthe control stand allows the specific man-ual control of every single function block ofthe plant. For safety reasons, their controland setting devices can only be operated,however, when the whole plant is operatingin the setting mode. In automatic mode,that is whilst production is in progress, anumber of totally independently actingsafety modules provide maximum personalprotection. If, for example, a person entersthe fenced off danger area, the wholeprocess is stopped immediately.

Another safety feature is a sophisticatedsystem for controlling the access rights tothe system. It enables the person responsi-

ble to define individual access categoriesand determine exactly which functions canbe operated by each individual operator.

High-tech for an ambitious industry

Zdas has already been able to sell two of itsnewly developed automatic systems. Bothare to be used for producing forgings forautomobiles. They are located in the Slo-vakian Republic where several Europeanautomobile manufacturers are currentlysetting up production capacities and alsopromoting the development of a close-knitregional supplier industry. �


21


Simotion is also an ideal controlplatform for forging presses

With the screw presses of the LVE range, Zdas has earned a reputation beyond the Czech borders

The new SimaticPanel PC MP 270Bin the controlstand allows thespecific manualcontrol of everysingle functionblock of the plant

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Sheets become pipes – fully automatically:

60,000 Kilonewtons Under Perfect ControlFor forming sheets, hydraulic presses which work with immense pressuresare in use. If they operate with automatic processes, a control is requiredwhich has every step perfectly under control and guarantees absolute safety.A demand for which the machine specialist Somo in Italy relies on Siemens.

Somo has a history distinguished by apioneering spirit which goes back tothe year 1960. At that time the com-

pany surprised the market with a totallynew generation of synchronized, oil-hydraulic bending presses and shears.They concentrated quite consciously ontailor-made solutions which were specifi-cally adapted to the extremely differentrequirements in this field.

The company was reorganized in themid 90 s and gained immense innovativemomentum. The production shifted tocomplete bending machines for the manu-facture of large format pipes such asmasts. The sheets used for this have wallthicknesses up to 50 mm which arepressed into the desired form withhydraulic forces of up to 60,000 kilo-newtons.

Simatic and Simotion

The machines are fitted with manipulatorsfor handling the sheets and completelynumerically controlled tools. All controlfunctions are implemented by the SiemensSimatic S7-300 automation system. The Simotion P350 motion control system servesto coordinate 32 oil-hydraulic and 14 electricpositioning axes and 9 oil-hydraulic and onesynchronization axes are controlled. TheSimotion P350 integrated operator panel is used for the machines which are mostlyoperated by one worker. In particularly diffi-cult operating phases the smaller TP177Boperator panel can be used as a supplement.

Failsafe Simatic guarantees safety

All the machines offered by Somo are classedaccording to the machine directive as dan-


The Somo machine can press pipes witha wall thickness up to 50 millimeters

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The hydraulic presses create a force ofup to 60,000 kilonewtons to form thepipes

gerous machines and must be producedand certified according to EN 954-1 (Cate-gory 4) and IEC 61508 (SIL3).To guarantee the necessary machine safetyall emergency stop switches and light bar-riers as well as the response times of thesolenoid valves and remote circuit break-ers are monitored. Failsafe modules fromSiemens are used exclusively for this,monitored by a Simatic S7-317F-2DP.

Somo is considered the leading manu-facturer in its field and its machines oper-ate safely and reliably all over the worldthanks to Siemens. �

Pipe Manufacture

22 PRESS BRAKES


23

Automation Press & Tooling (AP&T),with their headquarters in Tranemo,Sweden, is an internationally oper-

ating provider of automated productionlines, especially presses. Their customersare, for example, suppliers in the automo-tive, white goods and air conditioningindustries.

AP&T has been working with Siemensfor many years for the control technologyof their systems. It was therefore a logicalmove to rely on the proven partnershipagain for the development of a new auto-matic system for manufacturing filter cans.

They therefore met for a workshop and con-vened for a week at the beginning of Janu-ary to come up with a concrete solution.

Simotion as a clear choice

It soon became evident that there is reallyonly one solution to the problem: the Simo-tion motion control system. The joint proj-

ect work began in March and was success-fully completed in summer after overcom-ing several hurdles.

The production line for filter cans formsa self-contained configuration. The processbegins with picking up the round sheet

blanks. These are fed to the dual-slidetransfer press with six stations by a trans-fer system. The control system supplied bySiemens is based on Simotion D with 3 con-trollers: one each for the stack holder, thetransfer system and the press itself. Threeelectrical axes had to be controlled in thestack holder and six in the transfer systemand their functions had to be adapted tothe eight hydraulic axes of the press.

The controllers of the transfer systemand the press are synchronized with eachother by cam disc profiles. They serve todefine the numerous individual functionssuch as feed movements and the valve con-trol of the press within a work cycle andachieving a smoothly running process with-out unnecessary waits.

The programming for the hydraulicprocesses proved to be a particular chal-lenge in the course of the project. Here, inorder to achieve a high process speed, theindividual motion axes of the press couldbe synchronized perfectly by optimizingthe control processes in terms of speed andhydraulic functions.

At the end of the project, AP&T DivisionManager, Press Systems Kenneth Carlssonstated how satisfied he was with the coop-eration with Siemens. He praised the “verygood support” and assumed that the part-nership would certainly continue: “Thenext step will be to install Simotion for thestandard presses.” �

More information:www.siemens.com/metalformingE-Mail: [email protected]

Hydraulic press with handling technology under Simotion control

Controlled from theSheet to the Filter CanWhen a piece of sheet metal is to be turned into a filter can and the wholeprocess is to run fully automated, you not only need the right machines butalso a controller which unites intelligence with precision. The press specialistAP&T relies for this on Siemens and is more than satisfied with the choice.

Simotion for synchronous control

HYDRAULIC PRESSES

The dual-slide transfer press with six stations, synchronously controlled with Simotion D

AP&

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A Simatic Touch Panel ensuresconvenient and reliable operationand monitoring of the press

What is your drive? Respond or ask?SINAMICS S120 drive system: Security and the future.

Because investments should pay-off for a long time: SINAMICS® S120. The new

drive system for single and multi-axis applications with closed-loop servo and

vector control. The modular system architecture allows new technologies to be

integrated into existing machine and plant concepts – but still retaining the

same system architecture. This is because the central control module, power

modules, motors and encoders communicate with one an-other digitally and

are compatible with one another over the long term.

SINAMICS S120: The drive concept with a future.

More information is available by fax +49 911/978-3321, specifying Infoservice

AD/Z1140 or in the Internet under www.siemens.com/sinamics-s120

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