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| Simotion D in the glass production | | Simotion D in the glass production | The Heye International GmbH is using the drive-based variant Simotion D for the first time as a belt drive for transporting glass containers. Simotion provides a motion control system which is practically made for optimum synchronization of the axes and which can be easily integrated in existing plants.
Automation has to deal with demanding tasks in the transportation of glass containers: for example the exact synchronization of the belts to the machine speed, the angled synchronization of belts and reversers and the movement of the feeder. The integration in an existing environment also plays a major role in these factors. The Simotion motion control system represents the ideal solution for the complex tasks of glass manufacture.
An essential factor in the qualitatively demanding production of hollow glass is the exact forming and cutting of the glass drop and the loading of this drop into the production machine. A high-precision motion control with absolute reproducibility is necessary, which is provided by an electronic cam disk. The slightest deviations show up by changes in the weight of the glass mass which in turn has a negative effect on the productivity of the whole production line.
Simotion brings enormous advantages
Together with the Heye International GmbH in Oberkirchen, Germany, Siemens has developed an innovative automation solution initially for belt drives. The globally situated provider of technologies, machines and plants for the container glass industry had the drive-based variant Simotion D435 installed for motion control and logic functions in which all motion control functions are integrated directly in the control module of the new multi-axis drive Sinamics S120. The compact 1FK7 servo motors with their robust resolver transmitters ideally supplement the drive range.
The decision in favor of Simotion was not a difficult one. A large number of axes can be controlled and synchronized accurately. The system is also equally suitable for all other plant sections for hollow glass production such as plunger, shears or drop distributor. Previously, every plant section needed its own control system - because of the scalability of Simotion with the hardware and software the machine manufacturer only needs one system. And this is where the enormous advantages of Simotion's homogeneity come in: one engineering system - which reduces training expenses and commissioning - and the homogeneous communication via Profibus - this means not only less wiring work but also fewer interfaces and therefore fewer sources of error.
One engineering system for everything
Simotion Scout is an engineering program for the configuration of typical logic functions as they arise in a belt drive solution - for example control panel button evaluation, locks, coolant controllers and auxiliary drive controllers. The control provides the necessary dynamic as well as can be synchronized in high resolution to an external pulse.
The simple handling in case of service makes the system even more attractive. All the configuration data is stored on the memory card of the Simotion D435 head module so that you only have to change the hardware module if a component of the plant operator fails. Then reconfiguration is not necessary because the new component gets its data sent automatically from a central station. In combination with the worldwide availability of Simotion D and the possibility of teleservice, this helps keep downtimes to a minimum.
Integration in existing automation
Easy operability is guaranteed by the locally installed touch panel TP 270 based on Windows CE or a master visualization system. Almost unrestricted operation and monitoring is possible thanks to installed interfaces such as Ethernet and Profibus. Simotion D is connected to the main controller and the distributed Simatic ET 200M devices through the standard bus system Profibus DP. Open interfaces and extension possibilities - such as the communication modules for ET 200M - allow simple integration in the existing automation landscape. The openness of the system has a positive effect on the operation because process data, messages or alarms are sent to a master control or the Simatic PCS 7 process control system and where they can be analyzed and archived.
Motion Control system for complex movements
Simotion has a wide range of application possibilities. Stretching from simple speed control right up to complex multi-axis machines in which numerous single axes need to be commissioned. Motion control, logic and technology functions are integrated here homogeneously in one system. This dispenses with time-critical interfaces between the individual components and enables efficient engineering. As an integral part of Totally Integrated Automation, Simotion is fully compatible with the Simatic world. Configuration, programming or parameterization - all these engineering jobs can be combined in one system with Simotion and the flexibility in terms of hardware is retained.
Simotion is made up of three different components: engineering system, runtime software and various hardware platforms as a target system. The engineering system Scout enables engineering of motion control, logic and technology tasks in a homogeneous system and provides all the tools from programming through parameterization right up to commissioning. An application created with Scout runs on any hardware so that the user can choose the hardware which best suits his machine. Scout also gives users graphic support in creating the hardware and network configuration as well as a graphic programming language (Motion Control Chart MCC). Apart from MCC he also has the high-level Structured Texts (ST) language for programming Simotion and Contact Plans (KOP), and function plans (FUP) for logic programming. The runtime software is flexible and scalable due to reloadable technology functions and enables motion control, logic and technology functions to be run on one controller. Its modular structure allows the requirement profile to be adapted exactly to the machine's needs.
Simotion runs on three hardware variants: the controller-based Simotion C in S7-300 design is modular and flexible. Simotion P on PC-basis unites motion control and HMI on a single platform and is therefore open for other tasks. Already integrated in the drive, the compact drive-based variant Simotion D is ideal for distributed automation structures. |  |
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