Electricity + Control January 2018

round up

CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION

Digitalisation of motion control drive technology

At the SPS IPC Drives 2017, Siemens demonstrated the consistency of the dig- ital twin over the entire machine life cycle using the example of a packaging machine manufactured by machine builder Easys- nap. To achieve this degree of consistency, all the engineering tools required for de- sign, configuration and commissioning in- teract seamlessly with each other to enable truly integrated engineering. Siemens sup- plies a comprehensive range of different tools embedded in its ‘Digital Enterprise Suite’ solution portfolio which are designed to enable the creation of a digital twin and so bring about substantial improvements along the value chain. The digital twin can be created using tools such as the Mecha- tronics Concept Designer, which enables kinematic simulations, and the Sizer con- figuration tool which uses this data as the basis for determining the required electrical drive values and relevant products. All the relevant data can continue to be used during the subsequent step, commis- sioning. The guided selection process en- sures right from the start that the convert- ers and motors are perfectly matched for every application. A wide range of digital in-

formation such as technical data, 2D dimen- sional drawings and 3D data models of the devices, macros for electrical planning and circuit diagrams for electrical design helps to reduce the amount of work involved, and speeds up both engineering and the prepa- ration of technical documentation. Open in- terfaces to internal and third-party systems automatically ensure data consistency, as they eliminate the need for the multiple re- dundant acquisition and matching of data. This in turn further simplifies processes such as control cabinet production. With its integrated hardware and soft- ware solutions, Siemens supports machine builders in their bid to create a digital twin of their application, and to optimise it vir- tually in model form, allowing faults to be detected and eliminated from an early stage. This saves time and expense when it comes to actual commissioning, as every aspect is engineered to an advanced stage of maturity and ideally configured. Data generated by the machine in operation is gathered and rendered usable in Mind- Sphere, the open, cloud-based IoT operat- ing system from Siemens, with the aid of either Siemens’own MindApps or partner

apps. The Fleet Manager used by Easys- nap, for instance, supplies an overview of all relevant operating statuses, allowing it to suggest preventive servicing measures at an early stage and so prevent machine standstill. The MindApp Analyze MyDrives also detects any actual servicing require- ment in advance by continuously checking energy flows, output volume, speed and frequency. These apps not only enable pre- dictive maintenance to be carried out but also allow any energy saving potential to be determined. The Easysnap machine exhibited at the SPS IPC Drives produces small individual portions of liquid and semi-liquid F&B and cosmetic products. Siemens is using this application at the show to demonstrate its new servo drive system comprising Sinam- ics S210 converters with Simotics S-1FK2 motors. It comes complete with One Ca- ble Connection(OCC), Simatic S7-1500-T controller with integrated motion control and safety functionality combined with the newly innovated Sinamics S120 C/D type motor modules in the 3 A to 30 A range. Commissioning takes place using extreme- ly simple one-button tuning. The entire Sinamics 210 servo drive system is UL certified, and use of the Simotics S-1FK2 motors makes for outstandingly high per- formance. Connection to MindSphere is possible using a MindConnect Nano. “The use of digitalisation in drive technology opens up significant benefits to machine builders and operators alike, starting with end-to-end digital engineering through commissioning to running operation. This allows all the sequences along the entire value chain to be made not only transpar- ent but ultimately also more efficient. From our point of view, digitalization in drive tech- nology is a highly effective lever for greater competitive strength, and we are continu- ously working to improve its efficiency still further,” sums up Achim Peltz, Head of the General Motion Control (GMC) Segment at Siemens AG. The integration of drives and motors into your machine using end-to-end engineering tools offers a raft of benefits, creating trans- parency along the entire drive train by link- ing to the cloud. Enquiries: jennifer Naidoo. Email Jennif- er.naidoo@siemens.com

14 Electricity + Control

JANUARY 2018