Machine Builder (OEM) Solutions
What Matters
Innovation Matters
To remain competitive in today's modern industrial climate, many OEMs are adopting automation strategies that allow them to focus on innovation — making them and their machines more attractive than the competitors. Innovative OEMs are investing in the latest technologies that help showcase their expertise and provide customers with integrated control and information platforms for optimum design efficiency.
Integration Brings Design Flexibility
Integrated control and information platforms help end users streamline operations and increase line performance, allowing manufacturers the flexibility to keep up with frequent line changes.
One way OEMs can help their customers push the envelope is by designing automated changeover features into their machines to reduce the number of time-consuming manual adjustments. The key to making this happen is using a single, integrated automation platform like the Integrated Architecture™ system from Rockwell Automation. This system ties all control functionality into a single, multi-tasking controller platform.
Design flexibility is universally important for machine builders across almost all industries; however, it has taken a new emphasis in the package print industry, where creative packaging can give sales a big boost. Flexotecnica, a machine builder that produces flexographic printing presses, is living proof. The OEM recently helped a printing facility cut labor costs in half by implementing an intelligent automation and control solution.
In the past many flexo printing presses were controlled by four PLCs, but Flexotecnica developed a press entirely run by a single ControlLogix® PAC using RSLogix 5000™ software. The smooth integration of sophisticated drives, interfaces and control systems, such as PowerFlex®, ControlLogix, PanelView™ Plus 700 and communication systems such as Ethernet/IP, ControlNet™ and DeviceNet™ will allow Flexotecnica's customers to follow or even anticipate the continual evolution of market packages and demands.
Traditional packaging systems often employ a dedicated controller for logic and I/O control, and a second for motion control. Separate application programs must be written for both controllers, each with a unique programming package and language. Bridging the gap between control platforms increases training costs, decreases productivity and reduces the ability to customize – all of which serve to zap the competitive energy from your end customers.
A common control platform and shared development tools allow for the reuse of engineering resources. For instance, if a company needs to scale from one feed line to three, it’s as easy as adding the necessary processors and copying code from one to the next. In a matter of minutes, the programming is complete. Having a scalable architecture allows end users to eliminate the need for repeat work and retraining, significantly minimizing labor costs.
Increased Design Efficiencies Provide High Value at Low Cost
Remmele, an OEM specializing in custom equipment for highly regulated industries — such as life sciences — has realized that focusing on design efficiencies could also provide end-user benefits that would help differentiate their machines from the competition. Remmele began to utilize a Proof-of-Principle (PoP) process to proactively address potential design and operation issues, mitigating risk and buffering development costs for their clients. The Rockwell Automation OEM team of technical consultants, engineers, and project managers assists Remmele with the successful implementation of automation technology to drive down the total cost of engineering and build an important competitive edge.
This partnership and process was recently put to the test when a life sciences manufacturer approached Remmele looking to boost the speed and reliability of its ultrasonic welding equipment. The Rockwell Automation solution for this particular machine included an Allen-Bradley® ControlLogix® programmable automation controller (PAC) with Kinetix® Integrated Motion, and FactoryTalk® View human machine interface (HMI) software. The seamless integration capability of these three technologies (control, motion, and visualization) helped Remmele meet the client's performance and throughput demands.
Internally, Remmele Engineering has realized an 8 to 12 percent cost reduction through the use of Rockwell Automation Integrated Architecture. These reductions are in large part the result of interoperability and scalability of the Logix Control Platform, which helps minimize design and engineering time.
Additional cost savings are achieved through reductions in the time required to program and configure operator interfaces and integrate the motion control elements of the machine. The Integrated Architecture system is capable of handling Power Programming concepts based around open, modular architecture control (ISA88/PackML) technologies. Power Programming is an integrated, modular approach to application development where modules of code, based on standardized programming methods and models, are used and reused, significantly reducing engineering time. With pre-made HMI templates and pre-written basic and fault codes designed around current, open standards, OEMs can spend more time adding value to their machines and equipping them with the innovative features needed in today’s high-throughput, multi-functional environment.
Finally, when it comes to control technology, machine builders are recognizing the value of location. Manufacturing control technology has been swiftly moving out of cabinets and finding a place closer to the application — oftentimes “on” the machines they control. Successful OEMs have adapted their design philosophy to embrace this trend, saving on average 40 percent in wiring and installation costs.
Acco Systems realized how On-Machine could help an automotive manufacturer customer not only leap ahead of its competitors in terms of design flexibility, but save money at the same time. The company was looking for higher utilization of existing personnel, and because the On-Machine systems Acco recommended could be reconfigured effectively (without errors) and efficiently (much faster), it was able to take responsibility for some setup functions. At the end of the project, Acco actually gave money back to the customer.
Product & Service Highlights
Kinetix 2000 Servo Drives
The high precision and advanced control capabilities of Kinetix® servo technology are now available in lower power ranges with the new Allen-Bradley Kinetix 2000 servo drives from Rockwell Automation. Ideal for small packaging applications, these additions to the Kinetix family offer end users an even wider selection of motion control performance capabilities, while enabling OEMs to expand their offerings with solutions that better suit end users with lower power requirements. With power ranges of 300 watts to 3 kW, this servo drive seamlessly integrates with Allen-Bradley Logix controllers, servo motors and actuators to bring unmatched flexibility to machine design and unprecedented energy efficiency to manufacturing control systems. More information...
HPK-Series Motors
Machine builders who have long sought to combine the efficiency of simple induction motors with the precision of servo motor technology can now turn to the new Allen-Bradley High-Power Kinetix (HPK-Series™) motors from Rockwell Automation. Ideal for material handling or Web converting applications that require high power capacities, the newest addition to the Kinetix family of motion control gives OEMs and end users servo motor precision and performance at the power ranges and prices of induction motor technology. The HPK motor extends the normal power range of a traditional servo motor solution up to 150 horsepower. This allows machine builders to increase acceleration and improve the positioning, precision and overall system throughput, in some cases as much as 25 percent. More information...
PowerFlex 700S with DriveLogix
The PowerFlex® 700S with DriveLogix™ combines the powerful performance and flexible control of PowerFlex AC drives with a high-performance Logix engine to produce a highly functional, cost-effective drive and control solution. With selectable high-performance motor control algorithms, a high-speed data link and an integral position loop, the PowerFlex 700S drive is ideal for precise control of motor torque, speed and position in demanding applications, such as printing presses, low speed coating lines, high speed winders, web handling, laminators/rollers, bottling lines and position indexing. The drive can operate as a stand-alone device, communicating to a central controller or as an intelligent drive and controller combination in a fully distributed architecture, eliminating the need for an external controller. More information...
MP-Series Integrated Linear Stages
The design, building and integration of linear stage actuators can be complex, time consuming and expensive for OEMs. But the MP-Series™ Integrated Linear Stages can significantly reduce cost and installation time of traditional linear stage actuators. Smooth integration with Allen-Bradley Logix control systems makes the MP-Series™ Integrated Linear Stages easy to incorporate in any machine - whether you require ballscrew or direct drive linear motor technology. More information...