When we transfer the function to the controller, the right operating screen is automatically assigned on the panel. This
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Automation with LOGO! and SIMATIC S7-1200 Volume 16, Number 1, 2012
Energy-efficient sun protection at HDI Gerling
Wind and Sun under Control
Training
Trainees build e-trike with Simatic S7-1200 Mechanical Engineering
Building machinery optimized with LOGO!
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Automation with LOGO! and SIMATIC S7-1200
Vibration-Proof and Maintenance-Free Building machinery control with LOGO! and Simatic S7-1200
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Editorial
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Wind and Sun under Control
Right on Course Simatic S7-1200 controls multifunctional DTS
Energy-efficient optimization of sun protection at HDI Gerling
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Flexibly Brought into Shape Simatic S7-1200 automates cut timber production
In the Fast Lane
Small Loads in Focus Sitop compact energy-efficient power supply
Simatic S7-1200 is the core of a control concept for innovative hydraulic crimpers
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Coolly Calculated and Warmly Recommended
A training project takes on the future of electromobility
Always a Free Parking Space
Better than Greased
Right on Course
Simatic S7-1200 reliably controls water return cooling systems
LOGO! 0BA7 controls auto elevators
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In the Fast Lane A training project takes on the future of electromobility
Simatic S7-1200 controls multifunctional DTS
Vibration-Proof and Maintenance-Free Building machinery control with LOGO! and Simatic S7-1200
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Service and Dialogue
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Masthead
Cover image
Rubrik Contents 2 GO! 1/2012
Solveig Böhl
Wind and Sun under Control Energy-efficient optimization of sun protection at HDI Gerling
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Dear readers,
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he threatening climate change in general and the new energy policy of the German government in particular demand efforts to conserve our resources in all energy-consuming areas of
buildings and industrial plants as well as in individual mobility.
Intelligent handling of available fossil-fuel resources and the expansion of renewable energy with the associated challenges require intelligent solutions that contribute to a sustainable reduction in energy consumption. And it is not only the “big solutions” that are necessary. The field of microautomation also offers possibilities for decreasing energy consumption. Our cover story, for example, shows that automated building functions on the LOGO! and KNX platforms considerably increase building usersʼ convenience and can at the same time improve the energy balance of a building.
Heinz Eisenbeiss, CEO, Marketing and Promotion, Industrial Automation Systems
Our look at an unusual project by trainees at Rittal, who built a fully functional e-trike equipped with Simatic control components for the company’s anniversary, underlines the fact that representatives of the electrical trades are showing a keen interest in the subject of electromobility. Other applications show how important flexibility and availability of control solutions for machines and systems are nowadays. The example of building vehicles, for instance, shows that saying good-bye to specific board solutions in favor of flexibly usable, globally available standard components often very effectively secures the productivity of existing plants and indicates that these can create clear competitive advantages for users through increased adaptability to specific customer requirements.
Rubrik Editorial GO! 1/2012
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Energy-efficient optimization of sun protection at HDI Gerling
Wind and Sun under Control HDI Gerling’s new headquarters building in Hannover, Germany, made high demands on automated sun protection. In the fall of 2011, Ventus GmbH in Westerstede in northwestern Germany supplied an intelligent control center for approximately 2,800 sun blinds with SMI drives under contract to Bauer Elektroanlagen GmbH Halle.
Building Automation 4 GO! 1/2012
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he HDI company headquarters planned by Ingenhoven Architects consists of a total of eight building wings connected by another three building structures to a large, light-flooded atrium. The building wings and structures have six floors and glass facades. The top five floors have rope-guided exterior venetian blinds with 80-mm-wide flat slats. On the first floor, special light-directing blinds are installed on the inside.
SOPHISTICATED CONTROL Effective protection against the sun is a prerequisite for energy-efficient building operation for buildings with extensively glazed facades. Many cross shadows occur during the day because of the positions of the building wings. The wind conditions along the facades also differ due to the arrangement of the buildings. With their automatic control, the blinds (both outside and inside) not only increase user convenience but also save energy. In the winter, the increased capture of sunlight reduces the heating requirements of the building. In the summer, in contrast, overheating of the offices is prevented and energy-intensive cooling expenses are reduced. To meet these requirements in practice, a sophisticated, robust, and effective control system is required. It ensures maximum availability of the sun-protection system to optimally shade or admit sunlight to the building even in windy conditions. The technical advantages of modern electronic control systems for buildings are first and foremost the networking, the high data rates, and the possibility of integrating the cross-system functions. At HDI in Hannover, this functionality was implemented by Bauer Elektro anlagen Halle with a KNX bus system in combination with Ethernet-Modbus controllers and a Digisonic IP sun protection center from Ventus.
Solveig Böhl
In addition to the features mentioned above, the decisive factors for the effectiveness and profitability of sun protection controls are above all the consideration of the building geometry, the building location, the parameters of the blinds as well as the
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respective position of the sun, and – in the case of exterior sun protection – the wind conditions. With regard to the position of the sun, the movement of building shadows during the day and light reflections from adjacent buildings can irritate users and have a negative influence on convenience in the office. The knowledge regarding user behavior and acceptance of sun protection gained over the years was considered in the control system specifications in the planning and invitation to tender. The planning and execution of the effective and energy-efficient sun protection and facade control was carried out by companies specialized in sun protection and facade control. The northern German Ventus GmbH and Bauer Elektroanlagen GmbH
LOGO! as a weather station on the EIB/KNX bus
Ventus
Ventus
In addition to the Digisonic IP developed by Ventus, a key component of the sun protection control described here is the Sensorbox EIB/KNX from Ventus: a LOGO! logic module integrated into the bus architecture by a CM EIB/KNX communication module. In connection with an AM2 RTD analog extension module for analog value measurement, the Sensorbox serves as a weather station, recording the signals from the temperature, wind, and rain sensors and transferring them to the appropriate EIB actuators or the control center as EIB commands. The logic module also checks the readiness of the control center with a watchdog function and moves the sun-protection blinds into a position that is safe from the wind if the control system should fail.
The measuring station on the roof of the HDI headquarters supplies information about the sun’s intensity, wind speed and direction, rain, and temperature for 60 different wind zones and approximately 2,500 sun zones
Building Automation 6 GO! 1/2012
secured the contract to supply the required functions. The automation of the sun protection was to ensure compliance with the 26°C limit for 60 permissible overheating hours per year. By automating the sun protection and with reflection of daylight to reduce the interior load, this value is considered achievable after fine adjustment of the systems and the charging of the geothermic field by cold through the following heating season.
With conventional wind monitors, sun protection is often unavailable in even moderate winds because the wind sensor installed at the highest point of the building measures the strongest wind. The wind load on the surrounding, usually lower, facade areas, however, is often within permissible limits. The room users therefore sense the wind-related raising of the blinds as a false alarm, and the sun protection is not available again until the wind drops. The result: the rooms heat up and the air-conditioning is on full blast. The building’s energy balance worsens. The room users are affected by the sun’s glare so that additional inside antiglare protection is often necessary. With the “dynamic wind monitoring” installed for HDI in Hannover, the wind strength and direction create their own scenario for every building facade. There is sometimes even differentiation within one
Ventus
DYNAMIC WIND MONITORING
The annual shading patterns are calculated for every room by mathematical formulas
facade. The principle: the wind speed and direction are measured continuously at a reference measuring point on the building and evaluated individually for all the appropriate (partial) facades based on building-specific wind characteristics measured previously in the wind tunnel. The wind characteristics are determined beforehand in the boundary-layer wind tunnel by means of a facsimile model of the building (scale approximately 1:200). Even the farthest corners of the building are considered. This is important insofar as different wind-directiondependent limits apply later, depending on the wind direction for different areas of the facade. The local frequency and average strength of wind gusts are also included in the control behavior. Þ
Advantages of dynamic wind monitoring p Minimization of wind damage: Damage is reduced by consideration of the real wind conditions on the various facade areas.
p Increased availability: The high efficiency of the control system ensures that sun and antiglare protection in the workplace are guaranteed by the exterior sun protection for the maximum possible time. The sun protection does not move up immediately and then back down with every gust of wind in fluctuating wind conditions, as it often does – to the irritation of the room users – when using conventional controls.
p Reduction of operating costs: The cooling and thus the operating costs of the air-conditioning system
are significantly reduced in the summer. The energy requirements of the building are reduced considerably. The value of a property will be determined increasingly in the future by its energy requirements (building energy performance certificate).
p Compliance with legal regulations: Heating up of offices (e.g., above the acceptable limit of 26°C) is largely counteracted by the dynamic wind monitoring. This gives the building maximum protection against summer heat.
p Almost invisible equipment: Only one wind measuring station is required for the building, or even for a whole building complex. This is just what many architects and planners want.
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All photos: Publicis, J. Koch
Building machinery control with LOGO! and Simatic S7-1200
Vibration-Proof and Maintenance-Free Gritzke Lasertechnik OHG, headquartered in Lemgo, Germany, specializes in the development, production, and sale of equipment for building site surveying as well as control systems for excavators and building machinery. Customers benefit from the high quality and reliability of the equipment and the company’s high level of service.
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uilding companies normally equip their excavators and building machines (e.g., bulldozers and wheel loaders) with GPS or laser-based positioning systems for height and tilt control. These systems include leveling instruments for measuring differences in height, GPS receivers for position determination, total stations (tachymeters) for electronic distance measurement, and laser- and GPS-based shovel control systems. For the operation of laser controllers, laser receivers are fitted with impact protection to the top end of telescopic masts, which are mounted on the edge of a bulldozer shovel or wheel loader shovel. The pulses transmitted by rotation lasers on the building site serve as a height reference for the planned dimensions determined by surveyors. These pulses are picked up by the laser receivers and passed on to a controller, which lifts or lowers the shovel until the required level is reached and the excavated material meets the specifications.
Mechanical Engineering 8 GO! 1/2012
Gritzke previously used a board solution for machine control. Although this enabled stable and reliable operation, it allowed only limited modification. Customers often wanted adaptations made that were only possible within the limitations of a permanently wired board solution. A more flexible, less expensive solution was therefore sought.
REPLACEMENT OF THE BOARD CONTROLLER The decisive tip came from Siemens consultant Jörg Schlamilch, who is familiar with these problems. The conversion of two building vehicles was used as an opportunity to replace the board logic with LOGO! logic modules. Time played an important role in both cases: the customers demanded short-term conversion in order to have the vehicles back in action on the building sites as soon as possible. The Gritzke staff wrote the switching programs with the LOGO! Soft Comfort software on a PC and
Laser receivers on the excavator pass on signals from rotation lasers to a LOGO! controller, which controls the number of lifting movements of the shovel
then copied it to the logic modules. The experts at Gritzke find LOGO! ideal for the automation of continuous-track controls due to its broad range of functions and its stability, and because it enables proportional and accurate control of the valves. “Some customers have been using their laser controllers for years without any trouble,” reports Gritzke CEO Rolf Oschatz. “The staff are very familiar with the systems, so the building companies have a keen interest in keeping the equipment in operation.” However, the changeover from one machine generation to the next forces them to buy new controllers. With the Bakomp central unit developed by Gritzke, the existing continuous-track control can still be used after conversion and programmable logic controller (PLC) extension. All functions of the existing control box are retained. “We protect our customersʼ investments by enabling their proven controllers to be used on new vehicles,” underlines Oschatz.
INSTALLATION IN A FEW HOURS After the first successful installations, the Gritzke technicians decided to implement other automation functions with Siemens controllers. One of these is the direct control of solenoid valves on a bulldozer or wheel loader shovel. From the manufacturer side, the valves are controlled by joystick via the onboard system. From there the signals are sent to the onboard computer, which controls a high-performance processor, the lines of which are connected to the valves. This original supply line is left untouched in the Bakomp solution, and the signals are routed through the PLC, a Simatic S7-1200, as a bypass. A 6” Simatic HMI KTP600 Basic color TFT display is mounted in the driver’s cab and provides information about the nominal and actual material excavation values, among other things. The machine operator can set, for example, the valve speed using the individual functions of the combined touch and key control. At the end of the shift, the Simatic S7-1200 saves the current measured values so that the driver can continue working the next day where he or she left off the day before. Switching between automatic and manual control is possible at any time using the operator panel.
» We protect our customersʼ investments by enabling their proven controllers to be used on new vehicles.” « Rolf Oschatz, CEO, Gritzke Lasertechnik OHG
FLEXIBLE APPLICATION BY PLC “For safety reasons, it is not possible to disconnect the original supply line and connect the hydraulics directly to the PLC,” explains Achim Olsson, who is responsible for installation and service at Gritzke. “The building machine would no longer be maneuverable in case of a system failure.” In addition, building companies often lease vehicles, and intervention in the hardware-side control is not permitted for warranty reasons. “The second control system can be installed in a few hours and just as quickly removed again and the original condition of the vehicle restored,” adds Olsson. “Our experiences with the PLC-based machine control systems are very positive. Despite the high mechanical stress of the building vehicles, they work very reliably and trouble-free. They enable our customers to continue using their proven systems almost unchanged and without significant additional investments. The extended solutions ensure maximum machine utilization as well as reliable excavation of the ground without additional inspection measurements. This saves considerable time and costs,” concludes Oschatz. In the medium term, the Gritzke CEO is planning not only to use the controllers for bulldozers and wheel loaders but also to make them an all-round solution for other building machines. Þ
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LOGO! 0BA7 controls auto elevators
Always a Free Parking Space Not having to look for somewhere to park is the dream of many busy automobile drivers, as is the ability to park safely in normally inaccessible spaces. The elevators from O.ME.R., automated with LOGO! modules, make many automobile driversʼ dreams come true all over the world.
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he globally active Italian company O.ME.R. specializes in the planning, construction, and installation of parking systems and auto elevators. Its products range from simple double parkers to complex automatic parking-lot systems and elevators for automobiles and goods with or without accompaniment by persons.
The worldwide increase in the number of vehicles has resulted in a proportionally increasing demand for parking lots. And it is becoming increasingly difficult to meet this demand efficiently – both in residential areas and in public spaces. In many cases, there would be room for automobiles if the space were accessible. Solutions from O.ME.R. help here. They simplify the movement of vehicles both automatically and with the driver on board, overcome differences in height, grant access to underground and elevated areas, and enable vehicles to park in stacks in confined spaces.
An auto elevator consists of a mechanical system and oil-dynamic drive systems that are controlled by safety sensors and components so that the vehicle is moved according to the nature of the parking space. O.ME.R. changed over from simple automation systems based exclusively on electromechanical technology to electronic control systems many years ago. “Reliability is one of the most important advantages that we can count on since we have been relying on LOGO! as a control module for our products,” says Comand.
PRIORITY FOR SAFETY AND RELIABILITY Safety and reliability are very important when lifting and moving automobiles, especially when the driver is in the vehicle. Alberto Comand, technical manager at O.ME.R., explains: “Maximum safety and reliability are a priority for all our projects. The products must satisfy an increasing number of regulations, which are becoming more and more complex, before they are allowed onto the market – even beyond European borders. We therefore need absolutely robust solutions that are based on extremely reliable parts. We benefit from LOGO! as a control module for our products, especially with regard to reliability.”
Mechanical Engineering 10 GO! 1/2012
TWO MODULES FOR COMPLETE CONTROL
O.ME.R
The LOGO! logic modules are also used in one of the O.ME.R. elevators of the latest generation. It unites the special properties of all auto elevators of the series: great heights can be reached (up to 16 m) and large weights carried (8,000 kg), and the elevator can be used in a dual role, both as a goods elevator and as an auto elevator with persons on board. Comand adds: “We have gradually expanded our range of products to keep up with market requirements because increasingly flexible automated solutions are demanded. The demands on the control units have also increased. The decision for LOGO! also proved to be just perfect in this regard because the product has developed further over time and helps us manage highly complex control problems. We used two logic modules of the 0BA7 series for our most recent project, for example. One module is responsible for the motion control of the elevator, and the other for controlling the appropriate accesses. The possibility of controlling the loads directly with the relay outputs and the user-friendly programming environment are two of the properties that we most appreciate.” Comand concludes, “Thanks to the high programmability of the 0BA7 series, which was extended to 400 function blocks, and the availability of more flexible functions and macro functions, we are able to manage all command and control processes as well as user interfaces of a latest-generation elevator with the LOGO! logic module alone.” Þ
O.ME.R. auto elevators enable access to parking spaces in every situation
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Simatic S7-1200 is the core of a control concept for innovative hydraulic crimpers
Better than Greased Uniflex Hydraulik GmbH in Karben near Frankfurt, Germany, develops, produces, and sells innovative systems for hose pipe manufacturing and processing worldwide – in recent years with a standardized control concept. The Simatic S7-1200 optimally meets the requirements of the company and its customers.
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ith its modern, robust, and extremely longlasting universal machines and special tools, Uniflex is a global leader in hydraulic crimpers and peripheral equipment for industrial and service companies. Uniflex subsidiaries in the United States, Europe, and Asia ensure closeness to the customer and fast, efficient service everywhere. With its 40 years of experience, the company develops innovative solutions, in close cooperation with its customers, that meet even the highest demands. Slide bearings in the crimp tool, for example, eliminate the need for lubrication of the hydraulic crimpers and prevent crimp force losses due to friction. This way, the work becomes cleaner, and the machines are virtually maintenance-free except for occasional replacement of the bearing sheets.
G. Fürstenberger
CONNECTIVITY IS DECISIVE
» With the Simatic S7-1200, Siemens has as little competition worldwide as we do with our machines. « Hubert Poth, Application Engineer, Uniflex
Mechanical Engineering 12 GO! 1/2012
“For a long time, we were using our own controllers produced individually for every machine, which was, of course, very expensive,” explains Hubert Poth, the application engineer responsible for controllers and software at Uniflex. “What we needed was a standardized concept with uniform hardware for all machine variants. It had to work worldwide, be easy to update by the customer via Industrial Ethernet or USB functionality, and be inexpensive. We chose Siemens as a partner because of the global availability of the products and the long-term availability of spare parts, among other things.” The performance capability of the predecessor to the Simatic S7-1200, the Simatic S7-200, had already been convincing. Combined with the Sitop Modular technology power supply, it could be connected to any network in the world thanks to its wide range input. “One important reason for changing over to the Simatic S7-1200 was that it is directly networkable,” adds Poth. “This meant that, apart from a CSM 1277 Industrial Ethernet switch, no additional hardware components or programming units were
FAST ANALOG VALUE PROCESSING The complete control cabinets are produced to standard by a subsupplier and delivered to Karben in blocks of 40. “We then decide which unit is used in which machine,” says Poth. The Simatic S7-1200 already reveals its advantages impressively in this process. “The supplier can fully test the parts only by a USB stick with the standard software,” explains the application engineer. “We then simply have to retrofit the tested unit to the appropriate machine, connect the motor, plug in the hydraulics, and copy in the software update from a USB stick.” The special challenge facing the Simatic S7-1200 in the Uniflex forming machines is analog value processing. “It must be very quick,” stresses Poth. “For one thing, because the program may not run for longer than the time when the target criterion for crimpers would be reached according to the machine directive. For another, the crimping must stop in time – meaning the machine has to shut down fast enough to avoid faults in the end product.”
DEMANDING QUALITY ASSURANCE Sirius foot switches allow the operator to set the machine in motion while using his or her hands to place the hose pipes into the tool for crimping. In the simplest Uniflex machine variant with Pressure Force Display (PFD), the operator is shown only the pressure. However, the fast analog value processing of the Simatic S7-1200 in combination with the pro duction data entry options also allows further quality and process assurance measures such as
Uniflex
required to copy software updates to the controller and the Multi Panel – which ultimately saves space in addition to costs.” It was the possibility of scripting by means of the WinCC flexible HMI software in addition to the Industrial Ethernet and USB interface that finally tipped the scales in favor of the customadapted Multi Panel MP 177. Great advantages are offered by the openness and uniformity of Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Portal, into which the Step 7 controller software, the HMI software, and the drive software for the Sinamics G110 frequency converters also used in Uniflex machines are integrated.
Pressure Force Measurement (PFM), which monitors the machine operator. “PFM can measure exactly whether the operator has inserted the hose into the fitting correctly or whether the criterion has been reached for producing the respective product. If not, an error message is outputted,” says Poth. Finally, Pressure Force Control (PFC) enables driving to a target pressure. This makes it possible to crimp pressure-sensitive materials such as fiberglass in insulator production.
With different software updates, copied from a USB stick, the identical units are suitable for every machine
High-end users such as those in the automotive industry also get what they want. The control concept offers many possibilities for user management as well as documentation of all processes and measurement data. As a result of the positive experience thus far, further projects are planned within the scope of the intensive collaboration with Siemens. To ensure energy-efficient operation, Uniflex wants to switch over from permanently running three-phase current motors to servo technology. The response time for controlling the pressure for insulator crimping will also be improved in comparison with the previous hydraulic proportional technique. “Once all the machines have been changed over to Simatic S7-1200, some customers want us to fully network their presses via the Industrial Ethernet interface,” says Poth. In conclusion, he vividly underlines the strong partnership: “With the Simatic S7-1200, Siemens has as little competition worldwide as we do with our machines.” Þ
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Simatic S7-1200 automates cut timber production
Flexibly Brought into Shape
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ounded in 1965, Weiss GmbH in Flachau, Austria, with 120 employees, has become one of the most important companies in the Salzburg region. In the beginning, Weiss GmbH specialized in the timber export trade. Today, the company has a firm footing in several areas in addition to the initial timber trade. Thanks to its many years of experience in the areas of timber export, timber wholesale, and natural wood floors, Weiss today has top-class competence in the timber industry. The company now has offices in Flachau, Tamsweg, Zell am See, and Sankt Valentin in Austria.
Weiss GmbH wanted to automate as many work processes as possible to increase its productivity. Since the installation of Simatic controllers, not only has operation been trouble-free and fail-safe, but the cut timber measurements have also become more accurate.
Some of the machines and controllers in the timber processing plant had been in use for more than 10 years and had reached their limits of performance; they were sometimes no longer able to meet the growing customer demands and shortnotice delivery requirements. The Weiss employees responsible for the electrical systems often had to contact different manufacturers for service inquiries. The company therefore planned to upgrade and partially replace the electrical installations. “The response time was just too slow and the calculation of dimensions too inaccurate,” explains Bernhard Grünwald, CEO of the Bensen automation company in Radstadt, Austria. “Actually, the machines were relay-controlled. Only the dimensions were calculated by PLC [programmable logic controller]. About 100 relays were installed in the timber processing plant. The countless contacts of the eight-pole relays constantly caused malfunctions, so we needed to conduct a comprehensive modernization of the production line. The customer’s specification was to implement a solution with which the production processes could be optimized and the machines could be controlled accurately and monitored reliably,” says Grünwald.
All photos: Bensen
CONVERSION IN JUST ONE WEEK
The control panel with a KTP600 Basic facilitates machine operation and prevents input errors
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The implementation team developed a strategy to sequence the work processes and convert the control technology. Bensen was responsible for the configuration, development, and commissioning of the automation solution. “Specialists from Siemens Consulting, Vienna, and especially Rainer Göbel, helped us develop the concept, advised us on the choice of products, and saw the project through,” explains the Bensen CEO. After a one-month plan-
ning phase, the actual conversion took only one week. The automation team invested another week in the commissioning and optimization. A central requirement of the Weiss executive management was to modernize and automate the cut timber sorting to ensure more efficient and troublefree operation. The unsorted timber collected in packages is taken from the timber store or drying chambers and placed on the package cross transport by forklift truck and then separated by a tipping table and rising conveyor. The length and width of every plank are measured and the percentage of humidity determined by sensors on a cross conveyor. The planks are divided into different classes in the next step. Timber that is too damp is rejected directly and passed on for redrying, planks of class 0 and C are put aside for resorting, and planks of quality class AB are stacked. A sensor or a light barrier, circuited to an alarm input of the PLC, ensures exact compliance with the specifications. The hydraulic retainers of the tongue stacker are connected to a shaft encoder, enabling very accurate positioning of the planks. After separation and sorting, the planks are cut to length and stacked in a package.
control panel for operation and control. Individual functions are assigned to the combined touch and push-button operation with which the machine operator controls and monitors the processes and stops the machine immediately with an emergency stop button in case of danger. The Simatic Step 7 Basic V11 engineering software was used for the engineering of the Simatic S7-1200 and the configuration of the touchpanel. The programs were transferred to the PLC by a standard TCP/IP link after development and testing.
CONSTANT CYCLE TIMES UNDER 5 MS For controlling the unstacking system, Grünwald chose a Simatic S7-1200 with a high-performance CPU for fast cycle times. The plant was modernized step-by-step to keep downtimes to a minimum during the conversion. Grünwald prepared the PLC for operation, which saved time-consuming adaptations on-site. In addition to measuring the timber dimensions and checking the humidity percentage of the timber, the PLC also determines the right side facing the core and the curvature of the plank for sorting. It also controls the layering of the planks and the tongue unstacking. Alarm inputs are used to pick up the values of shaft encoders and analog sensors as quickly as possible. The results are impressive: despite the immense program scope, the cycle time is constantly under 5 ms. One of Grünwaldʼs tasks was to simplify machine operation and avoid input errors with an application-specific operator interface. The system is operated by displays and two different control panels. A 6“ Simatic KTP600 Basic TFT color display was installed in the
TROUBLE-FREE AND FAIL-SAFE Weiss is very pleased with the installed solution. Since the conversion work was completed in mid2011, the plant’s operation has been consistently trouble-free and fail-safe. Measurement of the planks and evaluation of the residual humidity have become very accurate. In addition, the modernization brought considerable time and cost advantages, and it has prompted consideration of extending the automation to other areas. The company management is therefore planning to network the different plants to accurately evaluate the production and delivery data stored in a database and to achieve company-wide quality control. “The collaboration with Bensen has been very constructive,” concludes the Weiss CEO. “Whenever fast help is necessary, the close contact with a regional partner pays off.” Þ
The Simatic S7-1200 also controls the accurate positioning of the planks
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Simatic S7-1200 controls multifunctional DTS
Right on Course
A Simatic S7-1200 controls the drive axes and speed of the Variocart
Driverless transport systems (DTSs) are an ideal solution for many logistics tasks in production when they are customized exactly for the individual requirements. The size of the Variocart from Daum + Partner can be adapted to fit the transport goods and space conditions, and the DTS also performs simple handling tasks if necessary. It offers extremely flexible navigation possibilities and maximum operating reliability.
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he automotive industry has been using DTSs for a long time. Now other industries too are becoming increasingly aware of their advantages. With the Variocart, Daum + Partner Maschinenbau GmbH, in Aichstetten in southern Germany, developed a modular DTS for a wide range of requirements. The Variocart is not only suitable for the delivery and removal of workpieces; devices for turning, lifting, and swiveling can also be added, allowing the DTS to function as a mobile assembly bench. A software library with components for a wide range of functions forms part of
Mechanical Engineering 16 GO! 1/2012
the system. These functions are performed by a Simatic S7-1200 microcontroller. The Variocart has a Simatic Basic Panel for entering parameters. Speeds, distances, and the desired actions can be parameterized via an intuitively operable interface. The panel is robust and easy to operate via a touchscreen or additional push buttons, depending on the version. Plain text messages about any faults facilitate maintenance of the Variocart. If the panel is omitted, adaptations must be parameterized with the controller program, which is less convenient but possible.
COMPACT DESIGN, FLEXIBLE NAVIGATION
INTEGRATION INTO THE PRODUCTION PROCESS
The price of a DTS is basically determined by its size. Mark-Oliver Daum, CEO of Daum + Partner, says, “The design depends largely on the technology that needs to be accommodated. The new Simatic S7-1200 is so compact and extendable in such fine graduations that we now offer it as standard for the Variocart. Its performance also allows more complex applications, for example, when reducing or synchronizing to flow speed during assembly. The Simatic S7-1200 also controls the motion axes for the lifting table or other drive axes if necessary.”
The Variocart can be adapted flexibly to the production process. If the same action is always to be performed at a certain point along the line, a bar-code strip on the floor, which the camera reads and evaluates, is sufficient in the case of optical navigation. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) transponders can be used as an alternative. The Simatic S7-1200 performs the respective jobs stored in the system. It communicates wirelessly with other controllers, control systems, or PCs via Profinet, that is, via standard Wireless LAN. In this way, consignment orders can be transferred, cycles specified, or workpiece carriers moved.
For applications in which the track to be covered changes frequently, navigation by a band adhered or painted on the hall floor is recommended. It should allow easy optical detection through strong bright/dark contrast. A camera takes pictures of this band in rapid succession and converts the bright/ dark ratio to the right and left of the band center into voltage values. The Simatic S7-1200 responds immediately to changes in direction and controls the drive axes according to the curve radius and speed. If the Variocart is to cover the same stretch over a longer period of time, it is worth laying induction coils in the floor for navigation where possible. This requires more effort but is more robust and requires less maintenance in the long term. An additional benefit of inductive navigation is that the line in the floor can be used at the same time for noncontact power transmission. The drive control by the Simatic S7-1200 works just the same. Servo technology enables variable speeds, which are usually about 1 m/s.
Those who choose the Variocart want to have their DTS working as quickly as possible. With the modular system from Daum + Partner, even individual solutions can be implemented in a short time. The software library for automation with Simatic S7-1200 plays an important role here. “We have stored all the theoretically possible actions as software components in a database. The special feature of this library is that every function is assigned a user interface for the Basic Panel. When we transfer the function to the controller, the right operating screen is automatically assigned on the panel. This makes our work easier and increases the planning security for promised deliveries,” says Daum. For customers who may be using multiple Variocarts, this library offers the certainty of always having the functions shown identically on the interface – and also with the same fault signals.
REFERENCES IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY A number of vehicle manufacturers already use Variocarts. Simatic is frequently specified on the appropriate release lists for automation technology. The latest version with the new Simatic S7-1200 already attracted keen interest at Hannover Messe 2010. “With the Simatic S7-1200 and our software database, we can quickly adapt to all requirements,” says Daum. “An essential aspect for future safety is communication via Profinet, which is always required by the automotive industry but is also increasingly establishing itself in other industries.” Þ All photos: W. Geyer
The operation via touchscreen and individual push buttons also enables flexible adaptation to production processes
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17
Simatic S7-1200 reliably controls water return cooling systems
Coolly Calculated and Warmly Recommended Cooling systems are indispensable for many industries – from the process and chemical industry to food production and plastics technology. Since 1995, L+R Kältetechnik GmbH & Co. KG in Sundern-Hachen near Dortmund, Germany, has been installing Siemens programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in its cooling and refrigeration systems.
T Joachim Ullmann (right), head of the electrical department at L+R Kältetechnik, and programmer Olaf Ganser are proud of the new, flexible, and convenient solution with the Simatic S7-1200
wo years ago, L+R Kältetechnik changed over to the Simatic S7-1200. The control system can be used very flexibly and is easy to configure. Simple, efficient communication within the machines and systems is possible via Profinet. With the Profinet-capable Siemens touchpanels, sophisticated visualization can be added in no time.
SUCCESSFUL CHANGEOVER TO THE CONTROL TECHNOLOGY About 70 percent of the water return cooling systems from L+R Kältetechnik are already equipped with the Simatic S7-1200 (CPU 214C) and Key Touch
Cooling Technology 18 GO! 1/2012
Panels (KTP 400/600). “The modular, low-cost micro PLC meets the requirements in many of our compact water return cooling systems excellently and is now accepted by all our customers,” says Joachim Ullmann, head of the company’s electrical department. “We get some of our orders for this very reason.” One of the biggest advantages of the Simatic S7-1200 is that up to three communication modules for a total of 16 Industrial Ethernet connections and up to eight signal modules for digital and analog inputs and outputs can be plugged into the basic unit. This flexibility is extremely important for the very wide range of applications of the water return cooling
systems. The function monitoring of the measuring devices is therefore simple or complex accordingly: flow sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, pH measuring devices, and many other devices can be easily connected to the controller. Several PID control circuits with autotune functionality enable simple process applications with a closed-loop control circuit.
FAST MIGRATION TIA Portal, with its uniform operator interface for fast access to programming and visualization, and the consistent command structure have made many things easier. All the existing function blocks at L+R Kältetechnik were migrated to the new graphic programming in TIA Portal in just two weeks. This type of programming quickly proved to be a great advantage. The individual function blocks can be dragged and dropped into the program. The numbers on the keyboard and the Enter, Back, and Esc keys are required only for the parameter settings. The addressing and parameterization via Profinet is also much easier than with other bus systems. For L+R Kältetechnik, remote service is a major boost to competitiveness and cost-effectiveness because the company offers this customer support feature at all times via its 24-hour Coolline (hotline). A teleservice adapter for this purpose can be very easily added using Industrial Ethernet.
CONVENIENT VISUALIZATION Via Profinet, the Key Touch Panels can be integrated into the control system within the water return cooling systems without any great effort. In this way, whole system flowcharts can be displayed and the plant operator has all the important information at a glance: tank, pump, and cold generators as well as temperatures, filling levels, and pressures as important parameters.
The Key Touch Panels can be connected directly to the control system via Profinet
FAST PLANT ENGINEERING AND DOCUMENTATION “The changeover to modern micro PLC technology was achieved without any trouble at all,” say programmer Olaf Ganser and Ullmann. According to the two control experts, the engineering for a new system, including commissioning and output check, can now be done in about three hours. A completely new program can be written and documented in just one or two days. Ullmann concludes, “The changeover to this modern control technology was well worth it; we were also able to make additional improvements in many places in the course of the migration.” L+R Kältetechnik delivered the first water return cooling system with the new control solution at the beginning of 2010, and the experiences to date have been nothing but positive. It is not only the fine technical details that are very important for manufacturers and users; the low-cost, flexible Simatic S7-1200 also satisfies the desire for sustainability for both parties. The high global availability, which ultimately leads to a long-term, profitable total solution, is another benefit. Þ
IT security note Suitable protective measures (including IT security, e.g., network segmentation) must be taken to ensure secure operation of the plant. Further information on industrial security can be found on the Internet at www.siemens.com/industrialsecurity
S. Köppel
With their high degree of protection (up to IP67), the panels are also extremely resistant in harsh operating environments. There are, for example, water return cooling systems that cool rollers in metal foundries and systems that supply cold water to the emergency showers in nitrogen production facilities in hot desert environments. And the Key
Touch Panel displays are also used with special installation measures in outdoor hydrogen filling stations in Norway and Finland.
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19
A training project takes on the future of electromobility
In the Fast Lane The “Loh Rider” is a real eye-catcher in shiny black and sparkling in different colors, like a vehicle from a science fiction movie. The electric tricycle built by trainees at Rittal GmbH & Co. KG is controlled by a Simatic S7-1200.
I
t was a perfect surprise. Friedhelm Loh, owner and CEO of Rittal, was overcome by the unusual gift on the occasion of the company’s 50th anniversary last year. Built almost exclusively from Rittal components, the “Loh Rider” is not only a special training project but also a highly original calling card of the world’s leading system provider for control cabinets, air-conditioning, and IT infrastructure as well as software and services. More than 9 feet long and 6 feet wide and weighing 580 kg, the e-trike cruises almost silently into the future of electromobility at 20 miles per hour with its chassis light show of hundreds of LED lamps. The project team was made up of three training officers and 6 of the 300 trainees at the Friedhelm Loh Group of which Rittal is part. The highly motivated trainees were released from their other duties for the duration of the ambitious project last year. First, they constructed a model from roof battens and then the chassis from 145 feet of steel sections – steel sections that Rittal has used countless times in the construction of its control cabinets and IT cabinets. The cooling fins lending the fenders their sporty appearance come from the company’s airconditioning systems.
FIRST CHOICE FROM THE START Which provider would supply the controller for the futuristic vehicle was clear from the start: “Our elec-
Training 20 GO! 1/2012
trical engineering trainees train exclusively with controllers from Siemens,” says Matthias Hecker, head of commercial and technical training at Rittal, who initiated and led the project. He mentions several reasons for this: “The company is the market leader and, like us, has a global presence. In addition, Siemens offers us excellent support, for example, with special training packages and competent on-site support at all times.” The best choice for the electric trike was the Simatic S7-1200 microcontroller with the most powerful CPU 1214C, explains Denis Benner, deputy training manager responsible for electrical engineering. “The controller has a wide range of functions and is costeffective, versatile, and extendable but also very compact and space-saving,” he says. “The Profinet interface for networking via Industrial Ethernet was also important. And the CPU is easily accessible via the web server either for remote maintenance or for software updates.”
PROGRAMMING VIA LAPTOP In addition to Benner, three operating technology trainees – two of whom, Thomas Berchmüller, 20, and Sebastian Hofmann, 21, were still in their first year of training during the project – were responsible for the engineering. “Because the project was something completely different, we continuously had to improvise and find creative solutions,” says
All photos: Publicis, G. Fürstenberger
From left to right: Futuristic vehicle with extras: the trainees Thomas Berchmüller (front) and Sebastian Hofmann on the “Loh Rider”
Berchmüller. “It was fun and we learned a lot!” Hofmann adds: “We had been working mainly with the LOGO! modules before. It was impressive to see how simply the programming of the Simatic S7-1200 on the laptop works.” For this, the team added the CSM 1277 Industrial Ethernet switch to the CPU, which is clearly visible in a so-called e-box on the back of the trike. This made it possible to create an Industrial Ethernet interface for the programming and remote maintenance, which is concealed behind a steel iris diaphragm on the left fender with open access. There is a charging cable connection under a second iris diaphragm on the other fender.
MILES PER HOUR ON THE BASIC PANEL Like all the trike functions, the motors of the two iris diaphragms are also controlled by the Simatic S7-1200. “On the whole, it was a very complex project as far as the programming was concerned,” says Benner, who got to know the relatively new controller very well in the course of the work. “We even programmed a speedometer so that the Simatic KTP600 Basic color touchpanel installed in the handlebars displays the miles per hour fairly accurately.” The direction of travel (forward or reverse), an immobilizer system, and the color of the LED chassis lighting, day lights, night lights, and warning lights, for example, can also be set on the WinCC Basic – programmed touchpanel.
Direction by KTP600 Basic color: always straight ahead! A Simatic S7-1200 provides the brains of the electric trike
Berchmüller has already familiarized himself a little with the new TIA Portal: “We still work with the predecessor software at the training school, but I can already see that TIA Portal is even clearer and the programming even easier.” Benner can confirm this and adds, “It is a great practical advantage, of course, that TIA Portal covers all Simatic S7 controllers; the programming system and interface are identical everywhere.”
CHARGING STATE BY TEXT MESSAGE A retrofitted GPRS module allows the user to have the controller send text messages or e-mails so that the trike can be serviced remotely even without an Internet connection. “A particularly interesting feature is the possibility of querying the battery charging state of the e-trike measured by the PLC at any time or having a warning text sent at low level,” notes Benner. The training officer who has been working with Siemens “for as long as he can remember” is totally convinced: “We will use the Simatic S7-1200 increasingly in training in the future, also in company projects and final examinations.” The two trainees also see themselves well equipped for the future with their project experience because they already know that they will be working regularly with Siemens automation technology in their future careers. Þ
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21
Sitop compact energy-efficient power supply
Small Loads in Focus
Siemens AG
Because of the cost pressures facing plant operators and legal regulations for the protection of the environment, industry is constantly on the lookout for new ways to leverage energy savings potential. In addition to components with very high energy consumption, “small” loads such as the Sitop 24 V power supplies also play an important role because considerable savings are still possible even in energy-efficient switched-mode power supply units.
The space-saving Sitop compact power supplies in the output range of up to 100 W are especially suitable for distributed applications in machines and systems
F
or a long time now, industry has mainly used the already energy-efficient switched-mode power supply units, which have much higher efficiency compared with conventional linear power supply units. Power supplies for industrial or building management system applications are still designed in such a way that they provide the greatest possible efficiency on maximum load, for example, the output that is necessary for switching on capacitive loads.
New Products 22 GO! 1/2012
Nevertheless, new requirements have emerged. In addition to high efficiency for nominal load, almost constantly high efficiency is expected today for every load, because power supplies are operated primarily in a load range of 30 to 70 percent of the rated output – depending on the process, for example, switching of motors, sensors, or actuators. In addition, the lowest possible energy consumption is demanded in no-load operation during downtimes because individual loads or system components are switched increasingly to a kind of standby mode in production-free periods and on the weekends or holidays to save energy. The power supplies of the Sitop compact series meet all the demands made on power supplies in the lower output range (less than 100 W) today: They have a high level of efficiency over the whole load range and therefore have low energy losses. In addition, they are designed for input voltages between 85 and 265 V AC (long-range) and therefore work for the connection to 120 V AC and 230 V AC single-phase mains without changeover, they can be operated on direct voltage systems, and they have minimal no-load losses.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE With the Sitop compact power supplies, up to 35 percent energy savings can be achieved in a normal application consisting of a mix of load and standby operation. Due to their extremely low heat development and their compact design, they are ideal for using in small control cabinets or junction boxes in distributed applications of systems, machines, or buildings.
The use of this power supply pays off for the operator in many ways. The lower power loss means a more compact installation and thus less space requirement, as well as a lower temperature in the control cabinet. Also, the low power losses make a significant contribution to energy savings, which, depending on the operating mode and duration, may surpass the actual price of the device. In the building automation of commercial buildings, for
example, a large number of power supply units with a low output are often used. In the shading control of an office building alone, several hundred such switched-mode power supply units are frequently used. Here, the energy savings achieved by using highly efficient switched-mode power supply units may amount to more than 8,000 kWh per year compared with conventional power supplies – equivalent to a carbon dioxide savings of about 5 tons. Þ
Low power losses during load and standby mode
Power loss during load operation
(Watt) 4
–28 %
3 2 1
Common power supply *
Sitop PSU 100C 24 V/1.3 A
Very low power losses can be achieved in the wide range input in Sitop compact power supplies of up to 100 W using a quasi-resonant fl yback converter. For this, the “parasitic” network of the transformer and power semiconductor is exploited. By energy-optimized control of the semiconductor, it is switched on at a point when the switching voltage has reached a minimum. The energy stores involved in the resonance exchange their energy mutually and do not transform them into heat in a resistor. In this way, Sitop compact provides up to 28 percent energy savings in comparison with normal power supplies over the entire load range.
0
* Average value of comparable devices on the market with AC 230 V input voltage
Power loss during standby operation (Watt) 1.5
–53 %
1.0
To keep no-load losses as low as possible, Sitop compact uses a special control IC in the power supply circuit. This is structured so that, in itself, it only consumes a fraction of the power of earlier components. The whole circuit can thus be designed much more energy-efficiently. Therefore, energy savings of up to 53 percent can be achieved in no-load operation compared with common power supplies.
0.5
Common power supply *
Sitop PSU 100C 24 V/1.3 A
0.0
* Average value of comparable devices on the market with AC 230 V input voltage
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23
LOGO! CSM compact switch module
Compact Network Access
W
ith the new LOGO! CSM compact switch module, LOGO! logic modules of the 0BA7 series and up to three other users on Industrial Ethernet can be integrated into line, tree, or star structures with 19’/100 Mbit/s. The module’s integrated “unmanaged switch” is connected to LOGO! and the optional users by four RJ45 plug-in connectors. For diagnostic purposes, one of the four ports is accessible at the front of the device. An LED indicates the module’s operating status. LOGO! CSM is available in two versions, for the DC 12/24 V and AC/DC 230 V voltage ranges. Preassembled twisted-pair (TP) cables with RJ45 connectors in lengths of 0.5, 1, 2, 6, and 10 m are available as accessories. www.siemens.com/logo
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+49 (9 11) 9 78-33 22 Want to find out more about switching and controlling with LOGO! and Simatic controllers? No problem! LOGO! www.siemens.com/logo Simatic S7-1200 www.siemens.com/s7-1200
Publisher: Siemens AG, Industry Sector, Industry Automation Division, Sales, Marketing & Promotion, Gleiwitzer Str. 555, 90475 Nuremberg, Germany, Fax: +49 (911) 8 95-27 86 Editorial responsibility: Heinz Eisenbeiss, I IA AS S MP In-house editorial staff: Eva-Maria Blockus Publishing house: Publicis Publishing, Erlangen, Germany Editorial staff: Robert Engelhardt Layout: Kerstin Rosenow Copy editor: Marion Schwab DTP: Mario Willms; TV Satzstudio, Emskirchen GO! appears twice a year Order No.: E20001-M2090-P270-X-7600 ISSN: 1434-7008 ©2012 by Siemens Aktiengesellschaft Berlin and Munich. All rights reserved. The information provided in this magazine contains merely general descriptions or characteristics of performance which, in case of actual use, do not always apply as described or which may change as a result of further development of the products. An obligation to provide the respective characteristics shall only exist if expressly agreed upon in the terms of contract. S7-200, S7-1200, Siemens LOGO!, SIMATIC, SITOP, STEP, TIA Portal, Totally Integrated Automation (TIA), WinCC, WinCC flexible are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. If trademarks, technical solutions, or similar products are not listed, this does not imply that they are not registered. All other products and system names may be trademarks of their respective owners and must be treated accordingly.
