I would like to welcome you to our inaugural issue of the Automotive Edition of the Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) Newsletter.  This newsletter is a continuation to our highly attended automotive summit in March.   Our theme for the event was “Community • Collaboration • Innovation” and was just the beginning of a new dialog about how suppliers, integrators and manufacturers can increase collaboration during this time of rapid growth and change in the automotive industry. As many of you told me during and after the conference, one of your greatest challenges is keeping up with technological developments that can drive sustainable and profitable growth in your business.

To that end, we are kicking off this new publication designed to address the specific interests of the automotive community and its suppliers. The Automotive Edition of the TIA Newsletter will focus on technologies, trends and best practices that can make the automotive industry more productive. In this first issue, we are picking up where our conference left off and touching on several key themes that participants identified as top-of-mind.

One of them was the drive to increase productivity. Each presentation touched on this topic and identified critical areas for improvement. Our entire community is — or soon will be — coping with the skills shortage, keeping up with rising consumer expectations for vehicle innovation, or addressing management’s increased expectation for transparency into total cost of ownership. Coping with change in the many productivity drivers is a theme common to suppliers, integrators and manufacturers alike.

The first issue of the Automotive Edition of the TIA Newsletter will address many of these topics.  In Raj Batra’s, President Industry Automation, introductory speech at the Automotive Summit, he talked about “the future is ours to invent” and “the next generation is ours to create”.  We look to our readership to leverage this newsletter as a vehicle for building our community, enhancing our collaboration, driving sustainable innovation, and helping to create the next generation.

I would like to personally hear your feedback on this newsletter and understand what articles you would like to see or hear more about in future editions.  Please feel free to drop me a line at john.billings@siemens.com .  I look forward to working together in building our community for strong manufacturing in America.

Best Regards,

John G. Billings, Vice President & Head of Automotive, Siemens Industry

Drivers of Development
While a Servo Tandem line may cost as much or more than a transfer press, the increased production and uptime justifies this cost in a short amount of time. If a large transfer has a mechanical failure, the press will be down for an extended period of time and the costs of repair are significant. Couple this with ongoing maintenance costs and servo press TCO is much lower.

So, too, is flexibility. As demands for higher mileage vehicles have grown, automotive manufacturers have turned to lighter materials and doing more with them. Consider the creation of a fender. A press bends it into the proper shape; often it is bent a third of the way, then another third, and then the final third. This process requires three different dies (i.e., with conventional large transfer presses). However, on a servo press, production can better control how fast and hard they hit the part, potentially doing it in one operation. “That’s an example of where efficiency comes from, doing one operation instead of three, using one die instead of three,” says Barry.

Additionally, the industry may have reached a tipping point in terms of press acquisition. For example, a major domestic automotive manufacturer’s comments indicate it does not foresee further purchases of large transfer presses, only tandem servos.

When servo press technology was first introduced, some perceived its cost as prohibitive; but as the technology has advanced, the cost has dropped considerably. Today, ton for ton, a servo press will still be more expensive than a mechanical one, but the flexibility it provides in terms of parts it can handle, as well as savings on ancillary costs (e.g., die design and production, space) more than compensate for the initial disparity. “Some of the parts the market requires can’t be made in a mechanical press but can in a servo press,” says Barry. For automotive suppliers intent on responding to the evolving demands of their customers, this is a powerful advantage.

The Retrofitting Imperative
In the automotive industry, there is a huge number of rapidly aging mechanical presses that are 10 to 25 years old. Their controls are outdated, safety must be upgraded to meet new standards, and their main drives are now using obsolete components. “Nonetheless, the mechanics of these presses are still good, so companies are retrofitting the controls of their main drives to extend those assets for another 10 to 15 years,” says Barry. Even though automotive manufacturers are retrofitting scores of presses in individual facilities to upgrade their capabilities, the scale of these projects challenges in-house engineering resources. These departments often don’t have the time or manpower to write specifications for software, develop electrical designs, create software code, and so on.

Ready-to-Apply Solutions to Meet the Challenge
Whether installing new equipment or upgrading existing assets, Siemens has an array of SIMOTION-based solutions for automotive metalforming. These solutions include ready-to-apply (RtA) applications for virtually all the processes in the machine shop. Pre-engineered, SIMOTION-based press solutions provide great improvements in safety, power consumption, flexibility, and productivity for metalforming machines. These solutions also provide ease of modification for the end user or system integrator to adapt to one-off or unique applications. Specific solutions include SIMOTION SimoFeed, SimoPress, SimoPress Servo, and SimoRoll.

SIMOTION SimoFeed
SimoFeed streamlines press-to-press automation with feeders. With the SimoFeed function, manufacturers can achieve flexible production sequences and simultaneously reduce production downtime. This can be achieved only with highly dynamic motion control, which also reduces maintenance cycles by ensuring gentle, jerk-free material handling.

SIMOTION SimoPress
SimoPress is the solution for mechanical universal presses. In addition to easily combining with logic, motion, and technological functions, the SIMOTION SimoPress solution offers complete, fully documented, and pre-tested press functions for main drive control, cam control, die protection, and press force monitoring. It offers flexible operating screens for WinCC to keep engineering overhead as low as possible, and can be used on any platform.

SIMOTION SimoPress Servo
For those installing servo presses, SimoPress Servo addresses all their needs. On a servo press, the main drive (servo torque motor) is connected directly to the crankshaft of the press, without a flywheel or clutch. The motion of the ram can be accelerated and decelerated as desired by varying the speed of the motor. The stroke rates can be individually and precisely programmed by an automatically calculated movement profile. This enables the press cycle to be individually controlled and adapted flexibly to the widest range of tool or workpiece requirements

SIMOTION SimoRoll
SimoRoll enables manufacturers to flexibly adapt to changing production data while simultaneously minimizing unnecessary production downtimes. The application stands out due to its material-friendly motion control through the use of particularly favorable jerk and shock characteristics. This can only be achieved when motion sequences with high dynamic response are applied to avoid unnecessary production downtimes.

All-Around Advantages
“Most of the applications are free of charge, free for download, and OEMs, system integrators and end users can modify them for their specific requirements,” says Barry. “Beyond the RtA application, the solutions include off-the-shelf components, making them less expensive and easier to maintain over the lifetime of operations when compared to solutions that utilize highly specialized motors and controllers.” In fact, OEMs, system integrators and end users can use these RtA applications as a standard for their suppliers.

Consider an OEM or system integrator doing five different projects with three different suppliers. This can be a nightmare in terms of the multiple solutions it may yield. With RtA solutions provided as a base for these suppliers, standardization and commonality are increased, costs are cut, implementation time is decreased and maintenance costs are significantly reduced. “The combination of reducing the engineering time required for implementation with pre-engineered standard functions from an acknowledged world-class supplier such as Siemens can add up significantly for automotive metal formers in terms of greater cost-efficiencies, improved productivity, and high customer satisfaction,” concludes Barry.

The successor of STEP 7 Basic V11 works with all existing SIMATIC controllers. STEP 7 Basic V12 provides powerful programming editors with optimized compilers for programming the S7 controllers: Ladder Diagram, function block diagram, structured text are available for all controllers, plus Statement List for the controller families S7-1500, S7-300, S7-400 and WinAC. The user can employ new functions such as the calculate box, Implicit data type conversion, variable index of an array in all programming languages, string functions, DB change during running operation. Technological functions such as closed-loop or position control can be easily implemented in the engineering software.

Creating motion control applications is easy with STEP 7 and S7-1500. The intuitive, graphical user interface of the technology objects in STEP 7 V12 provide optimal support with the configuration, commissioning and fault analysis of analog and PROFIdrive drives.

STEP 7 V12 supports many functions including absolute and relative positioning, speed controlled operations such as inching mode, active or, on the fly referencing and support of incremental and absolute encoders.

The new software also enhances security, offering password-based know-how protection against unauthorized reading and changing of the contents of program blocks. The copy protection provides a higher security against unauthorized duplication of program blocks.

Tower Elevator Systems’ newly installed rescue elevator, part of a $27-million Statue of Liberty renovation, makes the most of Safety PLC hardware, PROFIBUS Ethernet and the SIMATIC Comfort Panel HMI.

One of the most-recognized structures on earth, the Statue of Liberty, recently underwent a $27 million renovation that brought the 19th century icon into the 21st century. Fire and safety features on the statue, inaugurated by President Grover Cleveland in 1886, were revamped with modern technology.

The upgrades were part of a U.S. National Park Service initiative, The Life Safety Upgrade Program. Tower Elevator Systems Inc. (TESI) was given one of the major tasks, retrofitting the statue with a new rescue elevator that replaced a unit that was installed in the early 1980s when the statue was upgraded for its centennial in 1986.

The new rescue elevator is a special purpose personnel machine that uses innovative technology to enhance safety and reliability while making the system more user friendly. To ensure the latest cutting edge controls platform was integrated to this prestigious project, TESI turned to its long time controls system trusted partner, Siemens. One of TESI’s first steps was to migrate its existing Siemens S7 code base to the new Totally Integrated Architecture Portal software.

“The TIA Portal brings efficiency and reliability to the project by allowing an integrated work platform to manage the Siemens Safety PLC and Comfort Panel hardware, which make up the heart of the safety rated elevator controller,” says TESI president Todd Grovatt.  “Siemens also brought us the enhanced safety that fail-safe PLCs offer.”

TESI specializes in custom rack-and-pinion elevator systems. An upgraded model, designed with glass and stainless steel, travels from top of the pedestal through the Statue to just under the crown. The elevator is intended for emergency personnel, not public use, giving EMTs, firefighters, and other service personnel access to the Statue when someone in distress needs to be reached.

The custom-designed machine is the only one like it in the world, Grovatt says. It is unique not only because of its location in one of the world’s most popular attractions, but because it also marked TESI’s first application of Siemens TIA Portal.

The system includes the Siemens Fail Safe Safety CPU, various digital inputs and outputs, and the Siemens’ HMI comfort panel, all of which were designed and commissioned using TIA Portal. The project also uses PROFIBUS communication protocols and PROFINET industrial Ethernet.

Safety features include redundant systems that look at all aspects of the operation. That includes car speed, height, E-stop circuitry, and open and closed doors on the landing side and the car side. The safety controllers are inherently redundant. The CPU is always looking at E-stops, making sure there are no wire breaks or shorts, whether they are on or off. That helps keep the elevator safe.

TESI has also developed a patented Hydraulic Rescue Lowering system that is integrated into the safety mechanisms. Should the car lose power or if something goes wrong, a rider can lower the car to the next safe landing so that personnel can get off. “A highly advanced laser positioning system monitors the location of the machine within the hoistway to a very accurate level,” adds Grovatt. “The PLC takes feedback from the system, and using logic we developed, directs the machine to a designated location.”

The Statue of Liberty rescue elevator was also TESI’s first application of Siemens SIMATIC HMI Comfort panels on an elevator. With integrated hardware and software, the SIMATIC HMI panels offer highly readable screens and longer backlight life to reduce TCO and meet complex visualization needs.

TESI wanted something a little more upscale for the touch panels, so designers chose Siemens SIMATIC HMI TP700 Comfort Panel, a full-color system with a lot of bells and whistles. It has a high level of integration, letting users connect all devices easily on one screen via PROFINET or PROFIBUS–or another communication protocol. From the touchscreen user interface, a technician can monitor critical systems, perform diagnostics, and troubleshoot any problems.

Making programming easy with TIA Portal

Programming such a project could be complex and time consuming, but TIA Portal streamlined and simplified it. Grovatt notes that software reuse was critical for the project’s success.

“We took existing TESI code that was known to be good in previous elevators and adapted it to TIA Portal by the migration process and that probably saved a good three to four weeks’ worth of time,” he says.  “The tool makes the entire transition and the programming development task easier to integrate into one overall project with all the safety modules and the safety integration and it allows software developers to take a big picture look at the complete safety system.”

The design tool was essential to the effective completion of the Statue of Liberty project. Features such as the ability to drag-and-drop elements to and from any of the included libraries were very helpful.

“You can drop instructions directly onto the ladder network. The HMI screens are all right there and available for editing. The cross-reference guide encompasses almost any input/output. Just a click or two gets you to the right place. You can organize function blocks more easily; you can add and remove hardware without ever losing your place. That could not be done with earlier software versions,” Grovatt says.

TESI managers say they saved around 30 to 40% in engineering time and another 20% in the debugging phase thanks to the cross-reference features. They saved time by letting developers find problems much faster. In a high-profile build like this, time is a huge factor, Grovatt says.

Simotics motors can also be easily integrated into the engineering framework using Sinamics Startdrive. In addition, optimized safety function views have been integrated to ensure efficient commissioning of safe drive systems.

Efficient drive engineering in TIA Portal is possible thanks to the identical handling of controllers, human-machine interfaces (HMIs) and drives. Sinamics G drives can be configured in the same manner as an existing controller and bus connections can be made via simple drag-and-drop.

It’s possible to re-use existing parameterization in any application. Additionally, since the power module is easily replaced via drag-and-drop menus, engineering can be quickly modified even when power requirements change, saving time in follow-up projects.

The task-based sorting of drive functions reduces start-up time, guiding users directly to functions. As with the Simatic programmable logic controllers (PLCs) in TIA Portal, the Sinamics drive system is also displayed as a station in the project navigator.

The hardware catalog stored in the program can be used to add components, ensuring uniform data storage and consistency.

Communication settings are uniform for every device, avoiding duplicate entries and consistency errors. The package includes the Profidrive drive profile for all industry-based applications, as well as Profisafe for failsafe communication. Sinamics Startdrive permits intuitive and efficient drive diagnostics, as well, while information and status messages are displayed without the need for programming. As part of the uniform display concept, plain text status messages for the drive are available in TIA Portal, the CPU display, the HMI and the web server. Detailed information can be called up in the diagnostic and online editors, which support fast troubleshooting and help to significantly reduce downtimes.

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STERIS Corp. helps keeps drugs safe and compliant with electronic data security rules with simplified PLC configuration and user-friendly interface via WinCC and touch panels.

In pharmaceutical manufacturing, minimizing contamination is of maximum importance. In some drugs, even extremely minor contamination can ruin an entire production run or cause even greater problems if contaminants cause patient reactions in the field.

At STERIS Corp.’s Life Sciences division, employees develop the equipment that helps pharmaceutical manufacturers prevent these sorts of problems. This protective equipment includes steam sterilizers, washers, vaporized hydrogen peroxide systems, distillation systems and steam generators.

In recent years, the FDA’s electronic data security (EDS) regulations have become an important tool for companies striving to comply with FDA requirements. In 2009, many drug makers began looking for capital equipment that includes EDS features which will allow them to comply with audit trail, eSignature, data storage and other data security requirements.

One aspect of the EDS requirements, 21CRF Part 11, had some issues that caused confusion for many companies. STERIS set out to define robust, standard electronic data security options which would address the FDA acceptance criteria for the use of electronic records and electronic signatures so pharmaceutical manufacturers can easily achieve compliance.

STERIS turned to one of its trusted supply partners, Siemens Industrial Automation, to find a solution. Managers from the two companies collaborated during a week-long workshop, studying the relevant details of European and U.S. EDS regulations. Their requirements also included production data and audit trails to track changes, along with extensive password protection features.

The team produced a gap analysis and risk assessments to create functional and technical specifications. After the EDS functionality requirements were defined, both companies began developing hardware and software solutions.

They implemented EDS using functionality built into Siemens’ Simatic WinCC Human Machine Interface (HMI) software. One key benefit is that custom programming effort is minimized or eliminated. This saves time and money during design, manufacture and test while providing standard solutions that are easier to maintain than those with custom code. Additionally, WinCC can run on an operator interface terminal, which costs less than an industrial PC.

Having EDS functionality built in provides many advantages to STERIS and their customers, and this functionality is implemented in two main ways. For customers with their own centralized data archiving and reporting capability, STERIS provides an S7-315 PLC and an HMI MP OIT.

The operator interface panel runs the Siemens WinCC Flex software with audit trail capability including user identification, time and date for initiation of cycle, cycle abort, cycle parameter changes, alarm acknowledgements, unsuccessful login/access attempts, etc. All audit trail information is reviewable from the operator interface panel.

The operator interface panel includes extensive password protection functionality. Features include but not limited to unique access levels, aging, alpha numeric requirements and automatic log-out. E-signature is also provided, typically used for final batch acceptance and other instances where verification is required.

A local memory card installed in the operator interface panel provides temporary storage of audit trail, batch cycle and other data. The panel’s Ethernet port allows export of data from the PLC data registers to the customer’s database system in real time. Batch cycle, audit trail and other data are exported in a user-specified format.

For customers that don’t have a centralized data archiving and reporting capability, STERIS provides a complete EDS solution. The STERIS upgrade solution provides centralized data archiving and reporting capability in a self-contained package. This upgraded solution provides all of the capabilities of the simpler solution described above, plus adds additional capabilities.

The same model Siemens S7-315 is used as with the simpler system, but the operator interface is upgraded to a Siemens industrial-grade SIMATIC Panel PC Touch Panel. As with the simpler system, WinCC Flex software is included.

The main difference is that local data storage is now provided via the PC’s hard drive. Batch reporting is also included, typically in a PDF format. Batch reports may be exported to a customer’s printer, or STERIS can provide an optional printer. As with the simpler system, an Ethernet port provides connection to other computing systems.

In today’s highly regulated life sciences environment, it’s critical to provide required functionality such as EDS, and to document that this functionality complies with all existing codes and regulations.

With Siemens, STERIS was able configure two cost effective EDS Option Packages which give their pharmaceutical customers the ability to comply with EDS regulations while fitting into an overall plant wide compliance strategy.

As compared to other automation systems that require custom programming and additional components—the Siemens EDS solution is much more cost effective, simpler to implement, easier to support, and more widely accepted by STERIS customers,

As with many industries, regulatory compliance requirements in life sciences are sure to become more and more stringent as time progresses. This means that STERIS must offer as much of the required compliance functionality as possible. Siemens enables them to provide this functionality in an optimal manner.

ASM and CTI improve tire testing and optimization system in rubber capital of the world with Siemens’ integrated PC-based real-time controls, networking, drives, interfaces and more.

Most people don’t think about car tires until there’s a problem, but tires are a critical contributor for both safety and comfort. Forming rubber into products that can support more than a ton and absorb shock while rolling down rough highways at high speeds is a very challenging manufacturing task.

In the tire world, Akron, Ohio, is the Rubber Capital of the World. It’s home to CTI and its sister company, Akron Special Machinery (ASM), which are both part of the Poling Group of Companies. The six Poling Group companies share a common goal: helping customers increase machine throughput and optimize product quality.

The latest product designed to boost production and quality is the CX111, a tire uniformity testing machine. Tire manufacturers use uniformity measurements to ensure that tires conform to test conditions used by tire and automobile manufacturers worldwide. These test procedures are quite complex and require a high degree of sophisticated control, data manipulation and reporting.

ASM designs and builds the machines, while CTI designs the electrical and control systems. CTI’s role includes programming, data acquisition system design, system integration, and field service for the ASM machines.

For the CX111, CTI designed a Tire Testing & Optimization Controller (TTOC6). It includes an updated Tire Data Acquisition (TDAQ) system that’s cost effective, versatile, and accurate.

“The controller was designed with several goals in mind: to improve the tire testing machine’s capabilities, increase flexibility, simplify maintenance, and provide an easy-to-use graphical user interface. Additionally, PC-based control was added to meet requirements specified by a large tire company,” says Troy L. Anenson, CTI’s vice president of engineering.

Typically, the CX111 control system uses a data handling industrial PC for test measurements, data acquisition, and web-enabled visualization—and a PLC for real-time control. But for this project, the customer specified PC-based real-time control using Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) solutions from Siemens Industry.

To reach the customer’s goals, CTI worked with Siemens to develop and prove the real-time control system. Siemens provided TIA-based solutions including SIMATIC IPC627C industrial PCs, WinAC RTX F fail-safe PC-based control software, and ET 200S distributed standard and safety I/O. Siemens also supplied direct motor starters and reverse motor starters installed at the ET 200S distributed I/O nodes, reducing the hardwiring typically required in standalone motor starters.

Other Siemens components include managed and unmanaged Ethernet switches, a 19-inch Flat Panel Monitor PRO touch screen HMI, a wireless HMI Mobile Panel running WinCC Flexible HMI software, and SINAMICS S120 drives.

New Control System Drives Tire Testing Performance

For this project, CTI used two industrial PCs to implement the information and control system. The data handling PC (TTOC6) is used for tire test control, data acquisition, and visualization. The real-time control PC is used for machine sequencing and field device control which includes material handling, motion control, and safety machine functions.

CTI chose to implement the Siemens WinAC RTX F fail-safe software controller for PC-based real-time control. This software-based solution is employed because it permits both standard and safety-related control tasks to be performed on one PC. This greatly simplified the control system architecture, while providing flexibility and power not possible within a typical hard-wired safety system.

Regardless of whether customers choose PLC- or PC-based control, CTI uses the data handling PC to perform tasks not related to real-time control and safety. These tasks include high-level mathematical calculations such as Fourier analysis and high-speed data acquisition, tasks better suited to a PC than a PLC.

The data handling PC uses the Linux operating system. A 19-inch touchscreen panel serves as the machine’s main HMI. The HMI runs CTI’s custom software application to provide visualization.

The data handling PC communicates with its connected components via Ethernet through the unmanaged switch, with the exception of the 19-inch touch screen which is directly connected. If so specified, this PC can also communicate with upper level enterprise systems through a managed switch.

Controlling Machine Sequencing

This real-time control PC communicates with the data handling PC through that computer’s unmanaged switch. It communicates with the machine’s field devices using the PROFINET industrial Ethernet protocol through its own unmanaged switch.

Most of the machine’s motors are servos, but standard AC motors run the conveyors. A nice feature about the Siemens motor drives is their ability to control servo motors, or AC motors in V/Hz mode.

“We don’t have to buy different drives for our machines, and our customers can stock the same drive for both purposes,” Anenson says.

The machine’s distributed I/O architecture allows isolation between data and power wiring. Distributed I/O includes photo sensors, pressure sensors, machine access safety gate interlocks, solenoid valves that control the inflation and hydraulic systems, and other devices.

An interlocked safety gate, which is part of the safety I/O, prevents access to the machine during normal operation. The hydraulic servo system maintains control of the separation forces of the tire during testing. When operators require access to the machine for changing to a different size rim, a key switch is used to put the machine and the hydraulic system into safe mode.

When an operator presses the button to request entrance to the rim changing area, the machine is placed into a safe state, and then the gate unlocks to allow entrance. This zone-based safety control reduces changeover time while providing safer conditions.

When the controller was upgraded to expand the tire uniformity testing machine’s capabilities, the requirements of a major customer was satisfied. Although the initial impetus to use the Siemens PC-based control and safety system came from this customer, CTI quickly saw multiple benefits.

Using the distributed I/O over the PROFINET protocol greatly reduced machine wiring, simplifying the design and minimizing wiring-induced noise. Integrated safety moved program safety functionality into software, providing more flexibility hardwired components are eliminated and safety relays create the safety system logic.

Each section of the machine is shipped separately, and it’s no longer necessary to disconnect the I/O because it’s local to each machine section. The PROFINET protocol auto-detects all sections of the machine when reassembled. Integrated PC-based real-time control and safety greatly simplified the overall automation architecture, and significantly lowered commissioning time and effort.

Just as Akron will probably always be known for tire manufacturing, CTI will be known for its state-of-the-art tire uniformity machine controls. Along with our partner Siemens, CTI now delivers a PC-based control and safety system that not only meets all of our customer requirements, but also adds features and benefits.

Europe-wide agreement sees Siemens and Coca-Cola Enterprises (CCE) commence on automation technology standardization strategy.

Coca Cola Enterprises, one of the world’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler and Siemens Industry Automation are embarking on a process of standardization of automation and controls as a result of a partnership agreement signed between the two companies in 2011.

The strategic approach is based on a standardization to support CCE’s drive to increase the production efficiency of its bottling and canning lines; reduce levels of maintenance and training requirement across its production sites; optimize spare part stock and lay the foundations to future proof investment in its production facilities.

Against the background of major sporting events in the UK and the requirement to ramp up production levels at its Sidcup factory in Kent to meet increasing demand, the standardization of Siemens automation controls has been implemented as part of the commissioning of a £14.3 million production line newly up and running for both canned products.

The new KHS canning line with a capacity of 120.000 cph, one of 5 new canning lines supplied by KHS to CCE Europe during the last 3 years, will increase capacity at the Sidcup plant by another 20 million cases per annum which will provide additional capacity not only for the summer showpiece event, but also support future growth by adding overall production capacity for the south east region generally.

Standardization in action

When building a new plant or line or enhancing an existing one, end users will traditionally utilize the services of several OEMs to supply individual machines to add to the line.  Invariably this means a multitude of different control systems, components, software and methods of interfacing to the operator and plant as each task in the production line is dealt with individually.

Taking such an approach can lead to three potential issues for a manufacturer.  Firstly, various control system architectures for machines and interfaces at the plant can lead to lower efficiency, as maintenance staff and operators have to work with and be trained on a range of machines and make sense of a varied list of different component manufacturers with inconsistent interfaces.

Secondly, costs are higher because of a substantial spare parts inventory, as well as the need to increase training of maintenance staff to cope with the diverse range of machines which can fail at any given moment without prior warning.

Finally, by not being able to network the individual components within the machine or network the machines together, manufacturers will never be able to obtain the level of data required in a real time format to monitor machine performance and improve operational efficiency.

Higher line efficiency, reduced training costs and less capital tied-up in stock of varying spare parts, which also reflects the achievement of the new KHS line, can be achieved with numerous other advantages, by applying a Siemens standardization strategy called Optimized Packaging Line (OPL).

Under the master agreement, Siemens and CCE are working to adopt this strategic approach across Europe.  At Sidcup – which has the largest range of packaging types of any CCE plant in the UK, including cans, plastic and glass bottles – the new KHS  turnkey line will initially produce 150ml and 330ml cans with plans to introduce 500ml cans in the future.

Noel Corry for CCE says, “After we analyzed the installed base we came to the conclusion that a standardized approach could help us in many areas such as cost reduction, training and maintenance needs, spare parts and efficiency gains.  Coinciding with the need to increase capacity,  the move to a standardized approach and the implementation of Siemens’ OPL concept will, I believe, deliver real benefit in the future.”

Mat Campbell for Siemens comments, ”OPL and standardization are highly beneficial for production sites as CCE is finding out.  A prime example is the ability to develop a flexible production line more easily.  With all the elements of the line networked together it is much simpler to implement changes and respond to market needs.  Add reduced line downtime as intuitive diagnostics deliver proactive maintenance support to ensure problems can be addressed before they become critical, as well as the time and cost savings inherent as part of a repeated engineering and operating philosophy that mean staff do not have to learn various operating procedures for several machines, and the benefits of such a strategy are clearly evident.

Automation technology can play an important role in providing the level of flexibility of production required in today’s highly competitive marketplace.  Standardized sensors, vision systems, robotics, drives, motion and PLCs, networked both horizontally and vertically, can provide the operating efficiencies and total cost of ownership benefits. These best practice principles enable manufacturers to upscale efficiencies and reduce costs.

With this standardization program, CCE  is ready to capitalize of the benefits of the Siemens OPL agreement across their system.  In line with this is also the close co-operation with CCE’s preferred supplier KHS, who are now also implementing the OPL architecture for all the key machines as standard.

This strategy is already delivering results at Sidcup and soon throughout CCE’s entire supply chain.

Cameras are often used for displaying inaccessible areas of a machine or process, for vision systems, or security.  The ability to stream video on the HMI improves the decision making ability of the user and may also eliminate the need for PC’s or other monitors. Operators can now view live video directly on a screen in the midst of their HMI application, making it easy to utilize the video imagery.

This Siemens  technology has already received plaudits from those who appreciate good designs. The SIMATIC HMI Comfort Panels won the 2012 iF product design award. This award has been one of the most important honors in the field of design since the 1950s.

For more information, click here.