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SPS IPC Drives 2015 exclusive show report

03 January, 2016
low-power applications.

SOFTWARE

Beckhoff has developed a tool for recording and analysing process and production data. The TwinCat analytics tool stores the data in a cycle-synchronous manner using a standard data format, either locally in a controller, or in a private or public cloud. The data provides a complete time-based image of production, which can help when errors occur and allows condition analysis of the machinery. The data can be analysed online or offline and machine cycles examined for minimum, maximum and average values of cycle times.

Beckhoff is also offering a “fast, standardised route into the cloud” with its new TwinCat IoT software which supports standardised protocols for cloud communications and for send push notifications to smart devices. The software allows the cloud to be used for tasks such as pattern recognition, and condition or power monitoring.

At SPS, Copa-Data revealed a development that integrates its zenon software with the Microsoft Azure cloud platform and thus provides data from different production sites in one system, in real time. This will allow companies to compare and correlate data and display it as dashboards. They can also use zenon for company-wide optimisation and for activities such as energy management.

Lenze announced a module for its Fast application software that, it claims, will make it as easy to configure pick-and-place robotics systems as a single positioning axis. Lenze says that module is so easy to use that PLC-controlled gantries can be replaced by sequential motion commands. It adds that the module (below) can also reduce mechanical wear (compared to point-to-point positioning) and allow the use of smaller drives, operate faster, and save energy. It can also integrate with other drives such as conveyors.

Using Rexroth’s Open Core Interface for Drives, OEMs can now program application programs for its Indradrive servodrives using high-level IT languages and can also store them on external devices with the Linux operating system. In addition to the previously supported operating systems (Windows, iOS, Android and Windows Phone) users can now run control programs on Linux, cutting system costs and exploiting the benefits of the open-source operating system.

Rexroth’s Open Core engineering framework also now supports the simple-to-use Lua script language, which can be used to control robots or program axial movements. End-users can optimise machine programs without having to write a line of PLC code.

Rittal has produced an iPhone app that calculates cooling outputs for chiller installations. In four interactive steps, the Chiller app helps users to pick the ideal chiller for an application, with an output from 1–40kW.

Siemens has added new functions to version 9.0 of its Simatic Process Device Manager (PDM) to help to commission and maintain field devices. PDM is a manufacturer-independent tool for configuring, assigning parameters, commissioning, diagnosing and maintaining smart field devices using any communications standard.

Wago announced the second release of its e!Cockpit engineering software which it launched in 2015 and which supports the entire development process of Wago’s automation components.  The new release of the Codesys-3-based software adds more support for more components.

Yaskawa has added support for Powerlink to its DX200 robot control software, allowing its Motoman robots to be integrated more easily with automation systems from B&R and other manufacturers that use Powerlink. The robots can be programmed in an IEC 61131 environment and integrated with a Powerlink system. It is claimed that this will cut commissioning times and result in higher levels of synchronisation.

The next SPS IPC Drives show will take place from 22–24 November, 2016, in Nuremberg, Germany.




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