Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Unique below-ground system at Portland Water Bureau utilizes Lucid Energy power generation, Siemens motors and regenerative drives with natural water flow to create energy; will produce 1.1MW of electricity per year, enough to power 150 homes
Recently, the use of regenerative energy has ramped up quickly in American industry due largely to the advancements in drives technology. Through various mechanical components coupled with regenerative drives, energy can be captured or created and used in three ways. Namely, it can be battery-stored for subsequent use, redirected immediately to other electrical power requirements or fed back to the power company in a contract arrangement, all done without loss of host system performance, mechanical component integrity or safety issues.
Typically, regenerative power is produced by, for example, a motor turning during braking or stopping. What if the motor turned as the result of something other than an electrical power supply?
At the City of Portland (Oregon) Water Bureau, they partnered with a local firm, Lucid Energy, who provided a very unique method of power generation. The renewable energy and smart water management solution used is the supplier’s patented LucidPipe™ Power System, which enables industrial, municipal and agricultural water facilities to generate clean, reliable and low-cost energy from gravity-fed water pipeline and stream flow.
The LucidPipe™ Power System uses a unique lift-based, vertical axis spherical turbine technology to smoothly transfer the kinetic energy of the water flow to rotate the motor shaft without impeding the water flow to any great degree. Photo Credit: Sherri Kaven.
For a recent installation under the road at SW 147th Avenue and Powell Boulevard in Portland, Lucid Energy provided their system, which comprises four 42” lift-based turbines spun by the gravity-fed water flow inside the Portland Water Bureau pipeline. These turbines turn four Siemens torque motors as 50kW generators for a 200kW nameplate capacity project. The electricity generated by this system is captured and fed to the Portland General Electric (PGE) grid by four Siemens regenerative drives. In a 20-year power purchase agreement, this project will generate approximately $2 million in renewable energy capacity, to be used for development, installation and operational maintenance costs.
The project investor, Harbourton Alternative Energy, will share the revenue with the City of Portland and Portland Water Bureau to reduce the cost of water operations. Upon completion of the agreement, Portland Water Bureau has the right to purchase the system and the power produced. Since the pipeline is expected to have a lifespan of over 50 years, this project represents a mutually beneficial arrangement for the investor and the city alike.
Known as the Conduit 3 Hydroelectric Project, this system represents the first venture in the U.S. to secure a 20-year Power Purchase Agreement for renewable energy produced by in-pipe hydropower in a municipal water pipeline.
The installation of the system at SW 147th Avenue and Powell in Portland, Oregon. Photo Credit: Sherri Kaven.
“For the execution of this project, we reached out to Siemens, in tandem with their solution partner in our area, Applied Motion Systems, who wrote the software for the regenerative operational protocols, connecting the hardware to the grid,” according to Lucid Energy’s director of operations, Susan Priddy. In addition to the drives and motors on this project, Siemens also provided the motion controller, transformers, circuit breakers and all power supplies. The master control cabinet is installed underground, in close proximity to the pipeline and the four LucidPipe turbines (shown in photo).
Functionally, the water being fed from reservoirs flows downhill to turn the torque motors into generators, which supply power back onto the Siemens Sinamics S120 drive system, which in turn feeds it to the electrical grid of PGE. The electricity is generated by the water flow with no other power source. The pipeline performance is unaffected and there is no environmental impact. The Lucid Energy system has been tested and certified by NSF International to meet the NSF/ANSI Standard 61 for potable water systems. The LucidPipe system extracts very little head pressure, typically 1-5 PSI, so the turbine units can be installed in sequence without disruption of the water flow. The system does not require installation in a pressure-transient zone or where extreme differential pressures are required.
Lucid Energy developed its patented lift-based, vertical axis spherical turbine technology (shown in photo) at the end of the generator’s flange to maximize the use of the water’s gravitational flow to put work back onto the motor. Units can be installed in 24”-96” diameter pipes. For this project, Lucid Energy was able to use standard motor and drive components that would typically require external power supply to control the motion of a machine, as part of its LucidPipe™ power generation system.
Aesthetically, as a collateral benefit, the entire system detailed here is located underground.
The system was final tested in February 2015 and is producing power to full expectations today. Based on subsequent performance metrics analysis, Portland Water Bureau is considering additional installations of the LucidPipe system.
Ryan Misjan and Steve Schoneger from Siemens, plus Susan Priddy from Lucid Energy and Jennifer Allen Newton from Bluehouse Consulting Group contributed to this story.
See the system in action! http://www.lucidenergy.com/how-it-works/
For more information on this story, please contact:
LUCID ENERGY
2420 NE Sandy Boulevard
Suite 203
Portland, OR 97232
Phone: 503-341-0004
www.lucidenergy.com
Attention: Gregg Semler, President & CEO
Or
SIEMENS
Digital Factory
Factory Automation
5300 Triangle Parkway
Norcross, GA 30092
Phone: 770-871-3848
www.usa.siemens.com/drives
Attention: Sandra Tigert
—
How Regenerative Drives Work
Power regeneration is the process of recovering kinetic energy created by a motor turning during stopping or braking or, as in the situation described in this story, by the natural gravitational motion of water flow, and converting that energy to electricity, then feeding it back onto the grid.
Siemens regenerative active infeed drives, as demonstrated in this story, efficiently return the energy created back into the supply system, rather than losing the energy in the form of heat or inertial load losses. The regenerative operation is combined with power quality management, improving the overall operational system efficiency. By virtually eliminating harmonics and optionally providing power factor control to compensate for poor power factor from other loads, active infeed drives provide more stable operation on the load in weak supply systems with voltage and frequency fluctuations and can actually help stabilize the supply system. Motor performance is also improved significantly with active infeed (also called active front end) regenerative drives technology.
Large parts and one-off runs present particular challenges; common CNC platform offers many benefits to busy York, PA shop
Despite the large, heavy workpieces and frequent one-off production, Voith Hydro maintains a steady flow of work for its machining, typically holding +/- 0.002” tolerances on various carbon and stainless steels. Workpieces here often exceed 25’ in diameter.
Voith Hydro in York, Pennsylvania is a major manufacturer of hydroelectric power generation equipment, especially the intricate turbines used in such operations, supplying hydroelectric generating companies and municipalities throughout North America. Over 12,000 units have been commissioned in the field with more than 65,000 MW of installed capacity, plus Voith Hydro has also upgraded over 600 existing power generation units. As a turnkey supplier to the industry, the company manages all phases of power plant projects, from analysis and planning, design and implementation, to commissioning and operation. Voith Hydro is ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Certified.
Milling, line boring and turning operations are performed on large multi-axis machine tools, most equipped with Siemens SINUMERIK 840D CNC onboard to control all axes of motion.
At the York facility, very large multi-axis machining centers produce carbon and stainless steel work pieces, most often in a one-off mode and at sizes frequently exceeding 35’ in diameter. Adam Ward, the manager of maintenance & facilities at Voith Hydro, says the machining done typically holds +/- 0.002” tolerances here, nonetheless. “We do turning, line boring and milling on extremely large and heavy work pieces that often challenge us to design the optimum machining cycle. Our long cycles can frequently result in heat distortion on material surfaces and so we take great care in looking for problems before they occur.”
Voith Hydro maintains an impressive array of machine tools and multi-axis machining centers here. Despite a variety of builder brands, the majority of the machines have one common component, namely, the Siemens SINUMERIK 840D CNC onboard.
Remote condition monitoring is performed between Voith Hydro and many of its machine tool builders to troubleshoot and resolve issues in real time, using the CNC on the machine.
As Ward notes, “Our operators are quite comfortable with the CNC from Siemens and they use it for all motion control, plus the operator interface has the ability to afford us great troubleshooting capability and something else we value greatly, the commonality of the HMI on the control. That fact allows us to do a great deal of cross-training and that’s very important to us. We need to be highly flexible, given the one-off nature of our work here.” Most of the operators at Voith Hydro are capable of running multiple machines, while the maintenance personnel on his team can more easily service the machining equipment in the facility, adds Ward. He credits his machine builders and the Siemens team led by Howard Weinstein and Robert Stiefel for this ongoing flexibility.
Part designs are run through the company’s CAM system and simulated offline to preserve machine uptime.
Voith typically takes a customer design, runs it through their CAM system and simulates the cycle offline, in order to preserve valuable machine uptime. Since the work here involves highly complex geometries on the turbine sections, the simulation must be equally complex and account for all machine motions and collision avoidance. Once the program is finally determined for a part, it is fed over the Voith Hydro network to the appropriate machine tool or machining center for scheduling and production startup.
During production, a system of real-time remote condition monitoring is available through the CNC for troubleshooting by both the Voith Hydro maintenance personnel and, when required, machine builder personnel, working offsite.
Large Ingersoll milling machine was retrofit recently, with all new Siemens CNC, motors, drives and other hardware.
Ward cites one example where an Ingersoll milling machine was completely retrofitted both mechanically and electrically by a Siemens Solution Partner, with a new CNC, motors, drives, encoders, other hardware and software. “Working with the builder and Siemens support personnel, we were able to resolve issues and implement changes to the programming, right on the CNC of the machine…and all done remotely, in a very short time period.”
Voith Hydro in York, PA produces a wide variety of power generation components for various machine builders and municipalities across America.
Voith Hydro boasts machining capabilities on workpieces over 42’ diameter and 350 tons at the York facility. Surface finishes are typically 250 and 125 Ra, though occasionally 64 or 32 Ra is required. The finishes are achieved through both machining and secondary finishing operations, according to company sources.
Adam Ward further notes that, on most new machines required at Voith Hydro, “The cross-training capability of the CNC, the standardization of the HMI on various types of machines, the support provided and the previous successes our operators and maintenance personnel have realized, all combine to make specifying Siemens as our control of choice an easy decision.”
Howard Weinstein, business development manager for the power industry manufacturing sector at Siemens, comments on the relationship with Voith, “We’re a proud partner to Voith Hydro in York, Pennsylvania. Their facility is a great showcase for our flagship CNC, the SINUMERIK 840D, as used on an array of multi-axis machining centers to produce large, complex geometry parts for the hydroelectric power industry.”
For more information on this story, please contact:
SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
DRIVE TECHNOLOGIES – MOTION CONTROL (MACHINE TOOL BUSINESS)
390 Kent Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: 847-640-1595
Fax: 847-437-0784
Web: www.usa.siemens.com/cnc
Email: SiemensMTBUMarCom.sea@siemens.com
Attention: John Meyer, Manager, Marketing Communication
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
Others involved in this story may also be contacted:
Voith Hydro
760 East Berlin Road
York, PA 17408-8701
Phone: 717-792-7512
Web: www.voith.com
Email: adam.ward@voith.com
Adam Ward, Manager of Maintenance & Facilities
AIT uses Siemens highly integrated solutions platform, with SIMATIC Safety PLC, Sinamics drives and Simotion motion control over the PROFINET network, to go above & beyond to improve performance & productivity for Boeing’s Dreamliner fuselage assembly process
Advanced Integration Technology (AIT) is a 20-year-old supplier of turnkey industrial automation systems for the aerospace industry. The company’s strength centers on the design and build of complex, fully integrated manufacturing, tooling and assembly systems for commercial and military aircraft, produced by the world’s leading suppliers, including Boeing, Bombardier, EADS, British Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Spirit AeroSystems, Vought and others. Its reputation as an established partner to these companies is well known, despite its relative corporate youth. AIT operates six locations in the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Spain to serve its growing customer base.
All actions in each section are controlled and monitored by Siemens SIMOTION motion controllers, SINAMICS drives, failsafe CPU, safety devices and distributed I/O, working either independently or in concert, as the production requires
On a recent project involving production of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, AIT designed and built all final body assembly systems needed to join the major fuselage components, plus a moving production line. Key elements in this design included the motion control system, servo drive platforms, failsafe CPUs and all distributed I/O, with the entire system communicating over a Profinet network. In addition, the integration of comprehensive safety technology was incorporated into the standard automation on these systems.
As a prime contractor on the 787, AIT had responsibility for the final assembly and body join functions, charged with delivering a fully automated positioning and joining system. In the end, two complete assembly systems and one positioning system were provided. The three main sections of the fuselage are joined, with 14 positioners mounted to transport structures that move either independently or interlocked and indexed to the factory floor for stability. Real-time positioning measurement data are logged with an integrated indoor GPS. AIT designed the alignment and positioning systems to allow rolling them under the aircraft dollies after the sections were brought into the Boeing factory, radically reducing auxiliary equipment needs, materials handling requirements and additional positioning steps in the overall process.
Onsite at Boeing, the 14 positioning system components were moved into their respective locations near the cradle dollies and engaged to lift and move the aircraft sections. Once the system was rigidly joined, a measurement system onboard located the airplane sections. This information was fed to the AIT system’s software application. From those data points, the system could then calculate how much each section (nose, tail, left and right wings) needed to move to ensure an exact fit to the adjoining section. This precise alignment ensured a smooth and more rapid build of each aircraft’s fuselage.
In commenting on the particulars of this system’s requirements for his company, Ed Chalupa, president of AIT, explains, “We looked for a supplier with an off-the-shelf selection of automation and motion control solutions, who could offer us global support. Our goal here was to align ourselves with a leading automation technology supplier and to utilize all current software, integrated safety and control technology advancements. Both Boeing and AIT were keenly sensitive to lifecycle security issues in this critical area of the project.” He further noted that it was vital the chosen supplier be able to provide comprehensive application engineering support, training on both the products and software, plus prototype and demo equipment for AIT’s use with its customer and internally, with ongoing technical support agreements, covering both the products and software updates.
After an extensive review of several global contenders, the selection was made for Siemens control system components.
Click to view -> schematic shows the independent but interconnected nature of the control platforms for each section. The Siemens SCALANCE wireless technology is used for system switching.
Section 47 (aft fuselage) of 787 in AITs FBJ
The basic scheme of the motion control system implemented here comprises a Simotion D motion controller, Siemens HMI on a Windows-based PC, a SIMATIC S7 Safety PLC and fail-safe/standard I/O modules, all running on a Profinet network. This basic architecture was then multiplied by the number of control nodes for each specific operational system in the overall production line being designed by AIT. Each unit is capable of working independently of the others in the line. Or, with the addition of relatively few Profinet cables and mode selctions on each unit, the final body join assembly tool is able to run as a single entity. When running together in this latter configuration, the safety devices are likewise working coherently, providing proper response levels to all E-stop events on the line. Each unit motion controller receives commands to perform uniform group movements with the tool as a whole via network communications from the HMI.
Specifically, the Siemens Simotion D motion controller used here controls all axis movements to accurately position and align parts. Because AIT delivers a turnkey and dedicated system, customers have no need for further internal customization of the controller hardware or HMI panels.
Position 2 full FBJ tool
AIT designed the overall layout of the control architecture, programmed the Simotion system with the Simatic S7 PLC, distributed I/O and integrated safety, plus provided support on the Boeing internal structure and lifecycle support requirements.
The integrated safety concept on this overall system was based upon three core principles: increasingly layered safety architectures, greater degrees of integration between the control and safety systems, plus more use of networking, especially Industrial Ethernet and currently available motion technologies.
In operational sequence, these safety principles manifest themselves in the form of physical barriers and mechanical means such as walls, gates, door interlocks and light curtains, all designed to separate personnel from danger. Meanwhile, the control systems, including programmable safety relays and safety PLCs, monitor operating conditions within established parameters. Finally, safety shutdown systems such as automatic shutdown via safety PLC or manual shutdown via E-stops, offer the final protections.
FBJ showing wing trivet for wing join
Siemens engineered a safety protocol that simplified the complexity often encountered in the integration of control and safety systems. This was achieved by reducing the issues related to different programming languages and procedures, installation and configuration requirements, maintenance procedures and human error factors. The result for AIT and its customer Boeing was lower total cost of ownership (TCO), owing to the substantial reduction in engineering, hardware, training and spare parts needed.
With integrated safety and control, the project has a single system for standard and safe automation, with one bus and one engineering system for both standard and safety technology, which further reduces cost. As a collateral benefit, the software solutions allow easier replication of series machines. Likewise, faster troubleshooting and extensive diagnostics onboard reduce downtimes on the floor, with faster restart after issue resolution. Functionally, too, this safety integration in the control system allows uniform user interfaces and data libraries, plus a reduction in the variety of control cabinets needed for the various applications.
PROFIsafe®, the first communication safety-profile meeting the IEC 61508 safety requirements, is the backbone of all fail-safe communication. PROFIsafe® facilitates the transmission of both standard and safety-related data on a single bus cable, using either Ethernet or fieldbus protocol. With advanced PLC and Industrial Ethernet networking technologies combined, the system safety for AIT and its customer became a production asset that protects the workers from harm and also ensures maximum availability and uptime. Reductions in initial capital expense and field operating expense were also realized.
Final assembly of first 787
According to AIT engineering, SIMATIC Safety PLC brought the highest possible integration of safety and ease of designing a complex system into the automation scenario for this project.
In the field, the final assembly and body join automated assembly systems, plus positioning system provided to Boeing, are utilized to join Section 41 (forward fuselage), Sections 47/48 (aft fuselage) and Section 12 (left and right side wings) to the mid-fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Two major sub-assemblies, namely the forward/aft body positioners and left/right wing positioners, are further split for transport into left- and right-hand minor sub-assemblies.
Motion Control, advanced PLC systems and industrial Ethernet networking technologies have enabled machine safety to become a production asset that not only protects workers from harm but also ensures maximum availability and uptime.
Machine Safety gives a competitive edge that goes to producers with highly integrated operations that are faster, more flexible and more responsive to changing market demands and opportunities, as AIT has shown in Boeing’s Dreamliner fuselage assembly process.
AIT designs and manufactures custom tooling and assembly equipment used to fabricate and assemble major commercial and military aircraft. As part of its total value proposition, AIT houses over 600,000 square feet for engineering, precision metal fabrication, machining and assembly of its production systems. The company’s equipment is typically used for assembly as well as machining of all the current aircraft structure materials, including aluminum, aluminum alloys, titanium, carbon fiber, Invar and many specialty alloys and composite substrates.
For further information on this story, please contact:
ADVANCED INTEGRATION TECHNOLOGY (AIT)
2805 E. Plano Pkwy.
Suite 100
Plano, TX 75074
Phone: 972-423-8354
Fax: 972-423-8469
Web: www.aint.com
Email: ait@aint.com
Attention: Ed Chalupa, President or Susan Hardaway, Marketing Mgr.
OR
SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
MOTION CONTROL
PRODUCTION MACHINE BUSINESS
390 Kent Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: 847-640-1595
Fax: 847-437-0784
Web: www.usa.siemens.com/simotion
Email: SiemensMTBUMarCom.sea@siemens.com
Attention: John Meyer, Manager, Marketing Communications
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/siemens.dt.us or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_dt_us
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
If you missed IMTS 2014, here’s what attendees saw at Siemens booth E-5010:
For more information: http://www.industry.usa.siemens.com/drives/us/en/events/imts-show/pages/imts-show.aspx
For additional photos of the event: http://ow.ly/BH12k
Download the Siemens Customer Booklet: IMTS 2014 Siemens Customer Booklet
Please forward all inquiries to:
SIEMENS INDUSTRY, INC.
DRIVE TECHNOLOGIES
MOTION CONTROL
MACHINE TOOL BUSINESS
390 Kent Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
Phone: 847-640-1595
Fax: 847-437-0784
Web: www.usa.siemens.com/cnc
Email: SiemensMTBUMarCom.sea@siemens.com
Attention: John Meyer, Manager, Marketing Communication
Follow us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SiemensCNC or Twitter: www.twitter.com/siemens_cnc_us.
–
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue reading
The new Sinamics S120M distributed servo drive system enables decentralized configuration of the drive and integration of the inverter power unit directly onto the driven axis of the motor. Less cabinet space, less cooling energy and shorter cable runs result for the machine builder or production line end-user.
Expanding on its popular Sinamics S120 multi-axis drive system, Siemens introduces the new Sinamics S120M, a compact, ready-to-connect motor with integrated drive that offers users the option of moving the motor inverter outside the control cabinet and directly onto the motor, thereby reducing both cabinet space and required cooling.
The addition of the Sinamics S120M distributed format into the S120 offering adds a high degree of flexibility for new and existing machines, as well as introducing innovative production line setups that can now be achieved.
Typical applications for the Sinamics S120M include packaging, printing, glass, textile and other processes, where machinery and production lines require multiple servo axes in a space-restricted environment.
The decentralized S120M axes are connected back to the central S120 components in the cabinet via a hybrid cable and the AM600 adapter module. The pre-assembled hybrid cable contains all encoder and power cables and serves multiple S120M axes through a daisy chain connection. This single-cable solution drastically reduces the number and length of cables and is easily expanded for additional axes.
As a fully integrated format of the Sinamics S120 drive system, all existing Safety Integrated functions and communication options are available, and the benefits of power sharing between axes across the DC bus are completely realized. Additional design features of the S120M include a synchronous servomotor with multi-turn absolute encoder, optional holding brake and an integrated power unit (motor module) available in three shaft heights covering the power range of 0.25–1.5 kW.
For more information about the new Sinamics S120M distributed servo drive system, please visit: www.usa.siemens.com/S120M-PR.
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Continue reading
A new line of PM240-2 power modules is now available from Siemens, extending the use of the popular Sinamics G120 drives family. A significant change is the addition of 230V single- and three-phase line supply units featuring quick-connect pull-off terminals on the motor, line supply and braking resistor connections allowing the new PM240-2 to offer an even more simplified installation and maintenance. In addition, these new power modules can be mounted side-by-side without derating.
PM240-2 power modules are now available from Siemens for use with Sinamics G120 drives. Various mounting, frame and power rating sizes now offered from stock.
All versions of the new PM240-2 power modules are rated IP20. However, an optional push-through version is available allowing the heat sink to extend out the backside of the cabinet. The seal for the push-through heat-sink will maintain and enclosure rating of IP55 (NEMA 12). As a result, the new PM240-2 power modules will reduce the overall required cabinet size and cabinet cooling requirements.
Among the unique, new features of the PM240-2 power modules is the variable speed cooling fan, controllable to run based upon actual conditions vs. simple on / off operation, thereby reducing both the noise generated and the power required when
in use.
The PM240-2 power modules are suitable for use with general-purpose and servo-drive styles. Options on these PM240-2 power modules include braking resistors, input reactors and output reactors.
For more information about this new line of power modules, please visit: www.usa.siemens.com/sinamics-g120.
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Continue reading
Siemens brings a full complement of solutions and services with its value proposition to the North American conveyor sector of the material handling industry
Siemens is offering conveyor technology for material handling, to all builder, system integrator and end-users of both discrete and process manufacturing markets. An integrated drive system with Siemens motion control and drives products, along with communication protocols, is available. It spans the range of drives, motors, gear motors and automation technology, plus machine safety, power supply and circuit protection.
As a longtime supplier to the global conveyor and material handling industry, Siemens brings this offering to the North American market with the full support of its global network of engineering, sales, service and technical support.
Advantages for machine builders
Siemens brings a flexible and field-tested portfolio of products and software services to the builders of material handling equipment in all industries. Free design tools allow a more efficient process in customer design, configuration and product selection, plus communication and energy calculation.
When a large or multi-unit system is needed, the advantages of Siemens distributed control and common DC bus afford many with an economical solution to material handling. This translates to a lower installation and commissioning cost.
Through the OEM Partner Program, machine and equipment builders benefit from the global experience of Siemens. Machine conversion services, design tool-kits, global coordination for companies seeking more international business including full standards compliance, co-marketing opportunities and assistance in emerging markets are among the many services provided by the global team of Siemens.
Advantages for system integrators and end-users
Whether a greenfield project or brownfield expansion of an existing material handling machine or full production line, Siemens integrated drive systems bring a full portfolio of products and automation solutions to the task. In the field, fast commissioning is provided by a team of qualified personnel, resulting in quicker start-up and less downtime.
The preventive maintenance and remote diagnostics software combine to keep equipment running more productively. The recent expansion of our popular drives platform to include PROFINET, PROFIBUS, EtherNet / IP and AS-interface allow Siemens drives to communicate with other brands of existing products or new components on the customer’s line, resulting in cost savings and greater efficiencies.
Siemens can satisfy an array of typical material handling scenarios, as it supplies a full range of products and services to create the ideal solution for the customer.
Siemens products for material handling applications include:
Gear motors
Recently established in Greenville, S.C. to better serve the North American market, the Simogear gear motor facility assembles energy-efficient gear motor units commonly found in material handling. Simogear can be combined with Sinamics drives to suit a broad range of applications — from the low-speed uses (0.1–1000 rpm) to the most challenging, high-torque demands.
Siemens is in the forefront of the evolution from worm to helical bevel gear motor utilization in the material handling world, as this technology means less motor power is needed to produce the same output torque and speed. This translates to smaller units with higher efficiency and overall lower cost.
Drives
The complete family of Siemens Sinamics drives means a single source for a broad assortment of product solutions, globally recognized and capable of controlling virtually every application in material handling, from basic roller tracks to multi-axis, high-bay racking units, all with high-dynamic performance.
Central and decentralized drives are highlighted by the Sinamics V20, G120C and G120D. All are space-saving and offer a variety of communication, programming and control capabilities. In addition, the decentralized Sinamics G120D can be machine-mounted and is suitable for tough environments.
Controllers, I/O and Software
Simatic S7 PLCs offer both PAC and PLC reliability in their performance with modular and PC-based options.
Distributed I/O from Siemens is useful in all conveyor, sorting and assembly operations, plus is offered in space-saving compact or modular form factors.
Simatic software includes operator control and monitoring systems with a single software environment for every automation task. Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) means over 100,000 Siemens products share a core intelligence.
Additional products available in the Siemens suite include RFID code systems, industrial PC’s, various HMI options for panel mount and portable use, full wireless automation and motion control communications hardware, safety devices and power management switchgear, measuring and monitoring.
For more information, videos and to download the relevant brochure, please visit: www.usa.siemens.com/conveyor-pr
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Continue reading
When implementing mechanical and hydraulic presses and handling equipment, for instance in the automotive industry, a predominantly modular design ensures the highest degree of flexibility and shortest engineering and installation times for customized systems. The Metal Forming Solution Package provides all of the functions required to automate press systems, therefore supporting press manufacturers when quickly implementing their specific press concepts.
View the Metal Forming Solution Package Brochure and visit Siemens at Fabtech, Booth S-4686!
Additional information can be found on the Siemens US metalforming website.
See below for customer reference videos:
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue readingCauses, effects and control
This whitepaper covers definitions, harmonic generation, effects of harmonics and control of harmonics. It also addresses general awareness of power system harmonics, their causes, effects and methods to control them especially when these harmonics are related to variable frequency (or adjustable speed) drives.
—
For more information, please visit www.usa.siemens.com/motioncontrol
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
—
Siemens Industry Sector is the world’s leading supplier of innovative and environmentally friendly products, solutions and services for industrial customers. With end-to-end automation technology and industrial software, solid vertical-market expertise, and technology-based services, the sector enhances its customers’ productivity, efficiency and flexibility. With a global workforce of more than 100,000 employees, the Industry Sector comprises the Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services Divisions as well as the Metals Technologies Business Unit. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/industry.
The Siemens Drive Technologies Division is the world’s leading supplier of products, systems, applications, solutions and services for the entire drive train, with electrical and mechanical components. Drive Technologies serves all vertical markets in the production and process industries as well as the infrastructure/energy segment. With its products and solutions, the division enables its customers to achieve productivity, energy efficiency and reliability. For more information, visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/drivetechnologies.
Continue readingNew CU250S-2 control unit now in stock; supplements existing Siemens G120 drive with universal vector control and encoder feedback
Siemens Industry, Inc. announced today the availability of the new Sinamics CU250S-2 control unit for use with its popular Sinamics G120 variable speed drives. The unit provides vector control with encoder feedback. Additionally, the operation of single-axis applications with exact speed and torque control on induction motors, as well as positioning tasks with high demand on I/O, are supported, with different encoder interfaces provided on the module. These new units complete the G120 product portfolio and replace the CU240S with encoder interface.
Typical applications for these new control units include single drives with a large number of I/O or those with high speed control requirements, including extruders, centrifuges, wire-drawing machines, basic fabric webs, conveyors, lifters and others in markets ranging from automotive assembly, textiles, printing and chemical processing to nearly all conveyors and material handling.
The new Sinamics CU250S-2 control units can be combined with existing power modules to support all G120 drive applications, with or without encoder evaluation, for demanding applications requiring speed feedback. Additionally, STO (Safe Torque Off), SBC (Safe Brake Control) and SS1 (Safe Stop 1) features are all integrated, enabling their application on basic safety requirements. With the purchase of an optional software license, extended safety functions can be obtained, along with software for a single positioning function (EPos).
Comprehensive communications interfaces for general machine building are provided on this new Sinamics control from Siemens, including Profibus DP, Profinet (Ethernet I/P), RS485 (USS protocol, Modbus RTU) and CANopen, allowing convenient connection to other Siemens systems as well as external automation systems. No external gateway is needed.
Other features include an integrated USB port, so users can simply go online to facilitate engineering set-up and maintenance, plus an integrated slot for an SD card to allow simple cloning and firmware updates or upgrades.
For more information about this line of Sinamics control units, please visit: www.usa.siemens.com/sinamics
For specific product information and inquiries, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
Continue reading