Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Contact us today:
(847) 934-4500
tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
Mark Cunningham operates a Gleason gear shaper with Siemens CNC onboard. “It’s very user friendly,” he says.
Using CNC technology on advanced machine tools helps company sell its products worldwide
Roscoe, Illinois is home to many more gear companies than your average town of 10,000 people, but the reason is obvious. During the peak of the machine tool boom in nearby Rockford, it was critical to have these important components made locally. Over the years, that market has changed and so have the gear companies here, each taking its expertise in other directions to offset the decline in local machine tool building.
Forest City Gear Inc. took a different track to remain competitive globally. As Fred Young, CEO of the company, which was founded in 1955 explains, “We decided long ago to do two things. First, to make the very best fine and medium coarse pitch gears in the world, and to do so by using the best machines, people and quality assessment practices possible. Second and just as important, we became committed to reinvesting our company’s profits in newer and better machinery, based on the global standards and the ongoing technical advancements made by machine tool builders around the world.”
Kevin Chatfield has worked on CNC machines for 20 years. Here, he uses a Samputensili gear grinder for internal, external and form grinding. “No other CNC can do all the work the Siemens does.”
This precision gear and spline maker performs nearly every aspect of production in-house, including blanking, turning, hobbing, shaping, milling, gear grinding with form wheels and generating grinding, thread grinding, broaching, honing, straightening, laser marking, magnetic particle inspection, metal-etching, CMM, hardness testing and final surface inspection. Forest City Gear continues to subcontract heat treating and plating. The blanking department, though relatively new, has been expanded several times to keep pace with increasing production. The company boasts nearly every leading brand of gearmaking machine tool on the world market, because, as Young puts it, “We really do put our money where our mouth is, to use that old expression. In a typical year, we invest between 25 and 40 percent of our gross sales back into better gear machines and metrology.”
Brian Turnbull runs various machine tools, including a Hoefler gear grinder, and notes, “The CNC is easy-to-use, very easy to layout and gives me no problems navigating.”
Among the most advanced gearmaking machines in this shop are four Gleason shapers, two Samputensili grinders (form and generating style) plus a Hoefler gear grinder. All these machines have something in common.
At the heart of any machine tool, of course, is the CNC that drives it, controls the motion, detects and integrates all the cutting parameters, feeding back that information to the computer logic of the control to ensure the part being made is as close as possible to the programmed specifications. Meanwhile, the ergonomic or operator-to-machine interaction must always be considered, because a control that’s too difficult to learn and use will result in substantial and costly delays in production. While Forest City Gear has the classic mix of longtime and newer employees, who all bring a variety of computer knowledge and machining skills to the job, this company has consistently sought the most advanced equipment on the market, as part of its “Excellence Without Exception” motto and its practical desire to stay ahead of the competition in the global gear market.
Forest City Gear is among the world leaders in fine and medium pitch gears, selling high-precision applications in medical, aerospace, defense, avionics, instrumentation and performance racing markets.
The control on these machines at Forest City Gear is the Sinumerik 840D from Siemens with specialized gear software. As Young explains, “The extensive gear software developments available are quite remarkable. Most have been a cooperative venture between a machine builder, the CNC builder and folks like us. The result has been software that’s specific to hobbing, shaping, gear grinding and thread grinding.” He also notes features of the Siemens CNC that have yielded positive impacts on the production at Forest City Gear, including “…sophisticated executive software for all machine movements and the fast program reading that allow us to cut and grind much faster, with more options such as reverse direction, segment cutting and combined operations, when compared to other controls we see.”
Company CEO Fred Young notes, “Most of the best gearmaking machines in the world use Siemens CNC and I’ve seen a lot of them, in my time.” He adds the controls have great flexibility, more motion precision and greater diagnostic capabilities than competitive brands he’s used at his company.
Typically, the CNC is used for all axis, rotary and spindle movements and the machine operators particularly appreciate the multiple standard cycles for cutting with degressive feeds, increasing speeds plus special cycles for gear tooth removal and reversing directions to improve finish or reduce cutter wear.
Forest City Gear cuts a wide variety of standard and exotic materials in the production of its gears and splines. These include titanium, Inconel, 4340, 300M, Vascomax 250 and 300, Nitralloy 135M, 9310, 4150, 4140, 8620, aluminum bronze, 13-8, 15-5, 17-4, 316 and 440 stainless, Hastelloy, Ferrium and numerous thermoplastics. The shop can carbide rehob to 60-62 RC and gear grind at all hardnesses.
Kevin Chatfield, a longtime Forest City Gear employee with 20 years’ CNC machine experience, works with the Samputensili grinders and says, “I’ve used all the brands of controls we have here… and for many jobs, no other control can do what the Siemens 840D can do. One example would be the internal, external and form-grinding I do on the Samputensili machine. If the other controls could perform these operations at all, which is doubtful, it would be a very slow process.”
Mark Cunningham, a 12-year veteran of CNC, runs the Gleason machines and notes the controls are very user-friendly. “The screens are easy-to-program and modify, then you get a clear picture of what’s happening at every step in the cycle. The precision is so good, we sometimes need to ‘lie” to the program to get what we want from the machine.”
Brian Turnbull, a newcomer to Forest City Gear, but a longtime machinist, had worked with a competing brand to Siemens CNC and was initially hesitant. “Then, as soon as I saw the easy layout, plus how quickly it could be set-up and go into action, with no trouble navigating at all, I was convinced Siemens was simply a better control.”
Young notes one last point about the CNCs on these machines. “These machine tools produce our most complex parts, including helical splines and internal gears most other shops simply cannot or will not make. The cycle and program read times on the Siemens controls are critical to our production work, plus these are the most expensive machines in the shop, so their run-time cost is the highest.” He adds, “Most of our jobs, though not all, here are short runs on very expensive materials. If the machine takes too long to complete the first part or has repeat rejects, we lose money — it’s that simple. I’m proud to say that neither our operators nor our production supervisors allow that to happen. And the controls on the machines are a big reason why we stay so successful in achieving that accuracy and consistently good part production at Forest City Gear.”
The company has remained among the leaders in the market for high-precision gears, owing to this strategy of buying the best machines, hiring the best gearmakers available and verifying the output of this 100-person shop by using the power of the industry’s leading quality lab, which occupies a cleanroom-level environment in the middle of the factory. As Young explains, “We do checking of our gears and splines at various test stations located throughout the shop, but the final proof resides in our quality lab. Our equipment is so sophisticated, even our competitors often bring us their work to have it checked. It’s one of the things that’s led to our current customer base of about 400 companies, about twenty percent of whom are other gear companies or gear producers themselves.”
For more information on this story, please contact:
FOREST CITY GEAR CO., INC.
Fred Young
CEO
11715 Main Street Roscoe, IL 61073
Toll-Free: 866-623-2168
Phone: 815-623-2168
Fax: 815-623-6620
Web: www.forestcitygear.com
Email: sales@forestcitygear.com
OR
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
ATLANTA — Siemens Industry, Inc. announced today a value-added service for its popular line of 1FK7 servomotors. Using a configurable options menu to build exactly the motor required, customers can now place an order for any Siemens 1FK7 servomotor and have it drop-shipped in three weeks. Thanks to the diverse range of options available, this new service applies to over 100,000 possible configurations. All compact (CT) and high-dynamic (HD) servomotors in the 1FK7 family are included.
With a total of 6150 option pairings and 18 color choices, servomotors in the 1FK7 family can be configured to 110,700 possible designs. Options include stall torque and RPM rating, encoder style and bit resolution, holding brake functionality, shaft style, IP rating, AC line supply voltage and electronic nameplate recognition via Drive-Cliq®. 1FK7 geared motor options are not included in this program presently.
Siemens is now making this service available to customers in the U.S. market. With the motion controller Simotion® and the drive system Sinamics® S stocked in the United States, Siemens is also able to supply complete motion control systems in three weeks’ lead time.
According to Arun Jain, general manager, Siemens Motion Control Business, “We have made the commitment to significantly shorten servomotor delivery times. The 1FK7 family has a wide user base for motion control applications, so we have selected this very important line for our major customer service initiative. We have devised and implemented an entirely new protocol for motor manufacturing and production at our factories.”
For more information, 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.
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CHICAGO, April 5, 2011 — At this year’s AERODEF show in Anaheim, California, Siemens will demonstrate new solutions and services for machine tool end-users and manufacturers. Under the theme, “Productivity in motion,” the presentation will focus on turnkey solutions for the aerospace manufacturing industry.
For machine tool end-users and OEMs, Siemens will exhibit new value-added services ranging from condition monitoring and manufacturing IT to innovative solutions for CNC training and machine tool retrofit, as well as the newest innovations in CNC (computer numerical control), motor and drive technology.
SOLUTIONS FOR MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE
Condition Monitoring and Manufacturing IT are two value-added services that are continuing their introduction to the U.S. machine tool market.
Condition Monitoring is an internet-based service from Siemens that supports maintenance processes while simultaneously forming a platform for cross-company service and support between OEMs and machine operators. Services can be configured over secure Internet connections from anywhere in the world via a standard PC, an internet connection and a web browser.
Manufacturing IT solutions from Siemens provide software tools for fast, easy integration of machines in a production network, while ensuring that production planning, scheduling and execution
is always problem-free and based on the very latest data.
An entire line of powerful software modules for production machines ensures optimum integration of the machines in the IT-environment and supports a wide range of different functionalities including:
SOLUTIONS FOR AEROSPACE
For the aerospace market, the new Sinumerik 840D solution line is the latest in CNC technology that increases performance and user productivity. The Sinumerik 840D sl is a universal and flexible CNC system featuring the innovative Sinamics S120 drives that can be used for up to 31 axes. It is a distributed, scalable, open and inter-connecting system offering a wide range of specialized functions for milling, drilling, turning, grinding and handling technologies.
The Sinumerik 840D offers users innovative features that increase productivity on the manufacturing floor, especially the challenging segments of high-speed and five-axis aerospace machining.
SOLUTIONS FOR THE JOB SHOP
For the job shop, the new Sinumerik 828D numerical control will be presented. Perfect for
mid-range machine tools, the Sinumerik 828D is designed to address the needs of complex milling and turning machines in the job shop segment. It combines CNC, PLC, operator panel and axis control for six CNC measurement circuits in a single, robust operator panel.
The Sinumerik 828D is capable of full graphical, high-level language command and supports ISO programming that is customary in the United States. Programming time can be further reduced for small-batch production with the use of the ShopMill and ShopTurn graphical workstep programming system, while high-level language programming can be used in conjunction with programGuide to significantly reduce programming times for large-scale serial production.
With the introduction of the Sinumerik 828D, modern PC and mobile phone technology is now available to the mid-range machine tool. Extensive online help animations and a new type of input prompting system with moving picture sequences provide the basis for exceptional user convenience. USB, Compact Flash (CF) card and Ethernet ports enable high-speed data transfers onto storage media or integration of the control system into corporate networks. Through the use of its Easy Message functionality, the Sinumerik 828D offers production status monitoring by text messaging (SMS). Depending on the recipient’s profile setting, the machine will transmit information about workpiece machining status, report on the tool condition currently in use and send machine maintenance bulletins to a mobile phone, anytime and anywhere. These combined functions are designed to help keep machine downtime to a minimum.
SOLUTIONS FOR CNC TRAINING
Newly introduced to the American machine tool industry, and based upon the new Sinumerik Operate user interface, SinuTrain is the ideal solution for control-identical CNC training.
With SinuTrain, actual NC programs are developed and simulated, to speed the program generation protocol. In this way, machine tool operators not only learn the control language commands, but they also visualize part programs on a PC screen that are identical to the machine tool’s screen. As a further benefit, programs generated through SinuTrain can then be used on actual machines.
SinuTrain is available for different needs and budgets including a trial version, a study version, a single-user license and an educational license. It is available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Simplified Chinese, and requires Windows® XP (32-bit). Support for Windows 7 (32- / 64-bit) coming in 2011.
For more information about CNC solutions and services from Siemens, point your web browser to www.usa.siemens.com/cnc.
For specific product information and inquiries:
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 readingInternational firm uses robotic ultrasonics and conventional machine tools to supply product, usually with 24-hour turnaround; achieving near 24-7 unattended operation with over 15 percent reduction in scrap material on very expensive substrates.
OpenHealth, one of the world’s leading providers of business and technical solutions to the dental healthcare industries, was formed by the owners of five major international dental lab groups — Aurum, Cordent, DTS, Race and ZMC — who combined to harness the strategic synergies of their respective lab and milling center services. The milling and technology business, under the brand name of Core3D Centres and operating six facilities, brings the OpenHealth group’s expertise and comprehensive service package to labs, dentists and educational institutions in 15 countries on three continents.
We interviewed Tim McKimson, Core3D’s Worldwide Director of Engineering, at OpenHealth’s Las Vegas-based Core3D facility, located near the prestigious Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI), where restorative and cosmetic dental techniques are taught to practicing dentists and lab technicians, Here, Core3D provides a full range of CAD/CAM/CNC machining and finishing services to LVI and dental labs across the United States. Led by technical operators Mark Ferguson, Danny Palomares and Drew Hrubes, the Core3D team prepares CAD files developed from data typically gathered with an iTero oral scanning wand or from CAD files from scans of conventional dental impressions from the patient’s mouth, which are then digitally captured in a dental scanner from companies such as 3shape. CADENT and other software are typically used to image the impression and begin the process of creating the crown, bridge, abutment, coping, implant or even full denture restoration, as required by the individual lab. 3D CADENT files are G-coded at a remote location of the parent company for transfer to the CNC machine tools at the various Core3D facilities worldwide. 
The next step is translation of the digital impression to a RenShape® mold, using conventional machine tools. In most cases, the required structures are designed simultaneously, then the mold with coping is introduced to the DMG Sauer ultrasonic dental machine for preparation of the final structures. This is where the most advanced substrates are processed, ranging from conventional, yet difficult to machine metals such as titanium and cobalt chrome, to the newest advanced materials, including glass ceramics, lithium disilicate and zirconia. These substrates are quite expensive, therefore extreme care is taken in their handling and processing to reduce scrap and conserve operating costs.
As McKimson explained, the decision to cut with ultrasonic technology was relatively easy, given the inherent wear conditions and high cost of conventional tooling. In the ultrasonic process, a combination of electrolysis and fluid lubrication act in concert to create an ionic attraction of particles, removing material in a highly predictable and accurate manner, without the mechanical stress implicit in conventional machining techniques. As a result, the surface of even the hardest materials can be machined with the necessary tactile smoothness required for dental implants.
The DMG Sauer ultrasonic machines located at this Las Vegas facility, fully operated by Siemens Sinumerik 840D sl CNC technology, are loaded with blanks of material into a 66-position feeder station, then delivered into the cutting theater by a Motoman robotic arm with Schunk pressure grippers. The Sinumerik 840D sl recognizes the code on each workpiece pallet and each job is identified by the patient’s name to minimize the risk of error in work product delivery. As McKimson further notes, in detailing the accuracy of the ultrasonic machining technique, each tool used is obtained from the 25-position tool changer and its position is monitored by an integral Renishaw probe. The technicians often load three sets of the tools needed for the 66-piece runs, ensuring virtually 24/7 unattended operation of the machines. Through the capability of the Siemens CNC, a remote alarm can be sent when tool breakage or other off-normal condition occurs during production.
The extremely hard materials being machined are produced with accuracies in the 2-4 micron range, owing to the combination of ultrasonic technology and the high precision of the Sinumerik CNC, according to McKimson, who notes the reliability of this accuracy has been a significant advantage in reducing scrap at Core3D.
In another area of the facility, conventional mills are used to make polyurethane models and Wieland Zeno 4820 and 4030 mini-milling machines are also utilized for the production of various crowns, wax/resin forms and models, veneers, inlays and implant abutments. 
As evidence of the decidedly international nature of this emerging dental giant, all the zirconia and lithium disilicate materials are provided in the IPS e.max System from Ivoclar Vivadent, a company based in Liechtenstein. The company has branches in the United States and Canada, which supply the Core3D Centres in those countries. The templates and cutting tools are closely controlled and validated by the manufacturer to ensure that the preparation of these materials in dental applications is properly executed.
In commenting on the use of the DMG Sauer ultrasonic machines, McKimson notes that it was the machine builder who recommended the Siemens control. “They knew we were dental technicians and engineers, not machinists, by nature. The Siemens control has been extremely easy-to-use and our training time from the builder was minimal. Troubleshooting is mostly done by our operators, with only occasional assistance from Siemens.” Danny Palomares, one of the technical operators, agrees. “My training is in the dental lab world, not on machine tools. It was a great relief to have such a sophisticated control operate with relatively simple language commands and cycle adjustments.”
Palomares is also responsible for the translation of the lab’s incoming data files, so he is involved from start-to-finish with most of the projects done at this Core3D facility. In a single day, for example, he might use Delcam DentCAD, then hyperDENT CAM software, all translating the cutting paths from the dentist’s impression to the Siemens CNC on the DMG ultrasonic machines in this facility. As McKimson adds, “The sub-routines on the Sinumerik CNC make our job much easier to accomplish and faster to complete. Plus, when you add the upside of at least 15 percent reduction in the scrap that we’ve realized with the ultrasonics, it’s a real win-win situation for us.”
While there are substantial differences between the European and American dental labs in terms of the materials and assembly techniques used, and despite the fact that literally all projects are highly customized based on the individual needs of the patients and the preferences of the labs and those of the dentists performing the procedures, in the end, the typical project is being turned in 24 hours or less.
For Core 3d Centres, utilizing the best-in-class equipment is critical. In complement the quality machines here, a key part of the overall efficiency protocol in the Core3D network of companies, McKimson points out, is the “know-how” provided through their CAM-DO committee. This global technical committee conducts regular online meetings to discuss what’s working and what’s not in their various worldwide operations and then optimizes and standardizes the processes. He recalls one unanimous vote of approval was voiced on the performance of the DMG Sauer ultrasonic machines with Siemens controls. Core3D currently has nine such machines in their network, all used to process the most advanced materials.
® RenShape is a registered trademark of Huntsman Corporation.
For more information on this story, please contact:
Core3D Centres
Tim McKimson
Engineering Technology Director
5955-2 Wigwam Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89139
Toll-Free: 1-888-750-9204
Phone: 702-750-9204
http://www.core3dcenters.com/
tmckimson@core3dcenters.com
OR
Siemens Industry, Inc.
John Meyer
Manager, Marketing Communications
390 Kent Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL 60007
(800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications
www.usa.siemens.com/cnc
SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com
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 readingCHICAGO — During this year’s IMTS, Siemens raffled off a 10th anniversary motorcycle built by Orange County Choppers (OCC), the custom build shop owned by Paul Teutel 
and popularized on national TV. Over 3000 people registered for the raffle during
the six-day event, held at McCormick Place in Chicago, this past September. Recently, the winner received the bike from OCC.
The winner was Bob Pool, machining supervisor at Riverview Manufacturing Inc., located in Palmyra, Missouri and a division of Doyle Equipment Manufacturing Company, across the Mississippi River in Quincy, Illinois. Doyle is a major manufacturer of dry bulk handling machinery and Riverview fabricates large-capacity fertilizer spreaders and other equipment for its parent company.
As Bob tells his story, “I’d gone to IMTS with a colleague from Riverview and we noticed the crowd at the Siemens booth. We were waiting in a very long line to get our picture taken with Paul Teutel from Orange County Choppers and the nice young lady who was registering us asked if we wanted to sign up to win the motorcycle. I’d ridden bikes all my life but never owned one. I figured I’d take the chance, but didn’t think about it much, after signing up. The photographer said the photos would be up at the website a couple days later and, when I checked, I couldn’t find them, so I called Siemens. The next morning, I came into the shop and saw a message from Siemens. I called and asked about the photos and got steered to the right spot on the website, but the person said he was really calling for another reason. To my surprise, he said I’d won the bike!”
After signing the necessary forms and briefly considering a trip to OCC to ride it home, Bob decided to take receipt of the bike by delivery. It arrived and he immediately took for a ride…several, actually, he says. “I knew the weather was about to change here in the Midwest, so I got in all the rides I could. Now that it’s turning cold, it’ll go into a nice, warm place.” 
Riverview is a 25-person shop with full CNC machining, welding and assembly capabilities, all used to produce the 6- and 8-ton spreaders and other Doyle brand equipment built here. Bob says he looks forward to taking very good care of his new bike and using it for many years to come. “I’m really enjoying it and am sure glad I stopped by the Siemens booth at IMTS!”
For more information:
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 readingENERGY MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS WITH TODAY’S DRIVE SYSTEMS
It’s a process, not a product; multiple drive factorscontribute to system energy efficiency
by John Krasnokutsky, Siemens Industry, Inc., Marketing Manager, Motion Control Business
Energy Monitoring Equipment Selection and Optimization (Mechatronics / Parameterization)
Hardware: Common DC Bus / Infeed / Regeneration
While it is valid to state that energy efficiency is defined as the same level of production being achieved at an overall lower energy cost, it is equally important for today’s machine builders and automation engineers alike to remember than an energy-efficient system can actually translate into higher productivity. This is achievable through a comprehensive approach to energy management.
It is a fact that most of the energy loss in a system occurs in three areas, namely, the generation, distribution and conversion of energy into useful work, the last being accomplished through heat exchangers, pumps, motors and drives. This paper will concentrate on the last product group, as it is also a fact that over 25% of all electricity consumed in America is used on industrial electric motor-driven systems. Electric motors represent 65% of the power demand in American industry and, owing to the inefficiency of most motor control systems, the potential for energy savings in an industrial facility can approach 70% for any process where electric motor power is employed.
That said, energy management is a process, rather than a product or series of products installed on a machine, or inline, to achieve a basic energy saving of kW hour consumption. This process must be ongoing and perpetual, meaning that any defined goal should be viewed as a momentary metric of achievement, rather than a final end. While any vendor, including our company, can supply the right products and support services to hit a target mark of energy savings, the mindset of the customer is key in keeping the process recurrent. This ensures a continual increase in the productivity levels achieved, defined as a factor of the energy consumed. In many ways, it can be viewed in the same manner as an ongoing, effective but constantly evolving quality management system at your company.
Three essential elements are the basis of such a process.
First, energy monitoring systems must be in place to effectively determine the current consumption. These can include, but are certainly not limited to, energy consumption displays, infeed/supply monitoring devices, power factor meters and more. Next, the proper calculation tools are needed to properly evaluate the life cycle costs of any investment. These tools can be as simple as a motor sizing chart or the software programs used to parameterize drives. However, a more formal mechatronics protocol may be beneficial to your operation. In this scenario, a thorough evaluation of both mechanical and electrical/electronic influences on your system, be it a machine or a process line, is conducted. The results can often open the eyes of machine designers, process engineers and system integrators alike. To realize the benefits this analysis the proper products and system solutions must be implemented.
This is where a competent supplier can be an effective partner for your operation. For example, the solution you need might involve a vector drive that utilizes an energy optimization function to enhance the efficiency of the motor during partial load operations. In a system with multiple motors, energy savings might be realized to a substantial degree by the use of a drive unit with a common DC bus. The designer can also select the most appropriate infeed solution for the machine, pump or process operation, given the particulars of performance and required output. This may include an appropriately sized infeed unit with regenerative capability, the ability to put unused or braking energy back on the incoming power line.
Some applications may allow the use of high efficiency standard induction motors and, in the process, realize a potential savings of 1-3%. The use of frequency converters (VFD) for speed control might raise this to an 8-10% savings. VFDs have myriad applications throughout industry on fans, pumps, blowers and compressors, as well as in wasted energy recovery on cyclical acc/dec and regeneration on lost braking energy applications.
Optimizing your entire system through mechatronic analysis of the machine or process design, can result in a potential savings of 15-20% by the avoidance of over dimensioning of motors, plus partial load optimization by means of energy-related flow control. This analysis may also point to the ability to use controlled energy infeed and recovery.
In order to determine the true efficiency of any drive system, it is necessary to demonstrate the amount of energy required by its power components and a corresponding examination of how the system uses energy. How different drive concepts used on the same system under identical power load must also be considered. This latter exercise might look into partial load efficiencies with various motor and drive combinations, straight comparisons betweens synchronous servo vs. asynchronous induction motors or direct drive vs. motor/gearbox combinations, drives with braking components vs. regenerative drive technology, as well as solutions with single vs. multi-drive, common DC bus solutions.
A corollary to this discussion should also include a review of potential hydraulic/pneumatic component change outs in certain applications where replacement with an integrated package of motion control and PLC technology might better resolve closed loop pressure control of axes, for example. Fewer components and their related power consumption can lead to overall system productivity improvements, as well as ongoing enhanced energy efficiencies. Reduced programming, diagnostic and commissioning times can also flow from such an approach, providing even more opportunities for overall machine or process improvements. Tracking the energy efficiency of such a system may seem problematic at first, but here again today’s sophisticated mechatronic and virtual production protocols can be utilized to validate the real-world performance characteristics of such designs, far in advance of their implementation.
As the emergence of new technologies has impacted many of the products used in energy-efficient systems, it is equally important to take a more holistic look at operational sequences and the overall integration scheme when designing, retrofitting or rebuilding for improved energy utilization. The results can be many, including precise process and power factor control for optimum energy use and significant cost savings, plus the collateral benefits of lower carbon footprints, reduced maintenance due to decreased mechanical stress and lower total cost of product quality derived from less mechanical wear and better production control.
Author: John Krasnokutsky
Email: john.krasnokutsky@siemens.com
Website: http://www.usa.siemens.com/motioncontrol
Siemens Industry, Inc.
5300 Triangle Parkway
Norcross, GA 30092
For an informative PowerPoint presentation or more information on this subject, call (800) 879-8079 ext. Marketing Communications or send an e-mail to: SiemensMTBUMarCom.industry@siemens.com.
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Seeing is believing at IMTS
Sinumerik MDynamics Milling Roadshow is coming to IMTS 2010.
If your company is looking for the way to more efficiently cut parts for aerospace, automotive or medical, one thing is certain — the demand for five-axis CNC machining has risen dramatically. And now there’s MDynamics: using one solid CAD/CAM/CNC process chain will get you to market faster than your five-axis competitors who will be lagging under a less integrated approach.
What is Sinumerik MDynamics?
“For users, it is extremely important to get from the blueprint to the finished part quickly, precisely and cost-effectively,” says John Meyer, marketing communications manager, Siemens Industry, Inc. “Sinumerik MDynamics combines our milling expertise together with our powerful Sinumerik CNC hardware platform, intelligent CNC functions, and our unique CAD/CAM/CNC process chain to form integrated technology packages for three- and five-axis milling.”
Seeing is believing.
According to Robert Scholz, international business development manager, Siemens Industry, Inc., Motion Control Business, “Together with leading machine tool OEMs, Siemens will demonstrate how users can benefit from accurate, high-speed machining and perfect workpiece surfaces. Every roadshow event will demonstrate part programming and simulation with NX CAM, followed by five-axis part manufacturing using MDynamics functions and Sinumerik CNC. With real applications for the automotive, aerospace and medical industry, we will prove to our customers that we are the perfect fit for every industry.”
From A-Z and everything in between, Siemens has you covered.
By providing a uniform and integrated system that ranges from programming directly at the CNC for simple parts, to a CAD/CAM system for complex workpieces, Siemens has the right solution for all CNC machining needs. With NX CAM, Siemens provides manufacturing engineers with an open and flexible 3D system that applies not only to the development of part models and drawings, but also to full NC programming and machining simulation. NX enables 3D and 2D construction in a full-, partial- and non-paramaterized form. The fully-integrated NX CAD/CAM system supports a complete part model to CNC program process and even offers 3D quality inspection programming in the same system. NX CAM provides optimized output for Siemens-controlled machines with additional programming commands and automated post-processor functions. During planning and into production, special focus is placed on the process related to the workpiece.
This process chain includes:
Product and process development using advanced CAD/CAM software
Part program generation for the most advanced machine tools
Optimized part program and post-processor output for maximum machining performance
Integrated and offline simulation for checking and optimization of manufacturing process on the PC
Optimized and highly-efficient manufacturing on the machine
See what Sinumerik MDynamics can do for your business!
Attend the Siemens Sinumerik MDynamics Milling Roadshow.
Roadshow schedule
20-minute demonstrations every day
during IMTS, September 13–18, 2010
12:30 p.m. — Milling for Medical
DMG/ Mori Seiki, booth S-8900
1:30 p.m. — Milling for Automotive
Grob Systems, booth S-9066
2:30 p.m. — Milling for Aerospace
MAG, booth S-8519
www.usa.siemens.com/cncroadshow
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A practical alternative to mechanical braking and non-regen drives systems in the converting, packaging, wireforming and printing industries
by William Gilbert, Industry Business Development Manager, Converting and Cranes, Motion Control Solutions
During the operation of any converting machine, whether for film, foil, wire, paper or board, plus most large printing presses, rolls of materials are handled by unwinds, often still driven by pneumatically operated braking systems. The traditional tension control system for an unwind stand is a simple mechanical brake. In principal, the unwind brake mechanically operates much like the braking system on your car, with a disk, caliper and pads, but is controlled by a tension sensor linked to a setpoint controller. As the roll unwinds, the tension is maintained by the brake for smooth passage of the material through the dies or rollers, resulting in better package alignment, less wrinkling, better print registration, even more consistent wire dimensioning and other production positives. These mechanical brake unwinds are effective in controlling the tension, but have inherent problems of heat and power loss, plus mechanical wear and constant maintenance needs, substantially impacting machine uptime.
The typical mechanical brake is pneumatically controlled and may utilize several sets of friction pads to control the web tension as the roll dimension decreases. Plus, a reasonable pressure range in many applications might be from 15-90psi or a 6:1 drop, a range significantly less than the core to full roll ratio for most jobs, an obvious inefficiency in operation.
To affect good tension control on the brake, these friction pad sets need to be manually changed in an out of the brake assembly, depending on the desired operating tension and the roll diameter changes involved. Often, the adjustments are several per roll during this manual changeover. Because the mechanical brake creates the unwind tension through friction, it generates substantial heat and often requires a separately powered fan for cooling to operate effectively. This friction also means the pads are subject to rapid wear, requiring frequent and time-consuming changes or maintenance checks.
For almost a decade now, this old technology has been gradually replaced, though usually in the lower power ranges, by newer precision technology, involving AC motors, drives and electronic loadcells. On converting lines today, a further leap forward is being made with the onset of 
active front end technology.
With such technology, the operating principle is as follows.
Since the unwind application is regenerative (regen) in nature, a driven unwind needs to return the energy that the mechanical the brake produced as heat back to the AC line. In the past, regen DC drives have been successfully applied as driven unwinds, but DC drive systems are no longer common and even during their prime were very costly. Early in the AC drive technology for these applications, the drives did not have the capability to regenerate the power back to the AC line and, when applied as unwind brakes, required regen resistors to dissipate the tension energy. This was wasteful and costly.
Today’s AC drive systems now have the technology to regenerate the energy back to the AC line just as the DC drive did, but with added benefits to the user and machine designer alike. Sending the tension energy back to the line means power that once was wasted can now be retained, instead of the system producing heat and worn parts. When the drive is equipped with active front end technology, it will return the previously wasted energy with near unity power factors, something not possible for any DC drive system.
Even an open loop AC drive motor combination offers a tension control range far beyond the limits of a pneumatic braking system. Synchronous AC motors can offer precision open loop torque control without a tension sensor, thereby saving further cost and inventory. Today’s highly accurate tension control systems can be designed with high resolution (sin/cos) feedback encoders on both the unwind motor and dancer position feedback. Additionally, in more advanced active front end designs, the regen capability of the drive can actually assist in the increase of stopping times and tension control regulation, owing to the four quadrant control, i.e., the motor can sink or supply current to the motor in both directions.
AC regen drive systems can also offer today’s machine designer software configurations with a wider range of control flexibility. They can be configured to operate in the most basic mode with no motor encoder or with tension feedback to system configurations, utilizing either dancer position sensors or loadcells. Alternatively, they can function as a programmable logic controller (PLC), controlling the machine functions on the unwind, while also connecting directly to a human-machine interface (HMI) panel. In most converting, packaging and printing applications, the dancer position sensor can be used to calculate the starting diameter of a roll, eliminating additional diameter sensors and the possibility of operator error in the roll diameter input. Further enhancements for unwind spindle motion such as jog for threading have also emerged for operator convenience through active front end technology.
Beyond the obvious cost savings of pad replacements on mechanical braking systems, AC motors are virtually maintenance free by comparison to DC motors, as AC motors have no brushes, do not require controller contactors to reverse direction of motor rotation or have commutators. Fewer moving parts invariably means less motor maintenance, for additional cost and time savings.
In the most advanced systems, common DC bus regulation, energy-monitoring devices for near unity power and, through the use of mechatronic services often provided by the manufacturers, “turn off” parameters in vector drives are possible. Mechatronic services can also be utilized for the proper tuning of these drives onsite or during machine build. For designers, such services further assist in the proper sizing of motors, based on the mechanical and electrical forces generated by machine operation or computerized simulation of it.
This combination of improved operation, reduced maintenance, motor power savings and conservation of nearly all energy within the system make AC regen drives with active front end technology a decided advantage for machine designers and end users of converting, packaging, printing, wireforming and other roll-fed machinery, where driven unwinds can be implemented.
For more information on regenerative drive motors and systems, please contact:
Siemens Industry, Inc. Drive Technologies — Motion Control
390 Kent Avenue Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Phone: 847-640-1595 Fax: 847-437-0784 Web: www.usa.siemens.com/motioncontrol Email: SiemensMTBUMarCom.sea@siemens.com
Attention: John Meyer, Manager, Marketing Communications
Editor Note: Siemens will make the author as well as various other product and market specialists available to you for interviews on the many aspects of regenerative drive motors detailed in this article, as they apply to the particular nature of your audience. Please contact the agency to arrange. Thanks!
PR agency contact: Tim Daro Bernard & Company 847-934-4500 tdaro@bernardandcompany.com
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CHICAGO, IMTS — At this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Siemens will introduce new solutions and services for machine tool manufacturers and end-users. Under the theme, “Productivity in motion,” the presentation will focus on turnkey solutions for the job shop, aerospace, automotive, mold and die and medical manufacturing industries.
For machine tool builders and end-users, Siemens will exhibit the newest innovations in CNC (computer numerical control), motor and drive technology as well as new value-added services ranging from condition monitoring and manufacturing IT to innovative solutions for CNC training and machine tool retrofit.
SOLUTIONS FOR THE JOB SHOP
For the job shop, the new Sinumerik 828D numerical control will be presented for the first time in the United States. Perfect for mid-range machine tools, the Sinumerik 828D is designed to address the needs of complex milling and turning machines in the job shop segment. It combines CNC, PLC, operator panel and axis control for six CNC measurement circuits in a single, robust operator panel.
The Sinumerik 828D is capable of full graphical, high-level language command and supports ISO programming that is customary in the United States. The new control is ideal for single-part and small-batch production. Programming time can be further reduced for small-batch production with the use of the ShopMill and ShopTurn graphical workstep programming system, while high-level language programming can be used in conjunction with programGuide to significantly reduce programming times for large-scale serial production.
With the introduction of the Sinumerik 828D, modern PC and mobile phone technology is now available to the mid-range machine tool. Extensive online help animations and a new type of input prompting system with moving picture sequences provide the basis for exceptional user convenience. USB, Compact Flash (CF) card and Ethernet ports enable high-speed data transfers onto storage media or integration of the control system into corporate networks. Through the use of its Easy Message functionality, the Sinumerik 828D offers production status monitoring by text messaging (SMS). Depending on the recipient’s profile setting, the machine will transmit information about workpiece machining status, report on the tool condition currently in use and send machine maintenance bulletins to a mobile phone, anytime and anywhere. These combined functions are designed to help keep machine downtime to a minimum.
SOLUTIONS FOR AEROSPACE
For the aerospace market, the new Sinumerik 840D solution line is the latest in CNC technology that increases performance and user productivity. The Sinumerik 840D sl is a universal and flexible CNC system featuring the innovative Sinamics S120 drives that can be used for up to 31 axes. It is a distributed, scalable, open and inter-connecting system offering a wide range of specialized functions for milling, drilling, turning, grinding and handling technologies.
The Sinumerik 840D offers users innovative features that increase productivity on the manufacturing floor, especially the challenging segments of high-speed and five-axis aerospace machining.
SOLUTIONS FOR AUTOMOTIVE
In the automotive industry, Siemens continues to solidify its position with the Transline System Solution, the solution for automotive powertrain. This system integrates diverse metalcutting technologies such as milling, drilling, turning and grinding, and the assembly of powertrain parts, under a common system architecture. Since its implementation in 1993 at the Mercedes Benz NVM engine plant in Bad Canstatt, Germany, Transline has grown to become a recognized standard of excellence in the United States among both OEMs and end-users.
Based on the new Sinumerik 840D solution line and Simatic PLC, the Transline solution line transforms the company’s concept of “productivity in motion” into a real world application for total factory automation. By specifying Transline, machine tool users benefit from faster start-up times, better equipment serviceability and increased productivity.
SOLUTIONS FOR MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE
Condition Monitoring and Manufacturing IT are two value-added services that are continuing their introduction to the U.S. machine tool market.
Condition Monitoring is an internet-based service from Siemens that supports maintenance processes while simultaneously forming a platform for cross-company service and support between OEMs and machine operators. Services can be configured over secure Internet connections from anywhere in the world via a standard PC, an internet connection and a web browser.
Manufacturing IT solutions from Siemens provide software tools for fast, easy integration of machines in a production network, while ensuring that production planning, scheduling and execution is always problem-free and based on the very latest data.
An entire line of powerful software modules for production machines ensures optimum integration of the machines in the IT-environment and supports a wide range of different functionalities including:
SOLUTIONS FOR CNC TRAINING
SinuTrain, the Siemens package of CNC training software on CD-ROM, provides milling and turning machine operators with a high degree of practical hands-on experience, prior to using the CNCs on their actual machines. It is designed to run on Windows XP operating systems and is the optimal solution for machine tool control-identical simulation training.
With SinuTrain, actual NC programs are developed and simulated, using a direct connection to the company’s CAD systems to further speed the program generation protocol. In this way, machine tool operators not only learn the control language commands, but they also visualize part programs on a P
C screen that are identical to the actual machine screen. As a further benefit, programs generated through SinuTrain on the PC software can then be used on the machines.
Other exhibits on display in the Siemens booth include the new 1FK7 high-inertia and 1PH8 servomotors, integrated motor spindles, linear motors and direct-drive torque motors that contribute to the increase in machine performance. The exhibition will also focus on machine tool retrofit, field service, customer service, spare parts and repair, all of which support the machine tool manufacturer and end-user.
For product information and inquiries:
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.
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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 readingWhen the Las Vegas based Cirque de Soleil show, “KA” was looking to maximize motion control and improve the reliability of their stage’s movements, they turned to Siemens. Siemens drives and controls create the automation needed to provide the safety and reliability that is required for a performance of this caliber.
For three years, a Siemens engineering team worked to make this $220 million dollar show and theatre at the Las Vegas MGM Grand spectacular. Visually, the show is like nothing you have ever seen before but reliability, flawless motion and safety was Siemens’ main objective.
The Cirque de Soleil show “KA” requires a 25 x 50 ft section of the floor to rise out of the main portion of the stage. This 6 ft thick, 80 thousand pound
section of the stage provides full motion that rotates 360º and tilts 100º to become a sheer vertical, ultimately lining up perpendicular to the stationary part of the stage… with the performers still on it! I’ll keep my job, thank you. I think Bernard & Company needs to take a field trip to Vegas to see this in person.Check out this video and see how Siemens’ contribution makes this stage show possible.
This article details Siemens’ part in the three year process to get the “KA” stage operating flawlessly.
