Feature Automation


A modular approach to the UK manufacturing rebuild


UK manufacturers now have the opportunity to rebuild production capacity as the economy starts to pull out of recession. Andy Parker-Bates of Parker Hannifin looks at strategies for development and highlights some of the issues that must be considered


A closer look at the options New generations of robots have been developed to be low cost, and are sup- plied pre-assembled to each applica- tion’s unique specification. This may include drives, linear actuators, rotary stages, digital servo drives and program- mable controllers. Because they are from a single supplier there is only one procurement procedure, and perhaps more importantly, any on-site installa- tion is straightforward. Systems like this can be up and run-


emphasis on manufacturing and other secure sectors, reducing the depen- dency on volatile industries. However, to do this, finance first


R


has to be found and payback fore- casts calculated - and any new equip- ment has to be flexible enough to adapt to changing requirements. Most shop floor investments are


going to be in some sort of automation, as this will reduce operating costs, improve productivity and virtually guarantee product quality. An issue arises here as traditionally, automation systems have been bespoke, have a long gestation period and require significant capital commitment. However, a modern alternative is


emerging, especially in the current post-recession climate. There is a growing trend to purchase systems that are pre-configured from modular sub-systems, developed by the suppli- ers - at their cost, time and expense. A customised system can then be config- ured from standard modules that may include for instance, motor control panels, linear actuators, robots, con- veyors or mixers.


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ead the news or listen to the politicians and it seems simple. We are going to rebuild our national economy with far greater


ning within a very short time and tend to be inexpensive to operate and maintain, meaning a relatively quick ROI. The whole idea of the concept is to strip out any mystique from the engineering side of the project, generating ease of configu- ration, installation and commission. Modular automation systems can usu-


ally be quickly reconfigured to meet changing needs by in-house mainte- nance or engineering staff, at little or no cost. This makes them well suited for use in small to medium volume applications with frequent product changeovers.


Anatomy of an automation system Typically a system will consist of several workstations, with automated work piece transfer between them. In a modu- lar system the workstation may be dedi- cated machines, or alternatively they could be purpose built machines, designed to perhaps assemble three parts, polish a surface, apply a label, fill a space with liquid or pack a product into a box. The transfer systems will tend to be standard parts. They could well be conveyors or rotary tables, and if they are not then they are highly likely to be modular linear actuators, space gantries or palletising systems. A broad range of drive methods,


including belt drives, screw drives and linear motors are available to provide benefits for different applications. Furthermore, when coupled with servos and controllers, sophisticated motion sequences can be developed, with supe- rior positional accuracy, high speeds, controlled acceleration and braking, and


large load capacities as options. Significantly, training is usually a


low key affair, often being carried out on-site and with little more than a familiarisation process. Integrating the various sub-systems is


increasingly straightforward and typi- cally uses one or more HMIs (human machine interfaces). The control mecha- nism of such a system would typically be distributed so that each sub-system had its own local controller. These will be daisy-chained back to a central con- troller or operator’s workstation. Programming of the PLCs will be such that ease of use is assured and the con- trol system architecture is transparent for ease of reconfiguration. The electrical elements of the control


Left and below: there is a growing trend to purchase systems that are pre-configured from modular


sub-systems, developed by the suppliers - at their cost, time and expense. A customised system can then be configured from standard modules that may include for instance, motor control panels, linear actuators, robots, conveyors or mixers


system will reflect the modular nature of the machine hardware and will there- fore be upgradable. It will also be able to analyse production data, energy con- sumption, materials wastage and so on.


Summary In conclusion, bespoke automation systems will continue to be vitally important for major manufacturing plants, but adaptable modular alterna- tives are increasingly proving them- selves


in small and medium


applications and in situations where there are frequent product changes.


Parker Hannifin www.parker.com T: 0800 2727 5374


Enter 222 MAY 2011 Electrical Engineering


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