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FEATURE MACHINE BUILDING, FRAMEWORKS & SAFETY
sponsored by High performance servo drives, motion controllers and servo motors
from Inovance have been specified by Merlin Automation Solutions for use in the world’s largest 3D concrete printer for the construction industry
Feature
CONSTRUCTING A 3D CONCRETE PRINTER
3
D concrete printing is used to fabricate buildings, houses and construction components in shapes not previously
achievable with traditional concrete formwork. So when it needed motion control technology for a groundbreaking new 3D concrete printing machine it was developing with L&T Construction, Merlin Automation Solutions turned to Inovance’s office in Chennai, India. Operating in over 22 countries across the
world, Merlin Automation Solutions delivers solutions designed to improve efficiency, quality and productivity by automating mundane tasks. Its turnkey solutions have been developed for customers in industries ranging from automotive, oil & gas, and construction equipment, to theme parks and heavy machinery.
DESIGN SPECIFICATION Durability and reliability were essential, so Merlin and L&T needed motion control solutions that would enable the machine to operate in challenging weather conditions. High performance and accuracy are also critical to the safe construction of 3D printed buildings. In addition, however, the project was operating within a very tight timeframe, so delivery times and good customer service were essential. With support from Inovance’s expert team of industrial automation engineers, Merlin Automation Solutions opted for AC703 motion controllers, SV660N servo drives (image, right) working with MS1 series servo motors, and Inovance I/O modules. The CNC function in Inovance’s AC703 high
performance intelligent controller particularly appealed to Merlin. The motion controller supports up to 32 axes at 1ms EtherCAT period and a maximum of 128 EtherCAT slaves, including remote I/O modules, with support for multiple communication protocols providing multi-layer networking and IIoT functionality, which allows remote commissioning. Offering EoE support with Inovance SV660N
drives, the controller was paired with the Inovance drives and motors for high dynamic performance with a compact footprint. The SV660N has ultra- fast 4.5 kHz current loop, speed loop bandwidth up to 3kHz, easy set-up and tuning, user-friendly installation, and SIL3 Safe Torque Off. In fact the user-friendly
installation, and easy set-up and tuning of the Inovance SV660N servo drives, was important in helping the companies deliver the printer in just 3.5 months. Saranya Subramanian,
co-founder of Merlin Automation Solutions, commented: “The high performance, accuracy, fast delivery times and smooth implementation of Inovance’s solutions appealed to us. This is a landmark project for our
22 DESIGN SOLUTIONS DECEMBER/JANUARY 2024
company and we found setting up the EtherCAT communication between the Inovance motion controller, servo drives and IO Modules easy.”
3D PRINTING BUILDINGS The result – WEAVER – is currently the largest 3D printer in construction. Already being used on building sites, it can erect buildings on-site up to three storeys (12m) tall. The world’s largest 3D printed accommodation complex is being built in Chandigarh using WEAVER. Commissioned by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), it will provide transit support facilities for personnel and equipment within six building blocks over 1.98 acres, five of which are being constructed using 3D printing technology. Anil Kumar, director of
Inovance India, said: “We are delighted to have been part of such an exciting project and to provide the high performance and reliable motion control needed to make it a success. The groundbreaking 3D printer produced by Merlin and L&T is already involved in construction projects and it is great to see it in action, using Inovance technology in a new and innovative way.”
Inovance
www.inovance.eu
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