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FEATURE MACHINE CONTROL


Opening the dOOr tO prOductivity


An advanced


production line based on Mitsubishi Electric’s FR-E series inverter or variable speed drives (VSDs) and other system-matched


components, such as a GOT 2000 series


HMI and MELSEC iQ-R PLC, have enabled renowned door


manufacturer Profile


Developments to see a threefold increase in its productivity


H


aving used Mitsubishi Electric’s equipment for 25 years and been impressed by its quality and reliability, Profile Developments


of Glin, Co. Limerick – manufacturer of the Palladio Collection of premier composite doors for external applications – again turned to the company when it wanted to build a new panel gluing unit to ramp up productivity. The production of a door involves multiple


components that are layered together at separate stages. Monocoque models from the company’s Palladio Door Collection require the two fibreglass-reinforced door outer skins to be glued, joined and pressed together. So to discuss what technologies were available,


Michael Cafferkey, automation engineer at Mitsubishi Electric, visited the plant, providing an insight into the components that would be best suited to deliver a comprehensive solution that would address Profile Developments needs.


develOping the line


The new line was developed along a conveyor which moves the doors through different stages, similar to the existing setup. The products are sent to a glue machine, an assembling station where the frames are added, and a roller press. Each part of the conveyor system is powered by a motor, the speed of which has to be controlled by an inverter, so a total of 19 drives were required


5 DESIGN SOLUTIONS MARCH 2023 0


to complete this project. To deliver the high level of accuracy needed for this application, Mitsubishi Electric’s FR-E series was selected for the unit. “It is really important that the movement of the


conveyor is controlled accurately so that a door doesn’t miss a stage or spends the wrong amount of time in any production process,” explained Cafferkey. “For example, the duration of the gluing and pressing processes has to be incredibly precise to ensure quality. The FR-E inverter range is ideal to address these exacting needs, as it offers advanced motor performance, precise control and high levels of reliability. It also features a compact design, which can be beneficial when many units have to fit onto a single production line.” To control the 19 VSDs, Profile Developments


selected Mitsubishi Electric’s iQ-R series PLC, which comes with in-built CC-Link IE Field Basic network protocol as standard, allowing quick and easy communication with all VSDs. The controller also sends key information to an intuitive and user-friendly GT2510 widescreen HMI to maximise process visibility and accessibility. In effect, it helps operators monitor and interact with the drives, enabling adjustments


to their speed when needed, helping to identify anomalies and interpret alarms as well as provide logs of production data. To ensure compatibility and seamless data


transfer, Mitsubishi Electric integrated with an existing third party remote I/O station, leveraging its products’ ability to comply with different communications protocols and communicate easily over EtherNet/IP.


tO the future


Mitsubishi Electric played a key role in implementing, integrating and assisting in the setup of the new production line, in particular by supporting PLC programming activities. The entire project was completed without


incurring any downtime and, with the new line processing up to 12 doors per hour, Profile Developments has tripled its throughput. In effect, the plant can now produce 20-24 units every hour. Uptime has also improved, as the HMI helps users to be more proactive, in line with smart manufacturing frameworks. John Barrett, site engineer at Profile


Developments, said: “We are extremely happy with the solution delivered and the results obtained. Even more, we are very satisfied with the support received from Mitsubishi Electric, which guided us through all the steps of the project. This is why we value the collaboration with this automation solutions provider and look forward to working together again in the near future to develop more solutions to enhance our production processes.” Cafferkey added: “The new system


is driving the competitiveness of Profile Developments while also being scalable, ensuring that it can support the future needs and ambitions of the company.”


The controller sends key information to an intuitive and user-friendly GT2510 widescreen HMI


Mitsubishi Electric www.mitsubishielectric.com


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