SCADA & DATA ACQUISITION FEATURE


COLLABORATING ON DATA CHALLENGES Roy Henderson,


director, SP Technology, explains how the company has collaborated with Beckhoff Systems to produce a data capture SCADA system for the accurate labelling of medical devices


R


ecording data at each stage of the manufacturing process ensures a


traceable product, and allows for an assurance of quality on every item. Accurate data control is a requirement in most industries, but when multiple layers of data is required, recording this as part of an efficient production process can be challenging. SCADA software and hardware


components have been used by many manufacturers to efficiently process data and communicate system issues, helping to mitigate downtime. SP Technology has designed a solution for the pharmaceutical industry using Beckhoff’s XTS systems (eXtended Transport System).


THE LABELLING CHALLENGE The customer faced the challenge of accurately labelling a vast amount of medical devices (the likes used to ease asthma attacks) and to monitor data from every device. This required recording the 3D printed product barcode during loading, and matching this with the 3D barcodes on the labels, ensuring batch traceability on every device. With over 90 devices processed per minute, the customer required a system that could reliably monitor and record this data, while not inhibiting production output.


The solution was developed using three of Beckhoff’s XTS systems, controlled by their Twin CAT 3 software, measuring at over 14m long. The design involved passing the devices through a series of cells using mechanical, servo, labelling and vision equipment technologies. This system consisted of three cells: the first applying a cap label, the second a body label, and the third cell applying a bung label. The machine loaded eight devices at a


time from a stack of trays inputted by an operator. Each XTS mover holds up to





three trays, that once loaded, travel to the first labeller. If the label is presented skewed, a servo device re-orientates the label, then sends the centre position of the label to the XTS mover to be recorded. A ‘pass’ or ‘fail’ result is attributed to every device as it travels through the machine that allows the devices to be


SP Technology develops bespoke automated solutions for industries including medical, pharmaceutical and packaging


tracked. When the devices are either rejected by the robot, or placed onto the output conveyor, all of the data corresponding to each operation performed throughout the machine is recorded and appended into a .csv file, available to the operator once the batch has been completed. The information supplied to the


operator includes all of the devices that have passed through the system in the current batch. This includes a history on which devices have passed or failed any points in the process, allowing the operator to investigate what areas are potential hotspots for failure that might indicate a faulty station.


COMPENSATING FOR INACCURACIES SP Technology developed this automated solution utilising Beckhoff’s XTS system. The system’s exacting requirements compensated for inaccuracies in the labels supplied on reels, and enabled XTS movers to be positioned within +/-0.2mm accuracy that allowed the reel to be moved should it begin to drift. Using a combination of Cognex Vision Systems, SP Technology was able to pass the label positions obtained from the Vision Systems into the XTS system, ensuring accuracy on every label. The success of this project is the result


of the collaborative approach of SP Technology and Beckhoff Systems. By fully understanding the challenges faced by the client, a bespoke solution was developed using up-to-date technologies to capture data, whilst ensuring maximum production efficiency.


SP Technology www.sptechnology.co.uk


PROCESS & CONTROL | MAY 2018 37


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