Improve production, design, engineering, operations, maintenance

At this year’s SPS IPC Drives automation trade fair, Siemens expects to illustrate to visitors how to improve production, from design, through engineering and operation to maintenance, said Heinz Eisenbeiss, director of the Siemens booth.

October 9, 2013

Production efficiency, sustainability, integration of virtual processes and real production, and new automation and drive technology products, software, and services are among anticipated highlights from Siemens AG Industry Automation at the SPS IPC Drives automation trade fair, Nov. 26-28, Nuremberg, Germany. Siemens will be supplying answers to the current and future challenges facing the manufacturing industry under its trade fair banner “Making Things Right.”

“Our aim this year is to illustrate to visitors how to improve their production–from design, through engineering and operation to maintenance,” explained Heinz Eisenbeiss, director of the Siemens booth at this year’s show. Siemens expects to show its latest developments in automation and drive technology, new industrial software and services, and the production worlds of the future. Virtual processes for the development of products and systems are set to become ever more closely integrated with real production, underpinned by the need for greater engineering efficiency and lower energy consumption, the company said.

In an Oct. 8 web-based press conference preview, Eisenbeiss presented an overview of this year’s Siemens booth and reported on various new products.

Totally Integrated Automation from Siemens saves up to 30% over other options, Eisenbeiss said, because Siemens has built its software bottom-up from scratch to be one framework, one architecture, with an extremely powerful library of capabilities. “When you build a machine, you can simply help yourself from the library.” When planning a system with control, a drive, human-machine interface (HMI), the software simply works. Version 13 of TIA portal includes team engineering functions to manage larger complex projects. Parts can be merged for joint commissioning.

While energy efficiency is included in individual products, the Profinet Ethernet protocol has an energy extension that allows networked control of machines to save energy. Tools to track and reduce carbon dioxide use and footprint are available. “Energy management systems can use data to tell operators where optimization potentials are. Services can help customers apply these concepts,” he said. Also, an energy efficiency truck tours Europe 11 months of the year to show the potential of these applications.

Energy analytics is a special service to optimize energy and support operators and show how scalability should be approached for energy monitoring and optimization. Annual savings of 5%-10% is possible, as these services provide regular reports summarizing optimization and outline what the next steps should be for greater savings.

Industrial security services can investigate networks and scrutinize processes in the plant. Condition monitoring services can use data present in software components combined with other data and derive optimal maintenance, he suggested.

Anticipated product updates follow.

Process plant 3D visualization

A new Comos version sustainably improves efficiency in plant management with the new Comos database for industry-specific requirements, enhanced integration of Comos and Simatic PCS 7, and functional expansion of Comos Walkinside for innovative 3D plant visualization. The new version 10.1 of the Comos software solution expands industrial software capabilities for the process industry in plant engineering and plant management. The Comos Enterprise Platform for efficient and system-wide cooperation was further developed using the new Comos industrial database (Comos iDB). It is designed for sector-specific requirements in a wide variety of industries. New projects can be installed quickly and easily, because fewer customer-specific adaptations are required. The Comos Enterprise Platform ensures fast data processing and secure data management even with an increasing volume of project data.

Virtual commissioning of automation programs

The Siemens Industry Automation Division has equipped the Simit simulation framework for the virtual commissioning of Simatic-based automation solutions with new functions in version 7.1. The Simit Contec library was added to the pre-assembled software components and models. This library contains simulation templates for the manufacturing industry, for example, for conveyor systems and material identification. Technological functions such as valves and motors for the Simatic PCS 7 process control system are included for the process industry. The data interfaces have also been extended. For example, there is now a shared memory for fast runtime data exchange with third-party software. In addition, the user-friendliness of the graphic user interface has been improved and 3D visualization has been added, among other features. Version 7.1 of Simit can run on Microsoft Windows 7 32/64-bit as well as on Microsoft Windows XP.

New controller and firmware for mid-level and high-end automation

The new controller generation Simatic S7-1500 expands the range of the Siemens Industry Automation Division with two new CPUs. CPU 1515-2 PN is designed for mid-level applications in machine and plant automation. CPU 1518-4PN/DP is now the most powerful device in the controller range and is intended for high-end applications. In addition, the new firmware V1.5 is available for existing CPUs. This firmware considerably extends the functionality of all S7-1500 controllers, for example, with option handling in a central configuration or the first steps for team engineering.

Engineering framework for automation expands

  • G110M family of frequency converters, new CPUs, and Basic Panels integrated
  • Expanded diagnostics and know-how protection
  • Engineering of complex projects in a team. 

The Siemens Industry Automation division has extended its "Totally Integrated Automation Portal" (TIA Portal) engineering framework with a number of functionalities in version 13. These include improvements in the diagnostics concept and know-how protection, and in synchronized team collaboration in large projects. As part of TIA Portals V13, the functions of a number of engineering tools have also been enlarged. Siemens Simatic WinCC V13 HMI (human-machine interface) software now is also suitable for the new generation of Basic Panels. The operator interface has also been renewed, for example, with diagrams, buttons, and display elements. The G110M inverter family, which has the drive and motor in one unit, is now also integrated into Sinamics Startdrive V13 and can be configured in the TIA Portal. Simatic Step 7 V13 has been expanded with the engineering for the new Simatic S7-1500 controller CPU 1515-2 PN and CPU 1518-4 PN/DP.

Second-generation operator panels

The Siemens Industry Automation Division is bringing a new generation of operator panels for simple applications onto the market. Designed to provide access to full-graphic operator control and monitoring, the new Simatic HMI Basic Panels with 4-in. to 12-in. screen diagonals have a high-resolution widescreen display with 64,000 colors. Like all Simatic HMI Panels, they include a large number of standard integrated software functions: for example, an alarm system, recipe management, trend functionality, and language switching. Users will be able to develop and use visualization applications easily and quickly. This setup allows the projects created for a Basic Panel to be transferred easily onto devices in different performance classes or with different display sizes to meet increasing requirements.

Industrial Ethernet switch in a compact design

Siemens Industry Automation Division is expanding its portfolio of industrial Ethernet switches with Scalance XM-400. The new product line comprises two basic devices for connecting up to 16 (Scalance XM416-4C) or eight (Scalance XM408-8C) network stations, such as controllers from the Simatic range. Both devices are equipped with electrical RJ45 ports and optical SFP slots, designed for bandwidths of 1 Gbps. Siemens also offers port extenders, which can be connected without the need for tools, that extend the basic devices with additional connections for up to 24 network stations. This means that users can configure switches to suit all applications, which reduces the costs per port as well as the space requirements. An optional key plug also activates Layer 3 functionality, which supports static and dynamic routing and enables the storage of configuration data.

Fast and error-free: Efficient management of tools using RFID

Siemens is expanding its industrial identification portfolio with a new RFID (radio frequency identification) solution for the identification and management of tools for machine tools. The solution comprises the extremely small transponders MDS D117 and MDS D127 as well as the compact stationary reader Simatic RF250R and the mobile handheld reader Simatic RF310M. Both readers have been designed to connect external antennas, such as the extremely compact new ANT8. Thanks to its M8 design with a length of just 40 mm, the ANT8 antenna can be installed even in restricted spaces, for example, directly in the tool magazine. The new solution means that companies can identify their tools quickly and without errors by means of RFID at low investment costs, and can also store data, such as dimensions and residual tool life, directly on a transponder at the tool. This helps to increase productivity and quality in manufacturing and utilize the residual service life of individual tools in an optimum way.

RFID integration can:

  • Increase productivity and quality in manufacturing thanks to automatic and error-free tool management
  • Provide optimum utilization of residual tool life
  • Offer transparent tool stocks due to automatic identification.

Motor management

Siemens is expanding its Simocode pro motor management system with a new entry-class device series. Simocode pro S offers frequently required protection, control, and monitoring functions in one basic device and one optional multifunction module at an attractive price. The 22.5-mm-wide, slim-design basic device includes direct and reversing starter control functions, and thermistor and overload protection functions. It comes with four digital input and two relay outputs. Simocode pro S monitors current limits, operating data, and plant shutdowns.

The Siemens AG Industry Sector – Industry Automation Division is based in Nuremberg, Germany.

– Edited by Mark T. Hoske, content manager CFE Media, Control Engineering and Plant Engineering, mhoske@cfemedia.com.

ONLINE

www.siemens.de/sps-ipc-drives

SPS IPC Drives automation trade fair, Nov. 26-28, Nuremberg, Germany 

See shows and conferences related to automation, controls, and instrumentation.