Product category:
Process Control: SCADA, ERP, MES and networks
News Release from: IEA | Subject: Automation
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 12 February 2003
Press-shop up-grade doubles productivity
Automation and IT specialist IEA doubles manufactured parts per hour and reduces machine downtime significantly on hydraulic presses at Krupp Camford Pressings in Llanelli
Following the successful implementation of a major up-grade to improve component flow to a series of Muller hydraulic presses at Krupp Camford Pressings in Llanelli, South Wales, the company has more recently called upon the same automation / IT specialist IEA to undertake a further project to improve capacity on another press line featuring five Wilkinson and Mitchell 800 ton presses The end results on the other press line are a replica of the initial IEA project, a doubling of manufactured parts per hour and a significant reduction in machine downtime
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 12 Feb 2003 at 8.00am (UK)
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The increase in manufacturing capacity has largely been brought about by reducing the component feed time into the hydraulic presses and the introduction of a quick die change system.
Each die weighs about 8 tonne therefore whenever there is a change of component request it is a major mechanical handling task: this used to take around 8 hours to carry out.
Now with the quick-change system, controlled by the Mitsubishi PLC, the process takes just 30 minutes, bringing flexibility to the production floor whilst also enabling Krupp to respond more quickly to customer demands.
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Krupp Camford Pressing produces a wide range of automotive parts from major body panels to small brackets for customers that include Honda, Rover, Ford, Mercedes Benz, Opel and Toyota.
Since all required parts must be supplied on a JIT (Just In Time) basis, it is extremely important that Krupp is able to respond quickly to customer requests.
Implementation of the synchronised machine/robot interface and associated controls produced by IEA is central to achieving the set manufacturing goals.
The system up-grade includes the introduction of ABB robots for component feed to each individual press plus an Atlas Technology quick die change system.
To maximise effectiveness of the new equipment there must be precise interface synchronisation and Krupp again called upon the skills and expertise of IEA.
In order to automate the press control and interface it with the new robots and die change carts IEA designed and supplied a system using Mitsubishi A1S programmable logic controllers (PLCs) supervised by MAC 90 industrially hardened graphical user interfaces, also from Mitsubishi.
To start a production run the operator enters a part number into the menu on the MAC 90 and sets the number of parts to be produced.
The Mitsubishi PLC then looks up the instruction-set for the specific product, automatically checks that the correct die is installed, displays historical information about the product selected for the operator prior to initiating production start-up.
When first commissioned the pressed were allowed to open fully before the robot was instructed to move; further refinements to the control sequencing by IEA now instructs the robot to start its handling task long before the press is fully open and begin a new machine cycle before the press is fully clear of its current press load.
This enhanced control functionality saves several seconds per cycle, thus enabling output to increase from 250 to 500 parts/hour.
As well as the gains in hourly throughput, an increased uptime of over 85% is being experienced at Krupp due to the IEA and Mitsubishi philosophy of risk reduction.
At the outset of the project both the PLC and robots would normally be configured for serial communication.
IEA regarded this as a potential weak link, not because of limitations to communication technology but because the two systems would have to interpret each other's communications protocol requirement bespoke software as a critical part of the system.
Instead IEA used a simple parallel interface that is deterministic and simple to monitor.
Commenting, David Davis press shop manager says, "In working with IEA during the first press shop up-grade it became obvious that this IT solutions provider has a wide range of in-house expertise that encompassed commissioning and programming PLCs for integrated plant operation through to writing bespoke software to achieve increased plant safety.
This gave us extreme confidence in awarding IEA a second contract for automation and control for a second press line consisting of five, 800 ton Wilkinson and Mitchell mechanical presses".
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