Product category:
Process Controllers: PAC, PLC, Loop control
News Release from: Siemens Automation and Drives | Subject: Dunlop Hoses
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 20 March 2007
New drive control systems completed in
one week
A Profibus drive network and ASi-Safe linked emergency stop controls supplied by Siemens system integrator CT Systems (UK) for Dunlop allowed a production drive control system installation in one week
Dunlop Oil and Marine, one of the world's leading manufacturers of industrial hoses for oil, gas and petroleum transportation, recently wanted to upgrade the controls of one of its rubber cord 'calender' machines Its original estimate of three weeks (to include hard wiring) was cut to just one week when the Siemens system integrator, CT Systems (UK), proposed a Profibus drive network and ASi Safe as a cost effective and more accurate alternative
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 10 Apr 2006 at 8.00am (UK)
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Producing hoses with bores up to 1 metre in diameter means that products start life as large, flat sheets of rubber at the Grimsby facility of Dunlop Oil and Marine, the world's largest production facility for such large bore hoses.
The cord calender machine is deployed to introduce Kevlar 'strips' into the sheet, adding strength to the material constitution.
The company, a member of the ContiTech Group, had recently upgraded a similar machine using its in-house expertise with mixed success, so when the time came to address a second machine, Dunlop Oil and Marine approached Siemens Automation and Drives, which recommended the services of approved motion control systems integrator, CT Systems (UK).
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"The planned upgrade to the control system of the second machine was critical in terms of our production schedule," explains Roy Robinson, electrical projects manager at Dunlop Oil and Marine.
"We knew it would take around three weeks to hard wire the new system, which includes around 26 emergency stop circuits along the length of the machine.
However, we only had a one-week shutdown period in which to do as much of the work as possible without disrupting production".
To cut the lead-time for installation and also improve the control system of the machine, CT Systems proposed the use of ASi Safe from Siemens Automation and Drives.
"ASi Safe was a real eye-opener for us," says Robinson: "Not only did it cut installation time from three weeks to just one, but it also improved the safety of the system to Category 4.
In addition, because it's now a completely digital system, set-up times to accommodate different materials have been cut dramatically".
Overseeing the project from CT Systems was Chris Haigh, who takes up the story: "We were initially asked to go in because of our experience in motion control using Siemens equipment.
The motion control side of this project was quite specialised and involved the synchronisation of several drives along the process line length".
The project encompassed the use of Simoreg 6RA70 DC Masterdrives as well as two Micromaster 440 drives, all synchronisation was done using Profibus and feeding back to a Simatic S7 315 2DP PLC.
The system also included a Simatic HMI operator panel 170B and Profibus ET-200S distributed I/O stations on each machine column.
The panel utilises 100 per cent Siemens components, incorporating Sirius LV Series bus bar technology to provide future flexibility for the customer.
"To hard wire a system of this size is a very time consuming process," continues Mr Haigh: "So we proposed ASi Safe - putting in an ASi network for all of the emergency stops.
The ASi master CPU resides in the PLC rack so the emergency stop signals can feed back to the system, which identifies which stops are active.
I know of very few systems in the field containing this level of Siemens equipment, yet the entire installation was completed during the one-week shutdown period at Dunlop".
Such has been the success of the project (which was actually completed 12 months ago) that Dunlop Oil and Marine has now given the go-ahead for work to commence on a third machine, this time featuring a higher quantity of yet bigger drives.
"The speed of installation using ASi Safe has given the customer the confidence he requires to place further orders," concludes Mr Haigh: "What better recommendation of this technology could there be?".
Paul Hingley, Communications Product Manager, said: "At Siemens we actively promote our Solution Partners to our customers in order that we ensure that they have a real positive experience when using Siemens components or technologies for the first time.
In this case we have combined Siemens TIA (Totally Integrated Automation) with all safety aspects integrated.
This concept allows the user to fully integrate both the control and safety philosophy for the system design, increasing diagnostics, system availability and up time while reducing installation and commissioning costs".
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