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Control systems and automation
ROUND UP
T
he integrated solution for metal forming will be presented by
Beckhoff
at EuroBlech (world’s largest exhibition for the sheet
metal working industry) in Germany, October 2012. PC- and EtherCAT-
based control increases the control quality, enablingmachines to runs
faster and with higher precision. Since only a single Industrial PC is
required for control, Motion and HMI, expensive special controllers
are no longer required. A further highlight isTwinCAT 3 automation
software, which enables efficient engineering and offers multi-core
support.
Sheet metal components come in all shapes and sizes, requir-
ing a wide range of machining processes including rolling, cutting,
stamping, folding, drawing, joining, cleaning and finishing. Beckhoff
controls presses, punches, transfer units, straightening machines,
lubrication units and cutters. For these diverse requirements Beckhoff
offers an integrated, scalable control platform in the form of PC- and
EtherCAT-based control. A single Industrial PC is used for control,
Motion and HMI. This way, the high processor power offered by PC
technology eliminates the need for special hardware: position and
pressure controllers for hydraulic valves, for example, can be replaced
with software.The Industrial PC can deal with highly complex control
algorithms without performance implications and still has sufficient
performance reserves for additional functions such as condition
monitoring or safety EtherCAT guarantees high control quality
Presses require sophisticated control technology, since high forces
are applied at high speeds. EtherCAT, the real-time Ethernet fieldbus,
in conjunction with PC-based control, enables smaller sampling rates,
so that the machine can run faster and at the same time with higher
precision. All necessary process signals can be integrated simply
and inexpensively into the controller via the Beckhoff I/O systems in
protection class IP 20 or IP 67: from the digital I/Os, high-precision
measuring terminals and safety functions to Condition Monitoring.
TwinCAT unites PLC, Motion Control, Condition Monitoring, en-
gineering and HMI on a single platform. Active multi-core support
enables additional control hardware, eg external hydraulic controllers,
to be replaced by the central PC.TwinCAT 3 supports all common pro-
gramming standards, from C/C++ to the object-oriented extension of
IEC 61131-3.The integration of Matlab/Simulink enables applications,
eg hydraulics, to be simulated before commissioning. Existing press-
specific expertise can be integrated in the controller via C or C++.
Enquiries:Tel. 011 795 2898 or email M.Murphy@beckhoff.com.
Everything on a single platform
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