VALVES + ACTUATORS
take note
the actuators discussed. During the changeover, these actuators were
tested against comparable drives fromother reputable manufacturers
and came out on top.
In the course of the large-scale efficiency drive, the company
became aware of the automated actuators. Following initial phone
alls, free product samples were supplied in 2011, which enabled
the company to carry out extensive tests to determine whether the
product met its requirements. While the automated actuators were
still in the testing phase, in-house tests showed impressive results
across the board. Since commitment to innovation is one of the core
values of the company, the entities came together and studies the
initial tests which gave them reason to believe that set-up times could
be significantly reduced.
Connectivity via Profinet
The primary motivation for changing to AG05 drives was the ability to
connect to Profinet. With long-term reliability in mind, the company
had previously decided to ensure compatibility with this standard
whenever new equipment was purchased. In the AG05, the proprietary
protocol is Profinet-enabled via the Fieldbus converter Anybus from
HMS. Connectivity was the most important factor when selecting the
actuators. A communicator for the sample drives that were initially
supplied was provided. However, for large-scale use, the company
was advised to purchase the product directly fromHMS for reasons of
economy. In the past, other customers have accepted the higher price
for the interface converter, in order to buy the complete solution from
a single source. In order to provide customers with a complete solu-
tion, the manufacturer offers a range of optional additional services.
In addition to the drive itself, the available range includes cabling,
plugs and power supplies, the Profinet converter and all necessary
software modules for external controls. Because the goods are sup-
plied from a single source, it is possible to offer greater flexibility in
the design of the complete system.
Once the customer is familiar with the system, the components can
then be purchased directly from the manufacturer.
Performance features
In addition to being Profinet-enabled, the AG05 stands out for its
unusually compact size. The space-saving layout is made possible
by a power density previously not available on the market. The drive
only requires the unit volume of a 0.33 l can, or only approx. 60 -
75% of the space required by other manufacturers’ solutions. When
it comes to weight, the difference is even more striking. The drive
weighs only half as much as other drives with similar performance.
A number of additional features which prove to be extremely helpful
in certain situations complete the picture. These include the display,
which is integrated into the drive, the control keys and the option of
operation without fieldbus capability. In practice, the compact size of
the AG05 and the display has proved to be of great benefit for us. As
explicitly requested by fischer, the actuator can be addressed without
tools or software. Another special feature is the fibreglass-reinforced
plastic housing which is particularly easy to clean. This favourable
feature is enhanced by the fact that the surface is designed with a
downward slope at all points, so that contamination from droplets
leaves hardly any residue.
Conclusion
The collaboration between the two companies in the area of actua-
tors has proved successful. They are extremely satisfied with the
result of the cooperation. For a relatively small initial investment, the
company managed to achieve a significant increase in the degree of
automation of production lines and in particular in the production of
packaging. Reducing set-up times from 45 minutes to less than five
minutes represents a significant increase in efficiency. The entire
production can be switched to the required parts by simply select-
ing the material number. The automation of the packaging produc-
tion opens up a whole new customer base for the company and
contributes significantly to ensuring the quality of small orders. The
actuator manufacturer was able to take advantage of the welcome
opportunity to carry out the test phase of the innovative AG05 with
an industry leader and as a result gain a satisfied new customer of
international standing.
Michaela Wassenberg is a specialist technical writer
(industry and technology) for SIKO GmbH, in Nürnberg,
Germany. Enquiries: Tel. 011 462 1920.
Email
or
email
By using the actuators described in the article, a large
German company was able to reduce the set-up times of
several production lines from 45 minutes to under five minutes.
The ‘company’ referred to is the fischer
Group; the manufacturer measurement
technology specialist, SIKO.
• Actuators remain a core component of any automation
system.
• Modern actuators facilitate effective automation and
communication.
• Actuators have been shown to offer a significant
advantage where set-up time is critical.
39
July ‘14
Electricity+Control
