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Siemens' Innovation Pursues Control in U.S., Global Markets

Posted on: Friday, 14 October 2005, 03:00 CDT

By Anonymous

When Siemens Energy & Automation's Machine Tool Business unit rolled out its latest technology for the U.S. market, it made it abundantly clear that innovation held the key to success in its key markets, including the U.S., China, Taiwan, Korea, and India as well as Europe of course.

To illustrate the point, Siemens announced that Stellex Aerostructures has selected its flagship Sinumerik 840D CNC for the Cincinnati Lamb HyperMach high rail linear motor profiler it had ordered. The HyperMach will be used to machine large, complex structures that are up to 100 feet long by 15 feet wide.

The Sinumerik 840D was selected for the HyperMach profiler because its open architecture is well suited for integrating sophisticated five-axis functionality demanded by aerospace manufacturers. The control offers aerospace users high-speed features like NURBS and Spline Interpolation for increased productivity without compromising precision or surface finish, says Siemens. Special functions have been integrated to make five-axis machining simple and convenient, including special machine kinematics, five-axis transformation, high-performance 3D tool correction, and manual five-axis tool orientation.

Wolfgang Rubrecht, general manager of Siemens' Machine Tool Business unit, cited a recent VDW report (German machine tool industry association) detailing the most important technology trends in CNC and motion controls for the future. Preeminent among them, he cited self-monitoring systems, emphasis on plug-and-play, micro- electromechanical systems, and greater importance of software.

Siemens is introducing its new Sinumerik solution line CNC system platform to the U.S.

Rubrecht pointed to recent product introductions by Siemens that provide web-based remote plant-wide monitoring, simulation for virtual prototyping and machine setup, and plug and play controls that will optimize production for end users and shorten the time to market for OEMs. The ratio of software is likely to increase and become more of a determining factor in increasing production reliability and throughput, he said. Software problems were likely to be cited as the possible cause of as much as 90 percent of downtime in the future, he added.

With that as background, Siemens introduced its technology solutions in its Sinumerik line of CNC system platforms, comprising the Sinumerik 802D sl, the PC-based Sinumerik 840Disl, and the flagship Sinumerik 840D with panel- and PC-based versions. The network-centric architecture of the Sinumerik solution line can be effectively combined with Sinamics, the drive technology from Siemens that can facilitate the design of standalone as well as plant-wide automation solutions. In addition, they will require only standard Ethernet and Profibus protocols for machine tool communication.

Mechatronics support allows OEM machine tool builders to design their machines working with experts from Siemens R&D group in Lebanon, OH.

Siemens' ePS Network Services is an Internet-based service that supports maintenance processes while simultaneously forming a platform for cross-company service and support between OEMs and machine operators. Any machine tool equipped with Sinumerik 810D, 840D, or 840Di CNCs along with the Siemens PCU 50 industrial PC, Internet access, and a standard web browser can operate within this system.

By using ePS Network Services, customers access detailed information much faster for the localization of machine faults, allowing for faster analysis without direct access to the machine or influencing the production process. Notifications are by e-mail or text message should a fault occur.

For machine tool OEMs, Siemens is offering a cooperative partnership with its mechatronic support service so that OEMs can design their machines drawing on the expertise of Siemens personnel- from the machine's concept all the way to completion. Working together with the OEM's engineering staff, Siemens will develop innovative ideas and end-user-specific machine concepts that are tailored exactly to their needs.

The mechatronic service, which is available in the U.S. through the Siemens R&D group in South Lebanon, OH, is also available for existing machines. In this case, Siemens will focus on the interaction between the mechanical components and the electrical drives to improve the precision and productivity of a machine. Siemens Energy & Automation Inc., Machine Tool Business Unit, www.rsleads.com/510tp-162

Copyright Nelson Publishing Oct 2005

Source: Tooling & Production

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