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Industrial computers, PCs, PLCs, notebooks, etc.
News Release from: Nematron Europe | Subject: Automation
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 11 May 2000
PC controlled cylinder head assembly
European truck manufacturer DAF has chosen Nematron's OpenControl for its first experience with PC Based Control.
From its manufacturing plant in Eindhoven the DAF Trucks Company builds in excess of 22,000 trucks per year Enjoying the enviable position of having orders outstrip production, DAF is constantly investigating methods to increase the production throughput of its facilities
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 15 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The target process for the pilot programme was an existing manually operated cylinder head dressing line of which four stations were to be automated.
The assembly stations and inter linking conveyor were designed by DAF engineers and manufactured in the DAF Tool Room.
The overall application set out to test not only the performance of PC Based Control technology but also the ease of implementation when integrating such complex sub-systems as Rexroth Numerical Presses, Indramat ECO drives, Inomex Leak Test equipment and Profibus I/O Devices.
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The 'Station 1' operation inserts Injection Manifolds and Valve Guide Sleeves.
Following Part Clamping the machined casting is positioned by two of the Indramat Ecodrive 03 Servo Controllers.
When indexed to the appropriate position a Rexroth HNC-100 Hydraulic Numerical Control Press provides the power to insert the Manifolds and Sleeves.
On 'Station 2' the cylinder head receives 'Loctite' treatment prior to the insertion of the Core Plugs from automatic adhesive applicators.
A three axes and rotation indexing table positions the head for another Rexroth HNC-100 operation.
An overhead vibration feeder delivers the power press with a constant supply of Core Plugs.
A 90deg rotator reorientates the cylinder head between 'Stations 2 and 3' ready for Valve Seat Insertion, again a combined Rexroth process operation along with the two remaining ECOdrive axis controllers.
All component handling gripper systems are handled by FESTO pneumatic control equipment - with main line power being hydraulic.
Nematron's OpenControl PC Based Control Software performs overall control and co-ordination of the line.
Visualisation and Operator Interaction is effected through a Microsoft Visual Basic HMI Implementation again written in-house by DAF engineers.
A Nematron 200 MHz.
FlexBox Industrial PC running Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 executes both the VB HMI and the control task.
Software application reliability and robustness is effected through a Nematron HyperKernel Real time Sub-System for Windows NT.
The HyperKernel provides a deterministic environment for OpenControl to continue running the line in the event that the Windows NT Operating System experiences a critical shut down condition.
PC Based Control also meant an excursion from the familiar Relay Ladder Logic of traditional control systems at DAF.
Senior Project Engineer Jan Prinsen explains, "I was impressed with the Flow Chart Language of OpenControl.
We invariably initiate the design cycle with a flow chart and subsequently interpret this as Relay Ladder Logic.
The fact that the completed flow chart became the executable program meant that the interpretation phase was not required, this impacted the implementation time positively." For overall production line visualisation and operator interaction DAF project engineer Peter Boonen chose Microsoft Visual Basic (VB).
OpenControl's total compatibility with VB enabled Peter to develop a comprehensive 35 page Human Machine Interface System for effective line monitoring and operation.
In the early stages of commissioning the process times had diminished from the previous 7.0 minute manual cycle to 4.10 minutes in automatic mode.
DAF expected to meet their 3.7 minute target time with minor changes to mechanical fixture design and fine-tuning of the control program.
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