Posted to News on 18th Dec 2014, 07:27
Integrated PLC and HMI upgrade book-binding machinery
B3Servis d.o.o. has used a Unitronics Vision570 integrated PLC and HMI to update its book-binding machinery and maintain its competitive market edge.
The graphics industry is rapidly increasing its demand for computer-controlled machines. This, in turn, has created a growing need for greater productivity and responsiveness. From order to delivery, lead times are becoming shorter, which puts pressure on companies in these industries to provide printing equipment with short preparation times and high reliability. Such was the need of B3Servis d.o.o., a Slovenian company that represents and sells book-binding machinery.
Existing systems at B3S were old and only able to read 1D barcodes; they were outdated and not user-friendly. If B3S wanted to keep its competitive edge in the market, the company would need a new system that could read 1D and 2D barcodes. B3S also wanted the ability to achieve higher process speeds and make them more modular and more user-friendly.
The old system was using a laser-based barcode reader that was only able to verify incoming 1D barcodes. The new system uses image-based Cognex Dataman 100Q readers that can decode 1D barcodes and 2D symbols. Still one issue remained; the maximum length of the reader's verifying capability is 40 characters. In the new system, B3S is using a Unitronics Vision570 PLC to verify barcodes of 'unlimited' lengths. In addition, two RS232 ports and an Ethernet port were available on the Vision570. One RS232 port was used for each barcode reader, and an Ethernet port was used for communicating with a PC through UDP while running an SQL database for worker logging and for working with and storing work orders, and printing reports.
The all-in-one PLC + HMI aspect of the Vision570, as well as the physical size, make this controller an excellent choice for small enclosures - especially since this enclosure is fixed on to the printing machine. The screen size and colour features make the controller easy to use for workers who need to interact with the PLC to set the system up for operation.
Follow the links to view a video of the B3S system in action and to find out more about the Unitronics Vision570 integrated PLC and HMI.
