Remote access for machine operators

New business models, resilient, resource-efficient manufacturing, and less downtime thanks to the transparency of relevant data – the challenges facing mechanical engineers and their customers are increasing. At SPS 2021 in Nuremberg (November 23–25), Lenze will be showcasing digital solutions, as well as software and hardware for today’s tasks in Hall 7, stand 391/396. The focus is on digitalisation, and accelerating production, service and development processes.

“Many mechanical engineers are praised for digitalising their products and processes, but too often there is a lack of concrete scenarios that also prove profitable for the engineers,” says the company.

“Moreover, service providers lack domain knowledge and there is a lack of overview of assets in production. That is where Lenze comes in. The automation specialists from Hameln focus on use cases that quickly provide mechanical engineers and operators with concrete added value.” Two applications stand out, it adds.

Access to asset information

“Manufacturing companies are interested in minimising maintenance and repair costs through efficient planning. For that to succeed, users need transparency as to which assets are actually installed.” Lenze wants to simplify the management of all installed assets, so that it is possible to retrieve all information – if a machine malfunctions, for instance. “Service personnel are then informed by email or MS teams via the IoT gateway X4 Remote and can determine and rectify the fault accordingly.”

The starting point it singles out for this is Lenze FAST. “Lenze has recently expanded the tried-and-tested application software toolbox into a framework. The digital twin plays an important role in this. At the heart of the FAST framework is a service-oriented software architecture that is even better at meeting current machine requirements for visualisation, IIoT and the cloud.

Asset and error management

The framework ensures interoperability with an OPC UA interface. The standard for asset instance data can be integrated into exchange formats of the administration shell or asset administration shell (AAS) in the future. This enables the successive docking of useful services. One example of this is Lenze’s asset and error management, in which optimised access to asset information has been supplemented with automated error management.

Machine operators benefit above all from the complete view of machines and systems. Remote access allows machine operators, as well as the mechanical engineer’s technicians, to remotely access framework diagnostic information and efficiently solve problems. This is supported by a ticket system that already contains machine status information.

OEE optimisation

OEE is still the problem child in many companies, states Lenze. “Minimising machine downtimes and optimising throughput times requires the unrestricted availability of relevant information from components and machines. But there is often a lack of data and, even more often, a lack of transparency. That is now changing with OEE & downtime tracking, which provide more transparency in the production process, with no additional hardware or sensors.

First, the OEE is calculated in the PLC and the user can visualise the results on preconfigured dashboards. In addition, EASY UI Designer – which will be freely available on the Lenze website from the start of the trade fair – offers the user the option of configuring the visualisation independently.

Downtime tracking provides advanced analysis options, allowing the OEE factors ‘availability’ and ‘performance’ to be examined in detail. Lenze relies on OPC UA and MQTT for communication, thus ensuring connectivity for future technologies. The data flow from the PLC to the cloud is guaranteed and, even without a cloud connection, live data can be sent in real time to a panel or a human machine interface (HMI). This provides the machine operator with more transparency and motivation.

“The application is an easy way for mechanical engineers to display machine performance and availability, according to their end customer’s needs. The end customer can use this data to increase or stabilise his productivity. OEE & downtime tracking is thus the basis for fact-based production optimisation, based on real data.

New automation system

In addition to the software and digital solutions, Lenze will also be presenting the corresponding hardware at the trade fair. Visitors will have the opportunity to get a sneak preview of the new i750 servo inverter. This will become the new standard element of a future-oriented automation solution with a Lenze controller. Its key features are:

• Extended safety & One Cable Technology
• Increased control technology quality
• Extended power range between 15 kW and 30 kW

“In combination with the aforementioned Lenze automation system software applications and digital services, the result is a motion control concept that is second to none,” concludes the company.