Press automation
Efficient solutions for metal forming – seamlessly integrated
The huge growth in product variants in many industries, faster and faster product changeovers, and at the same time demands for greater productivity make efficient production sequences essential in all aspects of metal forming. Press automation plays a key role here. Individually adapted solutions from Siemens for strip feeding lines, press automation, and roll feeds, integrated seamlessly in production sequences, ensure efficient and economical processes at every point.
Efficiency, innovation, and productivity
Engineering in the TIA Portal, proven software libraries for feeder and transfer systems, and scalable hardware from the Totally Integrated Automation (TIA) portfolio: Together, these three elements yield unique solutions with Safety Integrated. This is an important contribution to maximum productivity in times of increasingly faster changeovers between product variants.Solutions for efficient component transport
Workpiece transport is fully automated in the latest production lines for economic reasons alone. The result is more flexible production in sheet metal processing: maximum output speed for production of large unit quantities, and economical production of smaller batch volumes.
With features such as vibration resistance, triple heavy-duty converters, and movement profiles that do not induce vibration, solutions from Siemens improve the efficiency of feeder systems for loading and unloading and of electronic transfer systems for in-press component transportation.
Economical in-press workpiece transportation
The SIMOTION motion control system also serves as the platform for the SIMOTION Press handling library, in which the essential functions for motion control programming and calculation have been implemented.
Additional packages, such as the SINAMICS Technology Extension VIBX to suppress triggering of mechanical vibration or SIMOTION LKTrans to implement kinematic transformations, can be included as required.
SINAMICS S120 converters are used as the drive system, and vibration-resistant SIMOTICS motors can be used for vibration loads of up to 10 G when required.
The core of the safety strategy is the fail-safe SIMATIC S7-1500F controller in conjunction with the certified press safety library.
Your advantages at a glance
Products for transfer system automation
Solutions for efficient strip feeding line automation
At a technical level, strip feeding lines are related to stretch-bending lines, cold rolling mills, and plants for flat wire production. The upstream machine modules wind sheet metal off a coil and feed it to the next system. They reduce the tensions in the material and improve its surface quality. Usually, they are used in combination with blanking presses in a blanking line, with rotating shears in a cut-to-length line, or complemented by a longitudinal cutting unit in a slitting machine.
A strip feeding line typically consists of an uncoiler and a leveler. Discontinuous systems also contain a loop storage pit and a roll feeder.
High throughput and efficient engineering
The modular SINAMICS S120 drive system and the SIMATIC S7-1500 controllers, which are available as failsafe and as technology CPUs, facilitate consistent automation of a strip feeding line from the decoiler to the roll feeder.
At the same time, the SIMATIC S7-1500 controllers serve as a platform for application libraries such as SIMATIC SimaBlank for strip feeding lines and SIMATIC SimaRoll for roll feeders.
In addition to high machine performance, the specially developed applications enable extremely efficient engineering: prefabricated function modules are available for all of the plant’s core functions, from the decoiler to the leveler, loop storage pit, and the roll feeder.
In addition to products and application software, you can also draw on Siemens’ extensive services, such as control panel construction, application services, machine simulation and analysis, and Condition Monitoring (CMS). This ensures swift and flexible configuration and commissioning of individual machines and plants.
Your advantages at a glance
Products for strip feeding line automation
Flexible, precise, and powerful
The electronic roll feeder is an integral part of almost every state-of-the-art conveyor-fed press or punching machine. It is often an autonomous, electrically driven machine unit. Replacing complex mechanical components in the roll feeder with intelligent units results in lasting flexibility and productivity improvements for the manufacturing facility.
Flexible, material-friendly feeder automation
With its SINAMICS S120 and SIMOTICS servomotors, Siemens provides an innovative solution for automating a roll feeder. Skillfully selected profiles allow for very flexible dynamics and positive jerk characteristics. An equivalent application is available for both SIMOTION and the SIMATIC S7-1500 controllers. Linking the roller feed to a higher-level master value enables direct connection to a press system.
