Page 22 - MetalForming December 2016

Line Automation
Made Easier
A single communication protocol reduces the need
for a spaghetti network and multiple software programs, improving line operation and simplifying maintenance.
BY LOUIS A. KREN, SENIOR EDITOR
Installing an automated press line, or adding components to an exist- ing line, is a complicated process. When it works just right, performance can be top-notch, yielding a high return on investment. But when it doesn’t...
Often, the success or failure of the entire process, can be tied to compo- nent capability. Getting components to act seamlessly together enables the stamper to productively churn out quality parts by monitoring and reg- ulating all aspects of line function. To gain a better understanding of how proper design and implementation can affect line performance, Metal-
Forming picked the brain of John Eby, product manager and applications engineer for Toledo Integrated Sys- tems, Holland, OH, a designer and manufacturer of press-automation controls.
Simplify the Communication Protocol
Opting for a single communication protocol, according to Eby, goes a long way toward ensuring optimal press- line performance.
“Select control hardware that uses a single communication protocol (Eth- ernet, etc.),” he advises. “In doing this,
metalformers will benefit by simplify- ing line communications and simpli- fying maintenance.”
Too often, according to Eby, control communication does not receive the proper scrutiny when specifying a line and line components.
“Many times, metalformers look to add a press, feeder or transfer system, and aren’t aware of the details sur- rounding the controls,” he says. “They’ll see that Allen-Bradley or Siemens processors have been specified, and assume that the components can talk seamlessly, but that is not the case. Even if processors come from the same
20 MetalForming/December 2016
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