Packaging machinery manufacturer VAI chose to use drive and automation solutions from Siemens, to execute a new vertical bagging machine for packaging pellets.
Image: VAI using drive and automation solutions from Siemens. Photo: Courtesy of Siemens AG.
VAI’s decision to use Siemens’ technology would bring a range of benefits for the company including a 50% less time to market, simple maintenance, and a decrease in general engineering time.
Unlike its previous policy of partial outsourcing, the company has employed a machine completely in-house for the first time.
The company has faced challenge of achieving 26 packs per minute output with the new machine at 17 meters per minute final speed.
Siemens has provided extra support to VAI during the configuration and software development prior to the actual implementation. The development work was focused on flying shear related applications.
The basis of the Siemens drive and automation solutions were Sinamics V90-PN servo drive systems with a 3AC 380 to 480-volt supply voltage and an output of 1.5 to 5.0 kilowatts, alog with G120C converter. It also included ET 200SP und ET 200MP distributed I/O units.
The Simatic S7-1500 Technology-CPU (Central Processing Unit) is capable of controlling the logic and axis synchronization based on its integrated Motion Control functionalities. The engineering goes on in the TIA (Totally Integrated Automation) Portal V14 beside the integrated Startdrive V14.
VAI uses the tool Sinamics V-Assistant to parameterize the V90-PN servo drives and for extensive drive diagnostic functions. Communication between all components takes place over Profinet.
Through uninterrupted Siemens configuration, the company could achieve complete integration of all the different devices in a single engineering framework (TIA Portal).
With simple and intuitive programming of Siemens’ machines, VAI has attained its target speed of 17 meters and over 26 packs per minute production in-house and a 50 percent reduction in the time to market.