says Siemens project manager,
Thomas Roehrer. “The control unit has
a forward-looking design so it meets
the requirements of the industry for
the equipment. At the same time it
provides trainees with suitable hands-
on experience that they can use later
in their professional work,” continues
Roehrer. Following on from process
automation the route control learning
module showshow liquids from different
storage containers are fed to the most
varied destination points using valve
nodes, process drives, Festo valve
terminals MPA and centrifugal pumps.
Dosing, filling, checking
This discrete equipment area reflects
a complex bottle filling, transportation
and recycling process. The bottles are
either filled with solids or coloured
liquids or both. After the containers
have been metered and filled in the
first stage of the production automation
process, in the next work step a rotary
gripper closes them with plastic lids.
There is also a separate production
area for the lids themselves in which
PLCs control and monitor production.
“Optical sensors record the position,
level and integrity of the bottles.
In order to provide basic information
for traceability, which is increasingly
required, particularly in the
pharmaceutical industry, the RFID and
2D matrix equipment identifies and
checks codes on the products,” says
Thomas Roehrer as he describes the
modern functionalities of the equipment.
State-of-the-art reading techniques,
such as RFID readers and intelligent
vision systems are used. This enables
valuable practical knowledge about
sensor technology and image processing
to be conveyed. Throughout the entire
system many different sensors detect
the end positions of actuators and
differentiate the workpieces. Participants
The route control system
controls material flows with Festo MPA valves. It was
developed and implemented by Festo Didactic partner, Adiro Automation
technology.
Bulk goods metered and packaged precisely:
Goods are handled using typical
industrial components, such as conveyor belts, rotary disks and rotary grippers.