2.2011
trends in automation
Synergies
30
–
31
learn how to deal with typical production
automation actuators, such as linear
and rotary drives, motors, parallel and
vacuum grippers as well as conveyor
belts.
Packaging, storing, delivering
Once the bottles have been filled and
quality checked, they are packed in six
packs and palletised. A highly accurate
industrial two-axis handling system
places two lots of three bottles on
a mini pallet. A high speed camera
checks the six packs to make sure they
are complete. These are then either
dispatched or stored in the appropriate
high bay warehouse. Stock-keeping,
either chaotic or systematic, is done in
miniature. A Cartesian 3-axis handling
system puts items into stock and
takes them out again. Intelligent servo
motors with integrated servo amplifiers,
controllers and a PROFINET bus
interface drive two toothed belt axes.
Should the items not be put into stock
but supplied just in time, a pneumatic,
3-axis handling system with a linear
gripper places the six packs on the
outgoing goods ramp.
Detecting, moving, recycling
“This is how we provide future
automation experts with practical
knowledge about logistics, optimised
material flow, modern stock-keeping
and the planning and prioritising of
orders,”explains Andrea Hupel, Technical
Specialist at Siemens. “Signals to the
transport systems report transport
movements over greater distances,
powerful drives and positioning
systems move products to the high
bay warehouse quickly and accurately,”
according to the expert in industrial
automation and process technology.
Throughout the process all
communication is via an AS-interface
or PROFINET. But it doesn’t stop there.
The equipment also acts as a closed
system that reflects the production
process in Athene’s recycling tract.
Seals are removed from returns, liquids
and solids sucked out and discharged,
while the packaging and the contents
are sent back to the manufacturing
section.
The exemplary training equipment lives
up to its great name. What the Greek
Siemens AG
Industry Solutions
Division
Professional
Services
Colmberger Str. 2
D-90451 Nuremberg
www.siemens.com
Area of activity:
Expertise in automation technology
A whole host
of parallel and rotary grippers with cylinders on linear axes at work in the recycling station.
goddess of wisdom and arts would have
thought of her modern sister in view of
the many technical, non-philosophical
solutions, remains uncertain. However,
one thing is certain: if Odysseus had
had a similar training system before his
odyssey his 10-year journey would have
turned out to be considerably shorter.