Having reliable technology partners is a fundamental requirement for OSAI, both at management and product level. "We are looking for technology partners, not suppliers," emphasises Franco Cresto, Technical Director at the Italian special machine manufacturer OSAI. As a result, Festo not only became a technology partner for electric and pneumatic automation but also an enabler for greater energy efficiency.
OSAI A.S. S.p.A., based in Parella near Turin, specialises in the design and manufacture of standard systems, special-purpose machines for assembling and testing high-tech components for the semiconductor, automotive and electronics industries. Every system is customised according to the customer's requirements and equipped with the latest technology.
Making customers aware of energy efficiency f
"We make our customers aware of energy efficiency as a topic," explains Franco Cresto. To do this, OSAI uses the complete portfolio of pneumatic automation components as well as Cartesian systems for handling workpieces and, more recently, electric drives from Festo. "Thanks to these solutions, which harmoniously integrate pneumatic and electric drives, at OSAI we are able to offer innovative and energy-efficient solutions for 80% of our machines," explains Cresto.
Cresto continues: "Energy efficiency requires a comprehensive approach because it affects the entire process. All parameters must match in order to guarantee the energy efficiency of a machine or system, from the planning to the operating phase." This starts with the software for creating energy-efficient products. From the front end to the valves and compressed air preparation, everything is designed and implemented with the aim of maximising potential savings. In other words, products and solutions complement each other so that they have the desired impact and contribute not only in terms of technology, but also in terms of training and consultancy.
Automatic leakage detection
When the E2M module is switched off, it carries out a leakage test on the system. If it detects a pressure drop that the user has previously defined as critical, it reports it to the plant's control system. The E2M automatically detects any leakage in the system's tubing so that the necessary maintenance work can be carried out. The module also has an option whereby the compressed air supply can be switched on and off manually. In the case of particularly complex production processes, the automatic stand-by detection can be deactivated so that the user can decide via the PLC whether a machine is operating or not.
Another advantage of the MS6-E2M energy efficiency module is the active condition monitoring function, which provides system operators with the most important energy and process data at any time. The module can be fully integrated into the machine controller via Profibus, enabling the cyclical exchange of relevant data, such as energy consumption and plant availability.