Press chaining in the automotive industry

The planning group setup and control technology of the Press at BMW plant in Dingolfing, the task of existing press lines mechanically to revise and control technology for the next few years to fit. Especially in the management of the feeder and sinker loaders could not rely on the existing concept back, as it already is 15 years old and the market is no longer available. Furthermore, a more modern controller with the reliability and flexibility of the entire press line increased. To realize chose the BMW Dingolfing plant for the company Schleicher.

The tailored to the application of project management with a simple way to exchange program was an important decision criterion. In Schleicher, all belonging to a utility programs in a project. With a tool change is only activated in the project, completed the program change. Another decisive factor was the open interface to the control pendant. The OPC server is a complete communication with the NC, since each command in the NC as OPC tag can be declared.

In the present case, the press line, a separate cell controller (PLC) has made communication between the cell and CNC control of Schleicher via PROFIBUS DP. So does the NC group as a function of the cells under control. In future I will PROFINET used. The advantage of this approach so that on the basis of consistency of the cells control on the NC also have access to the drives. This is both in the start-up as well as the diagnosis is an important aspect.

Another important role of course, the simple maintenance of the system. In the event of a fault can be Schleicher-Control easy to assemble. All software, operating system and all user data on a Compact Flash saved. This is the exchange of control simply relocate. Any software download disappears. A backup of the CF card in the current operation is, of course, always about FTP, or a card reader.

The development team at Schleicher was important feature enhancements and special adjustments quickly and competently for BMW in Dingolfing realize. The NC is a proprietary development of Schleicher and thus it is also not on external development partners. Performing course, the short distances at medium-sized companies have an important role. Thus, questions and requests directly with the developers or engineers discussed and implemented. Queues for project-function additions so there is not.

The images of the user interface have been adjusted to reflect on the one familiar Bedienumgebung remains but on the other advanced diagnostic capabilities and new features such as the parking of axles and teaching positions were involved. Through the programming of NC programs in accordance with DIN 66025, the software effort against a motion control solution significantly reduced. Thus, the entire reconstruction of the press line within a few weeks. The programming of train movements take place in Teach and supports the rapid introduction of new tools into the press line.

The NC allows optimized train movement of the feeder, which immediately a higher clock rate of the entire press line is reached. Currently, the modernization of the next press line prepared. Schleicher will of course also here again with the next option.

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BMW Group

BMW AG
Werk Dingolfing
Press relations, public relations and employee communications
Postoffice-Box 1120
84122 Dingolfing