The World of Vacuum Technology
www.schmalz.com
Press Release
November 2013
Industry 4.0 a Practical Reality:
Optimized Production Process with Intelligent Energy and Process Control
As interesting as the debate surrounding the much-cited Industry 4.0 is, companies are
finding it difficult to implement the concept in concrete applications. J. Schmalz GmbH
from Glatten, Germany is showing how the gap from theory to practical application can be
bridged using an example from the automotive industry. Since the IO-Link-compatible
vacuum generators from Schmalz use intelligent energy and process control and perform
complex tasks in the configuration, optimization, and maintenance of the handling system,
automated handling of sheet metal parts with suction spiders is far more efficient.
It’s a situation that causes the technicians in the press shop to break out in a sweat: A suction spider, a
tooling assembly for automated handling of metal sheets, is no longer working in the series production of
sheet metal parts. The press line stops, and the troubleshooting begins. Precisely where in the system the
problem has occurred and why is not immediately apparent. But one thing is certain: The longer the line is
down, the higher the costs. It is possible to prevent these kinds of situations during configuration. Until now,
suction spiders have been assembled and installed according to the designers’ specifications. They consist
of aluminum sections, steel pipes, mounting elements, and all the necessary vacuum components such as
vacuum generators, suction pads, valves, and switching and monitoring elements.
When configuring and then inspecting the tooling assembly, the tool engineer previously had to rely on his or
her eyes and ears: For example, the valve switch behavior of the ejector would indicate whether or not the
overall system was sealed. If the tooling assembly did not have to be readjusted disproportionately often
within a given space of time, the tool engineer could release the suction spider for production. Vital
performance data such as the evacuation time have not been noted during inspection and subsequent
release of the tooling assembly – if this data is missing, however, safe operation cannot be guaranteed.
Since much of the tooling check is performed visually and aurally, it is almost impossible to set integrated
and standardized inspection benchmarks for tooling checks. Instead, the process relies on the experience of
the employee. This means that when the shift changes, then it is quite possible that the inspection
benchmarks will change too. Often, tooling assemblies that do not meet the quality standards are still
released for production, which means production cannot start.
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The World of Vacuum Technology
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That is why Schmalz’s intelligent compact ejectors SXPi-PC and SXMPi-PC from the X-Pump series are
fitted with functions for energy and process control. When designing the tooling assembly, the tool engineer
sets the maximum vacuum limit in the ejector in order to prevent damage to work pieces such as very thin
metal sheets. At the same time, the ejector also maintains a minimum vacuum level to ensure safe transport
of the workpiece. The tooling assembly is then configured by the actual ejector. This measures all relevant
values that are required for assessing the tooling quality (for example, the leakage value), and then outputs
these values. The user can then use these values to determine the seal integrity of the tooling and make any
pre-production adjustments if necessary. The energy consumption of the ejector is also determined prior to
production, and saved as the optimum value in the system controller.
The suction spider is then put into operation. The energy and process control can now reliably monitor the
status of the tooling assembly based on the values determined during tool construction. These values make
it possible to identify changes, leakages, or wear – to a certain extent, the system optimizes itself during the
production process. If a leak occurs in the system, this is displayed on the ejector and the system controller.
The system operator can also intervene immediately if an ejector detects disproportionately high energy
consumption: The values for all ejectors are displayed at all times in the central system controller. This
means, for example, that sensor switching points can be remotely configured without the operator having to
work on the ejector on-site.
The energy and process control also offers added value when it comes to tooling maintenance. Leaks
caused by loose connections, damaged hoses, or wear to suction pads due to improper use can be detected
early as part of a trend analysis. The user can carry out planned preventative maintenance without any
downtime in running operation. Tooling assemblies that are technically sound can be put into storage after
the production process without having to undergo general maintenance first. If a suction spider is sent for
maintenance, the energy and process control offers the same benefits as in the original design: The ejectors
deliver all the relevant data necessary for reliably inspecting the condition of the tooling, completing
maintenance quickly, and preparing the suction spider for reintegration in the production process.
Since Schmalz ejectors are IO-Link compatible, seamless communication is now possible from the
sensor/actuator level through to the controller level and right up to the management level – making IO-Link a
key driver for Industry 4.0 applications. Schmalz consistently utilizes the possibilities of seamless
communication, and in so doing is bridging the gap between efficient products and optimized production
processes. And this ultimately benefits users: Thanks to intelligent condition monitoring and preventative
maintenance, companies can lower their costs by €300,000 per year owing to reduced downtimes of the
press line.
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The World of Vacuum Technology
www.schmalz.com
Images:
Figure 1:
Intelligent vacuum generators: The compact
ejectors SXPi-PC and SXMPi-PC from the X-Pump
series from Schmalz are fitted with functions for
energy and process control.
Figure 2:
Functional scheme of the energy and process
control
Images: J. Schmalz GmbH
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The World of Vacuum Technology
www.schmalz.com
About the Company
Schmalz is the worldwide leading provider of automation, handling and clamping systems, providing
customers in numerous industries with innovative, efficient solutions based on vacuum technology. Schmalz
products are used in a wide variety of production processes – for example, as grippers on robot arms in the
production of car bodies, in CNC machining centers as clamping solutions for furniture pieces, or used by an
operator to lift items ranging from boxes to solar modules. Schmalz customers can either choose from a
diverse line of components or they can benefit from a complete solution that is custom-tailored to their
requirements. Schmalz is dedicated to its customers, providing groundbreaking innovation, exceptional
quality and comprehensive consultancy. The company is headquartered in Glatten (Black Forest region of
Germany) and is active in 15 additional countries with their own subsidiaries. Schmalz employs a total of
around 750 persons worldwide.
Contact for inquiries
J. Schmalz GmbH
Marketing Communication
Aacher Str. 29, 72293 Glatten, Germany
Phone: +49 7443 2403-506
Fax: +49 7443 2403-9506
presse@schmalz.de
www.schmalz.com
See our website for more press releases
http://www.schmalz.com/aktuelles/presse/
Publication free of charge – copy requested
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