Station 2 – mMS4.0 (Processing with Pneumatic Press)

For the mechatronics learning topics (Basic to Professional), real production equipment, a mechatronics system, is provided, which consists of 3 stations. All 3 work stations can be used individually or be connected to form a larger system. The work stations described here are made of industrial components (industry standard).

The stations have interfaces (compressed air, power, data, Ethernet) to connect more stations.

For connected stations, the emergency stop for each individual station is effective for the entire connected system. The individual stations are fully assembled and fully functional on delivery. The modular mechatronics system (mMS4.0) features the assembly of a cube-shaped housing.

Thus, 2 housing cubes are prepared, connected to each other or fit together and stored. In order to provide various product types, a different color is used for each housing cube.

This station assembles the housing cubes. This is accomplished with a pinning unit and a pneumatic press. The pinning unit is used to insert at least 2 pins into one housing cube. After the second housing cube is placed in the press and the press process is complete, the housing cubes are held together by the pins. The material transfer from the conveyor to the press and back is done with a pneumatic vacuum gripper.

The housing cubes and pins are easily separated without tools in order to resume the manufacturing process. The system components can easily be connected to the PLC via a fieldline-M8 bus coupler using a cable with M8 plugs.

Station 2 has its own control (IndraLogic L25).
The (industry-standard) control offers several specific possibilities:
1. PLC programming according to IEC61131-3 with the languages Instruction List, Ladder Diagram, Function Block Diagram, Sequential
Function Chart, Structured Text
2. Convertible into a CNC control via Flash card (Station 3)
3. As preparation for Industry 4.0 (i4.0) learning topics: the control can be accessed with other programming languages (e.g. VisualBasic, C++, C#, Java, …) using OpenCore Engineering and control via a software program (e.g. LabView, MatLab/Simulink, Excel, Power Point,…) is possible. This is possible without PLC programming. By using high-level language programming it is possible to read data directly from the PLC, even parallel to a running PLC program (conversion of Big Data). Example of an i4.0 application that is possible with the control described above: direct control of a system with a LabView program (from the appropriate LabView lab) via the control, without needing to translate into a PLC programming language.

The following practice topics are addressed:
▶▶ Learning about and commissioning the equipment
▶▶ Understanding the emergency stop circuit
▶▶ Transporting material with electric drive technology
▶▶ Moving material with pneumatic drive and vacuum technology
▶▶ PLC programming according to IEC 61131-3
▶▶ PLC program reset – emergency stop circuit
▶▶ PLC program pinning unit
▶▶ PLC program portal – load press
▶▶ PLC program – press with two-hand activation
▶▶ PLC program portal – unload press
▶▶ Program entire process for Station 2

The exercises are available online.
Exercises with solutions are available to the trainer.

The work station is equipped with the following components:
▶▶ Setup on an 800 x 550 mm aluminum profile panel
▶▶ Base: profile carriage 800 x 800 x 1350 mm (L x W x H) with electrically pre-wired control box, with the following and other components:
▶▶ IndraLogic L25 PLC, IEC 61131-3 compatible (see above for description)
▶▶ Safety relay for emergency stop circuit
▶▶ Energy supply for 24V power supply
▶▶ Industrial machine control desk with quick-connect for grooved panel/perforated panel
▶▶ Maintenance unit for compressed air
▶▶ Conveyor with 24 V DC motor w/ 800m length to achieve transfer to next station with same conveyor
▶▶ Pinning unit to insert two pins in the housing cubes
▶▶ Light barrier with sensor and receiver for detection of housing at conveyor end
▶▶ Pick and place portal for equipping the press
▶▶ Pneumatic press for grouting the housing cubes
▶▶ Connection pins to hold the housing cubes together
▶▶ Decentralized fieldline I/O, connection of system components with control via cable w/ M8 plugs
▶▶ Housing cubes made from aluminum, PVC (white) and PVC (black)
▶▶ IndraWorks programming software (one license)
▶▶ Documentation CD (operating instructions, operating diagrams, etc.)
▶▶ Ethernet switch for other needed network participants, e.g. PC, route, RFID etc