IT in Manufacturing


New app for drive systems

June 2018 IT in Manufacturing

Siemens is launching a new app for drive systems in the field of motion control called Analyze MyDrives, and has also introduced Manage MyMachines/Remote, a new plug-in to upgrade its tried and tested Manage MyMachines MindApp for machine tools with the addition of a smart remote feature. Analyze MyDrives and Manage MyMachines/Remote are special MindApps designed specifically for MindSphere, the open IoT operating system from Siemens, which allow users to utilise the benefits of cloud-based services and create added value with machine operation. Digitalising drive systems or machine tools enables extensive data generated by the drive or machine to be analysed and put to use. By connecting to MindSphere, this process can be carried out simply by the machine manufacturer or user, significantly improving the efficiency of drive systems and machines and boosting productivity across the production network. In this way, these MindApps provide the starting point for totally new applications for drives or machine tools which enable innovative digital services such as predictive maintenance, energy data management or resource optimisation.

Using the Analyze MyDrives MindApp for the Sinamics V20 and V90 converters, Sinamics G modular and compact, and Sinamics S (up to 250 kW), machine operators are now able to also monitor the drive components of their machines. The app captures and analyses all the operating data, allowing the actual maintenance requirement to be detected by continuously monitoring power consumption, torque and frequency. The machine operator is kept informed about critical machine operating statuses, and machine builders are able to suggest preventive machine servicing as and when it’s needed. This eliminates the need for machine maintenance at fixed intervals, boosting machine capacity utilisation and productivity, extending maintenance intervals and minimising downtimes. The analysis of operating data also enables predictive maintenance which reduces the probability of unscheduled costs. The MindApp also allows the measurement of energy flows as the basis for determining energy-saving potential, allowing consistent energy-saving optimisation measures to be implemented.

Manage MyMachines/Remote is a plug-in offered by Siemens for its Manage MyMachines MindApp, which enables remote access to the CNC (Computerised Numerical Control). This allows complete remote control of the CNC by means of failsafe encrypted communication over the internet, which not only improves machine availability and simplifies maintenance but also cuts costs in the event of a fault. By graduating the supply stages for Single Access, Conferencing and Remote STEP 7, the scope of performance can be precisely adjusted to customer requirements. The ability to record the entire maintenance process in different video formats makes for enhanced transparency.

The Manage MyMachines MindApp quickly and simply connects CNCs such as the Sinumerik 840D sl to MindSphere, providing machine operators with a cloud-based overview of key data and operating statuses across all the connected machines. The app allows relevant machine data to be captured, analysed and visualised, lending users an outstanding level of transparency on the current machine status and its development.

For more information contact Jennifer Naidoo, Siemens Digital Factory and Process Industries and Drives, +27 (0)11 652 2795, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za



Credit(s)



Share this article:
Share via emailShare via LinkedInPrint this page

Further reading:

Addressing the cooling needs of the modern data centre
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The rise in hardware density in data centres is gaining speed and is largely driven by the demands of artificial intelligence and machine learning, requiring more powerful servers and specialised hardware.

Read more...
South Africa’s next cyber security frontier
IT in Manufacturing
AI-powered agents are rapidly transforming how South African businesses operate, from chatbots managing customer inquiries to automated systems processing financial transactions. While these AI-driven assistants increase efficiency and reduce operational costs, they also present a new, and often underestimated, cybersecurity challenge: identity management.

Read more...
Bombardier expands adoption of Siemens Xcelerator for aircraft developmen
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Bombardier has expanded its adoption of the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software for aircraft development.

Read more...
The DeepSeek effect: navigating AI’s new frontier
IT in Manufacturing
DeepSeek has emerged as a game-changer in artificial intelligence, offering a robust platform redefining how businesses approach AI integration. This change is especially important since it opens up AI to a wider range of organisations, including small and medium-sized enterprises that could have previously been priced out of the market.

Read more...
Automation, is it 2049 already?
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
It would come as no surprise that AI and ML are at the forefront of the increased efficiency movement, and are vital cogs in this sophisticated automated machine. A development that is extremely exciting, is autonomous systems.

Read more...
Agentic AI: are we building castles on quicksand?
IT in Manufacturing
Artificial Intelligence is in a strange spot. With the explosion of AI tools and applications, we find ourselves teetering between two inseparable yet intertwined paths – the promise of extraordinary capability and the peril of unmitigated risk.

Read more...
There’s a reason the A stands for Advanced in APC
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Today’s mineral processing companies face almost universal challenges, efficiently managing resources and high energy consumption, environmental compliance, barriers to technological adoption and the perpetual shortage of skilled labour. While there’s no miracle intervention, there are undoubtedly solutions that improve the above, and one is Advanced Process Control.

Read more...
Digital twins in manufacturing
Schneider Electric South Africa IT in Manufacturing
Digital twin technology can help create better products, fast. It can transform the work of product development too.

Read more...
New generative AI-powered maintenance offering
Siemens South Africa IT in Manufacturing
The Siemens Industrial Copilot is revolutionising industry by enabling customers to leverage generative AI across the entire value chain – from design and planning to engineering, operations and services.

Read more...
Building resilience in extreme environments
ACTOM Electrical Machines IT in Manufacturing
Extreme temperatures, corrosive substances and high pressures are just a few of the elements that make up the unforgiving operational environments characteristic of the petrochemical and oil and gas sectors. A proactive and nuanced approach to industrial maintenance is no longer optional for organisations, it is an absolute necessity to avoid disruptions and create the right conditions for success.

Read more...