Sankyo Seisakusho (Sankyo) is a Japanese provider of automation technology. The company relies on Siemens motion control solutions when developing new servo-driven belt feeders and indexers for presses. Sankyo’s new developments are primarily used in the production of engines for plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles. The Siemens technology allows Sankyo to combine two demanding technical systems, a feeder and an indexer while increasing the accuracy, efficiency and speed of its machines. The future-proof automation improves productivity and allows the technology company to maintain its position in the global market and to remain competitive.
The new servo-driven belt feeders and indexers integrated into the press allow the motor core to be arranged at an angle during stacking and the angle of rotation can be freely selected by the operator. A special vibration damping system increases operational safety. The challenge of this new solution was that the motors are cooled with compressed air instead of water in the press area. In order to ensure that the system was no more complicated than it needed to be while still adhering to international standards, Sankyo turned to Siemens for the motion control. The global company met all the Japanese manufacturer’s essential expectations.
End-to-end solution
The Siemens solution is based on a direct drive system comprising Simotics T-1FW6 high-performance torque motors for the main drive and Simotics S-1FK7 servo motors for the auxiliary. Sinamics S120 converters complete the drive. Control is provided by a Simotion D motion control system that is operated from a Simatic Comfort Panel TP1500 HMI (Human Machine Interface) supplemented by a local Simatic ET 200SP distributed I/O. Communication is via the open industrial Ethernet standard Profinet.
Huge project success and plans for the future
The Siemens solution allowed Sankyo to integrate two demanding, technical systems – a feeder and an indexer. It coordinates the individual movements of both systems and synchronises them with the main press. The new drive system optimises the machine characteristics of the feeder. Spurred on by the success of this project, Sankyo is already planning the next steps. Together with Siemens, the company intends to develop an even more powerful servo-driven feed unit for presses. The drive will still be based on Simotics motors and a Simotion motion control system, but the aim is to achieve shorter cycle times for material processing.
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