CONTENTS

Tactical Brief
Mechatronics @ Work: Insight & Technology Solutions

02 05 10 15 22 27

Mechatronics @ Work: Key Principles for Successful Solutions Mechatronics: Top 5 Mechanical Considerations for Electrical Engineers Mechatronics: Top 5 Electrical Considerations for Mechanical Engineers Industrial Ethernet: The Key Advantages of Sercos III Mechatronics in Packaging: Its Not Rocket Science Software Engineering: Differentiation through customized functions

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Joel Galliher Director Mechatronic Systems Bosch Rexroth Corporation

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Mechatronics @ Work: Key Principles for Successful Solutions

he popularity of mechatronics has grown rapidly as OEMs and manufacturers develop more efficient and integrated production systems, ones that are versatile and make the most intelligent use of todays automation technologies. Generally speaking, mechatronics is the intelligent selection and integration of mechanical and electrical components into machines and production lines to accomplish complex automated manufacturing applications. Just as importantly, it is also the engineering discipline guiding the design and creation of mechatronics systems. Successful mechatronics systems are not only measured by how well they operate -- their value is also assessed by the ease (or difficulty) associated with their design, construction and commissioning. Rexroth engineers and product developers have unique insight into these challenges. We have engineered our technology and developed our applications expertise to help you maximize intelligent system design and component selection

to achieve the smartest, most cost-effective and productive mechatronics solution. In doing so, we have identified six key principles which need to be considered as you engineer a mechatronics solution -- no matter what industry or application your machine is designed for: Intelligent integration -- Select components designed to fit together, including built-in connectivity for mechanical and electrical interfaces; technologies like Rexroth linear modules, including the Omega Module OBB, CKL Linear Module and VKK Feed Module. Each one has specific capabilities and load characteristics, but all are created with standardized mechatronic interfaces. Energy efficiency -- strict control of energy consumption is a standing requirement for virtually all automation systems -- so selecting mechatronics components requires a just right balance: just enough energy to accomplish a task, move a load or complete a motion cycle. For example, Rexroth has pneumatics monitoring devices to help optimize pneumatic airflow, helping

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you control flow and detect leaks; that way, you dont need to install over-sized pneumatic pumps and run them constantly to maintain sufficient pneumatic system pressure. Modularity -- Constantly changing markets require modular technology with components engineered to handle changes and updates easily and quickly; Rexroth designed our widely used VarioFlow Chain Conveyors for quicker design, installation and start-up, and with multiple mechanical interfaces and connectors to make reconfiguration easier. Optimized control -- it is crucial to leverage the latest advances in electronics and fieldbus architectures to maximize both the flexibility and productivity of automation systems; this includes investigating

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and giving strong consideration to platforms such as Rexroths IndraControl MLC L45 PLC, which provides a high-performance, costeffective controller platform with support for robotics and a wide range of interfaces including Sercos III and Ethernet IP. Precision -- todays automation systems cant sacrifice quality for throughput; ultra-tight motion and endpoint accuracy are essential. So the challenge for mechatronics engineers is to select components that enhance both precise motion and productivity. The Rexroth CKL Compact Module with ironless linear motor is one example: it combines the speed of a belt-driven module with the accuracy of a ball screw. Load -- its useful to have an open mind when assessing the

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Continued Mechatronics @ Work: Key Principles for Successful Solutions

variety of options for moving loads - electric motors, pneumatics, or hydraulics all offer advantages. Its important to consider weight, distance carried and the required speed of the duty cycle in this process. One rule of thumb: avoid automatically selecting familiar technologies that may be over- or underpowered for a particular machine task. To make sure that your next mechatronics project is successful, work with the Drive and Control experts at Bosch Rexroth who have engineered a complete solutions platform for mecha-

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tronics applications. Our EasyHandling platform is a comprehensive system with drive and control technologies, standardized interfaces and multiple software tools for selection, sizing, setup and commissioning of handling systems. To learn more, just visit www.easy-handling.com before you start your next mechatronics project.

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Richard Vaughn Senior Automation Engineer, Mechatronic Systems richard.vaughn@boschrexroth-us.com

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Mechatronics: Top 5 Mechanical Considerations for Electrical Engineers

Mechanical and electrical engineers often overlook important issues when specifying their respective parts of an electromechanical system. Here are ve good pieces of advice for electrical engineers responsible for electromechanical systems, as provided by a mechanical engineer.

igh-performance mechatronic systems require a complex interplay of electrical and mechanical systems to accomplish increasingly demanding tasks. The problem? Mechanical engineers and electrical engineers are often educated within their single area of expertise and simply dont communicate as much as they should when designing electromechanical systemsan oversight that can lead to higher costs and less reliable performance. As a mechanical engineer involved in the sizing, selection, and start-up of mechatronic systems, Ive seen these problems both during the design phase and in the field. To help bridge the gap between electrical and mechanical engineers, Id like to offer my electrical colleagues five important things to consider in the design of mechatronic systems.

Consideration #1: Total Cost of Ownership is everything

It really goes without saying that mechatronic systems should

be designed to achieve the best possible performance for the lowest cost over the long term. However, the need to document cost-savings on an annual basis (rather than over the lifetime of the system) can be a powerful motivation for engineers to look for less expensive components to keep the up-front cost of the mechatronic system low. Indeed, seemingly simple components, that may seem like no-brainer decisions at the time, can cause painful head-

Clean and careful cable management is often overlooked, but can help you make sure that even tight spaces dont cause problems. Failure to consider cable management can result in shortened system life, physical incompatibility with the ultimate operating environment, or even fires.

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Continued Mechatronics: Top 5 Mechanical Considerations for Electrical Engineers

aches later. For example, the use of less expensive bellows-type couplings between the motor or gearbox and the actuator input shaft are a perfectly appropriate choice in many steppermotor driven applications. In fact, a slightly spongier coupling can provide a certain amount of damping in pickand-place applications moving heavier loads. The sacrifice, of course, is precision, and in many mechatronic systems, which are typically servo-motor driven, its best to use stiffer elastomertype couplings. Using less expensive couplings may save money in the short term, but if the required stiffness is not achieved, redesigning and retrofitting the motor mounting system can easily cost three or more times the money you initially saved with the economy coupling. Plus, youll have the added cost of downtime and lost production, which is not a good trade-off. Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is really the single most important consideration in any mechatronic system design, and the four remaining points will also contribute, ultimately, to lower TCO.

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Most Important Mechanical Considerations for Electrical Engineers

Mechatronic systems should be designed to achieve the best possible performance for the lowest cost over the long term. Trying to size and space the electrical components before the mechanics are defined can lead to wasted time and rework. In precision applications, try to size the mechanical and electrical components to achieve as close to a 1-to-1 inertia match as possible. The correct acceleration is important in mechatronics applications for achieving the desired move in the required time. When designing the cable management system, theoretical operation and space requirements can be different from what is required in the real world.

Consideration #2: Always look at the mechanics rst

Its very important for electrical engineers to get involved in, or at least understand, the mechanical design of a mechatronic system before forging ahead with the electrical design and controls. Trying to size and spec the electrical components before the mechanics are defined can lead to wasted time and rework, since parameters such as inertia and torque are heavily influenced by the choice of mechanical components. Rexroth engineers use a system called LOSTPED to help them size and select the mechanical

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components that are best-matched to the performance requirements of the application. LOSTPED is simply an acronym that stands for Load, Orientation, Speed, Travel, Precision, Environment and Duty Cycle. In short, its a systematic review of all the performance and design attributes that need to be considered, with the end goal being the optimum system design for each application. Not following this process can result in larger or more expensive mechanical systems than are needed. For example, if the OEM or end user forces the design to accommodate a specific motor without considering the LOSTPED criteria, larger mechanical components may be required to handle the motor torque or inertia than those actually needed Getting the right motor is critical, which for the application. The same means matching it up to the overall systems mechanical components. In other goes for control systems. If a words, electrical system design can only occur once the mechanical design has been ball-screw-driven actuator can fine-tuned to match the performance specs of the application. achieve 0.01 mm repeatability,

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you need to make sure that the encoder can meet or exceed this spec; otherwise you wont be able to take advantage of the ball screws precision. Its human nature to want to use components that are in stock or that the user is familiar with, such as motors, drives, and controls that have been used on other machines, but each system deserves its own review to ensure that the components and the overall system are optimized for cost and performance. Otherwise, you may leave money on the table or fail to get the system performance you need.

Consideration #3: Dont try to t a square peg into a round hole

The last example is common enough that its worth emphasizing as an important consideration of its own: Dont try to fit a square peg into a round hole. Many electrical engineers are familiar with particular motors and drives, or are pressured to save money by using components they already have. Using a motor thats physically too large, however, can cause mounting issues. It could supply too much torque for the linear module to handle (causing mechanical failure or breakage); or it could cause inertia and settling issues. Unpredictable settling can be a particular problem in precision applications, such as dispensing, pin insertion, or precision assembly in semiconductor and medical applications.

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If the motor is oversized and has too much inertia, the actuator may have a difficult time achieving the desired position, resulting in longer overall cycle times than required. Particularly in precision applications, you should try to size the mechanical and electrical components to achieve as close to a 1-to-1 inertia match as possible. Keeping power consumption to the minimum required for the application is also important for customers who are looking to reduce their environmental impact and make their manufacturing operations more green.

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Consideration #4: Dont forget Jerk

Jerk is the rate of change of acceleration, or the build-up of the acceleration of the axis. Think of the sensation you feel when you take off up the next hill on a roller coaster. Its the limitation of the jerk parameter (how fast youre accelerating) that lets you experience the acceleration of the roller coaster without developing whiplash. Acceleration is important in mechatronic applications for achieving the desired move in the required time, but if the jerk (how fast the system accelerates) is too high, vibrations could result and cause a loss of positioning or premature wear of components. On the other hand, if electrical system designers dont consider the magnitude of jerk required for the application, the motor may be undersized and not allow achievement of the required performance. Complex mechatronic systems require careful advance planning to ensure optimum performance and the best total cost of ownership.

Consideration #5: Cables must be managed

Cable management is one of the most frequently overlooked attributes in mechatronic systems. Dont make this mistake it can be costly. Cables and cable tracks require physical space, and fast, multi-axis motion often requires cables that can handle tight bends and high duty cycles. Particularly when designing the cable management system, theoretical operation and space requirements can be very different from what is required in the real world. Once installed in the machine or factory, the systems ac-

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tive environment may include adjacent machinery, factory walls, posts or beams, and other parts or tooling that cause interference with the cable management system. Proper strain relief for cables is also critical, because cables that are bent and twisted beyond their specifications pose a safety hazard in the form of fire or short-circuits.

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It all adds up to TCO

The ultimate goal in the design of any electromechanical system should be to achieve the optimum performance, mechanically and electrically, to get the job done with the lowest total cost. In the real world, many such systems are designed by teams of engineers from both disciplines, working in tandem. This is the ideal model, but with the discipline of mechatronics being relatively young, the problems Ive described here happen all too often, because few mechanical or electrical engineers have the experience or understanding of their counterpart in the other discipline. The five tips above aim to help bridge this gap and prevent costly, unwelcome and time-consuming surprises. And thousands of dollars in long-term savings by reducing the total cost of ownership? Who can be opposed to that?

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Mike Mueller Product Management, Electric Drives & Controls mike.mueller@boschrexroth-us.com

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Mechatronics: Top 5 Electrical Considerations for Mechanical Engineers

Mechanical and electrical engineers often overlook important issues when specifying their respective parts of an electromechanical system. Consider these ve targeted pieces of advice for mechanical engineers responsible for electromechanical systems, as provided by an electrical engineer.

echatronic systems are the state-of-the-art technology in automation systems, intelligently integrating mechanical and electrical elements to perform increasingly complex and demanding functions. When designing electromechanical systems, mechanical engineers and electrical engineers may tend to emphasize the technologies, components and design principles from their single area of expertisewhich can lead to systems with higher operating costs, increased maintenance demands and less than optimal performance. As an electrical engineer involved in helping OEMs and manufacturers design and build mechatronic systems, Ive seen how inefficiencies and unnecessary complexity can be unintentionally designed into machines. Better mechatronic systems can be created when mechanical engineers consider five crucial concepts when designing manufacturing systems, to derive the greatest value and efficiency electronics systems can offer to the manufacturing process.

With lab equipment thats properly designed and application-optimized from the beginning, its possible to achieve substantial energy savings.

Consideration #1: Create a clean design

Good mechatronics design starts with good mechanical design the best electronics and electrical systems cant compensate for poor

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mechanical design. The most successful designs are clean: they feature a strong, rigid frame, utilizing materials and structural principles to ensure that, whatever motion the machine undergoes, its longterm stability is engineered-in. Make sure that rigid bearings and support are utilized where motors are mounted on machines; this helps prevent shafts being sheared off, due to microfractures that occur because the motor shaft is mounted out of alignment with a pillow block bearing or gearbox input planetary gear. Place motors on the machine in the best location so that operators arent accidentally stepping on cables and connectors causing damage, and design machine guarding with easy access points to get to motors mounted under the wing base of the machine while still protecting them against harsh environments. Most importantly, a clean design balances mass and motion: sturdy, durable framing that withstands years of vibration and shock, combined with lighter-weight components for the moving parts of the machine. This helps reduce mass, provides more energy-efficient motion, and makes it easier to size-up smaller motor/drive components for the machine. Weve seen a lot of very innovative mechanical machine designs over the years, and a clean design makes the largest contribution to a machines longevity, robustness, and lowest overall cost of ownership.

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Most Important Electrical Considerations for Mechanical Engineers

Create a clean mechanical design to ensure that whatever motion the machine undergoes, its long-term stability is engineered-in. Couple the motor directly to the load to greatly reduce windup and backlash, improving machine commissioning time. Utilize electronic gearing and camming to dramatically improve axes synchronization and accuracy. Incorporate energy-efficient technology to cut down on operation costs and reduce wasted energy. Use HMIs for troubleshooting to show where a problem is and steps to take to put the machine in safe mode for maintenance.

Consideration #2: Directly couple the motor to the load

Effective mechatronics start with a clean slate design. In the past, machines were often built around a single AC motor powering a machine line shaft, to which were attached gearboxes, pulleys, sprockets, chain drives and other mechanical devices for moving individual areas of the machine in synchronization an approach to power-

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ing manufacturing that literally can be traced back to the dawn of the Industrial Revolution. Consider replacing this architecture with individual servomotors coupled directly to the load you are moving. There are multiple design, machine cost and operational advantages to this solution (which a surprising number of machine designs do not utilize). First, consider cost: every time you add a gearbox, you add multiple costs: its an additional point of failure, it has to be lubricated, and it needs spare parts. Plus, you add mechanical backlash that needs to be compensated for during machine commissioning and every time you have a product changeover motion and axes synchronization complexity that todays intelligent drives and servomotors eliminate. When you strategically locate servomotors as close as possible to the area of motion they are serving, the incremental cost of electric drive components is almost completely offset by eliminating the cost of mechanical components and labor that must be purchased, machined, assembled and configured. In particular, not having to stock multiple sets of sprockets, gears and cams, as well as the time involved in changeovers with mechanical drives, can really drive down the total cost of ownership for the machine. Ultimately, this design approach greatly reduces windup and backlash, improves machine commissioning time, and current state-of-the-art direct drives, direct motors and linear motors

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allow machine designers to run higher gains and improve the machines performance.

Consideration #3: Utilize electronic gearing and camming

Todays electronic drives and motion control platforms give the mechanical engineer a powerful, flexible tool to improve the accuracy and performance of the machines you design. This technology lets you create a virtual electronic line shaft that can electronically synchronize all the drives and motors on the machine, eliminating the mechanical line shaft. In the process, you can dramatically improve axes synchronization and accuracy from 1/16th or 1/32nd of an inch typical with mechanical line shafts, down to motion precision closer to hundredths or even thousandths of an inch with electronic line shafting. And this synchronization can be accomplished with zero mechanical backlash and fewer product jams. It also eliminates a host of mechanical adjustments to bring the machine online, as well as the operator adjustments each time the machine is stopped and restarted. Electronic gearing and camming makes machine changeover completely programmable: Using FlexProfile technology, with the touch of a button on the HMI screen, you can load a machine

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recipe, and the changes are made in the control and servo system to run the next product. This new FlexProfile camming technology makes it possible to build multi-segmented cam profiles based on position, velocity or timebased motion profiles. When you change a section of the electronic cam through a recipe change through the HMI, the control platform will automatically optimize the rest of the cam profile across all of the machines motion elements. This enables the machine to run a shorter cycle time, or provide a smoother dynamics for the machine, even though a change has occurred such as a different bag seal time or flap tucking cam position on a cartoning machine.

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Consideration #4: Incorporate energy-efficient technology

One of the fastest growing costs for any manufacturing operation is energy and good mechatronic design can help control these costs, through the application of electric drive and motor systems designed to save energy. In machines that utilize servomotors directly coupled to critical axes of motion on the machine, and also utilize electronic synchronization and camming, the proper sizing of the servo system can create a highly energy-efficient machine. Proper sizing requires an accurate assessment of several motion

factors (motor by motor): How fast the axis needs to accelerate, the size of the mass youre trying to move, and how precise the acceleration and deceleration needs to be. Undersizing will lead to strains on the drives and motors; oversizing will draw too much power to do too little work. Some of todays most cutting-edge systems, such as the Rexroth IndraDrive Mi integrated drive/motor systems, include a highly energyefficient feature: bus sharing. Multiple drives are daisy-chained together and share power from the same bus; in many multi-axis machines, as some motors are accelerating up to speed (drawing power) , others are decelerating (regeneration power). With bus sharing, rather than having to deliver maximum power to the accelerating motors and bleed off the decelerating motors into heat across a bleeder resistor, power is shared, so the machines power consumption is significantly reduced. A further energy-efficient technology is called regenerative power supplies. In many machines, multiple servomotors will decelerate at the same time, boosting the voltage to excess levels on the power bus. Older generation electrical drives would bleed that excess electrical energy as heat wasting the power, and adding to the factory floors heat production, requiring additional cabinet cooling. With regenerative power supplies coupled to a shared bus system, what once wasted power can now be fed back through the shared bus and

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sold back to the electric company.

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Consideration #5: Use HMIs for better troubleshooting

The computer revolution has spread to todays machine control panel, replacing knobs and pushbuttons with sophisticated PC-based and Embedded HMIs with advanced programming and Windowsbased operating systems. Consider your typical office copier: when theres a paper jam, a touchscreen control indicates where the jam is, what door to open, how to correct the problem, and prompts you what to do next once youve cleared the jam. The same user-friendly intelligence is now available to machine designers through todays touchscreen HMIs featuring the latest graphical user interfaces. Machine layout drawings and schematics can be incorporated into control menus and diagnostic tools, to better manage the machines day-to-day operation and troubleshooting ease. Drawings and interactive instructional tools can not only show the precise point where a problem is they can also show how to open enclosures and what steps an operator can take to put the machine in safe mode for initial maintenance, and other support resources to resolve a problem and step the operator back through the tasks to restart production. Advanced graphics like this can be combined with the distributed intelligence inherent in servomotor-driven machines, to prevent ma-

chine failures or faults before they happen. Called predictive maintenance, this capability lets machine designers set fault tolerance bands in drives and then monitor drive performance. Electric drives and motors such as Rexroth IndraDrive systems allow a broad range of conditions to be monitored conditions that are directly associated with mechanical performance: variations in load, temperature, vibration, torque, belt tightness, gear meshing are all mechanical events that generate changes in the torque profile of an electric drive and motor moving those machine elements. Mechanical engineers can set tolerance bands for these components, and if they exceed them, then predictive maintenance alerts can be clearly and intelligently displayed via the HMI to operators, along with specific advice about next steps to take to correct the issue before it becomes a serious production problem or something that can damage the machine.

Blending technologies for optimal value

Every electromechanical system should perform its designed function with the minimal use of energy, motion and components required to get the job donethats the fundamental goal of any manufacturing engineer. Electrical drive and servomotor systems now offer a wealth of reliable, energy-efficient, digitally intelligent platforms to power the integrated vision of mechatronics to greater value and more innovative manufacturing and automation solutions.

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Scott Hibbard Vice President of Technology Bosch Rexroth Corporation scott.hibbard@boschrexroth-us.com

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Industrial Ethernet: The key advantages of Sercos III

he use of Industrial Ethernet as the communications backbone for manufacturing automation continues to grow, driven by demand from both end-user manufacturers and OEMs. The increasing number of control components, actuators and sensors, as well as complex motion and control requirements on many high-volume manufacturing platforms creates increasing performance, throughput and stability challenges for manufacturing control networks. In addition, many enterprises seek a common communications architecture from the office to the factory floor, and TCP/IP over Ethernet is the office/commercial data communications protocol and transport layer most commonly used. Initially, specialized fieldbus systems were used for simplified networking of machine drives, I/O, PLCs and other devices, but fast Ethernet technology replaces these systems, and offers a number of advantages: Ethernet is a recognized, future-proof technology Offers high-speed data throughput 10 to 100 times faster than field bus solutions

Use of standard components (CAT5e hardened cabling, connectors, etc.) eliminates more costly proprietary technology, offers cost-effective, widely available product Flexible, compatible automation solutions based on a global standard Enables consistent IT implementation stretching from the office to the machine level. While these advantages are important, enabling Ethernet to provide high throughput and low costs, it is not designed to provide deterministic, real-time communications and synchronization of machine axes Sercos III is the open, IEC-compliant third-generation and devices. Basic I/O Sercos interface that right engineers real-time Induscontrol over Ethernet is trial Ethernet.

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relatively straightforward; efficient coordinated motion control is not. Standard TCP/IP communication is designed to allow large files to be transmitted across a network in segments, guaranteeing delivery through timeouts and retransmissions. Some attempts to enable real-time motion control through Industrial Ethernet tried to overcome this by adding a new protocol to the Ethernet stack. This approach has proved bandwidth intensive, limiting the number of nodes that can be networked when fast cycle times are required, and also requiring special switches in the network to support the determinism required for multi-axis synchronization and motion control. To overcome these limitations, one of the most open, effective and successful Industrial Ethernet solutions is the Sercos III platform: it combines the wellproven Sercos I and II interfaces that have been optimized for high-speed motion control, with the stability, costeffectiveness and widespread acceptance of the Ethernet physical layer.

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Sercos III Offers Several Key Performance and Technology Benets:

A very simple and efficient architecture, merging proven hard real-time motion control messaging mechanisms with the Ethernet physical layer and protocol Designed specifically to support a more efficient distributed control architecture, improving machine flexibility by moving processing power and decision-making from the motion control down into the drives and sensors Drives can communicate with one another without adding time delays and control processor overhead by going through the master Engineered to enhance reliability by supporting either line topologies or ring configurations Will not box manufacturers into a limited bus architecture that could impact long-term costs and platform flexibility

Sercos III: Hard real-time for motion control

Sercos stands for Serial Real-time Communications System, a digital motion control bus that interconnects drives, motion controls, I/O, sensors and actuators for numerically controlled machines and systems. Launched in the 1990s, it is utilized in more than two and a half million real-time nodes in thousands of applications and is the de-facto standard for automation with high requirements for dynamics and precision. Sercos III is the open, IEC-compliant third-generation Sercos interface that right engineers real-time Industrial Ethernet. It overcomes the wasted bandwidth in other TCP/IP-based Ether-

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net bus solutions, because it is based directly on Ethernet frames, defining a new, registered EtherType for Sercos. This enables persistent, bi-directional motion control communications in real-time between all drives and the motion control, plus rich I/O communication capabilities, while also enabling all conventional protocols (TCP/IP, UDP and others) to be transmitted over the same Ethernet network efficiently in parallel with Sercos realtime communication. Sercos III offers several fundamental performance and technology benefits for OEMS and end-users: Cycle times as low as 31.25 microseconds High speed: Sercos III uses the speed of Fast Ethernet (100 Mb/s) Support for either line or ring topologies; in addition, hierarchical, synchronized and Drive-to-drive cross communications is enabled with Ser- real-time coupled cos III: allowing drives to communicate with one another network structures without adding time delays and control-processor overhead by going through the master. can be implemented

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Bumpless cable break recovery in ring mode Advanced cross communications both slave-to-slave, and controller-to-controller (sometimes called Machine-2-Machine) Capable of hot-plugging devices and network segments adding machine or line components to a network with synchronization up and running, without having to reset the network or cycling power Support for safety functions up to SIL3 according to IEC 61508. There are several key advantages that manufacturers, systems engineers and machine builders can leverage when using Sercos III - advantages that enable drive and control systems with vastly improved flexibility and performance.

Key Advantage: Communications efficiency

Sercos III provides a very simple and efficient architecture, merging proven hard real-time motion control messaging mechanisms with the Ethernet physical layer and protocol. A collision-free real-time channel with improved protocol efficiency transmits the motion control messages defined by Sercos; independent of this real-time channel, a parallel channel (time slot) can carry all other Ethernet messages and IP-based protocols such as TCP/IP and UDP/IP. This approach means the Sercos III network remains open to

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any other Ethernet protocol during non-real-time periods; alternative Industrial Ethernet architectures, in certain cases, take over the bus to obtain maximum possible speed, which has the effect of preventing other protocols from sharing the network, or tunneling their telegrams within the Industrial Ethernet telegram which usually fragments the message. Tunneling also prevents other protocols from using the network if the real-time system is not operating, blocking communication for troubleshooting and information retrieval. Sercos III communication is based on standardized parameter sets to control device functions, i.e. torque control, velocity control, position control, etc. When the manufacturing line or machines network is initialized, the parameters that make up the real-time data set on the device channel are defined in the configuration. This tight, hardware-dependant synchronization, which is characteristic of all Sercos interface generations, provides fundamental efficiencies in processing motion sequences across the network, making machines more efficient to design, build and operate.

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edge multi-axis automation solutions and that can place punishing demands on PLC-based centralized control architectures. Sercos III was designed specifically to support a more efficient distributed control architecture. Distributed control improves machine flexibility by moving processing power and decision-making from the CNC or motion control down into the drives and sensors. Sercos III is well-suited for distributed control because it supports the placement of axis-dependant control functions, such as loop closures, interpolation and registration in the drives, not only in the motion controller - giving the machine designer the option of having motion controllers concentrate on motion control profiles and tool paths independent of the axes. Sercos III also supports centralized control. With a minimum cycle time of 31.25 s because of the greater bandwidth of the Ethernet physics, it is possible to implement both distributed control drive concepts, with all control loops closed in the drive, or centralized signal processing concepts where only the current loop is closed in the drive and all other loops are handled by the motion controller. Sercos III is the only high-performance automation network that supports centralized and distributed drive concepts.

Key Advantage: Multi-axis distributed control

Machine designers are on a constant search to cram more speed, performance and complex motion profiles into todays cutting-

Key Advantage: Cross-communications capabilities

For high-performance deterministic motion control, the typical

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architecture (including the Sercos I and II interfaces) utilize a masterslave communications path: If a drive is a slave of (that is, follows) another drives velocity, the information must travel from the master drive to the control, and then to the slave drive. With Sercos III, drive-to-drive cross communications are enabled: drives can communicate with one another without adding time delays and control processor overhead by going through the master. This concept has been extended to support controller-to-controller (C2C) or machine-2-machine communication. The automation industry has long sought a standard solution to connect multiple motion controls together for synchronized applications, other than the traditional method: encoder signals and parallel I/O, which adds hardware

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and processing costs. Sercos III provides a standardized method for exchanging controller-level synchronization information, allowing multiple machines to be linked and adding to the modularity of any machine or production line that implements Sercos III a key benefit for todays manufacturers that may need to expand or reconfigure production platforms in response to fast-changing market conditions.

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Key Advantage: Enhanced reliability

In todays 24/7 world of highly competitive manufacturing, every step that can be taken to absolutely minimize machine or production downtime is crucial. Sercos III is engineered to enhance reliability by supporting either line topologies (all devices connected in a series to a

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Continued Industrial Ethernet: The key advantages of Sercos III

master) or ring configurations: Sercos III devices feature a second Ethernet port to support an additional cable. When a cable is connected between the two ends of a line network, Sercos automatically initiates dual counter-rotating telegrams across the ring network. This improves fault tolerance by supporting redundant data transfer: In case of a break at any point in the ring, the Sercos III protocol automatically switches over to a dual-line structure. This bumpless recovery is nearly instantaneous: recovery occurs in 25 s, which is less than one cycle. This redundancy offers machine-users an additional advantage: hot replacement or installation of devices during machine operation, without requiring machine shutdown or cycling of power allowing systems to be designed that continue operating using the new configuration and hardware.

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One of the most important advantages Sercos III offers is its open architecture: with over 30 drive manufacturers and over 50 controller companies supporting Sercos (20 drive manufacturers and nearly 30 control companies now supporting Sercos III), it gives machine builders and end-users confidence that selecting SERCOS III will not box them into a limited bus architecture that

could impact long-term costs and platform flexibility. It is also fully backwards compatible with Sercos I and II bus architectures, for increased interoperability with existing installed systems. Sercos is an open approved international standard for real-time communications (IEC 61491) and the Sercos III real-time Ethernet protocol is part of IEC 61158 and IEC 61784. Sercos specifications are non-proprietary and fully published, and experts from Sercos working groups (who contribute to national and international standards organizations) are under continuous development in response to new market conditions. Sercos is the only Fieldbus to support technical working groups in both North America and Europe, providing the opportunity to influence the standards development based on local needs. In addition, Sercos III uses standard Ethernet physical layer technology, which is proven, widely available and provides cost-effective hardware implementation, and can help keep operational costs down (spare parts, repairs, maintenance) during machine lifecycles.

Sercos III: Universal hard real-time industrial Ethernet

A real-time, non-proprietary communications solution with the robust performance and cost-effective value of Ethernet has long been a goal in the world of industrial automation and Sercos III

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Rexroth Lean Manufacturing Podcasts

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Continued Industrial Ethernet: The key advantages of Sercos III

offers an open, feature-rich platform to fulfill that vision. Based on the 25 years of continuous development and field experience embodied in the Sercos interface, the only worldwide, standardized real-time communication in drive technology, Sercos III combines the proven Sercos communication technology with the advantages of Ethernet. For todays high-bandwidth multiaxis manufacturing systems, Sercos III provides: Guaranteed hard real-time synchronous data exchange between controls and devices Direct communications between devices or controllers Redundant ring topology for the highest machine uptime A common Ethernet-based platform for consistent networks across

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Mechatronics in Packaging: Its Not Rocket Science

By Greg Farnum Contributing Editor

lows all facets of the design to be evaluated and optimized; by completely analyzing the machine prior to installation, the optimization is possible during the design phase of a machine. . . as opposed to the installation phase, yielding a host of performance, time and cost benefits. Another manager specializing in OEM business development for drive and automation components adds, What we are seeing today is that more OEM customers are getting on board [with mechatronics], demanding the cost savings and operational benefits of an integrated and synergistic approach to machine design. He gives a relatively simple and straightforward example of the benefits of optimizing in the design stage. Suppose, he says, you need to put a reciprocating motion on a machine, say a load arm on a case loader. His hypothetical design team evaluates two options, a crank arm and a ball screw. Ball screws are nice to work with because the speed commands you give it are linear, he explains. As the motor speeds up, the attached screw moves at a proportional rate depending on the pitch of the screw. The drawback, he says, is that these are expensive devices compared to other types of actuators, and there is no ability to roll through the end of travel to get to the home position where the next cycle would start). Crank transformations, on the other hand, are very simple to build, but are not easy to control speed-wise because they are sinusoidal. One revolution of a motor turning a crank causes the speed at the output to oscillate.

xperienced packaging professionals know that buzzwords, like rock bands, can dramatically and rapidly rise and fall in popularity. Still, the noise of publicity can sometimes obscure a strong, vitally useful signal. Among the buzziest of todays buzzwords is mechatronics. Originally denoting the joining of the mechanical and electronic design efforts into a single holistic approach to design, it has evolved just as automated systems have evolved, and now incorporates control architecture, software and other key aspects of automation today. It is a concept that wasnt much employed until about a decade ago when it began creeping into the lexicon of automation vendors, major consumer packaged goods manufacturers, and some packaging machine builders. Its no coincidence that by then flexibility and integration had emerged as not just talking points but key concerns of packaging equipment builders and users. Packagers were striving to meet ever increasing customer demands for flexibility, and greater integration of various aspects of an automated system was clearly seen as one of the main roads toward that end. It was then that mechatronics began to emerge as a way to move integration and its ensuing benefits from the packaging line to the design process itself. That emergence makes perfect sense to developers of plant control and automation companies. One business development manager, for example, notes that an integrated, mechatronic approach to design al-

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Continued Mechatronics in Packaging: Its Not Rocket Science

Cranks vs. ball screws
The OEM business development manager postulates using a servo to control the exact position of the actuator, and software to correct, control and linearize the speed of the crank, making it functionally identical to the ball screw. The same software can be used to control the ball screw. The design team is thus left with a series of trade-offs. In terms of power, the power transmission of a ball screw is relatively constant, whereas the power transmission of a crank is a function of the angle of the lever arm. In terms of space, the crank occupies a fairly large area compared to a ball screw. As for initial cost, the ball screw is considerably more expensive than the crank. And then theres the matter of roll throughin a reciprocating motion a crank can roll through to retract the actuator, saving energy and dollars on a long-term basis. The question thus becomes, which set of characteristics best suit the needs of the target market segment and the overall goals of the OEM. He notes that using the mechatronics design approach, aided and speeded by modern design analysis software (an increasingly vital part of the mechatronics approach), can enable you to nail down your optimal design before any construction takes place. His mechatronics benefits mantra is faster, better, andcrucially cheaper. As for cheaper, along with the cost factors mentioned in the example above, he says that machines created through this design

By Greg Farnum Contributing Editor

methodology often cost less to produce and maintain because they typically have fewer parts. He stresses that the ability to right-size parts during the design phase is a long term cost advantage. Another manager heading-up product management for another vendor agrees: By making use of integrated sizing tools components can be matched to application and performance data, eliminating oversizing and the added associated costs with that. He adds that the mechatronic approach, aided by todays design analysis tools, reduces installation and commissioning time as well. Rightsizing is a central concern for yet another manager for a major automation company who notes, Over- or under-sized components can add unnecessary expense. Software, or mechatronic design tools as he puts it, is key to solving this problem. Whereas in the past, analysis required to right-size system components was so time intensive it proved prohibitive, information to design and build a more efficient, cost-effective machine is now available at your fingertips.

The energy factor

Mechatronic design tools can add needed specificity to the energy consumption calculations. For example, using software to compute the load weight with motion profilethat is, how far and fast a load must travel, you can then compute the energy expended per axis when you input the cost of

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Continued Mechatronics in Packaging: Its Not Rocket Science

kilowatt hours (kWh) and machine uptime for one year. He gives the following example. Take a rotary motor machine that runs on 11 cent per kilowatt-hour energy for 50 weeks each year, five days a week, and eight hours a day. The rotary motor will cost $315 per year per axis to run. Switch the rotary motor for a linear motor and cost is reduced to $200 per year per axisa significant savings for machines with multiple axes. Strict control of energy consumption is a standing requirement for virtually all automation systems, notes Joel Galliher, director mechatronic systems, Bosch Rexroth Corp. (www. boschrexroth-us.com), Charlotte, NC, He stresses that the mechatronic approach, coupled with mechatronic design tools, facilitates achieving a just right balance: Just enough energy to accomplish a task, move a load or complete a motion cycle.

By Greg Farnum Contributing Editor

Galliher also stresses the significance of networked communications, a factor of much less importance when the mechatronics concept first began to emerge. Its an aspect of mechatronics that Bosch Rexroth highlighted in its recent Pack Expo 2012 exhibit, most conspicuously in the exhibits working demo from its OEM partner, converting and packaging equipment builder CMD Corp. of Appleton, Wis. The demo featured a new version of CMDs PDI Medical Combination Pouch System, upgraded through a mechatronic design effort and embodying a range of Rexroth technology, including controllers, integrated motor-drive systems, pneumatics, and human machine interface (HMI). With the new pouch system all key sealing data, such as temperature, pressure and time data is automatically collected for each strike of the sealer. This data can be monitored in graphical form

Ingenious solution, Build handling systems faster

Rexroths EasyHandling solution is exactly what todays deadline-driven OEMs and systems integrators seek: Systematic and seamless integration of all drive and control technologies with linear actuators, standardized mechanical and electrical interfaces, all supported by engineering tools to dramatically simplify the automation process.

Exactly

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Continued Mechatronics in Packaging: Its Not Rocket Science

in real-time on the machines HMI, and the operator can adjust sealing parameters from the HMI while the machine is running. In addition, this data is stored for up to seven days within the machines PLC, so that the process engineer can upload the data to an Excel Spreadsheet, for full statistical analysis. But the benefits dont stop there. As Scott Fuller, CMDs intermittent product line manager explains, This data is fed back into the system for each strike of the sealer, so that if a deviation trend is sensed, the machine can self-correct, to maintain a stable process.

By Greg Farnum Contributing Editor

Devils advocate
The champions of mechatronics make a strong case, and the examples above dont delve into some of the major potential benefits of mechatronics, such as more flexible machines, faster commissioning, and easier maintenance thanks to simpler machines with fewer parts. But playing the devils advocate one could ask, if the methodology is so great why arent more people using it? The OEM business development manager cited above notes that the concept of mechatronics has achieved a high degree of acceptance, but the term mechatronics lags in its adoption. The difference is that many OEMs have employed the concept over the last decade without the formal introduction of the term. These OEMs have searched out the hardware and software needed for mechatronics, sometimes even developing it themselves.

The below two quotes from vendors quoted above indicate some challenges that mechatronics advocates are working to overcome: It is hard to estimate the degree of acceptance of mechatronics; however I would say that the acceptance level is not high enough. He includes both user and vendor communities in that statement, and believes the situation will change for a couple of reasons. And, from another manager: I believe that the near future will see more graduates with mechatronics degrees. In addition, there is the contagious effect of successful examples as industry will see more machines optimized using mechatronics techniques, and the machine builders that adopt mechatronic techniques will find their machines produce more for less.

A brain gap?
For Keith Campbell the lack of graduates with mechatronics degrees is problematic, even troubling. Campbell, an engineer and automation industry blogger, has been an active campaigner for mechatronics education and has been involved in the creation of mechatronics curricula. Today, he says, there is an extreme shortage of engineers skilled in mechatronic design, especially in the United States. Canada, Europe and the Orient are way ahead of us on this. Advanced manufacturing in the U.S., he continues, is being dramatically impeded by lack of technical skills. This is much bigger than a packaging or mechatronics problem. This lack of skills impedes development,

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Continued Mechatronics in Packaging: Its Not Rocket Science

pull-through, adoption and successful implementation. Campbell sees corporate culture as another stumbling block, with packaging OEMs often reluctant to redesign existing equipment that they have already invested heavily in. For this reason he feels that systems integrators will often be among the leaders in terms of applying the mechatronics approach to packaging equipment design. They have the skills, says Campbell, have no legacy machines holding them back, and they want to switch from high risk one-offs to standardized products. The president of one such company, specializing in robotic packaging systems, says, We werent initially in packaging machine building. We came to it with a clean sheet of paper. Weve focused on design for agility where we leverage todays robotic technology with the tools we develop in order to meet the need for greater flexibility. Toward that end they adopted a mechatronics approach to design. The move to mechatronics was the result not of lengthy engineering studies or reports from consultants, but because it made senseit helped them build the sorts of agile systems they wanted to build. After all, stresses Souser, this isnt rocket science. Its not rocket science, and its getting easier says one vendors motion specialist: Innovative mechatronic solutions which abstract extremely complex control theories and provide the development engineer with a rugged, yet easy to use toolset will continue to aid creative professionals in the development of industry altering solutions.

By Greg Farnum Contributing Editor

He cites the consolidation of discrete components into more integrated systems like his own companys industrial I/O, integrating many traditional sensor functionalities, as an example of that trend. It is a trend, he says, that will blur the line between where the mechanical ends and the electronic begins. There is another reason to think that mechatronics practices will become more widespread in the futureone pointed out by a mechatronics product specialist for another vendor: the reduction in the cost of computing power. The software tools used in the mechatronic design process, tools that allow users to quickly model and simulate a variety of options, will continue to grow faster and more powerful to take advantage of computers that are doing the same. As computers have become faster and faster, she says, the power of virtual prototyping has been put in the hands of the everyday user. With such power in their hands, we can expect those everyday users, increasingly, to employ it.

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Lucas Wintjes Senior Vice President Sales and Industry Sector Management Factory Automation Bosch Rexroth AG

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Software Engineering: Differentiation through customized functions

olving todays complex factory automation challenges includes developing new pathways for customizing automation software to serve unique, customer-specific requirements. Its one thing to have a new idea, but putting it into practice is a different story, as we all know. In Factory Automation, it is increasingly becoming a question of software engineering, especially since more and more functions are being moved into the software. The more efficient software engineering is becoming, the faster and cheaper OEMs can realize their concepts. However, being efficient is no longer sufficient. OEMs want to set themselves apart from the competition by offering customized software functions and machine concepts that offer the user specific benefits. Such creativity needs freedom. In the future, software engineering must therefore give OEMs a maximum degree of freedom for them to realize their ideas - including when it comes to integrating new information technologies. With Open Core Engineering, Bosch Rexroth is now providing OEMs completely new possibilities for developing their own software functions. It builds a bridge between traditional software engineering and

the new information technologies, carrying some fresh ideas into the PLC-based world of automation which OEMs will also want to take advantage of themselves. The requirements range from integration into manufacturing execution systems and simulation tools to the integration of smart devices so that their intuitive operating concepts can also be used in the production process. With Open Core Engineering, Bosch Rexroth has given OEMs a tool with which they can implement software functions quickly and creatively. They can now access Rexroth IndraControl L systems all the way to the core. The users decide whether they want to use a controller, a PC, or a smart device for this, and which language IEC, C++, Visual Basic, and MatLab they want to program in. With this move, Bosch Rexroth has laid the foundation for new concepts such as machine start-up, operation and diagnosis with smart devices. Learn more about Open Core Engineering: http://www.boschrexroth.com/en/xc/products/engineering/ opencoreengineering/index

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