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"Qi" makes concerted efforts to promote digital transformation
2023-12-08
With the continuous adoption of new principles around the industrial Internet of things (iiot), the automation industry is rapidly introducing and simplifying many production systems matching the concept of digital transformation, including intelligent and networked production systems and components using information and communication technology.
The continuous deepening of digital transformation has improved people's ideas. For example, pneumatic technology is a mature manufacturing technology that has been applied to many industries for a long time, which has been "outdated" or even "out of date". However, this is not the case. Pneumatic technologies such as control valves are still developing continuously and begin to integrate sensors, industrial network interfaces, wireless technology and complex digital control functions to adapt to the production system driven by the emerging industrial Internet of things.
Evolution of valve control technology
The control of pneumatic valve and the monitoring of cylinder position sensor are initially realized through discrete wiring: each programmable logic controller (PLC) output is connected to a solenoid valve coil and triggered separately, and the position sensor on the cylinder is connected to the PLC input card (this step is expensive, time-consuming and labor-consuming).
The application of cartridge valve and valve group makes the pneumatic valve evolve into a more practical solution, that is, the connection between all solenoid valves and PLC input / output (I / O) card is terminated through multi pin plug and can be completed with only one cable. Now, only one cable can easily replace dozens of individual cables, significantly reducing the wiring cost of pneumatic valve control.
Although these cartridge valves help to reduce the components and labor required for individual wiring of each solenoid, they do not contain diagnostic feedback or other practical operating information. Obtaining this additional information requires independent sensors connected to the PLC I / O card to measure and verify the correctness, including cylinder position, spool position, pressure, flow and other useful information.
With the increasing complexity of automation system, the communication connection based on Fieldbus (Industrial Network) has become more and more common. The scheme adopts a variety of different industrial network protocols, such as PROFIBUS, SERCOS and various fieldbus technologies based on Ethernet, which can save additional cost. In addition, the PLC can not only control the valve, but also monitor the sensor and equipment for exchanging I / O data through a low-cost communication cable without local I / O card. The pneumatic valve group can be combined with fieldbus interface and I / O performance to become a fully functional pneumatic valve body, which can be easily integrated with a more intelligent and complex automation platform.
The integration of communication components on the valve group, as well as the introduction of new lightweight polymer structural materials and dust-proof, waterproof and other protection levels, make the valve group closer to the controlled system or actuator installation, and there is no need to be equipped with a shell. The machine manufacturer can more easily install the valve on the end effector, manipulator and other working components, so as to be closer to the pneumatic control device. This brings a number of advantages, which can not only reduce the pipe length required to connect the valves and cylinders of the driving equipment, but also optimize the pneumatic system, but also respond quickly and improve the throughput of the motion sequence.
Emerson's aventics The advanced av03 / av05 valve (upper) is integrated with the industrial Internet of things and connected to the intelligent pneumatic monitoring "hub" (lower), which is used to collect and sort out the pneumatic performance data, and then transmit it to the plant management system (independent of the process control architecture) through an independent and parallel path to ensure the provision of alarms and system level and equipment level performance data.
Integrated electro pneumatic pressure regulating control system
After the successful integration of electro pneumatic control function in the valve group, the valve technology, performance and multi-function have achieved great strides. The basic pneumatic valve is a simple directional control valve: send an electrical signal to move the valve core and export air from one port or another. On the contrary, electro pneumatic pressure regulating valve, also known as electro pneumatic converter or E / P converter, can not only realize direction control, but also provide a pressure range proportional to the analog voltage or current of the signal received by the equipment from the PLC Analog output card.
Like the valve group, the proportional pressure regulating valve has also made great progress. The new technology allows the use of digital signals to accurately control these devices, and can also realize the integration with fieldbus connection. In other words, the PLC of the equipment can easily and accurately send parameters to dynamically control the valve and cylinder pressure and optimize the force and pressure requirements of the production system.
This advanced pneumatic control system improves the value and versatility of pneumatic devices through intelligent combination of direction and pressure control, and is widely used in various automation applications. The system can achieve greater, more accurate and optimized control in the manufacturing process, and ensure excellent final accuracy and repeatability.
For example, Emerson's aventics Electro pneumatic control system is a welding system for automatic manufacturing of engine starter. In this application, the pre installed armature is transported through the workpiece tray, aligned, position tested, and then accurately placed in the welding position with a fixture. After welding, use the fixture to transport the armature back to the workpiece tray and send it to the next process.
Aventics is adopted The simplified integrated industrial Internet of things solution (highlighted on the packaging machine) of intelligent pneumatic monitoring system, G3 fieldbus, 500 series valve banks, cylinders and sensors can help monitor the health of equipment on traditional and new machines, such as real-time remote monitoring of cylinders, air consumption, vacuum system and main vibration parameters. Customized system monitoring dashboard allows technicians to quickly and easily analyze degraded parts and carry out preventive maintenance, so as to prolong the normal operation time of the system and improve the overall equipment efficiency.
The electro pneumatic pressure regulating valve integrates the advanced valve group of fieldbus communication, which can provide accurate dynamic pressure control customized for the application and help optimize the welding process. At the same time, it can also realize the intelligence of built-in valve group monitoring and all valve function records, so as to accurately control the gripper to improve the level of quality control and process tracking. Another advantage of using digital e / P is that it can provide pressure on demand according to the needs of specific tasks (instead of using the highest pressure for all tasks), so as to optimize energy efficiency. For example, in some applications, it may be necessary to increase the cylinder pressure to 80 psi, but in order to save energy, the return pressure can be controlled at 30 psi. Using the digitl e / P, the machine manufacturer can program these parameters into the system.
Improve process monitoring and control
One of the key objectives of manufacturing digital transformation is to collect operable information in order to optimize and control each process in the production process. For example, auto parts manufacturing companies want to accurately know the force, pressure, position, etc. of the cylinder driving the actuator (used to put the bearing into the equipment), and then record the sequence information, so as to ensure consistent accuracy even after manufacturing 50000 parts.
If there is a deviation in the digital point generated by the pneumatic device during operation, it indicates that there is a problem with the actual equipment, or there are problems such as pressure loss of the air supply system, improper manufacturing of the installed bearing, or out of synchronization between the actuator and the bearing feeding device due to component aging and lack of maintenance.
The Intelligent Built-in pneumatic valve system provides a new method for this monitoring and control process. If the rated service life of the valve is 120 million cycles, when it reaches 100 million cycles, a well-designed predictive maintenance system can capture and use this data for inspection and maintenance, or perform automatic purchase requests for replacement equipment before actual equipment failure.
By realizing digital transformation in the valve group, the system can seamlessly provide different pressures for different tooling positions and sequences, including support for real-time pressure change and rapid product change of tooling positions, so as to increase flexibility.
As pneumatic technology becomes more and more intelligent, they will produce more data points in the whole production system, including diagnosis, service statistics and service life data. These data can bring ultra-high value and can be used to improve the management efficiency of production system, control energy consumption and maximize the normal operation time.
However, all these data from intelligent devices and subsystems may destroy the machine control network and affect the control performance. Some pneumatic component manufacturers such as Emerson provide intelligent pneumatic monitoring "gateway" or "hub" to collect and sort out pneumatic performance data, and transmit it to the plant management system through independent and parallel paths, so as to ensure that the control network is not affected. These hubs are independent of the process control architecture using OPC unified architecture, mqtt, HTTP or e-mail path, and can send alerts and system level and device level performance data.
The intelligent pneumatic monitoring hub is used to collect and sort out pneumatic performance data and transmit it to the plant management system through independent and parallel paths. Independent of the process control architecture, it can ensure the real-time provision of alarms and system level and equipment level performance data.
With the development of wireless communication technology, manufacturers such as Emerson can also provide available device level analysis data and alerts transmitted through Wi Fi. However, the pneumatic valve system installed in the equipment or at a high place is usually difficult to give full play to its advantages of providing important diagnostic information or main commissioning functions. For such applications, Emerson launched aventics Wireless automatic recovery module (ARM), which can easily access aventics through mobile website Diagnosis and debugging function of series G3 fieldbus platform. The website can be used on Wi Fi enabled mobile phones, tablets and laptops without installing applications.
Emerson's new wireless automatic recovery module (ARM) protects aventics Configuration information of G3 fieldbus valve group, including all settable nodes and attached I / O module parameters, to avoid major faults. The device can easily access aventics through internal Wi Fi access points and mobile websites The diagnosis and debugging function of G3 fieldbus platform can realize the visual advantage of hardwired man-machine interface (HMI) with lower cost and higher flexibility.
The pneumatic valve system specially designed for digital transformation greatly improves the control accuracy of pneumatic actuator and its application by integrating functions and technology. Because more advanced electronic components are used in the control module of the valve system, designers can integrate the proportional integral differential (PID) controller into the pneumatic positioning application to realize the automatic and accurate response and correction of the control function.
If the pneumatic system in food and beverage canning application leaks, it will cause huge energy loss and difficult to identify, which will affect the efficiency and output. Integrate aventics AV series valve system, air source processing system (with flow and pressure transmitter) and cylinder (with position sensor) solutions can be used to monitor compressed air energy consumption, air leakage and cylinder cycle time. This industrial Internet of things solution enables predictive maintenance, improves the overall quality and throughput of the process, and reduces the workload of technicians.
These advanced pneumatic performances can not only be combined with PLC to improve the accuracy of system endpoint motion, but also switch from position control to force control in real time and fine tune the operation sequence, so as to achieve ultra-high automation level, product output, reliability and repeatability.
Intelligent pneumatic valve to meet the digital transformation era
The steady development of pneumatic valves enables OEM manufacturers and end users to make full use of pneumatic technology in automation systems. In addition, many pneumatic technology suppliers have comprehensively upgraded their online configuration and ordering tools to meet the needs of component manufacturers easily and efficiently.
These tools once simplified the previous time-consuming component ordering process, covering a variety of components such as bases, mounts and electronic components, as well as valves, so that customers can purchase a full set of components at one time. These online configurators can now easily order valve components by selecting fieldbus interfaces, integrated I / O modules, and other functions, and use CAD drawings as part of the software package without knowing part numbers or system differences. These tools enable OEMs and end users to get complete configuration in a simple and reliable ordering process.
Using cutting-edge electronic and modular technologies, pneumatic valves, as part of a complete intelligent pneumatic motion and control platform, provide a proven and cost-effective general technology choice for various digital transformations of automation and manufacturing applications.
Pneumatic component suppliers committed to continuous investment and improvement of technology can use their insight to help machine manufacturers make full use of the potential brought by pneumatic technology and convince OEM manufacturers and end users that their complex multi-functional systems can meet current and future manufacturing requirements.
Emerson's aventics The advanced av03 / av05 valve (upper) is integrated with the industrial Internet of things and connected to the intelligent pneumatic monitoring "hub" (lower), which is used to collect and sort out the pneumatic performance data, and then transmit it to the plant management system (independent of the process control architecture) through an independent and parallel path to ensure the provision of alarms and system level and equipment level performance data.
Integrated electro pneumatic pressure regulating control system
After the successful integration of electro pneumatic control function in the valve group, the valve technology, performance and multi-function have achieved great strides. The basic pneumatic valve is a simple directional control valve: send an electrical signal to move the valve core and export air from one port or another. On the contrary, electro pneumatic pressure regulating valve, also known as electro pneumatic converter or E / P converter, can not only realize direction control, but also provide a pressure range proportional to the analog voltage or current of the signal received by the equipment from the PLC Analog output card.
Like the valve group, the proportional pressure regulating valve has also made great progress. The new technology allows the use of digital signals to accurately control these devices, and can also realize the integration with fieldbus connection. In other words, the PLC of the equipment can easily and accurately send parameters to dynamically control the valve and cylinder pressure and optimize the force and pressure requirements of the production system.
This advanced pneumatic control system improves the value and versatility of pneumatic devices through intelligent combination of direction and pressure control, and is widely used in various automation applications. The system can achieve greater, more accurate and optimized control in the manufacturing process, and ensure excellent final accuracy and repeatability.
For example, Emerson's aventics Electro pneumatic control system is a welding system for automatic manufacturing of engine starter. In this application, the pre installed armature is transported through the workpiece tray, aligned, position tested, and then accurately placed in the welding position with a fixture. After welding, use the fixture to transport the armature back to the workpiece tray and send it to the next process.
Aventics is adopted The simplified integrated industrial Internet of things solution (highlighted on the packaging machine) of intelligent pneumatic monitoring system, G3 fieldbus, 500 series valve banks, cylinders and sensors can help monitor the health of equipment on traditional and new machines, such as real-time remote monitoring of cylinders, air consumption, vacuum system and main vibration parameters. Customized system monitoring dashboard allows technicians to quickly and easily analyze degraded parts and carry out preventive maintenance, so as to prolong the normal operation time of the system and improve the overall equipment efficiency.
The electro pneumatic pressure regulating valve integrates the advanced valve group of fieldbus communication, which can provide accurate dynamic pressure control customized for the application and help optimize the welding process. At the same time, it can also realize the intelligence of built-in valve group monitoring and all valve function records, so as to accurately control the gripper to improve the level of quality control and process tracking. Another advantage of using digital e / P is that it can provide pressure on demand according to the needs of specific tasks (instead of using the highest pressure for all tasks), so as to optimize energy efficiency. For example, in some applications, it may be necessary to increase the cylinder pressure to 80 psi, but in order to save energy, the return pressure can be controlled at 30 psi. Using the digitl e / P, the machine manufacturer can program these parameters into the system.
Improve process monitoring and control
One of the key objectives of manufacturing digital transformation is to collect operable information in order to optimize and control each process in the production process. For example, auto parts manufacturing companies want to accurately know the force, pressure, position, etc. of the cylinder driving the actuator (used to put the bearing into the equipment), and then record the sequence information, so as to ensure consistent accuracy even after manufacturing 50000 parts.
If there is a deviation in the digital point generated by the pneumatic device during operation, it indicates that there is a problem with the actual equipment, or there are problems such as pressure loss of the air supply system, improper manufacturing of the installed bearing, or out of synchronization between the actuator and the bearing feeding device due to component aging and lack of maintenance.
The Intelligent Built-in pneumatic valve system provides a new method for this monitoring and control process. If the rated service life of the valve is 120 million cycles, when it reaches 100 million cycles, a well-designed predictive maintenance system can capture and use this data for inspection and maintenance, or perform automatic purchase requests for replacement equipment before actual equipment failure.
By realizing digital transformation in the valve group, the system can seamlessly provide different pressures for different tooling positions and sequences, including support for real-time pressure change and rapid product change of tooling positions, so as to increase flexibility.
As pneumatic technology becomes more and more intelligent, they will produce more data points in the whole production system, including diagnosis, service statistics and service life data. These data can bring ultra-high value and can be used to improve the management efficiency of production system, control energy consumption and maximize the normal operation time.
However, all these data from intelligent devices and subsystems may destroy the machine control network and affect the control performance. Some pneumatic component manufacturers such as Emerson provide intelligent pneumatic monitoring "gateway" or "hub" to collect and sort out pneumatic performance data, and transmit it to the plant management system through independent and parallel paths, so as to ensure that the control network is not affected. These hubs are independent of the process control architecture using OPC unified architecture, mqtt, HTTP or e-mail path, and can send alerts and system level and device level performance data.
The intelligent pneumatic monitoring hub is used to collect and sort out pneumatic performance data and transmit it to the plant management system through independent and parallel paths. Independent of the process control architecture, it can ensure the real-time provision of alarms and system level and equipment level performance data.
With the development of wireless communication technology, manufacturers such as Emerson can also provide available device level analysis data and alerts transmitted through Wi Fi. However, the pneumatic valve system installed in the equipment or at a high place is usually difficult to give full play to its advantages of providing important diagnostic information or main commissioning functions. For such applications, Emerson launched aventics Wireless automatic recovery module (ARM), which can easily access aventics through mobile website Diagnosis and debugging function of series G3 fieldbus platform. The website can be used on Wi Fi enabled mobile phones, tablets and laptops without installing applications.
Emerson's new wireless automatic recovery module (ARM) protects aventics Configuration information of G3 fieldbus valve group, including all settable nodes and attached I / O module parameters, to avoid major faults. The device can easily access aventics through internal Wi Fi access points and mobile websites The diagnosis and debugging function of G3 fieldbus platform can realize the visual advantage of hardwired man-machine interface (HMI) with lower cost and higher flexibility.
The pneumatic valve system specially designed for digital transformation greatly improves the control accuracy of pneumatic actuator and its application by integrating functions and technology. Because more advanced electronic components are used in the control module of the valve system, designers can integrate the proportional integral differential (PID) controller into the pneumatic positioning application to realize the automatic and accurate response and correction of the control function.
If the pneumatic system in food and beverage canning application leaks, it will cause huge energy loss and difficult to identify, which will affect the efficiency and output. Integrate aventics AV series valve system, air source processing system (with flow and pressure transmitter) and cylinder (with position sensor) solutions can be used to monitor compressed air energy consumption, air leakage and cylinder cycle time. This industrial Internet of things solution enables predictive maintenance, improves the overall quality and throughput of the process, and reduces the workload of technicians.
These advanced pneumatic performances can not only be combined with PLC to improve the accuracy of system endpoint motion, but also switch from position control to force control in real time and fine tune the operation sequence, so as to achieve ultra-high automation level, product output, reliability and repeatability.
Intelligent pneumatic valve to meet the digital transformation era
The steady development of pneumatic valves enables OEM manufacturers and end users to make full use of pneumatic technology in automation systems. In addition, many pneumatic technology suppliers have comprehensively upgraded their online configuration and ordering tools to meet the needs of component manufacturers easily and efficiently.
These tools once simplified the previous time-consuming component ordering process, covering a variety of components such as bases, mounts and electronic components, as well as valves, so that customers can purchase a full set of components at one time. These online configurators can now easily order valve components by selecting fieldbus interfaces, integrated I / O modules, and other functions, and use CAD drawings as part of the software package without knowing part numbers or system differences. These tools enable OEMs and end users to get complete configuration in a simple and reliable ordering process.
Using cutting-edge electronic and modular technologies, pneumatic valves, as part of a complete intelligent pneumatic motion and control platform, provide a proven and cost-effective general technology choice for various digital transformations of automation and manufacturing applications.
Pneumatic component suppliers committed to continuous investment and improvement of technology can use their insight to help machine manufacturers make full use of the potential brought by pneumatic technology and convince OEM manufacturers and end users that their complex multi-functional systems can meet current and future manufacturing requirements.