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Problem
OEMs and users of large cranes need to make sure that they control the end limits of the hoist travel. This prevents damage to the hook and cable drum assembly as well as the motor.
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Application:
Cranes
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Products Used:
2006 Rotary Cam Limit Switch
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
An OEM was using a competitive analog LDT back to the PLC to measure the shape of a windshield. The problem arose with his PLC. The scan time of his PLC with an analog input was over 40ms and the customer could not do quality control with readings over 40ms.
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Application:
Auto Glass
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Products Used:
952QD
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
A car battery OEM was looking for improved quality control in the manufacturing process. As the battery goes down the line, it is in two pieces and the top and bottom halves are melted and pressed together. If they are not properly sealed, the battery acid will leak and the battery must be scrapped.
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Application:
Battery Manufacturing
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Products Used:
951
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
OEMs and users of large cranes need to make sure that they control the end limits of the hoist travel. This prevents damage to the hook and cable drum assembly as well as the motor.
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Application:
Cranes
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Products Used:
2006
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
An OEM of fiberglass winders was looking for an improved method of adjusting end limits. An SMC tie rod cylinder used external reed switches to control end stroke positions. These reed switches had to be adjusted from time to time to accommodate different positioning needs. The reed switches are very difficult to access since the cylinder is up inside the winder. It was often impossible to adjust these switches.
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Application:
Fiberglass Winders
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Products Used:
955
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
Hydraulic cylinders require feedback devices to withstand high shock, vibration, and pressure as well as endure temperature swings while providing extremely high repeatability over a long period of time. Resolution of +/- 0.001" is often required to provide the necessary feedback. For convenient installation and maintenance, mounting must be straight forward and simple. Each application requires a specific output type.
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Application:
Hydraulic Cylinders
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Products Used:
953
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
This customer sells and services large balers from different manufacturers and needs to know the position of the ram on the baler. They were using limit switches to control the ram, but they were limited to fully opening or fully closing the baler each time, regardless of whether it was full or not. This led to inefficiency and more wear on the equipment.
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Application:
Crusher/Baler
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Products Used:
955A
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
A customer required press automation that included a mechanical cam limit switch and a resolver, encoder or tach generator input to a controller.
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Application:
Press Automation
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Products Used:
1980R
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
To meet OSHA Federal Register Sub-Part 0,1910.217 and ANSI B 11.1 safety standards, a customer is required to either have a mechanical cam limit switch on the press or a dual micro-processor based press control system.
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Application:
Press Safety
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Products Used:
1980
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
With most die changes, the shut height value must be changed. Fast, efficient changes of this shut height will decrease downtime between jobs. The distance that the ram travels is specified or fixed for each press. The 'daylight', or open distance between the bed and the ram can be varied via changes in the shut height. The shut height is changed by increasing or decreasing the length between the pitman arm and the slide. This is typically accomplished via a motorized nut/screw assembly mounted between the pitman arm and the slide.
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Application:
Shut Height
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Products Used:
952, 2110, 1986
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
In a steel mill after the slab is cut to length, it must be transported to the next section of the mill. This is accomplished with large hydraulic cylinders that lift and move the slab to the side. In the past, mechanical arm switches were used to control the walking beams. Often these switches failed and the slab would not move properly to the next section.
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Application:
Walking Beams
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Products Used:
951, 952, 953, 950MD
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
Steel exits the continuous caster in one solid piece. The torch cut-off must accurately measure and clamp onto the side of the red-hot steel. Once clamped onto the steel, the piece will continue to move until the torches have cut the material to the desired length. High temperatures prove to be a challenge for sensors on these torch cut-off machines.
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Application:
Monitor Torch Cut-Off Heads
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Products Used:
925, 950MD, 953
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
A manufacturer used a stretch hooding machine to secure palletized products for shipment. This machine is similar to a shrink wrapping system except that it pulls a tubular film over the package and seals it at the top to prevent water damage. The machine in question used a series of four inline proximity switches on the tension fingers to indicate linear position as the machine actuated through a cycle. Using fixed proximity switches requires a mechanical operation to relocate them during set up.
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Application:
Stretch Hooding Machine
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Products Used:
955 BRIK
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
In the finishing and coating part of the mill, large rolls are sent to the galvanizing line for a value-add operation. During this process, the coil is unrolled and multiple loops collect and adjust the tension of metal as it runs through the treatment process. The machine maintains tension by moving loops upward to gather material or moving loops downward to release excess material. Lever arm limit switches or optical encoders provide an approximation of zones in which the loop mechanism is located. Lever arms frequently break and optical encoders are not inherently mill duty. Neither mechanism will survive in a mill for an extended period of time.
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Application:
Accumulator/Loop Tower
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Products Used:
925, 1986MD, 2120
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
A customer wanted to provide a basic level of press automation at a nominal cost.
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Application:
Basic Press Automation
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Products Used:
2500, 1980R
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Solution:
Click here
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Application:
Electric Arc Furnace Cover
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Products Used:
950MD, 1995, 1746L
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
During the filling of an Electric Arc Furnace (EAF), the electrodes are raised and rotate into their parked position. The cover of the EAF is then raised and rotated into a parked position for EAF loading. Mill Duty lever arm limit switches or proximity switches provide discrete outputs when vertical and rotational movement reaches a programmed parked position. These switches often fail every three to four months and adjustment of the actuation points can only be done when the furnace is not operating which leads to large blocks of downtime.
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Problem
A customer needed to prevent the turret from moving into an unsafe position while transferring the ladle. Incorrect positioning could cause equipment to collide.
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Application:
Turret Rotate and Lift
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Products Used:
950MD, 1986
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
When steel is rolled down to a smaller gauge a rolling mill stand is used to roll the steel to the proper gauge. Steel when rolled will grow in length as well as in width. To prevent changes in width, side guide controls are used. These guides are screw driven from the side of the rolling mill stand.
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Application:
Rolling Mill Side Guide Position
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Products Used:
1986, 1746, 2120
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
A manufacturer of glass products for automotive customers was using an A-B PLC 5 with 1771 I/O rack to control a complex glass kiln process to bend the shape of the windshields. The kiln process was control intensive and required a resolution higher than the 12 bit offered by the current solution. With the AMCI card, the outputs are only accessible from the front of the card requiring an A-B input card to see the PLS output status in the I/O image table. Also, the kiln process uses several of the PLS outputs to establish position based windows in which process events had to occur. With the AMCI card, this requires an extra A-B input card as well as additional PLC logic to perform these functions.
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Application:
Windshield Glass Kiln
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Products Used:
1771
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Solution:
Click here
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Problem
Edge trimmer on a "Strilich" cut to length line. As a coil is un-wound the steel will be cut to a particular length and these steel plates will be stacked. The series 955 LDT will be used to monitor the adjustment of the two side edge trimmers. As the trimmers increase in width the difference between the two floating magnets will increase and thus provide a 4 to 20 mA output that represents this difference. Many times these trimmers are controlled with a ball screw where they only monitor a single magnet. In the arrangement you can only measure 1/2 of the movement and backlash comes into play.
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Application:
Edge Trimmer
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Products Used:
955
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Solution:
Click here
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