Sustainability in machines control

[Kataeb]

Kindly, our customer wants a presentation on how our control of machines, automation and servodrives, can be sustainable.
Where can we find some good info about Sustainability and energy Efficiency? Our hardware is mainly based on Rockwell or Siemens platforms.

 

[brstilson]

What does "sustainability" mean in this context? You can sustain control of a system for as long as the components work. There's no way to do controls that's more "sustainable" than any other way. Sounds like a bunch of clueless management types are asking for some smoke to be blown up their asses.

 

[Puddle]

I'd throw in a few slides about motor starting curves, showing comparisons between direct online, star delta and VFD. For your Siemens kit, tell them it's capable of running drives using Profienergy, even if it's not set up they won't be able to check.

 

[brstilson]

Perhaps for their project, using synchronous reluctance motors (which are much more efficient than the average squirrel-cage induction motor) with Allen-Bradley VFDs capable of controlling them.

 

[mk42]

From my perspective, I've never heard of any manufacturing system that is actually sustainable, in the sense that it uses resources slower than they are generated. We only have the metal we have on the planet, it isn't a renewable resource like wheat or whatever. Technically Oil is a renewable resource on long enough time scales, but only if we use a drop a day. I've never heard of anyone attempting to recycle automation components, although grey market/used/refurbished acquisition could be a great option.

There are many ways that you can be "less bad" with your system (examples below are from Siemens because that's what I'm familiar with, but AB may have similar).

• There are tons of HW that can be used to monitor energy. Siemens has an Option for TIA called Energy Suite that makes it easy to program and automatically integrates into the SCADA. IO Devices often can be put in an energy pause state via Profinet and the Profienergy commands. Can be very helpful to do things like turn disable drives when a system is idle, vs leaving them energized and waiting.
• Things like Servos can be energy efficient, but they use tons of rare earth metals, which is a super gross mining/manufacturing process. I would think something like a refurbished induction motor is much more eco friendly, although obviously can't cover the same application space.
• Typically, more expensive power supplies tend to be more efficient
• If your machine/process helps your customer minimize waste, that definitely helps with a sustainability story

I'd throw in a few slides about motor starting curves, showing comparisons between direct online, star delta and VFD. For your Siemens kit, tell them it's capable of running drives using Profienergy, even if it's not set up they won't be able to check.

I love the phrasing of "capable": implies so much without stating anything. Hooray for marketing!

 

[cardosocea]

All good information here, but the big question you have to ask is "How much are you willing to pay for it?". Most managers have sustainability and safety in their minds until the point they see the price. Start from there and this requirement will be dropped.

Also, adding energy metering isn't necessarily sustainable... the sustainability aspect is a consequence of what you do with the data you collect, and most company do nothing with it.

 

[bill4807]

I would focus on the sustainability of the mechanical design first. These details and wearable parts/belts/sprockets/slides will make the machine more unsustainable than the electronics.
How much time will maintenance have for predictable maintenance. Almost none, most likely.

 

[mad4x4]

Look also at life span of components, a Cheaper system may be replaced every 5-6 Years where as a Siemens PLC or Beckhoff may run for 25 years also can you get spares etc. Repair rather than Replace? Adaptability of Machine, a Co-Bots can do many task and be adapted for change in product.

Dedicated HMIs over Windows PC, not chasing the Software Upgrade and staying on Version X is more sustainable than replacing all PC's just to run the lastest OS when it doesnt' give any technical benefit?