Extrusion International 1-2017

21 Extrusion International 1/2017 INDUSTRY 4.0 The extruder specialist battenfeld-cincinnati is impressively demonstrating its motto “driven by innovation” with its new control system generationBCtouchUXat this year’s K inhall 16, boothB 19. Onemain feature of the newsystem is its operating concept. Modeled on modern communica-tion media, a new platform with intuitive menu navigation has been created. With its advanced functions, the new control system supports efficient production planning and preventive maintenance intervals, and fulfills future requirements for connectivity with servers andmobile appliances. In thisway, it also provides the prerequisites for comprehensive process data acquisition and evaluation, and for vertical integration according to the Industry 4.0 concept. In the development of the BCtouch UX control system, one main focus was placed on easy operation. The modern user interface created by experts recalls familiar operating concepts of tablets or cell phones and offers multi-touch zoom as well as move and slide functions. In addition to the central operating terminal, additional terminals can be integrated without any problems along the line. Thanks to a new type of cockpit view, the process status of the entire line can be viewed at a glance. The design of the overview page and the navigation through the menu are derived di- rectly from the line configuration. Additional features of the new operating terminal are the RFID access control sys- tem, which enables easy identification by chip card, and a context-sensitive help system. The well-known, ergonomic battenfeld-cincinnati terminal system with its swivel-and- tilt functionality was adapted to a 21.5” landscape format multi-touch display, but otherwise left unchanged. Industry 4.0 offers every plastics processor the opportunity to run its extrusion equipment with maximum efficiency. With the new BCtouch UX control, all process parameters are monitored centrally. This enables line operators not only to carry out energy monitoring, but to calculate energy dia- grams over time and on the basis of freely selectable pro- duction parameters as well. This, in turn, makes it possible to find an operating point where the line can be run with optimal resource efficiency in terms of bothmaterial and en- ergy consumption. Since maintenance in-tervals for all line components are recorded in the control sys-tem, it supports the necessary preventive maintenance actions, thus increas- ing line uptime and consequently overall efficiency. Fully in keeping with the industry 4.0 concept and the con- trol system’s facilities for communicating with other units, generally described as “connectivity”, all line and process parameters included and evaluated in the system can be centrally tapped by an ERP system. For this purpose, the battenfeld-cincinnati OPC-UA server provides a future-proof interface for vertical integration of the line at the customer’s plant. In addition to on-site operation, BCtouch UX also supports an alarm system via Internet or Intranet, with data of definable line statuses being transmitted to mobile units either by LAN/WIFI or by UMTS/LTE, according to the customer’s choice. www.battenfeld-cincinnati.com Mobile operating terminal with the new BCtouch UX control, as shown at the booth. The new extruder series conEX NG and solEX NG will also come with the new control system With BCtouch UX a step closer to Industry 4.00