Extrusion International 1-2017

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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.
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