Extrusion International 4-2016

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21 Extrusion International 4/2016
AZO intends to drive this project forward at full speed.
The entire service area with important plant data should
soon be available for the operator.
“We have already implemented connectivity for the in-
dividual control systems”, says Herzig. “This is where we
are now working on changing over to OPC UA in order
to obtain a structured database.” Karl-Heinz Bußbach
promises concrete innovations for Industry 4.0 in time for
K 2016 in October.
The project also plans for one Industry 4.0 component to
be implemented. How did AZO decide which product to
fit with additional sensor technology and intelligence?
Bußbach explains: “We asked ourselves: where is the add-
ed value for our customers and ourselves? Which projects
will deliver the most? Do our customers even want this?
And does our development department have the resourc-
es to put it into practice? At least one of the 4 Ps - AZO’s
or its customers’ products or production – would have to
benefit permanently from the increased intelligence for
AZO to drive development towards Industry 4.0 over the
long term.
Data exchange within the plant system
The RAMI 4.0 reference architecture model for Industry
4.0 has also been put to intensive use here. The automa-
tion expert Herzig explains: “We concentrated on the dif-
ferent layers and asked ourselves: What could be the de-
mands on our equipment from these layers?” They gained
some surprising insights, for example that it could make
sense to integrate a humidity sensor, although humidity is
not a significant factor at this point in the process. “How-
ever it was very easy for us to determine it at this point in
the product flow”, explains Herzig, “and ‘sell’ the value
to another machine, which can derive useful information
from the humidity level.”
Industry 4.0 system for “intelligent materials handling”
This may sound like a very long way off. However the first
Industry 4.0 components have become reality at AZO: the
self-optimising pneumatic conveying system could soon
be employed by the first customers. The data needed
for this are also available for existing plants to some ex-
tent. They are obtained from the design of the convey-
ing system. In addition, the key physical data on the raw
material being conveyed are, for instance, an advantage
in starting with the correct basic settings. Additional sen-
sor technology is then still needed for intelligent convey-
ing as defined by Industry 4.0. The aim is to ensure that
the quantity of air and speed of the rotary valve are al-
ways adjusted automatically for the optimum operating
point. That cuts operating costs and reduces times for
commissioning. Condition monitoring also makes predic-
tive maintenance possible, which further improves plant
availability.
Bußbach is convinced that additional intelligence will
also be integrated for the loss-in-weight feeder. And the
added value? Bußbach explains: “For instance, we can in-
fer potential system errors from changes in bulk density,
combined with other data such as screw feeder speed: an
example would be the screw feeder becoming blocked.
Parameters such as the refill points can be adjusted auto-
matically in this way too.”
Paving the way for the digital future
A lot of work remains to be done, years of work, before
all of AZO’s products and processes have been scrutinised
with regard to integrated sensor technology, connectiv-
ity and other features of industry 4.0 and improved as
necessary. Needless to say, we want to be ahead of the
game where the competition is concerned since we are a
high-performance supplier. The greatest benefit – which
both Herzig and Bußbach agree on – results however
when plant engineering companies and operators adopt
a broader perspective and then ask which information is
important for upstream and downstream systems. Buß-
bach emphasises: “All manufacturers need to consider
which data interfaces they will provide in future.” Even
if Industry 4.0 is still today still in its infancy – plant and
machinery engineers such as AZO, who are undaunted by
the complexity and who, after due consideration, will sys-
tematically implement the first Industry 4.0 projects, will
be the pioneers for the digital age.
Pic. 5 and 6: Requirements for an intelligent conveying: a program for system design and additional sensor technology