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New business models, resilient, resource-saving production and less downtime thanks to transparency in relevant data - the challenges facing machine builders and their customers are increasing. At the SPS in Nuremberg, Lenze showed digital solutions and software and hardware for today's tasks. Digitalization and the acceleration of processes in production, service and development are the focus here.
Many machine builders have touted the digitization of their products and processes, but too often there is a lack of concrete scenarios that pay off for them as well. Moreover, there is a lack of domain knowledge on the part of the service provider and a lack of overview of assets in production. This is where Lenze comes in. The automation specialists from Hamelin focus on use cases that offer machine builders and operators quick and concrete added value.
Manufacturing companies have an interest in minimizing maintenance and repair costs through efficient scheduling. For this to succeed, users must have insight into which assets are actually installed. Lenze aims to simplify the management of all installed assets so that, for example, in the event of a machine breakdown, all relevant information can be quickly retrieved. Service personnel are then notified via email or Microsoft Teams via the IoT gateway X4 Remote and can identify and fix the fault accordingly. The starting point for this is Lenze FAST. In recent months, Lenze has expanded the proven software toolbox into a framework. The digital twin plays an important role here. The core of the FAST framework is a service-oriented software architecture that even better meets today's requirements for machines in the areas of visualization, IIoT and cloud. An example is Lenze's asset and errormanagement, where optimized access to asset information is complemented by automated errormanagement. Machine users especially benefit from full visibility into machines and systems. Machine operators and machine manufacturer technicians can remotely access diagnostic information and troubleshoot problems efficiently. A ticketing system that already includes machine status information helps with this.
OEE is still the baby worry in many companies. If you want to minimize machine downtime and optimize lead times, relevant information from components and machines must be available without restriction. But often there is a lack of data and even more often a lack of transparency. This is now changing with OEE & Downtime Tracking. It provides more transparency in the production process without additional hardware or sensors. First, the OEE is calculated in the PLC. The results are visualized for the user on pre-configured dashboards. The EASY UI Designer also allows the user to configure the visualization independently. Extensive analysis capabilities are provided by Downtime Tracking. Here the OEE factors "availability" and "performance" are examined in detail. Lenze relies on OPC UA and MQTT for communication, ensuring connectivity for future technologies. Data flow from the PLC to the cloud is guaranteed, and even without a cloud connection, live data can be sent in real-time to a panel or HMI. This provides greater transparency and motivation for the machine user. For the machine builder, the application is an easy way to display machine performance and availability according to the end customer's needs. The end customer can increase or stabilize productivity thanks to the data. OEE & Downtime Tracking is thus the basis for fact-based production optimization based on real data.
In addition to software and digital solutions, Lenze also presented related hardware at the trade fair. As a preview, visitors could take a look at the new i750 servo amplifier. Under a Lenze controller, this will be the new standard element of a future-oriented automation solution. Here are the most important features:
Combined with the aforementioned software applications and digital services from Lenze's automation system, this creates a motion control concept unlike any other.
