Monday, October 09, 2006
AC drives oust DC servos to improve gantry loader
AC geared motors and smd micro drives have replaced DC servo control systems to improve cost and performance on a pick and place gantry used in casting operation.
DC servo control systems on a pick and place gantry used in the Cosworth Technology casting operation in Worcester have been replaced by AC geared motors and SMD micro drives from Lenze. The decision to ditch the 'higher' technology DC system was taken by Maintenance Manager Joe Reeves based on cost and performance, the original system having been deemed overcomplicated and costly to replace like-for-like when compared to the levels of accuracy and ease of integration offered by the new generation of small AC drives. Cosworth Technology produces high quality aluminium alloy castings predominantly for the automotive industry, complementing the powertrain and diagnostic engineering services provided by the company.
The casting facilities at Worcester are flexible enough to make 3 or 300,000 items per year of any design using the patented Cosworth Technology Casting Process.
Central to the casting operation is the accurate and reliable transfer of crucibles containing molten aluminium from the furnace to the moulds.
The working environment is tough, with a sometimes heavy work load and 50 degree heat, hence the replacement system had to be tough as well as reliable.
The original system had reached the end of it's operating life and was due for replacement.
Advances in power handling and reduction in size (a 2.2kW smd inverter has a panel size of just 146x114x140mm) meant that four smd drives would fit comfortably into the existing control cabinet, while the units offered levels of accuracy and reliability that were not easily achieved with AC control when the original system was specified.
The cost differential between a new replacement servo system and the AC solution using standard Lenze geared motors, de-rated to handle the high ambient temperature is an order of magnitude lower, reducing both the initial purchase cost and limiting the cost of any future replacements.
Ease of control was also a factor in the selection, Glyn Fisher, the Lenze Sales Engineer who specified the gearmotors and 2.2kW smd drives, 'the set-up takes a few minutes on a lap-top with a simple to use Windows based software application which means the user is perfectly able to set the drive up and can fine tune it from the PC or on the drive itself.
Even if the drive needs re-setting or replacing, the program is held on a removable chip that can be transferred in seconds.
The parameters can be copied to a spare chip and kept just in case.
The result is a fast set-up, good flexibility and downtime kept to an absolute minimum.' Joe Reeves, Cosworth Technology Casting Maintenance Manager comments, 'it makes perfect sense to use a simpler technology for this application; not only on the cost advantages, but it makes any changes for operational and the maintenance reasons faster and less of a headache.
Controlling the crucible gantry is central to the operation because we run a highly flexible casting system in order to handle what might be a very short run of bespoke engine parts or long runs for road cars such as Aston Martin for example.
About Cosworth Technology Cosworth Technology is an independent consultant and major supplier of powertrain and diagnostic engineering services to the global automotive industry.
It employs around 1000 people at its operations in Northampton, Wellingborough and Worcester in the UK and at Cosworth Technology in Detroit, USA.
DC servo control systems on a pick and place gantry used in the Cosworth Technology casting operation in Worcester have been replaced by AC geared motors and SMD micro drives from Lenze. The decision to ditch the 'higher' technology DC system was taken by Maintenance Manager Joe Reeves based on cost and performance, the original system having been deemed overcomplicated and costly to replace like-for-like when compared to the levels of accuracy and ease of integration offered by the new generation of small AC drives. Cosworth Technology produces high quality aluminium alloy castings predominantly for the automotive industry, complementing the powertrain and diagnostic engineering services provided by the company.
The casting facilities at Worcester are flexible enough to make 3 or 300,000 items per year of any design using the patented Cosworth Technology Casting Process.
Central to the casting operation is the accurate and reliable transfer of crucibles containing molten aluminium from the furnace to the moulds.
The working environment is tough, with a sometimes heavy work load and 50 degree heat, hence the replacement system had to be tough as well as reliable.
The original system had reached the end of it's operating life and was due for replacement.
Advances in power handling and reduction in size (a 2.2kW smd inverter has a panel size of just 146x114x140mm) meant that four smd drives would fit comfortably into the existing control cabinet, while the units offered levels of accuracy and reliability that were not easily achieved with AC control when the original system was specified.
The cost differential between a new replacement servo system and the AC solution using standard Lenze geared motors, de-rated to handle the high ambient temperature is an order of magnitude lower, reducing both the initial purchase cost and limiting the cost of any future replacements.
Ease of control was also a factor in the selection, Glyn Fisher, the Lenze Sales Engineer who specified the gearmotors and 2.2kW smd drives, 'the set-up takes a few minutes on a lap-top with a simple to use Windows based software application which means the user is perfectly able to set the drive up and can fine tune it from the PC or on the drive itself.
Even if the drive needs re-setting or replacing, the program is held on a removable chip that can be transferred in seconds.
The parameters can be copied to a spare chip and kept just in case.
The result is a fast set-up, good flexibility and downtime kept to an absolute minimum.' Joe Reeves, Cosworth Technology Casting Maintenance Manager comments, 'it makes perfect sense to use a simpler technology for this application; not only on the cost advantages, but it makes any changes for operational and the maintenance reasons faster and less of a headache.
Controlling the crucible gantry is central to the operation because we run a highly flexible casting system in order to handle what might be a very short run of bespoke engine parts or long runs for road cars such as Aston Martin for example.
About Cosworth Technology Cosworth Technology is an independent consultant and major supplier of powertrain and diagnostic engineering services to the global automotive industry.
It employs around 1000 people at its operations in Northampton, Wellingborough and Worcester in the UK and at Cosworth Technology in Detroit, USA.
# posted by Medical Information : 3:06 AM
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