
PC-based control for the tire and rubber industry

Industrie 4.0-compliant truck and bus tire plant
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, Germany
Headquarters United States
Beckhoff Automation LLC
+1 952-890-0000
beckhoff.usa@beckhoff.com
www.beckhoffautomation.com
Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH, Germany
With Beckhoff, machine manufacturers and end customers in the tire and rubber industry are opting for a high-performance and maximally scalable control platform that can be used throughout the entire production process. Scalable drive technology hardware in conjunction with the Beckhoff TwinCAT Motion Control software forms the ideal basis for machines used in material preparation and tire manufacturing. In conjunction with the TwinCAT software and robust IP67 modules, high-performance Industrial PCs in compact design are the basis for an optimized control solution for curing presses. With measuring terminals and the option of integrating C++ and MATLAB®/Simulink® into TwinCAT automation software, Beckhoff provides the components required for test bench automation. Vertical integration into the production environment and connection to MES systems is accomplished with PC-based control via Industrie 4.0 standards and does not require any additional proprietary interfaces.
Beckhoff has developed sound industry expertise and solution competence for the rubber and tire industries in long-standing, close cooperation with machine manufacturers and end customers. Our team of experts advises and supports you from the control design to the implementation and commissioning of your machine and is available on site worldwide for advice, technical support and service. Beckhoff also has a long track record of industry expertise in control cabinet construction for the tire and rubber industries. The Beckhoff Engineering Department can manufacture control cabinets exactly to the end customer’s specifications and standards. This includes the components used and their arrangement in the control cabinet, air conditioning and ventilation, preparation of ECAD plans and test protocol.
Together with the TwinCAT NC PTP software, high-performance Industrial PCs and Control Panels form the control platform for the Beckhoff Motion Control system. Standard functions such as cam plates and flying saw are available in TwinCAT, particularly for use in preparation and assembly. The integration of Condition Monitoring and Vision in TwinCAT replaces external solutions for monitoring and image processing. Beckhoff servo drive technology not only supports electronic motor rating plates for plug-and-play, but also safety technology. Drive parameterization and parameter storage are completely integrated in TwinCAT. The servomotors are connected cost-effectively via the One Cable Technology, which combines power and feedback signals in a standard motor cable. For adjustable axes with absolute encoders the servomotor terminals offer a compact solution for the I/O system.
Robust Beckhoff Control Panels and Panel PCs can be used by operators for monitoring and fast control of pressure and temperature in curing applications. These rugged industrial displays are designed for use in tire and rubber production facilities and feature protection class IP 65, a PLC function keypad on the side, and a special film to protect the electronics against harsh environmental influences. In addition, Beckhoff offers IP 67-rated I/O modules for standard and safety signals, EtherCAT Terminals with extended operating temperature range, and highly precise, calibrated temperature measuring terminals, representing the optimal system for heating press controllers. The basic software for hydraulic and mechanical curing presses and the TwinCAT controller toolbox help manufacturers maintain a faster time-to-market. Archiving production data is possible using built-in mass storage, standardized cloud protocols, and direct database connectivity from the PLC.
PC-based control with distributed EtherCAT I/O terminals and EtherCAT Box modules from the EP/EPP series is ideally suited for use in conveyor systems for transporting tires from the machine to other processing stations. EtherCAT enables implementation of large systems, with distances of up to 100 meters between individual I/O stations. The cable redundancy offered by EtherCAT ensures high system availability. Local drive concepts commonly found in conveyor systems can be easily integrated into the central control system, based on the multi-fieldbus capability of the Beckhoff automation platform. Hardware components such as scanners, RFID units or camera systems for product tracking are controlled via gateways and interfaces. The distributed TwinSAFE safety system replaces hard-wired safety systems. The safety terminals read the safe signals from the system and ensure reliable data transfer to the PC, based on the Safety over EtherCAT protocol.
PC-based control with integrated measurement technology is the optimal basis for test and inspection machines in tire production. High-performance Industrial PCs, Control Panels with touchscreens and mechanical push-button extensions, EtherCAT I/Os with gateways to subordinate fieldbus systems, TwinCAT for controlling machine processes and Motion Control are the components of a lean, highly integrated control architecture. Sequential control and measurement tasks are carried out with PC-based control on an integrated platform. The fast and highly accurate Beckhoff ELM series measurement modules are used for demanding measurement tasks. The integration of the measurement technology into the control system offers the advantage of synchronous signal acquisition and full data access, i.e. the whole range of process data and measurement signals are available to the control system at any time. The integration of C/C++ and MATLAB®/Simulink® into the TwinCAT automation software opens up a wide range of application areas in test and inspection machines for final tire finish.