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WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 01/2019

WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 01/2019

Taking a look into outer

Taking a look into outer space AUTOMATION Specialist glass manufacturer Schott supplies huge mirrors for the European Extremely Large Telescope (EELT), currently the largest telescope in the world, which is under construction on the mountain of Cerro Armazones in Chile. C erro Armazones, Chile. The European Extremely Large Telescope (EELT), currently the world’s largest telescope, is at present under construction on top of the Chilean mountain of Cerro Armazones. The glass specialist Schott is one of the companies manufacturing the enormous mirrors for the telescope. The manufacturing process is based on a special ceramic glass so that the mirror can withstand the extreme local conditions. This is why Schott has chosen Siemens technology for the manufacturing process. The process control system Simatic PCS 7 ensures the temperature is measured and controlled extremely accurately during production. In addition to the main mirror with a diameter of almost 40 meters, the European Extremely Large Telescope also has four other mirrors which act as reflectors. Three of these large mirrors, which measure up to four meters, are produced by Schott. The Mainz-based company uses a special ceramic glass (Zerodur) in The most being opend in the Schott cooling hall the manufacturing process as the mirror substrate. The benefit of this ceramic glass is that it has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion. This means that the material does not expand even if temperatures vary considerably. This is an important property if the EELT is to supply sharp images. Perfect temperature control for perfect mirrors In order to avoid stress cracks, the special glass is repeatedly heated and cooled over long periods of time during production. Temperature control at this point must be accurate to three decimal places which is why Schott has chosen the Simatic PCS 7 process control system and the Simatic ET 200SP distributed I/O system from its long-term partner Siemens for this project. Initially Schott “Schott chooses Siemens automation technology to produce mirrors for the world’s largest telescope.” employees and experts from Siemens tested the fundamental feasibility in the laboratory and, after successful tests, Siemens then programmed a new module specifically for this application. The solution includes many types of measurement such as stress, voltage and resistance, as well as resistance thermometers and thermal elements. Undiscovered worlds This extremely accurate measurement of temperature allows Schott to produce mirrors which can not only withstand the adverse conditions on top of this Chilean mountain, but can also contribute to taking a look at hitherto undiscovered worlds. Photographs: Schott www.siemens.com 20 WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 1/2019

How to check presence and position simultaneously SmartRunner technology is a unique combination of light section technology and a 2-D vision sensor with integrated LEDs. This innovative combination offers completely new applications for demanding detection tasks and allows you to design efficient, future-proof processes. Robotic handling systems are often used to feed workpieces or raw materials into production and processing systems. Workpiece carriers are used to transport the materials to the plant, where the materials are then automatically removed. In conventional solutions, standard vision sensors are used to control the position of the materials being fed. This process is costly and complex since these sensors quickly reach the limits of their detection performance when working with low- contrast objects. In such cases, standard vision sensors require additional external lighting and complex configuration. Efficient operation without plant downtime An uninterrupted supply of raw materials is crucial for maintaining cost-effective operations in production plants. The materials, which can vary in color, are transported to the machine in workpiece carriers. Before the materials are picked up by the robotic system, it is necessary to check whether the materials are present (presence check) and whether the materials are in the correct position (position control). Efficient operation without plant downtime or production waste is always the top priority. Two detection tasks in a single step With the SmartRunner Matcher light section sensor from Pepperl+Fuchs, both detection tasks can be performed in a single step. The sensor is mounted above the conveyor system and checks two items simultaneously by detecting the height profiles. When these height profiles match the reference profile stored in the sensor, the switching output sends a “good” signal. Differing height profiles indicate either missing or incorrectly positioned raw material, and the sensor sends a “bad” signal. The SmartRunner Matcher thus prevents waste and plant downtime, enabling more efficient production. The benefits SmartRunner Matchers are optimized in the factory to compare height profiles, meaning they can be integrated directly into the application without any specialized expertise required. The solution is easy to configure, and there is no need to evaluate raw data. Instead, the detection result is delivered as a switching signal that can be understood by any control panel. Light section technology delivers highly precise, reliable results, regardless of the surface quality, contrast, and color of the objects being detected. Unlike conventional vision-based solutions, expensive and difficult-to-install external lighting is not required. The wide detection range of 160 mm allows multiple objects to be detected and verified. An extended version of the SmartRunner Matcher is also available, allowing up to 32 height profiles to be stored in the sensor for quick reparameterization after plant changeovers. Photographs: Pepperl+Fuchs www.pepperl-fuchs.com IOT Change Future Smart Business Joining, cutting & Engineering of tomorrow Digitalisation changes the future of material processing. Intelligent solutions revolutionise your business. industry4.0 InFocus future 3D Generation smart factory data www.kjellberg.de Kjell.indd 1 11.02.2019 07:44:49 WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 1/2019 21

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