industrial communication Remote I/O system plays key role in pasta production In the end-to-end production lines developed by Anselmo for the manufacture of pasta, u-remote is an essential component of the distributed automation system. The outstanding performance of the remote I/O system is seen to good effect in the Italian machinery manufacturer‘s systems, facilitating the seamless meshing of production processes. In the end-to-end production lines developed by Anselmo for the manufacture of pasta, u-remote is an essential component of the distributed automation system. The outstanding performance of the remote I/O system is seen to good effect in the Italian machinery manufacturer‘s systems, facilitating the seamless meshing of production processes. Countless varieties of pasta are now served all over the world. So it‘s no wonder that Italian plant manufacturer Anselmo supplies its systems to customers in a total of 25 countries on four different continents. As the global leader in the design, construction and installation of pasta production machinery, Anselmo offers turnkey solutions that even include special pasta packaging and storage systems. Selecting the suitable I/O system Durum wheat flour and water – these simple basic ingredients have stimulated the creativity of chefs all over the world. “In addition to high-quality raw materials, good pasta production depends, above all, on having state-of-the-art technology. To enable our customers to produce perfect pasta, we are committed to modern production processes and the highest standards of quality,” says Valter Clerica of Anselmo, describing the aims of the Italian automation experts. With this in mind, the entire automation architecture of the production plants was recently redesigned. Starting with the inputs and outputs in the main switch cabinet, which used to be local, Anselmo is banking on systems with a distributed structure in future. Distributed remote I/Os throughout the production lines permit even more flexible plant design and thus allow customer requirements of all kinds to be met to optimum effect. “When selecting a remote I/O system suitable for the redesign, Anselmo had three clear requirements: to cut the amount of wiring, minimise installation time and reduce the space required,” recalls Francesco Papa of Weidmüller, who advises the Italian plant manufacturer. “Our u-remote system made it easy for us to fulfil these expectations. After analysing the automation structure together, we were able to develop a solution with Anselmo that has convinced right from the beginning.” Reliable plant performance under all conditions Depending on the type of plant, between six and nine u-remote stations are used in Anselmo‘s production lines. The high level of performance required in terms of communication is delivered by field bus couplers that comply with the Profinet-IRT standard and permit fast, high-precision synchronisation between the I/Os, the control system and the moving parts of the plant. The high-performance u-remote station bus can handle up to 256 DIs/DOs in 20 µs. The resulting
industrial communication next page 01 Remote I/O concept with IP 20 focuses: tailored planning, faster installation, safer start-up, no more downtime 02 Anselmo is one of the global leader in the design, construction and installation of systems and machinery for pasta production factories short reaction time, rapid responsiveness and highprecision mapping of operations in the plant ensure seamless meshing of production steps. In addition, the SIL-3 power-feed modules used deliver additional advantages by allowing Anselmo to easily setup distributed safety solutions. Using a standard PLC and with standard station modules, status messages may be exchanged and actuators are shutdown safely in case of an emergency. A complex functionality is thus realised in a very flexible way. Comprehensive solutions for industrial connections “We found u-remote to be a highly innovative solution right from the outset. The compact, modular structure of the system is ideal for our requirements in terms of plant design, which despite all the scope for standardisation always includes customer-specific elements as well,” reports Valter Clerico of Anselmo. “The experts from Weidmüller have given us excellent advice on how to best set up, configure and position the I/O stations for the various types of plant we design. This allows us to focus all our attention on network configuration.” Advantages of the remote I/O system With “u-remote”, Weidmüller presents its new, modularly designed remote I/O system. All advantages focus directly on the users: “u-remote” is distinguished by a plug-in connection level, high component density – as well as best performance – and features high levels of efficiency and productivity. The integrated web server simplifies starting up and speeds up maintenance work. The distinctive features include lean planning, simple installation, fast start-up and the avoidance of downtimes. As installation can be carried out without the need for tools and the cabling is pre-assembled, a reliable installation can be conducted much faster in the switch cabinet as well as on the machine and system. The single row connection level facilitates ease of wiring, installation and service. The plug-in connection level allows for the quick and safe connection of sensors and actuators with pre-assembled cables while simultaneously minimising the error rate in the system wiring. Thanks to very slim modular design of just 11.5-mm module width and a low number of power-feed modules, switch cabinets with “u-remote” can be designed significantly smaller while increasing flexibility in their layout. A component can be replaced load-free during operation, i.e. without having to interrupt the bus connection and disconnect the power supply. Impressive electronic performance The “u-remote” has two features that make it stand out as best in class: First, “u-remote” separates the AUTOMATION TECHNOLOGIES 5/2014
