Foilmachines geared up
Foilmachines geared up flexibly Bandera is an Italian manufacturer of extrusion lines used for processing thermoplastic materials. As part of a modernization project, the company decided to implement the compact and versatile Sirius 3RM1 motor starters of Siemens to bring its production up to the state of the art. Bandera has been producing extrusion lines in Italy since 1947. From its founding to the present day, the company has continued to grow and evolve, especially during the period of economic growth following the Second World War, when the demand for machinery reached its peak. Bandera contributed significantly to Italy’s industrialization then, by producing thousands of extruders. Continually introducing technological innovations in this field and keeping a close eye on market developments, Bandera is one of the leading manufacturers of extrusion lines for blown film and flat molding of films, foils, and sheets. The company specializes in machinery for packaging and processing. Staying on top of technological innovations and constantly optimizing the company’s technical equipment is a key aspect of Bandera’s continuing global success in a competitive market. Bandera relies on Siemens technology for this vital part of the enterprise, as Virgilio Riva, electrical department manager, explains: “The Bandera and Siemens partnership is such a long-standing and highly successful one that you could say we have created a little Siemens world at our plant over the last 30 years. This gives us a competitive edge in very diverse markets all over the world and allows us to provide our customers with top-class products and services .” Space-saving and versatile Bandera was very satisfied with the Siemens electromechanical equipment the company was already using, including inverters, panels and operator PCs, and monitoring and programming software. When it became necessary to save space in the control cabinet in order to create more compact machines, Bandera decided to replace the standard motor starters with the new Sirius 3RM1 motor starters, for all applications. This decision was the result of an in-depth technical analysis completed by the Bandera electrical department in cooperation with the developers and machine operators. The new Sirius hybrid starters are only 22.5 mm wide, and by occupying so little space they allow Bandera to realize extremely compact solutions. “We needed to reduce the number and size of the components in the control cabinet as much as possible,” says Riva. “Considering that we have an average of five or six motor starters in each control cabinet, using a standard motor starter took up a lot of space. What is more, we also had to deal with the problem of using motors of different sizes that needed to be operated with different starters based on their power output.” This is where the Sirius 3RM1 motor starters show their versatility. They are available in three broad current ranges (0.1–0.5 A, 30 MDA Technologies 1/2015
DRIVE TECHNOLOGIES Implementing Sirius 3RM1 motor starters offers significant advantages in terms of both the type of motor starters installed and the space required in the control cabinet 0.4–2.0 A, and 1.6–7.0 A), which make it possible to start motors of different power ratings with only one device. This reduces the number of variables during set-up and simplifies commissioning. Considering the huge number of motors installed at Bandera, implementing Sirius 3RM1 motor starters offers significant advantages in terms of both the type of motor starters installed and the space required in the control cabinet. “With this new solution, we are able to use the same component on motors of different sizes simply by adjusting the calibration,” concludes Riva. All the functions are combined in one motor starter, eliminating the need for various devices such as contactors and overload relays. This reduces storage and commissioning costs. Short installation time Mounting the new equipment proved to be very easy. Since all the functions were combined in one motor starter, there was no need for additional devices. The special infeed system available for Sirius 3RM1 motor starters minimized wiring and significantly reduced installation time. Bandera opted for Sirius 3RM1 motor starters with spring-loaded connections, which simplify wiring in the main circuit as well as in the control circuit. If necessary, the connecting clamps can be removed from a given starter individually, enabling Bandera technicians to replace the starter easily. This further minimizes downtimes. Another key feature of the Sirius 3RM1 is the ability to use a fault diagnosis system. “Thanks to the LED status indicator on the housing of the Sirius 3RM1 motor starters, we see at a glance whether all the functions are in operation or if there are any problems,” explains Riva. “This feature was really well received by our operators, since it makes their job a lot easier and enables them to quickly detect and correct any faults.” Retrofit made easy With the innovative Sirius devices, Bandera is able to replace extruders in an extrusion line that has been operating for many years. The company manufactures, commissions, and tests the new extruder before it is shipped to the end customer, and the machine is quickly integrated into the extrusion line on-site thanks to the simple and standardized switching technology. The choice of the Sirius 3RM1 for the extruders and auxiliary equipment has provided Bandera with benefits that translate into considerable cost savings throughout the project – from the number and size of the required components, to installation time, to operation and maintenance effort. www.siemens.com About Company name: Siemens AG Sector: Division Digital Factory Headquarters: Nuremberg, Germany Employees: around 357,000 (Siemens AG) Products: Integrated hardware, software and technology-based services for manufacturing companies worldwide MDA Technologie 1/2015 31
