Data exchange: standard instead of self-construction
For the folding box gluing machine Turbox of the Bahmüller company, the goal is to make the controller data available for production data acquisition with the least possible amount of effort. Armin Haag, the technical manager for electronic engineering is amazed at how easily this works with the SQL4automation Connector.
Wilhelm Bahmüller Maschinenbau Präzisionswerkzeuge GmbH is a worldwide recognised specialist for machines and systems for the packaging industry. The machines and systems are developed and produced for corrugated cardboard packaging – with special functions and additional equipment, which perfectly correspond to all wishes and requirements. One of the highlights of the portfolio is the folding box gluing machine Turbox II. "Ready-for-sale cartons come out of the machine, laid out flat, transportable, bundled and palletised", Armin Haag, technical manager for electronic engineering in the corrugated cardboard division, underlines. The machine convinces with its high degree of automation.
From the ACE-feeder to the pressing belt, all adjustment axles are integrated into the control concept Boxflow Control. Adjustment tasks and operation are thereby simplified and lead to considerable savings in setup time. This control concept is based on the Elau-system Pacdrive M by Schneider Electric. The goal was incorporating all production and machine data simply into the customer specific production data acquisition database. For this purpose, the corresponding controller data is stored in the Firebird database. Usually an intermediate tool for transferring data to the database is installed; this was also our first approach - the technician describes this possible solution. The problem with this is the lack of high-level language programmers. "We have good controller programmers, but no one apart from me can convert high-level programming languages", he continues.
This is where the SQL4automation Connector comes into play – a software solution for connecting robot controls and PLC with databases conveniently via the ethernet. "This way, we can take advantage of the typical benefits of a standard tool: a middle layer is not needed, and the according developers can be appointed to other projects." The control programmers take care of the few remaining settings in the control logic without any difficulties. This significantly reduces the workload and saves resourses. "Without having to consider the intermediate tools, changes can also be carried out immediately in the SQL database during an ongoing process." The data exchange with the BDE-system now runs comfortably over the database. The collected information can be used throughout the company. "As a side effect, this also makes the machines serviceable by remote maintenance."
The SQL4automation Connector has now been running for more than a year in the Turbox machines without any problems. "We don't even notice that the solution is installed", A. Haag tells us. "That is the highest praise an automation technician can get." The next step now is linking different machines via a database with the SQL4automation Connector."