Month: July 2021

For someone who is new to servo mechanisms and configurations, the features of the servo motor may seem a little daunting. Even after years of experience, I still get a moment of nervous anticipation when I press the START button. Anything that can go wrong, will occasionally go wrong. Becoming familiar with the servo system alleviates the unknown and reduces obstacles to a stable, steady-running servo system.

Servo? Servo Mechanism? Servo control system?

When first becoming acquainted with servo systems, you see these three terms and wonder, “What’s the difference?”   These terms are interchangeable and simply refer to a control mechanism that monitors physical quantities. These qualities could refer to speed, torque, position, and such. The word servo comes from the Latin word for servant, and that is precisely the function of the servo. It takes on the appointed tasks assigned by the programmer and faithfully carries out instructions with precision.

According to Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) terminology, a “servo mechanism” is defined as a mechanism that uses the position, direction, or orientation of an object as a process variable to control a system to follow any changed in a target value (set point). More simply, a servo mechanism is a control mechanism that monitors physical quantities such as specified positions. Feedback control is normally performed by a servo mechanism.

Soure: JIS B0181

There are two ways to help define a servo system. It is a mechanism that first moves at a specified speed and second it locates an object in a specified position.  For the servo system to function, an automatic control system must be designed using feedback control, or a control that returns process variables to the input side and forms a closed loop. How does feedback control operate? It controls the output data to match the input data by detecting the machine position (output data) and feeding the data back to the input. The system then compares it with the specified position (input data) which accordingly moves the machine by the difference between the compared data. For example, let’s say your specified position changes. The servo system will recognize the position change and will change accordingly. In this example, the servo system reflected the changes identified by the specified position being altered. The input data is the position in this example, but input data determines other input as well. It may be identifying any physical change such as orientation (angle) water pressure, or voltage. Some other values typically used as control values include position speed, force, electric current, to name a few.

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Updated on December 12, 2023 by Joe Kaminski

KUKA, a German manufacturer, is known globally for production, performing automation tasks such as welding and assembly. However, coming up this Fall, the prominent industrial group will be dipping its toe into another kind of performance.

This is not the first time KUKA has branched out to the arts to showcase the future of automation. In the past, KUKA has been displayed as part of an art installation at the Jewish Museum in Berlin. The installation showcased a KUKA robot writing Hebrew across a roll of paper at the speed of human writing using a quill and ink. During a festival in Düsseldorf in 2019, Huang Yi, a dancer, and choreographer, found a dance partner in a KUKA KR CYBERTECH. And at the Ars Electronica Festival in Linz, Austria, a festival that celebrates the connection of arts and technology and their relation to the human experience, KUKA was a part of the “Creative Robotics” exhibition. The exhibition explored the role of robots and creative expression.

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Updated on July 23, 2021 by Joe Kaminski

Accurately diagnosing faults and alarms as quickly and specifically as possible help achieve optimal performance and helps avoid mechanical failures. When the integrity of your automation system is monitored inefficiently it impacts all the components and can negatively influence performance and alter cost efficiency for overall building operation. Whether you are a project engineer, commissioning engineer, machine operator, or service/maintenance personnel, adopting fault detection in building management is a key strategy to cut costs, save energy, and better use resources.

Understanding Siemens diagnostics

We will be covering Siemens alarms and messages from the NC area, HMI, and SINAMICS. This article will aid in three areas.

· Assess special machine operation situations.

· Ascertain the reaction of the system.

· Use applicable possibilities for continued operation.

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Updated on July 14, 2021 by Joe Kaminski

Chances are, if you are working in the automation industry, you are familiar with the intricacies that go into the myriad of connections within the CNC system.  What are some of the parts that comprise the CNC system? A few of the components included within the CNC machining system are the Central processing unit (CPU), input devices, machine control panel, programmable logic controller (PLC), servo-control unit, and display unit.  These parts work together to deliver precision and power to your automation or manufacturing industry.

With all that encompasses the CNC system, what could go wrong? As it turns out, the multitude of exchanges in areas like data and power can lend itself to unforeseen fault issues.  Plenty of misfiring and faulty connectivity occurs on the plant floor producing fault codes. Rapidly identifying a fault delivers an early opportunity to correct it. Early intervention contributes to benefits in time and money.

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Updated on July 8, 2021 by Joe Kaminski

Effectively discerning the alarm codes is an important element in proper management, but it is only a part of the equation. Improperly arranged alarm systems can unwittingly self-sabotage which can unintentionally pose several problems. Poorly arranged alarm systems are a potential safety risk and can financially affect the bottom line as well as the potential to infringe on the environment. Passive alarm settings lack the ability to acclimate to diverse manufacturing conditions. Operators are only as accurate as the alarms informing them, which is why we put together this list of the 5 leading alarm system mistakes to avoid.

The primary mechanism for identifying system interruptions is the alarm code. It is the first line of defense for the plant operator, analyzing and determining correct and rapid action necessary to control plant interruption. Operators must be familiar with a myriad of alarms, but more importantly, they can learn from the alarms to avoid them with the proper settings.

What exactly is the alarm management process?

Having a template to work with is recommended in every undertaking and is particularly crucial with alarm management. Shedding light on the process of alarm management is an excellent way to begin assembling tools to engineer a clear and concise plan. What are the steps to follow? In almost every industry, the following six steps are generally accepted as a tried-and-true blueprint for structuring the alarm management process. The six steps are:

1. Gauging baseline
2. Alarm philosophy
3. Rationalization
4. Implementation
5. Renovation
6. Maintenance

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Updated on July 2, 2021 by Joe Kaminski