VIEWPOINT

Mechatronics is the current buzzword in the world of automation and in machine construction, but what does it really mean? Demands on new machine designs are driven by requirements for better output rate, availability and time to market. The mechatronics approach aims for improved performance by bringing together the electrical, mechanical and software design in a holistic way. For machines of the next generation, the OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) will play an increasingly large role, and OEE is calculated from a multiplicity of factors. New drive technologies, such as direct drives, will become a constituent part of the machine. With the aid of simulations it is possible to design movements optimally for the energy consumption of the machine. At the same time the service life of the overall machine is increased through minimum loading on the drives and mechanical system.

The transition to an all-embracing mechatronics approach can be supported by tools, such as a Motion Analyzer from Rockwell Automation. Previously used for motor computation, Motion Analyzer has become a centralised tool for optimising the total machine design. Application data can be accepted by the 3D CAD software, SolidWorks directly from the OEM’s mechanical design, though eventually it will available to other CAD software platforms. Based on data and local conditions such as the supply voltage, the tool suggests a suitable drive. A comparison of costs and performance for various drive technologies enable the user to select the variant most suitable to the machine’s use.

In Rockwell’s view, the Motion Analyzer has proven itself a ‘genuine mechatronics tool’ for mechanical and electrical design. For example, in a customer case study involving a deep drawing machine for plastics moulded parts, it identified a new drive which helped double the output rate with fewer failures. The drives were loaded less, the energy consumption was reduced, and the power fed to the drive dropped from 13.5kW to only 4kW.