Wire machine manufacturer uses Cimplicity

A GE Fanuc Intelligent Platforms UK product story

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Oct 28, 2002

MAG's software packages for manufacturing enamel-insulated winding wire are based on the GE Fanuc Cimplicity Plant Edition visualisation system.

More than 1500 MAG machines for the manufacture of enamel-insulated winding wire are in use throughout the world.

In 2001, MAG introduced its latest machine generation in which the MAG software packages, Wire Control and Wire Manager, have been completely reworked.

These packages are based on the GE Fanuc Cimplicity Plant Edition visualisation system.

With a market share of around 55%, MAG - Maschinen und Apparatebau - is the world's largest manufacturer and provider of machines and plants for the enamelled wire industry.

The majority of the MAG machines that have been delivered during the last 5 years have been equipped with the operating and visualisation system Cimplicity PE from GE Fanuc.

The MAG machines and facilities for the manufacture of enamelled wires are designed in a modular fashion and can be purchased as a complete plant or as individual components.

The company offers around 20 different modules such as wire pay-off, wire drawing machine, and annealing.

At MAG, machine visualisation and operation via PC screen have been used for many years.

Originally written by the company in VisualBasic, the processes have been visualised for more than 5 years now with the help of Cimplicity.

Cimplicity forms the basis of the two software packages that have been developed by MAG - Wire Control and Wire Manager.

These intuitive systems contribute greatly to the success of the MAG machines on the world markets.

Software developer Andreas Mariasevic explained, "We have been using Cimplicity in our company for a number of years.

Hundreds of MAG machines run on this throughout the world and our experience to date has shown that Cimplicity really is very stable and reliable".

Wire Control is used to visualise and operate a MAG machine.

The entire wire enamelling process can be set and adjusted on the computer screen or by means of formulations.

Production and quality are monitored and the batches are evaluated and logged.

The MAG developers were faced with the task of ensuring that the process continues even if the operating station (PC) breaks down or is switched off.

This must not influence the process, ie it must continue with the set values without interruption.

This was achieved by networking PCs and PLCs via Ethernet.

From the SPC downward, communication is via fieldbus.

Wire Manager is a machine-overlay software solution which is used to monitor, evaluate and log several machines - up to a maximum of 15.

However, for safety reasons it is not used to operate the machines.

Wire Manager can create the entire production documentation - important for quality management, maintenance intervals and product liability.

The Wire Manager is also the "hub" for the connection to the company management and administration systems, ie to the company-internal data processing network via Ethernet.

Wire Control and Wire Manager work independently of one another, but they can access the same data via defined interfaces.

The software structures in Wire Control and Wire Manager were developed in parallel with each other.

For Wire Manager, a range of additional modules is available such as diamond die calculation, nozzle calculation, machine manual, maintenance plan etc.

As a rule, Wire Manager runs on a desktop PC in the office, whereas Wire Control is operated directly on the machine via an industrial PC with TFT touch screen.

Both software packages have PC SPC interfaces for process data points (runtime data) and an interface via ODBC to the SQL database (historical data).

The production data that is gathered, such as temperatures, speeds, etc.

of the individual machines, are filed in the shared database, which can be accessed by authorised persons via Wire Manager.

In addition, data such as formulations can be replaced or compared with one another.

Advantages of the Cimplicity based systems include: increased safety for operators; prevention of operating errors through extensive on-screen information; aesthetically more pleasing and easier to understand; improved visualisation of operating data through element cards and multicolour LEDs; possibility of remote maintenance via modem is integrated in the standard version; quick and easy customised configuration and installation; and consistent versions and variant history.