Life of unique machine extended again by many years

EKB performs electromechanical retrofit at a textile printing machine

If a machine plays a pivotal role in production, as a manufacturer you have to pay close attention to when crucial components in that machine are still available. To minimize the risk of machine failure, you have two choices: order the existing components and keep them in stock, or opt for a retrofit and/or upgrade. The advantage of the latter option is that it can also improve production quality and/or speed. Starting on time and good preparation is then a requirement. With a well-planned and meticulously executed retrofit/upgrade on a unique production machine, EKB ensured production continuity and quality for a globally operating textile printing company for many years to come.

The unique software-controlled machine is full of mechanical, electrical and digital components and forms a pivotal function in the production of the textile printing plant. In fact, there is not just one machine, but rather an integrated production line with different production steps and functions. EKB has previously retrofitted another part of the machine/production line, with the recent overhaul focusing specifically on the adjustment mechanism to ensure that the design is printed exactly to the required specifications.

Analyze well

Every manufacturing company does well to keep a close eye on the serviceability of its production assets. If an Asset Management system is used, it should indicate when the deliverability of parts and support for software, for example, stops, so that timely action can be taken. With instruments, this is often simply a matter of ordering and assembling a new device, but what if it is a unique machine that was once built specifically for the particular purpose and is not available anywhere in that form?

"So then you have to come up with a timely plan to minimize the downtime risk," stresses Marcel van Deursen, Senior Account Manager at EKB. "At some point you know that certain parts in exactly the same version will no longer be available. That was also an issue with this machine, so a timely solution had to be found in order to guarantee production continuity. As mentioned before, you can keep existing components in stock so that you can replace them 1:1 in case of a defect. The disadvantage of this is that you then get stuck with "obsolete technology. Because during the ten or twenty years (or longer) that components are in a machine, evolution and innovation simply continue. Servos become more compact, faster and/or more energy efficient. Drives get faster, software gets more powerful and offers more functionality and control. If you can apply the latest components during a retrofit, you simply get a better and more efficient machine. So that was also the wish of this manufacturer. Working closely with their experts, we formed a team with whom we carefully inventoried and evaluated the machine functions. We then looked at what new components including software we could use to minimally preserve these functions and, if possible, improve and expand them."

Firm challenge

"We already knew this unique machine quite well because in 2019 we also performed an overhaul in another part of it," continued Patrick de Smitt, project manager at EKB. "That was also quite a complex challenge but different from the one we were facing now. In this case it was mainly about replacing the servomotors and improving their control with new, more powerful software. An additional aspect was that the type of servomotor that had served in the machine for years was simply no longer available in exactly the same form. That meant we had to focus on the complete motor/drives/software combination. Although we also briefly looked at the option of building a completely new machine, that would require such high investments that it would only be profitable if there were a new manufacturing concept, which was not the case here."

Detailed script

"We drew up a program of requirements with our team and together with EKB looked very closely at what we needed and wanted to replace in the machine," says the Industrial Automation Engineer who was involved in the project on behalf of the textile printing company. "First, you have to pay particular attention to the availability and availability of the necessary components. Second, the time needed to write and test the software and finally, of course, how much time you need for the actual conversion. For this, we created a very detailed roadmap that brought a lot of peace of mind to the realization of the project."

Status quo or better?

Alexander Rachmat, as EKB's Service Engineer, looked closely at the machine's current functionality and any bottlenecks. "Those were there, of course," Rachmat explains. "The machine was once developed by an engineering firm and built by two machine manufacturers. These communicated with each other about the final control of the various functions, but in our view this could have been improved. Perhaps this also had to do with the components, systems and techniques available at the time. But also with insights. For example, some functions were time-driven but it would have been better if this had been based on speed. For example, the program simply assumed that an operation would be completed after, say, 60 seconds, after which the machine was stopped. But that was not always the correct timing. So that had to and could be improved. By applying the latest techniques, we were able to optimize the balance between time- and process-dependent functions in particular, so the efficiency of the machine has been improved by this recent overhaul."

Complex project

As many as 20 servomotors, drives and associated cabling were replaced, choosing components from the Bosch Rexroth servo program. The conversion was planned during a 9-day production stop, during which the cabling of another part of the machine also had to be removed. This was not possible in the previous conversion because of the risk that the wiring of the now overhauled part could break down. Now it could be done without any danger. To eliminate as many risks as possible and to speed up the migration in the factory, the panels with servo drives in combination with the motors and the PLC were assembled and extensively tested at the EKB location in Someren. In the end, this made the entire project on site go faster than planned so that the machine was back in operation days earlier than expected. An unexpected setback during factory assembly was that the machine's coupling had to be mechanically adjusted. However, this was quickly and professionally resolved by the EKB partner Motis, which specializes in mechanical systems, involved in this project.

Optimal cooperation

"The cooperation between the EKB team, the Motis team and our people went very well," emphasizes the textile printing company's Industrial Automation Engineer. "Both EKB and Motis have a lot of knowledge and expertise and you could tell by the speed with which issues were addressed and resolved. We have been working together with EKB for more than 10 years and then you know what to expect from each other. This machine is very important to us and unique, so as long as we can keep retrofitting it and improving certain performance and/or functions if possible, we will continue to do so. After the earlier overhaul and this recent overhaul we want to tackle the next section of the machine in the near future. It goes without saying that we will approach EKB for that as well."

Already prepared

"In the realization of this latest project, that already mooted next phase has in fact already been taken into account," Van Deursen says of the plan for the next migration. "For example, we have already applied a gateway that will soon be able to replace both PLCs and will be controlled by an upper control layer. Also, during this last migration we changed the PLC control to servo controllers and modified a piece in SCADA. As a result, more information about the machine is now available through the SCADA platform, which was not the case before. Technical innovations almost always allow you to improve things. For example, there are now servo motors with hybrid technology in them. Previously, separate cables were needed for power and encoder signal. These are now in 1 cable, which has technical advantages from an installation point of view but is also more reliable. Thus, together with the technicians of this company, we hope to keep this unique machine afloat for many years to come without sacrificing reliability and functionality."