The Internet of Things has found its way into industry: today, a press shop operator can use his smartphone not only to check whether the mowing or vacuuming robot at home is working correctly, but also to monitor the equipment at his production site. Schuler has brought together all the company’s solutions for networking and digitizing forming technology in its “Digital Suite”.

With Schuler’s “Cloud Services”, press force and stroke rates can be called up remotely at any time, including historical data. They provide an indication of incorrectly positioned dies, for example, and of damage that is imminent. The cooling and lubrication circuits can also be recorded and displayed, including temperatures and system pressures. In addition, important parameters for the drive system include electrical power consumption.

Newer machines already have an Edge Gateway built in, while older lines can be retrofitted with it relatively easily. This allows machine and process data to be handled in the Edge before it is stored in a central location. With the operator's consent, the data can also be transmitted via a secure connection to a computer center, where the computer visualises it in graphics that are as clear as possible. Unscheduled downtimes in the press shop can thus be effectively avoided.

If you want to go one step further, you can install cameras in your presses which monitor the forming process with the aid of intelligent software. They detect, for example, if a punching residue has strayed into the die and threatens to damage it and stop the line immediately. This is made technically possible by comparing the actual and target status within fractions of a second. Schuler calls this solution “Visual Die Protection”.

And if, despite all these safety precautions, the press does come to a standstill, press operators no longer must wait for a service employee to travel to the site for hours. Thanks to the “Schuler Connect” portal, the service technician can immediately gain an impression of the condition of the press: Just like a video chat, the customer only has to point his smartphone at the machine. If he uses data glasses, he has both hands free to solve the problem himself. In most cases, a stoppage can be resolved in this way.

In the ideal case, the forming process and part transport have already been simulated on the computer with Schuler’s “DigiSim” software before the design of the die has even begun. This minimizes the risk of failure in advance. The usual processes within the press can also be represented virtually long before the start of production with the help of its digital twin. Initial tests and software adjustments are also possible, which noticeably speeds up commissioning.

A further advantage is that, on the “Digital Twin”, the operating personnel can familiarise themselves with the system in advance. This means that training on the control system is possible while the press is still being set up – and without the risk of operating errors. And as soon as the press is up and running, training on the virtual image also makes sense, because the production on the real system does not have to be interrupted.

Furthermore, “Track & Trace” enables seamless proof of quality for ongoing production. The system marks each component with its own ID, which can be traced back to different points in time and product stages. All important information on this ID is stored in a database, so that it is possible to trace the coil from which the processed component originated, the parameters used in the forming process, and the quality characteristics of the component.

digitalsuite.schulergroup.com