Outlier's Role

Modernized and migrated the control system for a specialized wire handling machine, including control and mechanical design, electrical build, programming, and installation.
 

TECHNOLOGIES

  • Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 XAE / XAR
  • Beckhoff TwinCAT HMI
  • Beckhoff CX5630 Embedded PC
  • Beckhoff EtherCAT I/O Terminals
  • Beckhoff TwinSAFE Safety Logic / IO
  • Beckhoff ELM Compact Servo Terminals with TwinSAFE Safe Motion
  • Beckhoff TwinCAT 3 NC PTP (Point-to-Point) Motion Control
 

SITUATION

The customer had a highly-specialized, custom-built machine for a sensitive wire handling process. The machine was aging and nearing end of life. It had a failing HMI and an outdated Yaskawa motion control system with 4 coordinated axes including electronic gearing speed control. The customer was worried that the control system would fail in the near future, leaving them without a top-producing machine.

SOLUTION

Our team developed a turnkey solution that modernized the control system while keeping the sensitive process in conformance with strict quality specifications. We started with a temporary, low-cost solution to address the failing HMI, which allowed them to continue operating the machine while we were redesigning the rest of the system. We collaborated with the customer to understand their process and determined the correct calculations from poorly-documented original code. We were able to reduce commissioning time by keeping mechanical components in place. The customer was happy with the improvements, and they have reported exceptional uptime.

Improvements to the modernized machine include:

  • Less than one week system recommissioning, causing minimal downtime

  • Machine safety system retrofitted to machine enclosure

  • Ergonomic improvements for operators

  • Machine exceeded repeatability metrics and met expected performance levels

  • Added the flexibility for new software features that helped with training and scheduling

CASE STUDY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Successfully implemented complex electronic gearing calculations critical to the customer’s product quality. The new motion control system met the existing validation process, maintaining the high performance standards of their sensitive process.

  • The modernized system introduced a comprehensive overview screen featuring machine graphics, performance indicators, and clear fault diagnostics. This improvement reduced operator monitoring time and provided insights into machine performance.

  • By selecting high-quality components within a standardized ecosystem (Beckhoff), we created a solution capable of supporting the machine's demanding operational requirements, running at least 18 hours a day for weeks at a time.