n NEWS NEWS n www.drivesncontrols.com April 2024 11 AT THE HANNOVER MESSE later this month, Siemens will unveil a portfolio of software and hardware for designing and operating drivetrains e ciently and sustainably. Called Siemens Xcelerator for Digital Drivetrain, it will allow users to combine the real and digital worlds of drive technologies to achieve e ciency and sustainability for entire drivetrains. The portfolio consists of two main elements: nDrivetrain Design, including engineering and simulation tools for dimensioning, validation, testing, virtual commissioning and optimisation of drivetrains during the design phase of machines or systems. nDrivetrain Health, oering hardwareand software-based sensor and connectivity systems for data acquisition, as well as analysis tools that deliver insights into the behaviour of drivetrains and enable condition monitoring. For simulation and virtual commissioning, Siemens is launching DriveSim Engineer, which succeeds the earlier DriveSim Advanced. The new tool can create a digital twin of a drive with all of the real drive’s parameters and congurations. The tool will support the recently launched Sinamics S210 servodrives, as well as the Sinamics G220 frequency converters. The digital twin technology will allow users to simulate, commission and optimise drive systems virtually before installing them in the real world, increasing e ciency and productivity in the engineering of drive systems and machines. DriveSim Engineer integrates with TIA Portal and avoids the need to train on other tools. Benets are said to include: faster commissioning, more accurate detection and resolution of problems; and real-time insights and analyses for improving drive system performance. The new portfolio oers a choice between cloud-based or PC-based systems for drivetrain condition monitoring. The two complement each other and can be chosen depending on the user’s needs. Drivetrain Analyzer Cloud merges the earlier Analyze MyDrives and Sidrive IQ Fleet applications into one. It oers users the option of connecting components such as inverters, motors or other rotating machines to a drivetrain and monitoring its status. Another new product is the Connection Module IOT (CM IOT), which measures raw data and transfers it to the cloud. It can be up and running in a few minutes, and can be powered from a 24V supply. Drivetrain Analyzer Cloud provides information on anomalies and error patterns such as bearing damage, imbalances or misalignments, thus helping to avoid unplanned downtime. It combines condition monitoring with decarbonisation by providing data and recommendations for action on CO emissions, energy consumption and energy costs. Built-in pump analytics can calculate and analyse system e ciencies and pump parameters. The new PC-based condition-monitoring technology consists of three main elements: the VIB (Vibration) and FPP (Fast Process Parameters) connection modules, and the Drivetrain Analyzer X-Tools software, as well as sensors and cables. The modules record vibration and analogue signals at 96kHz sampling rates. The technology allows users to analyse high-speed, intermittent machines such as presses, cranes, or machine tools with two synchronous axes. Drivetrain Analyzer XTools can acquire dynamic data at up to 192kHz, or be used for manual data analysis. Because it can connect to almost any data source, the software can be used to link users’ analytics with precongured libraries. For example, the software can monitor bearing temperatures, housing vibrations, and oil lubrication pressure and ow, in heavy machines with plain bearings. Drivetrain portfolio combines real and digital worlds to boost efficiency A new PC-based condition-monitoring element of the Digital Drivetrain portfolio includes connection modules, and software to analyse high-speed machines such as presses, cranes and machine tools New group will champion the uptake of automation in the UK A NEW ORGANISATION has been launched to champion the uptake of automation in UK manufacturing. Called the UK Automation Forum, it brings together industry experts, end-users, policy-makers and technology suppliers to discuss the adoption of automation technologies in the UK. It aims to turn the UK into a world-leading user of robotic and automation technologies, addressing the poor take-up of robotics in the country, compared to its global rivals. The Forum is being supported by trade associations, including Automate UK (formerly the PPMA Group), the MTA (Manufacturing Technologies Association), Make UK and Gambica. Its goal is to drive collaboration, highlight the benets of automation, help break down barriers to adoption, and inuence opinion. “We are creating a community of leading experts and businesses to ensure that all members of the industry have a voice,” says Mike Wilson, chief automation o cer at the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC), who is chairman of the new Forum. “We will then use this voice to work together to drive improvements for mutual benet.” The Forum will host live events and roundtable discussions, while promoting careers in automation and breaking down barriers for users, employees and manufacturers. It will also gather end-users’ opinions to ensure that automation suppliers are meeting their needs. Another major goal of the Forum is to inuence policy-makers. “The aim is to use our combined voice to inuence government and policy,” says Automate UK CEO, Peter Williamson.
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