Digital Factory / Process Industries and Drives

MediaService Industries Online

Lightweight construction made easy - Siemens technology automates modern production line for lightweight construction materials

Eppingen, Germany, 2019-Feb-20

Dieffenbacher is one of the leading manufacturers of press systems and complete production systems for the aerospace and automotive industries, amongst others. Together with the Fraunhofer Institute, Dieffenbacher has developed a production line which produces layups from modern lightweight materials which correspond closely to the final contour, and finally consolidates them into formable laminates. Dieffenbacher relies on Siemens line automation solutions which enable very short cycle times and accurate positioning of the materials, even at high speeds.

Fiberforge can process tapes from a range of materials and with different thicknesses and width in a single layup. The Siemens Simatic S7-1517TF controller easily accommodates the automation of the 27 axes in the Fiberforge amongst other things. Fiberforge produces tape layups which correspond closely to the final contour and processes a range of different materials on up to four spools.

Lightweight materials have an important role to play in the automotive and aerospace industries. The materials processed here have to be stable and should also have an extremely low dead weight. In order to be able to meet the high level of demand and increasing requirements, Dieffenbacher has redeveloped its existing Fiberforge tape layup system in conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institute – the result is the world’s fastest tape layup system. Tapes are reeled off, cut to size and set down in a set pattern in just one second; as they are set down in a form which corresponds closely to their final contour, material waste has been cut to less than 5 percent. The Fiberforge can accommodate a broad mix of materials, thicknesses and widths on a total of four reels. A total of 27 axes and the whole plant are controlled by one Simatic S7-1517TF CPU (central processing unit) with an integral motion control. This provides secure and precise positioning of the tapes, even at high speeds. Project configuration of the overall automation, including Sinamics S120 converters and Simotics S servo motors takes place in the TIA (Total Integrated Automation) Portal engineering framework. The IP65-protected Simatic Panel PC Pro, which is ideally suited to the harsh ambient conditions, provides simple operation.

The glass-fiber or carbon-fiber reinforced tapes are reeled off, cut to size and set down on a rotary table in a set pattern in just one second.

Optimum further processing of tape layup

An end-to-end automation concept provides benefits for more than just the modernized Fiberforge tape layup system. Dieffenbacher’s latest development, Fibercon, a vacuum-assisted consolidation system which is suitable for large-scale production, is also controlled by Siemens technology. The Fibercon system consolidates the tape layups provided by Fiberforge to laminates which correspond closely to the final contour. The vacuum-assisted process minimizes voids and any subsequent processing errors. Depending on the type and thickness of the tape layup, the process lasts approximately 30 seconds. The Fibercon system has a Simatic S7-1517F controller as well as a Siplus HCS4300 heating controller, Sinamics S120 converters, Simotics S servo motors and servo gear units, and a Simatic HMI (human machine interface) panel. Engineering is facilitated by the TIA Portal.

The core element of the recently developed Fibercon is the Siplus HCS4300 heating control system which precisely controls the infrared radiators so they can quickly reach and maintain the ideal temperature for consolidation.

Using the benefits of digitalization

Following the modernization or redevelopment of the plants and their combination with the tailored blank line, Dieffenbacher is now planning the next stage. "In the future, we will see data exchange that makes it possible to automatically transfer a tape layup from Fiberforge to Fibercon, where it is then consolidated," explains Felix Manger, Development Engineer at the Business Unit Composites at Dieffenbacher. This will enable very fast product changeovers and an even greater degree of process automation.

Dieffenbacher is one of the leading manufacturers of press systems and complete production systems for the aerospace and automotive industries, amongst others.

Decrease Text Size Enlarge Text Size Text Size

Print this page