Before any code was written, DMC's team offered support and expertise during machine design and device specification. Our safety experts performed an analysis of the machine and specified devices in order to meet ISO 13849 safety standards. Using our extensive partner network, DMC identified a local supplier to provide support to the customer. We also connected our customer with a local panel designer that could meet the quick timeline.

Functional Control Specification

The customer came to us with a concept of machine functions and behaviors. In collaboration with our customer, the DMC team translated that into a functional control specification that could be used to construct and implement a control system.

The DMC team wrote a functional control specification of the machine and worked with the customer to ensure that we captured all of their requirements.

PLC and HMI Programming

Next, the DMC team used our flexible and robust PLC and HMI programming architecture. Having a consistent architecture is important for the maintainability and scalability of future machines and reduces development costs. Although the current product only consisted of a few VFDs and actuators, the customer has many plans to add additional modules to suit their end customers' needs.

PLC programming was spearheaded by using our open library blocks to reduce programming and debugging time. Alarming and error tracking was added to properly diagnose issues with the machine. We also built a recipe system so that the customer could save machine parameter to reduce the turnover time when switching between materials. Additionally, DMC seamlessly integrated the customer's proprietary algorithms into our codebase. These IP sensitive blocks were secured using Siemens know-how protection.

DMC designed the HMI using our Siemens Open Library code modules to accelerate design. These faceplates have an elegant, intuitive interface that requires little configuration. This design language was perpetuated throughout the screens. The resulting user interface is simple, informative, and easily understood by non-English speakers.

Commissioning

While the end customer was completing their process verification, DMC's support was needed infrequently. With the addition of an eWON module, the DMC team was able to reduce commissioning costs through remote support on an as-needed basis.

DMC led system commissioning and worked in tandem with the customer to understand and optimize the machine. Since this machine was the first of its kind, iteration and deep understanding of the physical process was required by DMC. The customer relied on DMC's technical expertise to solve difficult control and tuning issues specific to the application. DMC's partnership and close teamwork with the customer ultimately brought success to the project which had a strict timeline and complex process requirements. We are now working with the client to develop a second custom machine.

Learn more about DMC's manufacturing automation & intelligence services.