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Rockwell Automation On-Machine™ Solutions

October 2004 - Automation Fair

On-Machine™ solutions are based on a machine control design philosophy that moves industrial controls and hardware closer to the application, or on the machine. Many controls have always been on the machine, such as sensors, pushbuttons, tower lights and connection systems, but what’s changing is the number and type of products that are moving closer to the application. These products feature enhanced environmental characteristics, as well as modular designs and plug-and-play electronic capabilities. This allows for increased speed of installation and simplicity of control applications. The combination of the On-Machine philosophy and the types of products being developed for these applications provide excellent benefits for OEMs and end users alike.

On-Machine provides value and benefits to OEMs and end users in eight key ways:
• Ease of Design
• Reusable Solutions
• Reconfigurability
• Quicker Installation with Fewer Mistakes
• Simplified Testing
• Reliability
• Faster Maintenance/Repair
• Increased Available Floor Space

Ease of Design – Fewer prints to draw, less layout and less customization all lead to decreased time and money to develop solutions. Using On-Machine technology is one of the most effective ways to accelerate design time. This is an area that often surprises machine builders. Most builders don't realize how much time is spent in this area until it is dramatically reduced.

Reusable Solutions – Some customers compare the On-Machine approach to that of an erector set. Pull parts off the shelf, snap them together, and it’s done. This allows OEMs to provide standard product offerings once considered to be customized solutions. In the material handling industry, for example, conveyors that once sold as large customized systems can now be sold in standard ten-foot sections.

This allows for reduced OEM engineering, quicker delivery times and increased flexibility for the end user.

Reconfigurability – We know the difficulties that can be encountered with change orders. The project is halfway complete and something has to be done differently. No need to redesign the panel, run new pipe and re-terminate wires that have already been run. Simply add the desired component and go.

Quicker Installation with Fewer Mistakes – A recent study by a consortium of European manufacturers and machine tool technology groups concluded that On-Machine assembly costs are up to 30 percent lower than conventional methods. These savings are due to the On-Machine approach and the product technology most often used in these solutions. These product features include enhanced environmental characteristics, modular designs and plug-and-play electronic capabilities.

Simplified Testing – Because of the greatly reduced number of wiring terminations associated with On-Machine solutions, testing is much simpler. On-Machine designs allow OEMs to more cost-efficiently build a machine at their site, pre-test it and then disassemble it for transport to an end user’s plant. Both OEMs and end users find testing quicker, with less probability of mistakes.

Reliability – On-Machine solutions can minimize wiring errors because wiring is premanufactured with quick-disconnect features. With less wiring involved, there are fewer points of failure. Some studies suggest that a large portion of system failures come from installation problems rather than part failures. The decrease in errors associated with pre-manufactured wiring leads to an increase in the overall reliability of the control system. In the end, this helps speed installation, commissioning, maintenance and troubleshooting, and ultimately boosts a plant’s production.

Faster Maintenance/Repair – On-Machine designs eliminate the need for maintenance technicians and operators to access a control panel every time they have to check a connection or make an adjustment. With the simplicity of wiring layout and connections, end users can efficiently isolate problems and replace a starter or I/O locally, rather than sorting through a complex panel (which may also be a safety hazard). The result is significantly easier troubleshooting and shorter mean-time-to-repair (MTTR).

Increased Available Floor Space – Control cabinets can occupy a substantial amount of space on the production floor. The On-Machine approach dramatically frees up that real estate, allowing companies to leverage more of their facility. Industries like semiconductor and pharmaceutical manufacturing have realized the benefits of the On-Machine approach for years, as their clean-room space is at a premium.

Conclusion
The ideal On-Machine solution is an integrated-yet-distributed environment that allows different components of the system to be easily assembled and snapped in place with simple, reliable techniques.

While the benefits for OEMs and end users are clear for many applications, On-Machine is not an all-or-nothing proposition. There are many cases where a combination of traditional and On-Machine approaches will offer the best solution. At the same time, more and more companies will likely adopt On-Machine solutions to take advantage of the significant benefits, such as enhanced environmental characteristics, plug-and-play electronics and modular wiring connections, and the real cost savings when designing, building, installing and maintaining industrial equipment.

For additional information about Rockwell Automation On-Machine solutions, visit www.ab.com/onmachine.

Automation.com Real-time Information for the Automation Professional May. 25, 2012

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