Case study: Modernisation project at Romanian tire plant

London – A major tire maker has recently engaged system integrator INDAS Tech, to modernise the stage-one and stage-two tire-building machines at its plant in Romania, Rockwell Automation has reported.

The project, it said, reflects the rapid adoption of new connected-technologies in the tire industry to streamline and speed up manufacturing operations.

The unnamed tire company needed to add new features in its production systems to increase flexibility of tire-size changes and product-handling.

INDAS Tech is experienced in deploying new mechanical and automation solution to bring manufacturing systems up to modern standards.

“We have been working with Rockwell Automation for more than 24 years,” said Adrian Busurca, operations manager at INDAS Tech.

“We have developed projects for many lines and machines, including mixers, extruder lines, calender lines, tire-building machines, curing presses and tire testing machines.”

For the recent tire project, the ‘Rockwell-recognised’ systems integrator’s remit included both mechanical redesign and automation migration.

The company had to deploy the new capabilities for the tire maker in-line with compliance requests from the end-user’s customers.

The Romanian firm designed the electrical equipment and delivered technical assistance for the installation and cabling of electrical components.

The work also encompassed developing the application software for the programmable automation controllers (PAC) and HMIs.

Following this, INDAS Tech undertook production-testing, with and without the products, before performing full factory-acceptance testing.

Challenging project

According to Busurca, the tire-plant modernisation involved challenging requirements:

- An operator interface that would permit easy recipe changes coupled to simpler parameterisation and calibration,

- Increased working speeds in order to increase productivity,

- Modular software for the easy implementation of solutions for future technological demands,

- New security solutions with optical barriers, proximity radars, bi-manual commands and safety strips:

The existing automation and control solution comprised AC motors and drives used for drum positioning.

These were controlled via I/O modules by legacy Allen-Bradley SLC 500 PLCs, with operator interactions delivered by an older PanelView HMI.

This older architecture did not offer easy programming, meaning recipe changeovers and parameter changes took too long.

The production cycle was also overly long compared to market standards, which, in today’s tire market was unacceptable.

The new control solution comprises an Allen-Bradley ControlLogix PAC, a new PanelView Plus 1000 HMI and PowerFlex 70 variable-speed drives.

INDAS Tech also introduced servo solutions on a SERCOS network driven by Allen-Bradley Kinetix 6000 servo drives.

New programmes were developed for the PAC and HMI and communication with level 2 systems and servers added via an EtherNet/IP infrastructure.

Third party solutions include pneumatic valves and servo position control and a laser-marking system, controlled over DeviceNet.

The control set-up "creates a smart manufacturing environment, which forms a gateway to digital transformation,” claims Rockwell.

Connected smart devices, it added, offer new visibility into processes, while data and analytics help enable better and faster decision-making.

Rockwell added that is Connected Enterprise approach “makes all this possible by converging plant-level and enterprise networks, and securely connecting people, processes and technologies.”

The tire maker now has a set of machines with greater productivity, reduced down time, increased flexibility in machine operation, said Busurca.

“Importantly,” he added, “it has the option to much more easily and quickly develop, programme and initiate new tire architectures.”