What are some key considerations when selecting industrial automation equipment?
human machine interfaces (HMIs). In between, combinations of Ethernet/IP, EtherCAT, and other protocols can link the factory floor's field level to the operation and control levels. The details are too numerous to do them justice in a single discussion. Instead, this article presents several guideposts to consider when specifying motors, drives, and communications modules, along with examples of application, hardware, and protocol from Siemens, Phoenix Contact, Omron Automation, Panasonic Industrial, and Schneider Electric.
A real game-changer occurs when the focus is shifted to overall system optimization. Considering all the mechanical components and adding communication to tie into the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), including the operational and plant levels and ultimately to the enterprise level, as well as the cloud, can result in up to 60% energy savings plus higher productivity (Figure 1). Ecodesign for motor systems Part 2 of IEC 61800-9, “Ecodesign for motor systems - Energy
Shifting focus Motors and drives are a common thread across many industrial automation systems. As a starting point for this discussion, it’s helpful to see where motor efficiency fits into the wider considerations of industrial automation system performance and how the focus is shifting. Using higher-efficiency motors can produce energy savings of up to 6%. That’s good. However, adding a high-efficiency drive along with support components can boost energy savings by up to 30%.
Figure 1: Increasing levels of integration and communication result in more energy savings and higher productivity. (Image source: Siemens)
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