Description of the project:
Painted parts come out of sequence from the painting line. The painted parts are hung in take-up position on a skid in a buffer chain in sets of 5 or 7 parts with the same chassis number.
When hung each part is scanned and the conveyor stops at the correct position where the sets can be completed. At the take-out position the sets can be called up in sequence and taken out of the chain. The chain stops automatically here too, presenting the right set at the take-out position. This gives an “Automatic database” that follows the logistics flawlessly from beginning to end.

The conveyor is converted from a “conveyor moving at a fixed speed” to an “automatically working conveyor”. A completely new control cabinet was built for the purpose with, e.g., a Siemens PLC S7 315-2dp, a Siemens frequency regulator. The three motors are set on one drive, controlled via Profibus. The drive is a Micromaster 5.5 kW, and the filter must be reinforced (it being a case of cable lengths of 25 m, 60 m and 100 m, the differences giving loads beyond the capacities of the standard filters).
Pilz relays are used for the safety circuits.

2 iPCs are set up as operator stations. The MES application runs on these PCs; they act as the interface between PLC and IT. The MES application also provides a user-friendly interface and allows viewing between system and operator.

The PLC has a Profibus connection for communication with I/Os (ET-200 L-SC islands) in the inlet and outlet position. The scanners that scan the conveyor hooks are also connected to the Profibus system, via RS232/Profibus interfaces. Besides a Profibus interface the PLC also has an ethernet card that makes available the necessary data for the PLC from the MES application.

The IT application on the PC, the interface with the Sybase database and the cooperation with the PLC are written in .Net.

Configuration

Advantages of the system:
- Investment return on 6 operators
- Less overstock
- Greatly reduced numbers of rush orders
- Reduced workload
- No colour difference between different parts in a set
- Sets with the same chassis number stay together 

Automation Elements: 
- Preliminary study 
- Engineering and Monitoring 
- Electrical Diagrams 
- Electrical Panels 
- Electrical Installation 
- Software PLC 
- Software Siemens OP7 
- Software PC in .NET 
- I/O tests and start-up

Technical Specifications 
- Main control PLC: Siemens S7-315-DP 
- Operating panel: Siemens OP7 
- Bus system: Profibus + Ethernet 
- Decentralized I/O: ET200S (+/- 180 digital I/O + 18 analog I/O) 
- Siemens MM440 frequency regulator on profibus 
- Sick barcode scanners on profibus 
- Network with 2 PCs and Alro database

Description of the project: 
This projects concerns an warehouse management system with wireless scanners where sets of enamelled parts, belonging to the same chassis number, are hung together on a location. 

On wireless handscanners, linked to a central, a web application is running . This web application guides the operator through the process.By scanning the barcode on the enamelled part, data is picked up from the Alro database. (position, chassis number, number, colour and liver date) After a number of controls, the part is assigned to a location by the software. The barcode of the location is scanned as confirmation.
For shipping the operator scans his joblist an the software gives to the location where the concordant part hangs in the warehouse so the part can easily be found.

By means of the central PC, using desktop application, one can compose the buffer layout. The number of buffer locations can be extended easily without the invention of a programmer and can therefore happen by people of Alro happen. Several report can be printed and an inventory easily made. 

The project was started with 3 scanners. Half year later are already 28 scanners in service! Not only the Scania parts but also the Volvo parts were incorporated in the warehouse.

Configuration

Advantages of the system:
- Return of investment of 6 people/day
- Less overstock
- Strongly reduced number of rush of orders
- Decreased workload
- No colour difference between several components in a set
- Sets with the same chassis number remain together
- Configurable buffer layout simply to extend
- Number of scanners easy to extend
- Easy inventory
- Shipping reports

input screen

After a number of controls, the part is assigned to a location by the software.

output screen

For shipping the operator scans his joblist an the software gives to the location where the concordant part hangs in the warehouse so the part can easily be found.

Automation Elements:
- Preliminary study
- Engineering and follow up
- Electrical Diagrams
- Electrical Installation
- Webapplication in ASP.NET
- Start-up

Technical Specifications
- Webapplication on wireless hand scanners in ASP.NET
- Intermec CK30 wireless hand scanner
- Software central PC in C#
- Communication with SQL database