Connectivity

Wireless into the world of servo motors

Wireless into the world of servo motors

As a specialist in highly reliable and efficient brushless servo motors, Siboni expands the functionalities of its servo motors with the integration of the wireless communication solution. For this, it was looking for a reliable wireless industrial connectivity solution specifically designed for factory automation. With the IO-Link Wireless products from CoreTigo, the leading manufacturer of wireless industrial communication systems, Siboni found the right solutions that enable both control and monitoring of servo motors in harsh factory environments. The IO-Link Wireless standard ensures cable-quality industrial wireless connectivity: scalable, highly available and low latency.  IO-Link Wireless provides seamless communication between the sensors, actuators and the control plane and removes the limitations associated with the use of wired variants.

Enhancing Siboni's servo motors with the IO-Link wireless communication solution enables a wide range of applications and forms the basis of flexible machine designs and constructions. One example illustrates this approach. For example, rotary indexing tables and carousels are frequently used in the packaging process for labeling and filling machines. With the help of servo motors, these machines realize, among other things, the positionally accurate rotation and alignment of the products to be processed. The carousels can be equipped with numerous servo motors. These motors rotate endlessly with the high speed of the carousel and must be connected to the machine control system (PLC) at the same time. Until now, connectivity to the PLC has required extensive cabling, but this is a complex, time-consuming and costly solution. At the same time, there is a risk of cable breaks that lead to downtime and require maintenance. IO-Link wireless technology offers a reliable solution for wireless integration of actuators and sensors without the need for communication cables. The flexibility of the machines and the processes is increased and a later upgrade with additional sensors and actuators is possible at any time as needed. At the same time, the maintenance effort is significantly reduced.

SOM, Master and SPS – the perfect trio

Wireless functionality is added to Siboni's servo motors by integrating the CoreTigo IO-Link Wireless System-on-Module systems (TigoAir SOM) directly into the motors.  This generation of servo motors now communicates wirelessly, highly available and reliably with the IO-Link Wireless Master (TigoMaster).  The TigoMaster communicates with the PLC via various integrated real-time Industrial Ethernet protocols such as PROFINET, EtherNet-IP or EtherCAT. Other communication protocols, such as OPC UA and MQTT, are also implemented in the master. The PLC sends the corresponding control commands to the wireless servo motor via the IO-Link Wireless Master. The globally standardized IO-Link wireless solution offers low latency of 5ms and synchronization rates of 10 microseconds, which are required for such control solutions. The SOM solution, integrated into the servo motor, reduces the number of lines required to the power supply. For example, only one central power supply line is required for all motors mounted on the carousel. The central power supply is transmitted through a set of slip rings on the carousel, even if dozens of motors are used.

Trendsetting: IO-Link Wireless as the basis for creative applications

Combined with IO-Link wireless technology, Siboni's servo motors offer a high potential of capabilities without limiting the reliability and efficiency of the system solution. Products can now be processed in continuous motion with a variety of new applications, while increasing process flexibility and reducing machine downtime and complexity. "When looking for a solution that would enable our technology to perform complex tasks in one motion, we came across CoreTigo's IO-Link Wireless offering," said Giuseppe Amabili, Commercial Director of Siboni. "This solution proved to be the only one on the market that met Siboni's high standards and offered new possibilities without compromise."

"Servo motors are a great example of how deterministic, real-time wireless connectivity enables new solutions and also optimizes existing machines," said Matteo Orlandelli, CoreTigo Country Director Italy.  "The joint work of Siboni and CoreTigo is leading the way and will pave the way for the entire industry."

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