Together with Siemens, our teams have been focusing on the validation and testing of digital solutions for production automation for several years.
Siemens is a global leader and pioneer in industrial digitalization, automation and intelligent infrastructure. It has been operating in the Czech Republic for more than 130 years, bringing customers comprehensive digital products and services.
Collaboration
Siemens provides the RICAIP Testbed Prague with cutting-edge technologies for the automation and digitization of discrete and process manufacturing. Siemens is one of the founding members of the National Centre for Industry 4.0. The goal of the cooperation is to demonstrate and validate digital solutions and to help Czech companies put into practice efficient technologies using the principles of the Industry 4.0 concept.
Together, we help Czech companies with digital transformation and the implementation of Industry 4.0 principles.
“Our partnership with the RICAIP Testbed Prague offers us a unique opportunity to test the capabilities of our technologies in collaboration with students, educators, and researchers. In addition, through the Testbed, we help Czech companies with their digital transformation.”
Eduard Palíšek, Country CEO at Siemens Czech Republic
Digital solutions applied in RICAIP Testbed Prague:
- Modular Automation Solutions
- PLC SIMATIC with Integrated Robot Control
- Modern Drives for Efficient Motion Control Applications
- Secure Connectivity for Industrial Systems
- SCALANCE Components for IT/OT Integration
- Digital Twins of Manufacturing Systems
- Simulation Tools for Process Optimization
- Virtual Commissioning of Machines and Robots
- Edge Computing, AI, and Industrial Metaverse
“Through our collaboration with Siemens and by utilizing their simulation tools, we have been able to build highly accurate digital twins of various types of robotic workstations and have developed a procedure for integrating virtual robotic controllers and camera systems into the simulation environment. This allows us to effectively assist companies in verifying various technologies, including complete production control, which simplifies their investment decision-making and significantly reduces the time required for subsequent implementation.”
Pavel Burget, Director of Testbed for Industry 4.0, CIIRC CTU
“The collaboration with Siemens enables the Testbed to be equipped with the latest versions of the company’s products and to carry out research and development on high-quality industrial equipment. For example, we use the technology associated with NX CAM and the SINUMERIK control system to control machine tools and robots at our facility. The experience gained is transferred to users of machines and devices equipped with Siemens HW and SW in the form of consultations. This helps them to achieve higher added value in their production.”
Petr Kolář, Deputy Head of IPA CIIRC CTU
Siemens Technologies in RICAIP Testbed Prague
SIMATIC Technology
SIMATIC Technology offers a wide range of functions for controlling Motion Control applications, enabling the implementation of flexibly scalable automation solutions with integrated safety functions and efficient design in the TIA Portal environment. Using the Safe Kinematics library, safety zones can be defined and machine safety can be adapted to different operating modes.
In the Testbed, it is used to control a five-axis delta robot and a connected MCS conveyor with seven linear motors, thus creating a system with thirteen mutually synchronized motion axes.
In robot hand-guiding mode, the drives are switched to a safe speed limit mode.
OPC UA
OPC UA is a standardized interface and communication protocol for connecting industrial systems. Siemens SIMATIC PLCs can act as both servers and clients, making it easy to define the appropriate interfaces and combine data points and methods into them.
Industrial Communication
Siemens industrial communication is based on Industrial Ethernet and includes everything needed to implement highly efficient industrial networks connecting the IT and OT worlds. In the Testbed, this technology is used for the backbone optical network with connection to individual machines with separation of sub-segments using VLAN including routing to separate IP networks, or optionally with extension to the 5G SA network. Each workstation contains an internal network built on SCALANCE switches.
NX Design and Simulation Environment
The NX design and simulation environment and its NX CAM extension are used to create a digital twin of the robotic workstation. In the NX environment, it is also possible to develop new modules that automate the steps for preparing robotic 3D printing and grippers, thus significantly accelerating and simplifying the entire process. NX Additive Manufacturing is used to create a comprehensive part nesting file.
Robot Simulation
Simulating robots, manipulators and other devices with general kinematics allows for better cell layout planning and collision-free motion verification. Cells can be extended with autonomous robot movements and general material flow, PLCs and HMIs can be connected, and virtual commissioning can be performed either in simulation PLCSim Advanced or with real HW. The simulation can also be extended with camera systems connected to the virtual controller.
Integrated Technology Chain
NX CAM, the SINUMERIK control system and Siemens Edge form the components of an integrated technology chain for controlling production machines and process control. NX CAM allows the preparation of NC-controlled machine paths (for both machine tools and robots) and the SINUMERIK control system ensures the control of their movements during part production. Siemens Edge records data from the machine control system, which is then used for post-process quality control of production. All parts of this chain are shown in the testbed on clear demonstrators.
SIMATIC PLC Series
SIMATIC series PLC are the standard in automation technology. They are used in the testbed to control robotic workstations.