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Monforts produces stentering frames for colour printing on textiles 16 eplanet User report, published in the German journal Elektro Automation, Konradin Verlag, volume 4/03 Effective automation of textile machinery A. Monforts GmbH & Co. in Mönchengladbach, Germany, is a manufacturer of standardised textile machines which can be customised via a range of customer options. Due to the large number of potential variants and the electrical modules required for this purpose, EPLAN 21 is used for electrical design. Monforts uses API as its universal programming interface; it allows various components of the software to be optimised and tailored to the company’s specific requirements by means of additional Visual Basic routines, thereby effecting a high level of automation. The introductory phase EPLAN 21 was introduced within a few months - first the structure was defined, and then the device tag formats, interfaces and plot frame were specified. The next stage was to import all required files from the old system, and perform trials on a number of smaller projects. Because large volumes of information are attached to the circuit diagrams, the company stipulated that the structures of the old system were to be adopted in full. For example, pre-ordering of components was implemented via device tags, thus compelling users to give them the same designations. Both the company’s manufacturing requirements planning (MRP) system, and the software tools used by the distribution network, are tailored to this tried-andtrusted structure. API and macros facilitate a substantial time saving in electrical design EPLAN After drawing a complete installation, the software specialists selected the macros, and the system has now been fully operational for one year. Around 1,800 macros are in constant use; a single project may contain up to 500 macros. Parallel to this, a separate circuit diagram generator was developed which manages the macros via the Application Programming Interface (API) and which also boasts additional functions, such as loop processing. Working with the API and macros The API is based on a program library, or DLL, which can be incorporated into a program in the form of an object cross-reference. Via this interface, it is possible to access the components of a circuit diagram as well as the database, macros, symbols, components or plot frames, including their properties; these can then be modified and written back into the system. Such routines, implemented via Visual Basic, which in their simplest form are used to generate or sort lists, can be incorporated directly into the individual EPLAN 21 dialogues. The circuit diagram generator used at Monforts is one such routine, and is based on Access. In this way, textile finishing machines are divided up into standardised modules. Parallel to the mechanical components of an installation, electrical functions were also defined, including the voltage supply. Be it air circulators, burners, heaters, conveyor drives or motorised feed rollers, all the electrical functions associated with these machine components are defined in this way. If the installation contains a feed roller, the corresponding electrical module will also be present in the circuit diagram. In order to ensure that the desired function is also available in the enclosure, the developer selects it from the maximum configuration of all components. The macros constitute the interface to EPLAN 21. At Monforts, four different macro types have been defined for this purpose. Group macros operate via the selection of a module; question and variant macros by answering questions; enclosure macros via the selection of enclosures and consoles; and logical macros via settings in pre-defined dialogues.
EPLAN April 2003 Ulf Klein: „We have adapted the enormous functionality of EPLAN 21 to our specific requirements using Visual Basic routines.“ A typical project procedure At the start of the project, the user must select the required groups, variants and options, followed by the definition of logical macros. An initial generation run for the circuit diagram is subsequently launched in the circuit diagram generator. After launching EPLAN 21, the circuit diagram is then available, including all the evaluation lists for postediting. Out of some 150 to 350 pages of diagrams, only ten or so pages require manual editing. This is followed by any harmonisation processes which may be required, together with further manual adjustments. In the so-called PLC run, all controller data is read from EPLAN 21 and calculated externally, spare terminals are created, and all data is written back into the CAE tool. This is followed by editing of the logical components such as terminal strips, which may also require sorting. The interruption points are also sorted and the contactors are checked, which ultimately results in an error-free diagram. The software manages the device tags itself, and the contactors are also controlled automatically, so that only those contacts which are actually available may be allocated. In addition to this, Monforts also defined special interruption points, and introduced an error monitoring system for interruption point sorting. Finally, the connectors are reviewed. This is important because in the majority of cases, pre-assembled plug-in connections are used. As the maximum configurations are stored in the files, whereas in practice, components with fewer contacts are used, these are adjusted accordingly in the list. Software specialist Ulf Klein, who is responsible for problem-free use of the engineering tool at Monforts, has also incorporated a routine allowing the assignment list from Step 7 to be read and compared with the symbolic addresses. Only then are the absolute addresses from the circuit diagram written into the assignment list. If a symbolic address cannot be found, the system will emit an error message. During the control process, the software also adds a marker to any I/Os which are not required, in order to prevent peripheral access errors in the S7 software. This produces a project-specific assignment list enabling the S7 software to be addressed with a zero error quota for the current machine. Production data The engineering system provides the production department with comprehensive information. It generates the circuit diagram and terminal diagrams, the connector and pin assignment lists, as well as the table of contents for the project. However, PLC overviews are not drawn into the diagram; the bus couplers are merely supplied with power and connected to the bus. All other information is available in the PLC diagrams. „For us, the main benefit of using EPLAN 21 is the time saving“, summarises Ulf Klein. „Once the configuration process has been launched, the system generates complete circuit diagrams within a short space of time, including full documentation and evaluation lists. If we neglect to configure something clearly in advance there is only a minimum amount of reworking required“. Ulf Klein of the textile machinery manufacturing company Monforts also warns, „Because of its extreme adaptability, EPLAN 21 is not a tool which can be easily installed and used straight away. Instead, before introducing it, the user should be clear about the opportunities offered by the software and how he intends to use it. To this end, he should be familiar with the structures of the software, and should define and set up his own individual system“. 17
Page 1 and 2: The World of Computer Aided Enginee
Page 3 and 4: Editorial April 2003 Dear EPLAN and
Page 5 and 6: STANDARDISATION Company news April
Page 7 and 8: Company news April 2003 A powerful
Page 9 and 10: EPLAN April 2003 On or off? Within
Page 11 and 12: EPLAN sentation. Similarly, termina
Page 13 and 14: EPLAN April 2003 Break-through devi
Page 15: EPLAN April 2003 Your fast link to
Page 19 and 20: LOGOCAD TRIGA April 2003 Module and
Page 21 and 22: Rittal / Strategical partners April
Page 23 and 24: Miscellaneous April 2003 Imprint Pu

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