Indramat servo motors can be found in packaging lines across the globe. Indramat servos are ideal for use in manufacturing, packaging, and capitalizes on the benefits of motion control and automation.
There’s been a lot of excitement about the Internet of Things and how it will bring increased connectivity, efficiency, and optimization to the manufacturing and packaging industries. A recent article from Packaging World examined how there is “huge potential” for packaging to benefit from the Industrial Internet of Things.
With Indramat systems, controllers and servos communicate through a feedback loop. This allows the controller to send signals to control speed and positioning based on the signals that are being sent back from the servo motor.
Increasing efficiency through IoT technologies depends on gathering and appropriately implementing data. Since Indramat controllers are already designed to receive data and information from the servos, the potential to use that information through IoT practices is there as well. Those signals being received by controllers could be captured and uploaded to an IoT cloud, monitored, and analyzed.
The phrase, “knowledge is power” is certainly true in regards to the Internet of Things. Being able to record, watch, and use information from packaging machinery can lead to a number of benefits that would increase profitability. Reducing waste in energy costs, minimizing maintenance downtime and eliminating unscheduled downtime, and increased accuracy in production quotas are just a few of the possible ways in which using data can help those in the packaging industry.
It’s important to recognize that IoT doesn’t necessarily require cutting edge machinery. Many packaging machines already have the potential to do this. Indramat systems that are decades old are capable of collecting data for IoT practices, it’s just a matter of putting those capabilities to use.
Don’t be deterred by legacy components; you won’t get left behind. You do, however, have to ensure that your older machinery and components are all working as they should be working. If you have any issues with your Indramat system, give us a call!