Unleashing the Power of Ethernet/IP

Manufacturing automotive powertrain components and systems has evolved into a complex system. In fact, more than one industry leader has stated that the automotive industry is always on the bleeding edge of integrated manufacturing solutions. The increased complexity of CNC systems, programmable logic controllers (PLC) and manufacturing execution systems (MES), as well as more advanced supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems, has led the industry to new levels of integration between motion control, distributed I/O, and manufacturing information systems. Additionally, these systems need to be integrated across multiple suppliers’ machines in continuously shorter project cycles. To address the market challenges of the increasing complexity of machine systems, new safety and security requirements and the growing importance of information technologies, new standardized field bus architectures have been developed and are now being implemented across a wide spectrum of powertrain manufacturing applications. These solutions integrate CNCs and robots to cell controllers so manufacturers can more easily manage operations across equipment controlled by the two systems. This provides cost efficiencies, reduced setup, better part quality, safer work environments, usable manufacturing intelligence and overall increased productivity. Additionally these systems also integrate into the Industrial Automation Controls System (IACS) networks that are becoming more prevalent in the automotive manufacturing environment. Industrial Automation Controls Systems (IACS) As the industry is continually faced with development of “better, stronger and faster” products, manufacturers are realizing the business benefits of converged manufacturing and enterprise networks. The IT integration with IACS enables plant-to-business network convergence, which in turn drives strategic business decisions that are backed by real-time data from IACS. IACS, Process Automation Systems, Process Control Systems, Supervisory Control System and Data Acquisition Systems are all a part of the significant integration of data systems. All of these