Fiber optical network with ERP interface
The server station also forms the backbone for the
fiber optical network every machine is connected
to by managed industrial switches. This enables an
overview of the workflow process including a quick
status of the single machines and big pictures of the
stations under work and with fault, the production
time of single pipes and a fault report. An interface
to the customer ERP network is integrated.
X-Ray system to a digital version, so it can be easily
integrated into Pipe ID 4.0. It includes a server
station that stores the results of these tests as well as
all of the other machine parameters.
With network label printers or paint marking and
barcode scanners, all of the pipes in the plant can be
traced and tracked, and their quality e.g. regarding
close tolerances ensured. Even the coil storage area is
managed in the database, which means that the coil
data is assigned to the produced pipe. Mobile devices
like tablets or smartphones can also be used for
monitoring and evaluation.
Up to 50 operator terminals all over the plant grant
access to information about the actual working time,
the number of pipes per time unit, the production
rates, the status of the plant and error messages of
the working stations – like the offline welding station,
the hydrostatic testing machine, the cross seam
welding and repair stand, the inspection stand or the
pipe end beveling machine. This reduces operation
effort as well as costs for maintenance and repair.
Additionally, with its new robots for tab plate
welding and cutting, final pipe measuring, grinding
and pipe stenciling, Schuler developed a fully
automatic system which can be used for both pipe
ends. The minimum cycle time for diameters ranging
from 20 to 88 inches is approximately five minutes.
Short coil and diameter changing times, a high
flexibility and low downtimes further increase the
degree of automation that Schuler’s spiral pipe plants
dispose of.
.
www.schulergroup.com/large_pipe
TUBE NEWS April 2018
9