Meeting the challenges in modern mechanical engineering

Siemens provides solutions for more Efficient Engineering

Technical development is widely seen as the essential prerequisite for economic success in mechanical and plant engineering. Research has shown that is equally important to pay attention to increasing efficiency: It is the greatest lever for innovation and competitiveness in rapidly changing markets.

The challenges facing mechanical and plant engineering are clear. Markets have been developing very dynamically, especially in recent times, and at the same time it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable personnel. Nevertheless, constant and rapid adaptation to new technologies is required, and all this while maintaining the same quality and with the existing engineering teams.

One starting point for increasing efficiency is to consistently ease the burden on valued and rare specialists from automation technology and IT of simple repetitive activities, so that more valuable time remains for creative, solution-oriented work on a project. Measures can also be taken to reduce the frequency of errors in mechanical and software design, which is also a major time waster especially during commissioning.

Digital workflows throughout the engineering phase help to reduce repetitive activities and promote team collaboration. Standardization and modular software architecture based on tried-and-tested software modules accelerate development. These cornerstones for automated engineering of PLC and HMI code guarantee high software quality and reduced commissioning effort. This is achieved with an integrated engineering structure, tailored to the requirements of the user and expandable as required.

The automation expert Siemens has a whole range of software-based solutions in its portfolio that facilitate Efficient Engineering or even make it possible in the first place.

Further information here:

Working in teams with TIA Portal

Highlights of Efficient Engineering

Interdisciplinary cooperation:

-??????? The starting point is a common database that enables data exchange between departments. All data can thus be kept centralized and consistent.

-??????? Collaboration in engineering and commissioning, even across departmental boundaries, can be achieved with software support from TIA Portal Multi-user.

Modularization:

-??????? A consistent database and libraries with frequently used functions, or even an in-house standard library with reusable and proven modules are the essential elements of modularization.

-??????? For this, there is a consistent versioning system in the TIA Portal from Siemens, which also enables revision tracking. With the TIA Portal project server, projects as well as individual libraries can be stored centrally and accessible to everyone.

External platforms such as GIT or SVN can also be linked directly to the TIA Portal.

Automated engineering:

-??????? Engineering processes can be made much more effective if it is possible to drastically reduce the time required for them, reduce the risk of errors and create time for innovative tasks in engineering.

-??????? Recurring tasks can be automated with TIA Portal Openness. Functions of the TIA Portal can run fully automatically via this interface.?The TIA OpennessScripter, which supports these processes with a user-friendly scripting language, offers an easy introduction.?

SIMATIC Visualization Architect (SiVArc) helps with the automated generation of HMI solutions. And when it comes to very complex applications, for example, from the field of motion, you can use the Modular Application Creator (MAC): This enables the automated generation of machine projects with complex motion applications in high quality based on pre-defined software modules.

Ensuring software quality

-??????? Software quality is a decisive criterion in the engineering process. Lengthy maintenance due to inconsistent programming and high costs due to late error detection can be avoided with a consistent approach to program creation.

-??????? A consistent style guide for programming with naming conventions, comments, etc., leads to better readability and code management. For this purpose, the TIA Portal Test Suite offers a style guide checker that ensures the conformity of the code with pre-defined rules and provides test results for the reporting. A program built in this way can then be subjected to different graded tests - also with the test suite - which can be written parallel to the program creation. To achieve maximum software quality, the functions should be simulated and tested during the configuration and engineering phase. S7-PLCSIM Advanced simulation software offers a digital twin of the S7-1500 controller with its API for operating and monitoring of variables and thus automatic tests and operator training without real hardware.

An open engineering platform

-??????? More complex systems often lack user-friendliness because manual data exchange between the components is sometimes required. This means there are different maintenance requirements with irregular updates or adaptations that are not easily possible.

-??????? As a common engineering platform for all phases of the product life cycle, the TIA Portal creates uniform user-friendliness, data consistency and transparency at all levels, from automation and visualization to drive control. Individual engineering is still possible: The TIA Add-Ins integrated into the portal offer a number of different, out-of-the-box functions to automate individual manual steps and execute tasks faster. TIA add-ins can also be created and integrated precisely by the user.

?You can find manuals, application examples and FAQs on Efficient Engineering on this topic page.

?