The doors of delivery vans are required to work perfectly thousands of times over. In long-term testing carried out by DaimlerChrysler to ensure that the doors on its vans achieve this requirement, supervisory control and data acquisition (scada) software from Festo ensures a seamless supply of data and test results.
Numerous test rigs are used to carry out endurance testing lasting more than a year on hinged and sliding doors, engine hoods, rear doors, fuel flaps and hinged windows fitted to models like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the Vito. The test rigs used by DaimlerChrysler engineers are entirely assembled from servo-pneumatic and electrical servo-motor axes supplied by Festo, complete with control cabinets with Festo controllers and an FED-90 human machine interface.
Testing lasts more than a year on hinged and sliding doors, engine hoods, rear doors, fuel flaps and hinged windows fitted to models like the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and the Vito
This FED (front-end display) is used to initialise, start and stop the rigs, and for troubleshooting. At the planning stage, the DaimlerChrysler development engineers relied on Festo to provide expert advice and supply complete systems. All the test rigs are networked via Ethernet to one another and also to the master controller level, using scada software from Festo for the integration.
Test rigs used by DaimlerChrysler engineers for long-term endurance testing on car doors are entirely assembled from servo-pneumatic and electrical servo-motor axes supplied by Festo
This system provides a seamless supply of data and test results. "Previously we had to acquire data ourselves in laborious random sample testing and enter this manually into Excel tables," says Michael Klebsattel, the R&D engineer responsible for the long-term testing of doors. "Now we have access to seamless data series, which will become increasingly more important in an age where product liability responsibilities are constantly growing."
A central user interface allows each test rig to be viewed, with displays of actual values for operating hours, numbers of actuations and error status. Loadcells fitted to the actuators measure the forces required to open and close the door. A simple trend display can be used to gain a rapid visual overview at any time of the values for the preceding hour. Data on load cycles, forces and electrical current can be made available in neatly edited bar diagrams. The measured values are archived at regular intervals, and also whenever threshold values are exceeded, to allow long-term studies. Numbers of load cycles, threshold values and time cycles can be used as archiving parameters.
The scada package is designed to present all data relating to the process in a clear and understandable form, in realtime. This allows managers to monitor the entire process, and react quickly to any unscheduled events. The test rig data is fed via a web-server to the DaimlerChrysler Intranet for easy browsing access. If a test rig ceases to operate, an alarm is transmitted via SMS to the relevant service team.
Overall, Festo plays a significant role in the efficient functioning of this part of the DaimlerChrysler R&D facility, ensuring that the company maintains world-class quality standards across its product range.
For more information contact Joanne Dix, Festo, +27 (0) 11 971 5560, [email protected]
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