PLC programming is SPANGLER’s speciality but the company can also hold a lot of experience in the programming of individual software. Recently, a further self-programmed software was brought onto the market, the Fleet Management. SPANGLER is thus positioning themselves long-term as a competent provider of customer-tailored software.

Convenient administration and analysis
“With the SPANGLER Fleet Management, we can record, check and analyse vehicle data. The administration effort required for the vehicles is significantly reduced, whereby the quality for the administrator and user is simultaneously significantly improved”, says Andreas Amler, Project Manager at SPANGLER, describing the strengths of this solution. “The software enables the planning and monitoring of schedules such as the TÜV (Technical Inspectorate), winter and summer tyre changes, and also digital logbooks, damage management and cost recording”. The software is of interest for customers because the solution is adjusted to the requirements of smaller and medium-sized companies (with more than three vehicles). The software is reduced to the essentials for such users. A further advantage for the customer is the close contact http://en.spangler-automation.de/news/archive/news-archive/investment-in-the-future/with the software developer. As an attentive partner, SPANGLER is constantly interested in feedback regarding the individualisation of software for their customers.

Orientation as software service provider

In future, SPANGLER will also develop software for internal and external use but in particular customer orders are received with great interest in Töging. “We have the competence and the specialists, and if the necessity arises, we will happily provide our service as a software developer”, summarises Managing Director Tina Lambert regarding the future-orientated areas of activity at SPANGLER.

Modernising a manufacturing process whilst the production is running is always a challenging task. SPANGLER Automation accomplished such a project for Knorr-Bremse AG, an internationally-active manufacturer of brake systems for rail and commercial vehicles.

Simulation prior to commissioning

A galvanisation control system was comprehensively modernised at the Lower Bavarian location of Aldersbach, to the west of Passau. “After an initial assessment, we planned, programmed and built a new switchgear system”, says one of the SPANGLER Project Managers. “Initially, we operated the new system in parallel with the old one, so that we could commission the new system without interrupting production.” The control system specialists saved additional time through a combination of simulation and commissioning. Every new software was first simulated in Töging, prior to being installed in Aldersbach. The new software was gradually introduced on three weekdays; over the remaining time, each respective subsequent step was prepared and tested. As a result, operating personnel could be trained in advance for the new system.

Conversion work during the holiday period

In this case, electroplating technology is used to anodize aluminium components using a submersion process. Over the course of this process, the parts pass through 26 baths with the aid of a transportation system. The SPANGLER team utilised the holiday period between Christmas and New Year in order to complete the last major reconnections to the new control system.

Recipe storage management

In addition to operation and visualisation, the control system used by SPANGLER also provides a connection to a database for the exchange of production data with the customer ERP. The manufactured parts are recorded using barcode scanners and combined with a stored recipe from the integrated recipe management. The individual steps are implemented at the push of a button. Furthermore, the system synchronises itself in order to avoid idle times.

Mühlhausen is a municipality in Upper Palatinate, about 15 kilometres south of Neumarkt. It comprises of 21 districts. SPANGLER has been commissioned to equip two sewage plants and a waterworks with modern and up-to-date control systems for this growing municipality, and to adapt the systems to the requirements of digitalisation. “You can’t just switch off a waterworks for conversion. Therefore, the neighbouring waterworks are currently providing water for the citizens as an emergency network. Over the course of the year, Mühlhausen will then return those water quantities in order to settle the balance sheet”, explains Hubert Rackl, Sales Manager at SPANGLER, regarding the importance of the systems.

Hardware upgrade from Siemens S5 to S7-1500

The Siemens S5 control units which had been in the plants have been removed during running operations, and the existing programmes adapted to the new PLC type S7-1500. In order to upgrade the systems with state of the art technology, a control system has also been installed. There were already several systems in use which individually controlled various functions, such as water treatment and water supply. Four of these systems have now been merged by SPANGLER into one modern control system.  On the hardware side, this interconnects with the PLCs and directs the data to a PC control room, but it also enables location-independent operation via mobile devices, such as tablets or mobile phones.

Modular design

This refurbishment pays off for the customer because instead of several control systems they now only have to manage one, and can connect to various systems via the access rights of one system. Further modules for this technology, such as regular data storage, fault message administration and automated reporting for the water authority (Wasserwirtschaftsamt) DaBay, are also included in the solution.

It takes up to 22 hours for SPANGLER employees to travel to a customer, for example in South America. However, the journey of a customer to our company also takes a lot of time. Nevertheless, SPANGLER does not accept this expense without any reason. Due to the distribution of the plants worldwide, the training courses for SPANGLER solutions also needs to be organised all over the world. A training programme is offered for plant operators, employees in the sales department, service personnel and customers worldwide.

Comprehensive training programme

The range of the know-how gained through the training is long: Basic training courses should give an understanding about basics such as the reading of wiring diagrams as well as the individual components in control systems and their functions. However, in a training plan offered depending on the participants advanced operators can be further trained, too. The training contents range from troubleshooting and error correction, parameterization, grounding concept, the effects of environmental conditions to the characteristics of hazardous plants. The aim is to fully exploit the potential of the plants.

Local and digital

Especially sensitive industrial plants but also plants such as waste water treatment plants or waterworks which are important for the population can rarely be without employees for several days. In Töging comprehensive measures were taken to guarantee those customers access to the training programme. A range of support videos were created for problems which can be easily solved. These videos are continuously updated. Thanks to Skype the journey reduces itself to a simple push of a button. SPANGLER offers Skype, on-site training courses and service videos parallel to each other. Therefore, the training can be tailored to all customers depending on the expense as well as the costs.