Nuremberg / Puchheim, Germany – November 12, 2019 – Siemens AG and SCANLAB GmbH are announcing their cooperation in the area of controlling industrial laser machines. The two companies have integrated the RTC6 scan head control board into the Siemens Simatic S7-1500 Controller for use in laser-based manufacturing applications. This integrated control solution is applicable across a wide array of laser processing methods, ranging from laser cutting, welding, marking and drilling all the way to laser sintering (additive manufacturing) and micro-machining. The combined control reduces effort associated with additional hardware and shortens required engineering time, thereby generating noticeable added value for machine builders and system integrators. For the first time, a joint demonstrator will be exhibited at Frankfurt Germany’s formnext 2019 tradeshow (Siemens Booth, Hall 12.1 – Booth D81).

In recent years, laser processing has been a growth area of the machine building sector. Those complex processing machines consist of diverse OEM components. When different suppliers work together, users profit from reduced integration effort and elimination of unnecessary interfaces. Siemens and SCANLAB will showcase their cooperation by presenting the joint control solution at formnext 2019.

The Simatic IPC427E Industrial PC from Siemens serves as the platform for this new approach to controlling laser processing machines. The RTC6 scan system control board is integrated into the hardware platform via APIs and direct connection to the Simatic S7-1500 Software Controller.

The PLC software’s functional components make ICE61131-3 conformant programming easy for machine builders. The common platform gathers all automation tasks onto one device, thus enabling faster queries thanks to fewer interfaces and a joint diagnostics concept. That makes the overall engineering effort more efficient.

Furthermore, all components are system-tested, exceptionally robust and compliant with international norms and guidelines for industrial applications. This integrated control solution measurably increases both machine performance and processing quality.

The joint tradeshow demonstrator addresses all industrial users interested in a comprehensive automation approach for their systems. Afterward, the demonstrator will find a permanent home at the Siemens Additive Manufacturing Center (AMEC) in Erlangen, Germany. Future development steps include integration of virtual machine concepts for engineering, programming and virtual commissioning – to enable preliminary testing assisted by a digital twin.

Print-quality images can be downloaded at
https://www.scanlab.de/en/news-events/image-library

Tradeshow Calendar:

formnext 2019 from November 19 – 22, 2019 in Frankfurt, Germany
Siemens: Hall 12.1 – Booth D81

SCANLAB: Hall 12.0 – Booth B41

about Siemens:

Siemens Digital Industries (DI) is an innovation leader in automation and digitalization. Closely collaborating with partners and customers, DI drives the digital transformation in the process and discrete industries. With its Digital Enterprise portfolio, DI provides companies of all sizes with an end-to-end set of products, solutions and services to integrate and digitalize the entire value chain. Optimized for the specific needs of each industry, DI’s unique portfolio supports customers to achieve greater productivity and flexibility. DI is constantly adding innovations to its portfolio to integrate cutting-edge future technologies. Siemens Digital Industries has its global headquarters in Nuremberg, Germany, and has around 75,000 employees internationally.

Siemens AG (Berlin and Munich) is a global technology powerhouse that has stood for engineering excellence, innovation, quality, reliability and internationality for more than 170 years. The company is active around the globe, focusing on the areas of power generation and distribution, intelligent infrastructure for buildings and distributed energy systems, and automation and digitalization in the process and manufacturing industries. Through the separately managed company Siemens Mobility, a leading supplier of smart mobility solutions for rail and road transport, Siemens is shaping the world market for passenger and freight services. Due to its majority stakes in the publicly listed companies Siemens Healthineers AG and Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Siemens is also a world-leading supplier of medical technology and digital healthcare services as well as environmentally friendly solutions for onshore and offshore wind power generation. In fiscal 2018, which ended on September 30, 2018, Siemens generated revenue of €83.0 billion and net income of €6.1 billion. At the end of September 2018, the company had around 379,000 employees worldwide. Further information is available on the Internet at www.siemens.com.

about SCANLAB:

With over 35,000 systems produced annually, SCANLAB GmbH is the world-leading and independent OEM manufacturer of scan solutions for deflecting and positioning laser beams in three dimensions. Its exceptionally fast and precise high-performance galvanometer scanners, scan heads and scan systems find application in industrial materials processing and the electronics, food and beverage industries, as well as biotech and medical technology.

For over 25 years, SCANLAB has secured its international technology leadership through pioneering developments in electronics, mechanics, optics and software, as well as the highest quality standards.