Rexroth has announced a modular engineering system for handling assemblies which, it claims, will slash the time and costs of assembling, configuring, and commissioning such equipment by up to 80%. The system, called EasyHandling, integrates drive and control technologies with linear systems, standardised mechanical and electrical interfaces, and commissioning “assistants” to simplify the automation process.

The system covers all levels of automation, from simple mechatronic actuators and intelligent axes, through to pre-configured systems, and supports efficient upscaling and downscaling. There are three variants – basic, comfort, and advanced.

The basic variant encompasses ready-to-install single- and multi-axis mechanical systems with motors and pneumatics. Pneumatic actuators such as grippers and rotary modules, as well as sensors, are also available. A software selection tool speeds up configuration and planning.

The comfort variant adds preconfigured servodrives. Using new hardware that supports several Ethernet protocols, the drives can communicate with Rexroth’s IndraDrive Cs controllers via Sercos III, Profinet IO, EtherNet/IP or EtherCat. They can also be equipped with Profibus or other interfaces.

The EasyHandling commissioning assistant is an engineering tool in which electrical and mechanical data are already defined for each axis. It recognises an IndraDyn motor’s electronic nameplate and links the data to the mechanical parameters of the linear module. Commissioning is reduced to specifying a few application-specific parameters, cutting the time required by up to 90%. A form-fit connection method is said to reduce the need to fabricate adapter components by up to 75%.

In the third “advanced” level, scalable, pre-configured motion-logic controllers are integrated with the handling systems. The IEC 61131-3 and PLCopen compliant controllers replace extensive programming with fast configuration using predefined functions. They provide co-ordinated point-to-point motions, smoothing and optimised handling paths for Cartesian systems.

The drive controller software provides maintenance instructions based on axis-specific mechanical data. This can help to maintain lubrication intervals, for example, resulting in longer service lives and a reduced risk of mechanical failure.

For more news from the SPS/IPC/Drives Show, see our detailed report.