For European makers of consumer goods, staying ahead of technological trends is more than helpful, it is essential. The same applies to the machine builders that supply them. Italian OEM Orisol, a front runner in automated systems for shoe manufacturing knows this well. Their latest move? Integrating Mitsubishi PLCs and CC-Link IE TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) technology to supercharge their machines.
They think of the production floor as an orchestra, and each machine an instrument. The conductor is the network technology. Orisol chose Mitsubishi PLCs and CC-Link IE TSN for its ability to harmonise the cacophony of data traffic, ensuring each instrument plays in time, without a beat missed. This is not just about keeping in rhythm; it is about creating a symphony of efficiency and harmony.
Digital Transformation for Machine Builders
With Orisol’s commitment to smart manufacturing, they are embracing digitisation and crafting the future of industry 4.0. The decision to adopt Time-Sensitive Networking was not a leap of faith but a calculated stride towards digital transformation. Their reason? Because TSN speaks the language of machines, allowing the seamless communication and integration, essential for delicate shoe production.
Their new OFA240, a machine vital to the shoe assembly line exemplifies the Mitsubishi automation effect. This system is a key element of footwear assembly, using heat activation to effectively and evenly cure the adhesives to bond different shoe components together. The result is faster execution, improved application and a performance that is spot-on every time.
Moreover, a Mitsubishi Electric automation system does more than speed things up. It brings a gigabit bandwidth to the table, making data transfer robust and real-time. This makes the OFA240 not just a machine, but a node in a vast network of intelligence communicating at lightning speed for unparalleled productivity.
For Orisol’s the outcome is nothing short of revolutionary. Their machines now synchronise with the precision of a Swiss watch, talking to each other and to controllers. Furthermore, it provides a single solution to address all these requirements whilst supporting convergence of the OT and IT domains. It also supports integrating multiple machines into Orisol’s proprietary production monitoring and remote maintenance systems.
Delivering Real-time Benefits
The benefits delivered were significant. The network’s gigabit bandwidth led to internal communications speed increasing 220 times. This meant that execution time fell by a factor of seven and application by twelve times. Altogether, it allows operators to have a real-time overview of the process as well as promptly intervene if they discover any anomalies.
For specialist machine builders eyeing the horizon, Orisol’s embrace of Mitsubishi Automation and TSN is more than a case study. It is a blueprint for innovation in an industry where being smart is not an option, it is the only way forward.
