GEA and Rockwell working together on separator
A GEA separator skid is being presented at this year’s Rockwell Automation Inc. Automation Fair in Anaheim, California (18-21 November). The skid is controlled by Rockwell Automation’s hardware and software solutions such as FactoryTalk Optix. “For our new control generation GEA X Control, it was important to us that operation and design are standardised, regardless of the underlying system architecture or manufacturer,” says Dieter Hille, vice president automation & controls, at GEA Separation. GEA centrifuges have been equipped with Rockwell Automation controls for many years.
The development of the new control technology was the result of close cooperation between GEA and Rockwell Automation experts from Germany, India and the US. Together, the network developed the new software for the system, bringing it to market readiness. As part of the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner programme, GEA Rockwell Automation was awarded gold member status.
At the fair, GEA and Rockwell Automation will demonstrate the advantages of the new system architecture using the Plug & Win I separator. The FactoryTalk Optix software enhances HMI and data visualisation, expanding connection capabilities into a cloud architecture. It enables integration into smart machine, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), edge computing, data management and AI to monitor drive technology via FactoryTalk Analytics GuardianAI from Rockwell Automation.
The displayed separator is also available as a complete Eplan project. Eplan, a provider of electrical engineering software solutions for machine, plant and control cabinet construction, created the centrifuge’s control system as a digital twin. This twin is the basis for automated data exchange between PLC and Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 via the AML interface. Through Eplan’s augmented reality-based eViewAR solution, the project can be viewed directly at the control cabinet, even with the door closed. This ensures a continuous data flow from engineering to service.