The Controls Upgrade Process

While a site visit to evaluate your bender is preferable, it is not always practical, either because of location or timing. To provide a fast and accurate quotation there is a lot of needed information, and we will probably ask you to take pictures and find component model numbers to verify what is actually on your machine. Some of the items that will help us provide the most accurate quote are:

• Machine manufacturer and model number
• Total number of servo axes, and how each is controlled (electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic)
• Total number of directional axes (clamps, mandrel, collet, etc)
• Optional features that are installed, such as programmable pressures or a secondary tube support
• Original electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic schematics

While a site visit to evaluate your bender is preferable, it is not always practical, either because of location or timing. To provide a fast and accurate quotation there is a lot of needed information, and we will probably ask you to take pictures and find component model numbers to verify what is actually on your machine. Some of the items that will help us provide the most accurate quote are:

• Machine manufacturer and model number
• Total number of servo axes, and how each is controlled (electric, hydraulic, or pneumatic)
• Total number of directional axes (clamps, mandrel, collet, etc)
• Optional features that are installed, such as programmable pressures or a secondary tube support
• Original electrical, hydraulic, and pneumatic schematics

After placing your order we will schedule a “kickoff meeting” to go over the order, confirm details of your machine, and set a tentative schedule. In this meeting we will ask you to:

• Confirm the incoming power (ie 208 Volt 3 phase, 480 Volt 3 phase, 220 Volt single phase, etc)
• Confirm the machine details such as manufacturer and model number
• Confirm your facility work schedule and machine availability (we will ask for you to prepare to allow our technician afterhours and weekend access)
• Define “run-off” expectations, such as bending sample parts, and operator training
• Ask for a single point of contact to help us manage communication and timing

Some of our competitors will tell you they can complete a CNC bender upgrade in 3 days, however our process is a little more thorough. On most upgrade projetcs, we want you to plan for the machine to be completely out of production for two weeks. Our typical on-site installation schedule is:

INSTALL WEEK ONE

• Monday: Travel, Inspection, and Lock-Out. Monday is usually a travel day. Once on-site our technician will check in and make a thorough inspection of the machine. If it is currently in running condition, we may power it up and ask your operators to run a couple of parts. If we notice anything that should be addressed while the machine is down, we will share it with your team. Prior to doing any work in the cabinet, we will ask you to lock the machine out at the source in your main electrical panel or exterior disconnect. We will confirm the machine is locked out and will add our lock and tag to yours (or you can provide a secondary lock, key, and tag)
• Tuesday: Deconstruct, Clean-up, Layout. At RbSA Industrial, we re-use very little of the original components inside the control cabinet. In addition to new Beckhoff I/O and safety PLC, we will usually replace all of the original terminal blocks, motor starters and safety contactors, auxiliary contacts, and DC power supplies. We typically re-use existing breakers, fuses, the original machine disconnect, and transformers. Because we essentially “blank the cabinet,” we will also spend a little time making sure it is as clean as possible before we start putting brand new components in. Once the cabinet is clean, we will determine a layout that works with the new components being installed.
• Wednesday: Wiring Wiring Wiring. By the time your upgrade is complete, our technician will have made roughly 1000 connections inside your panel and new HMI, will have consumed roughly 1250 feet of new wire, and logged every connection and change on a set of working schematics.
• Thursday: Finish Wiring, Decision Point, and Power. By the end of the day on Thursday we usually expect to be ready to turn power to the machine back on and start the process of configuring the control system. If we are not at that point by the end of the day Thursday, we will discuss with you plans to work through the weekend. During initial power up, we will follow your safety procedures for removing a lock-out lock, and will follow arc flash guidelines while we check initial voltages inside the cabinet.
• Friday: Machine Configuration. If we were able to apply power Thursday afternoon, Friday morning will begin the process of setting up the control system to your machine. Our technicians spend too much time away from their families so we prefer to get them home on the weekends, when it is possible. If we are on schedule, you can expect the technician to depart your facility sometime during the day Friday. If for some reason we are behind schedule, we will work with you to provide access to the machine Saturday and, if necessary, Sunday to get back on schedule.

INSTALL WEEK 2

During the second week of your upgrade, you can expect a day completing the machine configuration, troubleshooting, and making updates to your new schematics set. Our technician will make sure every axis is moving as expected, confirm that every position confirmation input is working, and will set-up the actions the machine will take during homing.

The second day of week two will be spent with your operators learning how to set up a part in the new control system, how your safety system will work in the new control, and we will physically set up parts for your run-off.

Once run-off is complete, we will do a final inspection of the machine and panel to make sure all of the covers are on, note any part of the project that may be incomplete or was added during the upgrade process, and we will take dozens of photos for future reference.

Prior to leaving we will ask you to help us make a copy of the new schematics with all of the technician’s mark-ups and changes. This will be your temporary copy that we will leave with the machine. We will also save a full copy of the control’s settings and files, and we will keep this as a backup in case it is needed in the future.

There are bound to be a lot of questions and possibly some changes as you put your new control into production. We can generally answer all of those questions and make any necessary changes by remotely logging in to your control system. After your machine has been back in production for a few weeks, we will update any changes made the schematics during the install, and add any technician’s notes that may be informative for the future. Roughly a month after the machine is complete, we will send you a final digital copy of your schematics.