“Flexibility is particularly important in conveyor technology.”

What are the challenges that TURCK is meeting with this intralogistics offering?

Frank Morassi (Vertical Sales Manager Intralogistics): In intralogistics, no two systems are the same – flexibility is key. Not only with regard to the components used, but also in order to redesign the conveyor system quickly to meet today’s frequently and rapidly changing requirements. On the mechanical engineering side, the answer is modularization; in automation, it is decentralized automation in conjunction with digitalization – and this is where we are at home. In this way we can implement modular and flexibly scalable conveyor lines – offering a high level of availability and operation with zero pressure accumulation if required. With this approach, we can solve a number of tasks that will increasingly arise in the coming years. 

If requirements change, scalability is needed in addition to the rapid redesign of a system. Modular design and decentralized automation enable conveyor modules to be adapted and expanded quickly and easily to suit a new line layout. With smart and robust I/O modules on board, the wiring effort stays negligible – the modules also come with control capabilities and connections for actuators and sensors, including a 24 or 48-volt power supply.

Since we have always based our product ranges on modular and holistic concepts, TURCK can offer intralogistics specialists a single source solution – and bring together decentralized automation, traceability, condition monitoring, scalability, a fast time-to-market and digital services with our TURCK Automation Suite. Our RFID expertise should also be mentioned here.

How exactly does the identification and traceability of goods in intralogistics work, and what role does RFID technology play in this process?

Morassi: Given the wide variety of tasks—such as assembly, welding, soldering, packaging, storage, temporary storage, transfer, or repackaging—it’s essential to accurately track which box or assembly is located where at any given time. We can track this effectively using RFID—and not just via gates at the goods receiving or shipping areas. We can trigger check-ins and check-outs in the parent system at the respective stations. A hugely important advantage of RFID is that, unlike with barcodes, I can not only read the data carrier but also write to it. For example, during assembly processes, the serial numbers of the installed parts and assemblies can be easily recorded—ensuring traceability.

They also brought up the topic of a fast time-to-market...

Morassi: ...because that’s one of the advantages of decentralized automation. We can implement a system much faster because decentralized systems can operate and be monitored autonomously. This means that a new system or a system expansion can be implemented more quickly. At the same time, we can easily collect and process data. This allows us to generate added value—for example, in service tasks, not least through data analysis in the cloud.
This is where our automation software, the TURCK Automation Suite (TAS), comes into play. With this tool, we can effortlessly connect and integrate all components. Ideally, every element of a conveyor line is equipped with one of our I/O modules—so that data can be collected and forwarded to the higher-level control system.

Your smart I/O modules also include a controller—how do the local and higher-level controllers work together?

Holger Spies (Sales Project Management): By installing one of our TBEN modules “every meter” along the conveyor line, we not only enable full control of the roller motors in each conveyor module, but we can also control everything that can be managed locally—that is, decentrally —via the integrated control system. I’d like to emphasize that we can even handle tasks with real-time requirements. The higher-level control system then doesn’t have to take on detailed tasks on the individual modules and simply orchestrates the entire system. In addition to controlling the modules, the system also collects and transmits data for predictive maintenance.
Let me briefly illustrate this with an example: Let’s assume a package is to be discharged at Station X. We then capture the information on-site and forward it via our module—in other words, we identify the package and control the corresponding discharge unit using decentralized automation on-site. The same principle applies to real-time applications. In these cases, no information needs to be routed through the central control system. For example, the motorized rollers can be moved locally and independently according to the specific task at hand.

Using the CAN-based communication protocol, we can simultaneously transmit additional data and run specific profiles, or conversely, read values for temperature, current, and voltage. The goal is to achieve digital end-to-end connectivity and thereby overcome the limitations of the analog interfaces typically used. Digitalization thus enables us to maintain transparency regarding the status of the entire system—right down to the very last meter.

Does condition monitoring enable this end-to-end data transparency in material handling?

Spies: Exactly! Because now we can specify, down to the individual motor roller, how much current it requires—which, on the one hand, opens up more control options, but on the other hand also lays the foundation for predictive maintenance. Only with this level of data transparency can the equipment manufacturer, for example, offer its customers the option of proactively replacing certain motor rolls—such as when they begin drawing higher currents after a defined number of operating hours.

In summary, decentralized automation allows us to process real-time applications on-site in a decentralized manner, thereby offering full flexibility—from control and scaling of conveyor lines to solutions for predictive maintenance.

What are the other features of the smart I/O modules used? 

Frederik Nitsche (Product Manager Factory Automation Systems): We always build our IP67 modules for suitability in severe environmental conditions – vibration resistance is particularly important in intralogistics. In addition, we also allow a 48-volt power supply for the motor – this sounds trivial, but effectively halves the currents, which is particularly important in extensive intralogistics systems. Each TURCK module can supply and control four roller motors – and thus a complete conveyor module. 

As already mentioned, we are of course not just limited to the roller motors in terms of control tasks but can also perform other tasks. All in all, this provides intralogistics specialists with an easy and flexible decentralized logic system that works very efficiently on the conveyor modules and also enables zero pressure accumulation conveying. This is a wonderful way to automate segments of roller conveyor systems.

To what extent is the selection of motorized rollers in material handling tied to specific manufacturers, and how does your solution support open interfaces?

Nitsche: We currently support CAN-based motors from MTA, MPC, and Interroll. In line with the core principle of modularization, we encapsulate both the actual logic and the digital roller connection —this way, no one has to worry about data mapping, and you can choose at any time to control the speed via Profinet or EtherNet/IP, or conversely, read out data for predictive maintenance.

For example, based on our TBEN-LL4RM-4DI-4DXP I/O module, we further developed a module for the “Conveyor Control Unit” for SSI SCHÄFER. In addition to the 48-volt supply for the roller motors and 24 volts for conventional actuators, CAN communication to the motor, and Profinet communication to the controller, another requirement here was digital inputs and outputs for external trigger signals or actuators. In addition to four standard I/Os, the module features four DXP ports that the user can configure as either inputs or outputs.

Spies: As I mentioned, these modules can also be used to solve real-time control tasks, especially in combination with TURCK’s RFID system—such as our new UHF RFID tunnel. In intralogistics, I often encounter tasks where I need to verify, for example, whether a box actually contains five data carriers—if there are only four inside, I need to be able to immediately divert the box and send it back. It’s important that the user can always decide whether to handle such tasks decentrally on the corresponding module or centrally—we can do both. This is a particularly significant advantage when it comes to expansions and retrofits.

How easy is it to integrate this kind of RFID tunnel?

Hendrik Schnabel (Product Manager RFID UHF Systems): Very easy – and above all in a scalable way. Our RFID tunnel provides an RFID read point that can be very easily attached to the conveyor system. I emphasize this because the implementation of this kind of read point in surroundings of predominantly metal conveyor technology is not a straightforward task. To achieve reproducible read results, the read point must be well shielded and aligned with the conveyor belt. All this is already included in our RFID tunnel, thus offering the benefit that the user can easily add more tunnels when expanding the system – everything is already pre-assembled. RFID also plays an important role here because, with the high demands placed on identification in intralogistics, we are reaching a technological limit where the conventional barcode is no longer sufficient.

You have already mentioned the metal environment – has a solution been found for the reading of RFID tags on metal or liquids? 

Schnabel: This is still fundamentally an issue –but a solution exists in the form of special metal tags, for example. For these kinds of requirements we also offer consulting services – because these cases are usually complex and require close examination. However, intralogistics today mainly involves the use of plastic containers and carriers so that the reading of tags is not a problem.