bosch rexroth drive&control local 2013 issue #2 · and rineer motor production with new...

USAlocal02 | 2013

Fountain Inn Grand Opening 08

Drive upgrades for machine tools at Cummins

12

New degree of accuracy revolutionizes blast

furnace performance06

“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” As technology companies push the boundaries of function and capability forward, it’s important for us to contemplate the words of Henry Ford. They remind us that success comes from a persistent, determined collaboration; and that it’s this very collaboration that leads to the best innovations.

We recognize that many of the best ideas we have at Rexroth originate with our customers, whether it’s from a need for faster service, for specific product capabilities or for collaborative problem-solving. The current issue of drive&control local features examples across this entire spectrum of collaboration, from award-winning products, such as our A1VO35 axial piston pump and our new Open Core Engineering concept, to innovative solutions for wind turbines and printed

electronics, to customer successes in a variety of industries.

A great place to start is our feature story on page 6, where you’ll learn how Rexroth engineers partnered with Woodings Industrial Corporation to dramatically improve blast furnace performance. The project began with a customer need; and very close collaboration —working together—resulted in a compelling success. We also have another machine upgrade story for you, this time at Cummins, Inc., where a cost-effective upgrade of Rexroth drives helped extend the machine lifecycle of contour grinders that would otherwise have required costly replacement with considerable downtime.

Finally, in order to continue to get closer to our customers, we proudly celebrated the opening of two new facilities in the first half of this year, adding both a major hydraulics manufacturing facility to our Fountain Inn, SC campus, and a new

technology and service center in Houston. Once again, our customers were the ones who encouraged these expansions. By locating resources for engineering, manufacturing, service and repair near them (near you!), we hope to work together closely, to our mutual benefit, for many years to come.

I hope you enjoy reading the latest issue of drive&control local. Every opportunity we have to work together is an opportunity to build success together. We value the trust you place in us to help you achieve success, and we will do everything we can to make sure you do.

Sincerely,

Berend Bracht President & CEO, Bosch Rexroth Americas

Dear Readers:

drive & control localEDITORIAL

FEATURES

06 Rexroth hydraulics hits new degree of accuracy to revolutionize blast furnace performance

08 Bosch Rexroth opens its largest hydraulics production campus in North America

12 Engine for growth: drive upgrades for machine tools at Cummins

TECHNOLOGY

05 Rexroth’s BLADEcontrol system helps prevent rotor blade damage through continuous condition monitoring

05 Rexroth introduces Tech Tip Tuesdays

11 Rexroth solution for digital roll-to-roll web processing is revolutionizing printed electronic production

14 Hydraulic fluid cleanliness: 5 tips to protect your systems

16 Close to the actuator: pneumatics with an energy-efficient design

16 Fast and light for long movements: the new Omega Module

NEWS

02 Bosch Rexroth opens Marine and Offshore Technology and Service Center in Houston

03 Rexroth A1VO35 axial piston pump wins “Golden Mousetrap” best product award

03 Bosch Rexroth receives 2013 Hermes Award for Innovation for Open Core Engineering solution

04 GoTo App Update

04 Bosch Rexroth’s Bethlehem hydraulics facility is honored with Governor’s job growth award

09 Bosch Rexroth expands axial piston hydraulic pump and Rineer motor production with new facility in South Carolina

15 Bosch contributes more than $420,000 to Greenville Technical College

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CREDITSdrive&control local is the magazine for Rexroth US customers. Published by: Bosch Rexroth CorporationCorporate Communications, Charlotte, NC Kevin Gingerich (responsible for content)Editor-in-Chief: Susan Strauss [email protected]

Editing and design: Godfrey, www.godfrey.com Printed by: WorkflowOne All rights reserved. Any reproduction or copying, either in part or whole, requires prior permission of the publisher. drive&control local is mailed using automated data processing.

02 | 2013 USA

1CONTENTS

Bosch Rexroth opens Marine and Offshore Technology and Service Center in HoustonNew marine and offshore application development, support and certified service center in Houston is now operational. The opening of Rexroth’s sixth service center further illustrates its strategy to align technology hubs in key geographic markets.

Under the theme of “Local Expertise, Global Support,” Houston Mayor Pro-Tem Ed Gonzalez joined Bosch Rexroth Americas President Berend Bracht and other Rexroth executives on Thursday, June 20, 2013, to formally mark the grand opening of the Houston Technology and Service Center. The new technology and service center provides engineering services, product sales, training and system support for hydraulics and controls technologies used in marine, offshore and industrial applications.

The 28,080 square-foot investment houses 14 expert applications engineers, project engineers, technicians and managers trained and certified to deliver high-quality Rexroth service and support. The company plans to hire additional specialists later this year and in 2014. As a center of excellence for the

company’s activities in the marine and offshore industries, the facility is equipped with resources to develop custom drive and control solutions and offer technical and product support. In addition, the new technology center provides state-of-the-art repair, warranty and maintenance resources for hydraulic pumps and motors, for large hydraulic cylinders, and for hydraulic motors and systems from the company’s Hägglunds product range.

The new center is the latest step in the Rexroth plan to locate technology hubs and service centers near key customers.

“Houston is a main location for the U.S. oil and gas industries and the Rexroth facility is strategically located to provide easy access for offshore installations and for other hydraulics customers in the Southwest,” said Bracht.

Field service plays a major role at the facility as well, with offshore-certified service technicians ready to support products and systems at customer locations.

Contact: Tor Jensen Email: [email protected]

�Michael Boehm (Bosch Rexroth), Mike Rowlett (Womack), Ron van den Oetelaar (Bosch Rexroth B.V.), Berend Bracht (Bosch Rexroth), Ed Gonzalez (Houston Mayor Pro-Tem), Klaus-Jochen Guhlcke (German Consul General) and Tor Jensen (Bosch Rexroth) join together in cutting the ribbon to formally mark the opening of Bosch Rexroth’s Houston Technology and Service Center.

�Joseph Dugal (Bosch Rexroth, Lafayette, LA) demonstrates Rexroth’s capabilities to repair some of the largest and most powerful products we have to offer—Hägglunds drives.

2drive & control localNEWS

Bosch Rexroth receives 2013 Hermes Award for Innovation for Open Core Engineering solution Innovative approach to software engineering opens up more possibilities for OEMs to create custom functions

Rexroth’s Open Core Engineering brings the requirements from previously separated engineering worlds together in one integrated solution. At its center are software tools and function toolkits that build entirely on open standards and technologies. The new Open Core Interface enhances the software engineering—which until now has been focused on PLC automation—enabling it to work with applications based on high-level languages.

The Open Core initiative earned Bosch Rexroth the 2013 Hermes Award for

Innovation. The award, which honors outstanding innovations pioneered by individual companies, was presented at the 2013 Hannover Fair by Johanna Wanka, Germany’s federal minister of education and research. “Industry is on the threshold to a fourth industrial revolution,” Wanka said in her speech. “The Open Core Engineering project is an outstanding example of the potential of Industry 4.0 for innovative and efficient communication in the field of production.” This is the first time that a software product has received this award.

The Open Core makes it possible for OEMs to execute customized software functions in-house and to integrate IT technologies based on high-level languages into their automation solutions. Specific examples are the integration of simulation tools or the use of smart devices with native apps.

Ò www.boschrexroth-us.com

Design News magazine, a leading mechanical and design engineering publication, recently named Rexroth’s A1VO35 variable displacement axial piston pump as a 2012 “Golden Mousetrap” best product winner in the Automation and Control category.

Rexroth’s A1VO35 offers the benefit of load-sensing principles used on larger machines’ axial piston variable pumps in which hydraulic systems provide power only when needed. This consumes less fuel and produces fewer emissions than constant pump systems.

Bosch Rexroth designed the A1VO series to bring the fuel savings of load-sensing technology to the smaller power classes of mobile machinery. In addition to being a cost-effective

alternative to constant pumps, the A1VO35 offers an economical switch from open-center design to a load-sensing system.

With its universal through-drive, the A1VO35 is easy to combine with a broad range of axial piston pumps, gear pumps and other hydraulic pumps. That makes the Rexroth A1VO35 a good choice for applications such as tractors, skid steers, forklifts, gate lifts and truck-mounted cranes for on-road vehicles.

The A1VO35 was also honored in the 2012 Eima Technical Innovation Contest, receiving the “Eima Mention” award for its combination of efficiency, reliability and energy savings.


Rexroth A1VO35 axial piston pump wins “Golden Mousetrap” best product award from Design News magazine

Design News magazine editors recognize Rexroth’s compact, energy-efficient A1VO35 pump for its ability to deliver economical load-sensing capabilities in a small, cost-effective package

�The A1VO35 variable displacement axial piston pump from Rexroth reduces energy consumption while maintaining performance.

02 | 2013 USA

3NEWS

Bosch Rexroth’s Bethlehem hydraulics facility is honored with Governor’s job growth award

Version 3.0 of GoTo Products mobile app offers new functionality and better search capabilities

Creating 130 new jobs and serving as a good corporate citizen earned Bosch Rexroth special recognition in May, 2013, when Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett presented the “Jobs First” Governor’s ImPAct Award to Andreas Torell, vice president and commercial plant manager for the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, hydraulics campus.

Torell received the award in a ceremony attended by nearly 700 guests who were saluting Bosch Rexroth and other companies that contributed to the state’s economy.

“We have been able to move into the future by growing jobs in the community,” Torell said. “And we have gone further, growing in our role as a good corporate citizen by participating in many different community involvements. We consider

our social commitment to be a fundamental part of our corporate responsibility along with our partnership with the resources available in our region.”

The Bosch Rexroth campus, which is located in the Lehigh Valley region of

northeast Pennsylvania, employs 730 full-time and temporary workers manufacturing and supporting the company’s industrial hydraulics operations. Over the last two years, the facility added 130 full-time positions.

The Bethlehem facility was chosen from among 250 nominations competing in five different award categories in the state’s Partnerships for Regional Economic Performance (PREP) network.

In presenting awards to the category winners, Governor Corbett noted, “Each of you, in some way, is why we have added more than 125,000 private sector jobs to Pennsylvania’s economy since I took office. Thank you for investing in Pennsylvania and for joining with my administration in proving that Pennsylvania is open for business.”

The new version of the Bosch Rexroth GoTo Products app for the iPhone® and iPad® is now available in the iTunes® App store. Users will experience more functionality and better search capabilities for selecting drive and control products listed in the company’s GoTo Focused Delivery Program.

The Bosch Rexroth GoTo Products app offers a convenient, up-to-date resource for project managers, engineers and specifiers who need ready access to the company’s GoTo product information and specifications.

The updated app version 3.0 will include several enhancements, such as new cart functionality that will allow users to quickly create and e-mail order inquiries for specific products; the ability to

generate and e-mail custom “wishlists” for frequently needed parts; and up-to-date price listings for all Rexroth GoTo products.

Other updates will include improved searching for parts with the ability to sort part numbers, and improvements to the locator function to show sales locations with enhanced listings for Rexroth distributors. GoTo Products app users will also be able to create custom resource libraries by saving videos, links or images from the app in a My GoTo Resources area.

GoTo Products app users will be able to retrieve all of the product updates instantly by using the app’s sync-on-demand feature.

�The new functionality in Bosch Rexroth’s updated GoTo Products mobile app will make it easier to select drive and control products from the company’s focused delivery program.

�Bosch Rexroth Vice President and Commercial Plant Manager, Andreas Torell (middle) receives the Governor’s ImPAct Award from event sponsors.


Rexroth introduces Tech Tip TuesdaysJoin the conversation on Facebook In June, Rexroth launched Tech Tip Tuesdays on Facebook and Twitter. The initiative is an outlet for Rexroth engineers to offer fans and followers tips about the latest technical knowledge and industry expertise. A variety of topics wil be covered, including tips for mechanical and electrical engineering, wind energy, retrofits and maintenance, hydraulics, drives and controls and linear motion.

Tech Tip Tuesdays (#RexrothTTT), also creates the opportunity for fans to submit their own tips, ask questions and drive the conversation. Rexroth employees, distributors, customers and other industry professionals are encouraged to exchange ideas and discuss the best tips, tricks and lessons they have learned throughout their careers. #RexrothTTT will be a resource to get accurate information, answers and tools from a wide range of industry experts and become inspired by the latest innovations and trends. Be sure to join the conversation!

Ò www.facebook.com/BoschRexrothUS Òhttps://twitter.com/BoschRexrothUS

Continuous blade monitoring can be a highly effective tool for sustaining the efficiency and performance of wind turbine systems. Rotor blades are exposed to significant environmental strains — icing, storms, excessive wind gusts —which can damage the blades.

If this damage is only detected during routine visual inspections, the complexity and cost of repairing— or even replacing the damaged blades — can be quite high.

Bosch Rexroth created the BLADEcontrol system to provide active, real-time data on wind turbine blade conditions, so wind energy operators can take proactive steps to correct issues early and avoid turbine downtime.

If serious damage is imminent, or the blade conditions are approaching a preset condition threshold, the BLADEcontrol system immediately sends a signal to the system control unit, which can then shut downt the turbine and avoid blade breakage.

In addition to direct damage to the rotor blade, the BLADEcontrol system also detects other problems, such as aerodynamic imbalances, loose parts in the blade or hub and incorrect pitch settings.

The BLADEcontrol system is just the latest example of how Bosch Rexroth is supplying advanced drive and control engineering and operational solutions to meet the challenges associated with making wind energy a clean, reliable and economically viable part of the world’s energy production plaform.


Contact: Lisandro Uhlig Email: [email protected]

Rexroth’s BLADEcontrol system helps prevent rotor blade damage through continuous condition monitoringExpensive surprises? Unnecessary downtime? Rotor blade monitoring increases the output of wind turbine systems

02 | 2013 USA

5TECHNOLOGY

Today’s steel makers are looking for innovative ways to produce molten iron with increased production and efficiency. That’s why one of the world’s largest steel producers in China turned to Woodings Industrial Corporation of Mars, PA, to improve a key blast furnace component with a solution using Bosch Rexroth industrial hydraulics.

One of Woodings’ key customers, a major Chinese iron and steel producer, asked the company to design and build hydraulically controlled distributors for two new 4,150 cubic meter blast furnaces that will produce up to 16 million metric tons of iron per year.

A hydraulic distributor has two functions: rotating and tilting the chute to deposit layers of iron ore pellets and coke into a blast furnace in a precise manner to control the melting process.

“The way iron pellets and coke are charged in layers inside a blast furnace really affects the melting process,” says Al Colucci, Woodings Industrial, VP Engineering. The more accurately the chute can be controlled, the more precise the layers and the more efficient the blast furnace becomes.

The level of precision and control the company wanted was unprecedented for this type of system: chute movement at the endpoint had to be controlled to no more than 0.01 of an inch (0.25 mm). That’s one-tenth of one degree.

It’s a big challenge: as tons of iron ore pellets and coke tumble down the chute, the load and the angle of the chute change. Plus, all this is happening on the move: the chute rotates at 8 RPM, completing a cycle every 7.5 seconds.

For Woodings — and Bosch Rexroth — this meant creating a hydraulic circuit equipment and control system able to react fast enough to maintain a very tight

cylinder stroke tolerance between four differential hydraulic cylinders.

To ensure that the design the Rexroth hydraulics engineers developed would work with the targeted accuracy, Bosch Rexroth simulation groups in the U.S. and its headquarters in Lohr am Main, Germany, were called on to run a sophisticated series of simulation studies.

Rexroth hydraulics hits new degree of accuracy to revolutionize blast furnace performanceNew hydraulic-powered distributor for iron blast furnaces delivers dramatically improved endpoint accuracy and motion control

�The hydraulic circuit Bosch Rexroth helped create for Woodings’ new Hydraulic Distributor for iron blast furnaces delivers a level of burden distribution control previously unheard of in the steel industry.

6drive & control localFEATURE

Bosch Rexroth’s proprietary simulation tool called MOSIHS (MOdular SImulation of Hydraulic System), allows the user to model and simulate overall hydraulic system. With a library of standard hydraulic components and Bosch Rexroth valves, the engineer can design a system of any size and

complexity and determine how it will behave. Each component can be parameterized to match the design requirements.

Using MOSIHS, virtual sub-models of the hydraulic system, mechanical systems and controls can be coupled with each other and simulated together. This

allows the designer to investigate dynamic behavior of the overall system, including resonance modes of hydraulic and mechanical systems and the interaction of the controller, actuators and mechanical structure.

Bosch Rexroth engineers designed a hydraulic circuit that employs hydraulic cylinders controlled by 4WRPEH, directly operated high-response directional valves, with electrical position feedback. The closed-loop cylinder-position control system utilizes load pressure feedback provided by HEDE 10 electronic pressure transducers. Utilizing MOSIHS, the hydraulic distributor’s hydraulics and controls platform was refined and tested.

The simulations verified the hydraulic circuit design and the selected Rexroth components were suitable to meet flow, pressure and other specifications and demonstrated the required static, dynamic and response time behavior to reliably deliver the hydraulic distributor endpoint accuracy.

Along with performance challenges, Bosch Rexroth faced a short delivery window. Valves were obtained through Bosch Rexroth’s GoTo focused delivery program for hydraulics, adding to the high degree of comfort Woodings had with the Rexroth process.

Three final versions of the Woodings hydraulic distributor were assembled and tested at the company’s facility in Youngstown, OH, and then disassembled and shipped to China. And more opportunity awaits: Woodings is convinced the new hydraulic distributor design will have strong appeal to blast furnace operators worldwide.

Ò www.boschrexroth-us.com/success_stories

Contact: Jan Komsta Email: [email protected]

Contact: Chuck Erdo Email: [email protected]

Contact: Michael Liedhegener Email: [email protected]

�As the chute rotates through 360°, the chute is lifted and lowered by the Rexroth hydraulics to precise endpoints, as tons of iron ore and coke pellets pour down the chute into the molten iron in the furnace.

02 | 2013 USA

7FEATURE

Under the theme of “Local Growth, Global Results,” over 150 invited guests, including Rexroth customers, distributors and members of the press, marked the historic expansion of operations at Fountain Inn.

With an additional 260,000 square feet of floor space and roughly 65 additional acres on our manufacturing campus, this state-of-the-art facility more than doubles Rexroth’s presence in Fountain Inn, making it our largest hydraulics manufacturing campus in the Americas.

In his remarks, Bosch Rexroth Americas President and CEO, Berend Bracht noted that the investment in Fountain Inn represents much more than growth in South Carolina.

“It will reach far beyond this campus, smoothing our global supply chain, creating employment opportunities and establishing innovative methods to build the workforce of the future,” he said.

Governor Haley praised the company for its decision to invest in South Carolina. “We truly value the commitment Bosch has

Bosch Rexroth opens its largest hydraulics production campus in North AmericaSouth Carolina Governor Nikki Haley joins company executives in formal opening of new $80 million site in Fountain Inn, SC


“ As we continue to invest in Fountain Inn, we do so with an eye for long-term sustainable growth.”

— Dr. Werner Struth, Chairman, Robert Bosch LLC

made to be a part of our state’s business community, and we are excited to see them invest in South Carolina,” she said.

Bosch Rexroth opens its largest hydraulics production campus in North AmericaSouth Carolina Governor Nikki Haley joins company executives in formal opening of new $80 million site in Fountain Inn, SC

PRODUCTION OF AxIAL PISTON HYDRAULIC PUMPS AND RINEER MOTORS INCREASES WITH ExPANSION

The new facility is producing the company’s industry-leading axial piston hydraulic pumps and motors, used in construction, agriculture, mining, materials handling, heavy industry, marine and offshore equipment.

The Fountain Inn plant produces:

A22VG, A24VG Axial Piston Pumps: These compact, variable-displacement double pumps feature two axial piston rotary groups with swashplate design and are engineered for use in mobile equipment.

A10VO/31, A10VO/52 Variable Displacement Pumps: Also featuring a compact design, these axial piston swashplate pumps offer low noise, favorable power-to-weight ratio and excellent electrohydraulic pressure control.

A4VG/32, A10VG Variable Pumps: Used in hydrostatic drive configurations for heavy and medium duty applications, these pumps provide energy efficiency and a range of power-optimized configurations.

Rineer High Torque Vane Motors: Utlizing a patented “vane crossing vane” design, these powerful units provide high torque from start and stall with virtually flat torque curves.

In addition to the full-scale manufacturing, Fountain Inn also features product engineering and R&D resources and an apprentice shop where up-and-coming Rexroth trainees acquire the skills needed to operate the company’s manufacturing systems.

According to Bosch Rexroth Americas President and CEO, Berend Bracht, Fountain Inn supports the company’s “local for local” strategy.

“Bosch Rexroth’s investment to expand production at Fountain Inn increases our ability to better serve the needs of our local and regional customers. In turn, this enhances their opportunity to participate in industrial and mobile equipment markets on a global basis.”

�Attendees at the Fountain Inn Grand Opening had the opportunity to view product kiosks showcasing key Rexroth hydraulics products.

�Rexroth A10VO/31 Variable Displacement Pump for pressure ranges up to max. 350 bar

(continued on page 10)

02 | 2013 USA

9FEATURE

“We celebrate the 160 new jobs the company will create with this campus and look forward to its continued success.”

Along with Berend Bracht, speakers included Governor Haley and Dr. Werner Struth, Chairman, Robert Bosch LLC. After the ribbon cutting, tours of the plant showcased the assembly lines, machining centers and other facilities at the plant, as well as exhibit kiosks set up to provide information about the full range of drive and control technologies Bosch Rexroth offers to the global marketplace.

(continued from page 9)

Bosch Rexroth opens its largest hydraulics production campus in North America

�The new 260,000 square-foot building was upgraded and features five assembly lines and multiple state-of-the-art machining centers for the production of hydraulic pumps, along with one production line dedicated to Rineer vane motor manufacturing.

Fountain Inn Building 103 is the largest investment by Bosch Rexroth in North America. To date, five assembly lines and multiple state-of-the-art machining centers have been installed for the production of the A10VO variable displacement pump, an in-demand product for industrial and mobile hydraulics applications.

Ò To view video footage from the Fountain Inn grand opening

event visit http://ow.ly/n1KQH

�Mike Mansuetti (Robert Bosch LLC) joins Berend Bracht, South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, Mike McCormick and Dr. Werner Struth (Robert Bosch LLC) in cutting the ribbon to formally open Fountain Inn’s new Building 103, located at 100 Southchase Blvd.

�Michael Hausner and Holger Werz show Governor Haley custom tools at the new state-of-the-art machining center.


Rexroth solution for digital roll-to-roll web processing is revolutionizing printed electronic productionTension control solution for digital roll-to-roll web process enables highest quality, high throughput of printed electronics

One of the brightest developments in electronics is Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED) TVs, which feature eye-popping colors and super-thin designs. OLEDs use thin, flexible sheets of material that emit their own light and are produced using a technique similar to inkjet or sheet-feed printing.

OLEDs are still relatively new and costly to mass produce. To scale up production economically, manufacturers are turning to an innovative method: digital roll-to-roll web processing enabled by Rexroth multi-axis tension control solutions.

Originally developed for digital printing, Rexroth multi-axis tension control offers an excellent solution for roll-to-roll manufacturing of printed electronics. Like an inkjet printer deposits ink on sheets of paper, a digital roll-to-roll press patterns thin-film transistors and other devices directly onto large organic, flexible substrates.

A key challenge with this method: printed electronics require extremely tight registration, to ensure the electronics function. To print, Thin-Film Transistors (TFTs) or OLEDs require registration under ten microns.

This requires extreme control of two variables: web tension and transport velocity. Web transport control ensures proper uniform tension on the substrate as it travels through the process. As the web travels downstream, constant tension must be maintained in each tension zone.

The Rexroth solution: decouple each tension zone, allowing each Rexroth controller to operate independently. Deploying a unique tension decoupling function block, the Rexroth controller initiates a response to step reduction in tension control in one-fourth the time compared to typical controllers. Even at a standstill, Rexroth multi-axis tension control increases standstill web tension accuracy by a factor of two to four.

During acceleration, tension control decoupling ensures the web remains stable and in registration as soon as full production speed is reached, compared to a delay of five seconds or longer with coupled control.

Through Rexroth decoupled tension control technology, OEMs get an off-the-shelf solution providing the most stable tension solution for roll-to-roll machines. And end-user customers enjoy faster time to market and easier control implementation —promising a bright future for large–scale OLED electronics.


Contact: Bipin Sen Email: [email protected]

�The mass production of printed electronic devices can be achieved with a roll-to-roll system featuring highly regulated web tension.

02 | 2013 USA

11TECHNOLOGY

Rexroth multi-axis tension control increases standstill web tension accuracy by a factor of two to four.

No machine lasts forever, and every manufacturer recognizes that its production equipment has a finite lifecycle. Cummins, Inc., a global power leader that designs, manufactures, sells and services diesel engines and related technologies, recently determined, in consultation with Bosch Rexroth, that some Rexroth drive units used on machine tools at its Jamestown Engine Plant in Jamestown, NY, were reaching the end of their product lifecycle.

Together, both companies have established a working partnership on such issues as servicing Rexroth products and equipment lifecycle planning for the Jamestown plant. Eight high-speed camshaft contour grinders utilize Rexroth RAC spindle drives on the machine tools’ rotating axis.

With the support of Bosch Rexroth, Cummins has been able to keep these older Rexroth spindle drives in operation for more than 15 years by

sending the equipment in for repair. However, the time had come when replacement components were no longer available and a more permanent solution was needed.

Keeping the contour grinders operating was important for Cummins, so a solution that allowed for this was critical: “Everything we build here is already sold,” said Plant Machine Electrician Michael McLaughlin. “We don’t inventory engines, so we can’t afford to have a grinding machine go down.”

Plant management was also keenly interested in the most cost-effective and efficient migration path for replacing other legacy machine components like the Rexroth drives. The grinders were part of an installed base of 50 machine tools and other production systems that were identified as potentially needing component upgrades, retrofits or complete replacement over the next several years.

When Cummins contacted the contour grinders’ original equipment manufacturer to inquire about replacement parts or upgrade options, the tool builder proposed an extensive solution that would replace most of each machine and take a year per machine to implement— an approach Cummins rejected.

After careful consultation with Cummins, it was jointly determined that a retrofit program for the contour grinding machine RAC spindle drives was the right solution. Bosch Rexroth

Engine for growth: drive upgrades for machine tools at Cummins Extend service life of existing contour grinding machines with minimal operational downtime and help control costs and maximize investment retention

�Replacing legacy drives with new DIAX03 DKR analog drives extends the life of newer grinders while keeping older machines operational until they are replaced.


recommended the Rexroth DKR AC drive as the replacement for the legacy RAC drives.

Part of the Rexroth DIAX03 family of drives and drive controllers, the DKR drive is a modular AC drive that flexibly combines AC servo and spindle drive performance into one compact package, particularly well-suited for machine tools, textile, printing and packaging machinery.

“We decided to upgrade the four newer machines with the current Rexroth drive technology (the DKR), which would provide us four more spares of the obsolete RAC drive to keep the older grinders operating until their scheduled replacement,” McLaughlin said.

The DKR drive has a similar footprint to the RAC drives, enabling easy replacement. It features similar parameter sets, and there is no need to

change the spindle motor’s encoder— all features that save time and costs for the RAC-to-DKR upgrade. It also provides a power regeneration option — any excess power generated by the machine’s duty cycle is fed back into the contour grinder’s power bus, helping save energy.

Rexroth service personnel set up a schedule to install the new DKR drives that would have minimal impact on Cummins’ operations. Instead of a year-long process that might have been required to upgrade an entire machine (what the machine tool OEM proposed), Rexroth’s retrofit installation took only two days per machine.

The switch to the DKR drive provided a cost-effective and easy-to-install solution for upgrading the grinders. Using the Rexroth DKR drive meant there was no need to change either the motor or encoder on the axis; in addition, the DKR features an adapter cable that eliminates the need to rewire interfaces, saving time on installation.

“Rexroth’s service and retrofit departments always do an outstanding job communicating to us when products are reaching end-of-service and presenting us with options for drives and controls migration,” he said. “They’re not just salespeople; they’re engineers who’ve been out in the field and really know their business.”


Contact: Naser Suleiman Email: [email protected]

�New Rexroth drives help extend the operational life of four contour grinding machines at Cummins.

�Although the grinding machines show a lot of wear, their product—diesel engine camshafts machined to ultra-tight tolerance specifications—is produced with the highest quality and precision.

02 | 2013 USA

13FEATURE

“ By far, Bosch Rexroth is one of the best companies around that has that support, whenever you need it.”

— Michael McLaughlin, Plant Machine Electrician

Nearly 80 percent of all problems in hydraulic systems can be traced back to contaminated fluid. As the world leader in hydraulics products, Bosch Rexroth brings a level of understanding and technical insight into all the key issues and conditions that impact hydraulics equipment. These five tips are based on that experience and are designed to provide a set of best practices and practical guidelines to help you manage filtration in your systems.

New oil is not clean oil: Oil from a typical 55 gallon drum can have an ISO rating of 23/21/18 or worse. Standard practice should be to pre-filter new oil prior to filling the machine or the system reservoir; the recommended method is to cycle the new oil through a kidney loop prior to start-up.

Match oil cleanliness to your system’s

requirements: Today’s hydraulic systems are designed with a variety of different components that often require a much cleaner oil system than one utilizing gear pumps and standard control valves. Make sure you understand the requirements of your system and that the filtration applied is capable of maintaining that level. Always refer to the hydraulic supplier’s recommended cleanliness levels for their product to maximize life.

Consider hydraulic systems designed

with easily accessible filter systems:

A challenge to any maintenance program is how easy—or difficult—it is to access equipment that requires regular maintenance activity. Review the accessibility of the oil filtration system and make adjustments in the system design to help ensure that regular maintenance of filters is not a complex or

time-consuming operational issue.

Set up a maintenance schedule based

on your operational requirements: Every production environment and equipment design is different—and that means different filtration maintenance. Service intervals are going to be determined by how dirty the environment is where the equipment is used, how frequently the system is operated and the design of the filtration system. A fluid sampling plan is the best way to monitor and to know when service is required.

Clean the area around the filter before

changing the filter: Hydraulic environments are often dirty and contain harmful contaminants. Minimize the intrusion of these particles by cleaning the area around the filter connection. Changing filters with large amounts of dirt and dust on and around them can allow ingress of potentially harmful contaminates into the system and dramatically reduce the effectiveness of the filter protecting precision hydraulic components.

Bosch Rexroth offers an in-depth 44-page Oil Cleanliness Booklet. The pocket sized booklet contains detailed overviews of key filtration principles, charts explaining fitting tolerances of hydraulic components, recommended oil cleanliness levels and suggested filter material/filtration grades. Request your copy at www.boschrexroth-us.com/filter

Hydraulic fluid cleanliness: 5 tips to protect your systemsOil is the central component of any hydraulic system—and quite often, hydraulic system failure can be tied directly to oil contamination

Protect your systems with these 5 steps• Filter new oil before filling a

reservoir or system: New oil is not machine ready oil; always filter new oil prior to loading.

• Match oil cleanliness to system requirements: Understand the requirements set by your system’s manufacturer and ensure filtration you choose meets that level.

• Consider hydraulic systems designed with easily accessible filter systems; otherwise, maintenance and filter replacement will lag or be routinely postponed.

• Set up a maintenance schedule based on your operational requirements, based on environmental conditions, where, how frequently the system is operated and filtration system design.

• Clean the areas around the filter before you change it; this prevents accidental intrusion of dirt particles.

14drive & control localTECHNOLOGY

Bosch Rexroth has committed more than $400,000 worth of training equipment to Greenville Technical College, in addition to a $20,000 Bosch Community Fund grant, to support the creation of a mobile hydraulic lab and Greenville Technical College lab curriculum. Through donations such as this, Bosch continues to assist educational institutions in developing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills of the next generation.

The announcement was made during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bosch Rexroth Fountain Inn, SC facility.

“Finding technically skilled associates has become one of the most pressing issues in our business, especially as we expand to meet the needs of our customers,” said Berend Bracht, President and CEO of Bosch Rexroth Americas. “Greenville Tech-nical College has worked with us closely to establish programs that address this critical need. The top-of-the-line training equipment is a further, significant step in making the training center even better. We are eager to see how the lab develops and look forward to a continued close partnership with Greenville Tech.”

The lab will serve as a tool for Greenville Technical College students and as a

training center for Bosch customers and associates. Equipment incorporated into the lab includes three DS4NA fluid power training systems, various on/off manual and mobile hydraulic component sets, and one drive pump trainer. Along with

equipment, Bosch is supplying textbooks, online training and manuals for teachers and students.

“At Greenville Technical College we are committed to partnering with industry to shape the workforce of today and tomorrow,” said Dr. Keith Miller, President of Greenville Technical College. “We appreciate the generosity Bosch has shown in ensuring that we can produce highly skilled graduates. We are grateful to have Bosch aid in this initiative by providing us what we expect to be an outstanding addition to our

program. We are thrilled with the company’s donation and their efforts to support us as we prepare our students.”

The new facility, able to accommodate 18 people, will be used for hydraulic

technology training, hydraulic performance testing and industry research. The lab will be housed at the Buck Mickel Center on campus.

“Collaborating with educational institutions on state-of-the-art advancements to their programs is right in line with the Bosch Community Fund’s mission,” said Bracht.

“At Bosch, driving innovation and inspiring students focused on STEM education is of the utmost importance; they are the future of

innovation and technology.”

Every year the Bosch Community Fund grants more than $3 million nationally with the goal of improving community programs and institutions, with an emphasis on supporting STEM education and environmental sustainability initiatives.

Contact: Cheryl Kilborn Email: [email protected]

Bosch contributes more than $420,000 to Greenville Technical College Training equipment and $20,000 grant to support development of hydraulic lab

�Bosch Rexroth Americas President and CEO, Berend Bracht, presents Dr. Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College, with a voucher for equipment at the Fountain Inn open house event.

02 | 2013 USA

15NEWS

Technical designers frequently struggle with oversized handling application valves, which require longer tubing lengths and reduce efficiency. But with Rexroth’s new generation of extremely compact and lightweight Advanced Valve AV03 valve systems, engineers can enjoy more freedom to arrange pneumatics decentrally and increase efficiency.

Compared to the market standard, Rexroth has halved the weight of the new valves by using resistant high-performance polymers and reducing the number of parts. The required space has also been cut by 45 percent. Developers arranged the valve components at an angle and optimized the supply and exhaust channels, thus reducing flow losses. Users profit from a flow improvement of 40 percent, allowing them to substantially lower the supply pressure and boosting their energy efficiency.

The new valve system also fulfills engineers’ demands for

customized automation solutions. With 25-pin D-sub connection, manifolds can be configured in increments of one after the second valve position, and after the fourth valve position with 44-pin D-sub and Field bus connections. The new AV03 can control up to 24 coils with 25-pin D-sub connection, up to 40 coils with 44-pin D-sub connection, and up to 128 coils with Field bus connection.

In addition to improving the energy efficiency, the new AV03 also fulfills expectations for simple engineering. Users can connect the valve systems electrically using multipole or fieldbus connections, with integrated I/O modules, depending on their configuration. Thanks to the option of directly connecting sensors to the valve electronics, fewer cables have to be fed back to the control cabinet.


Feed units in machine tools, assembly lines and handling applications often require fast deep plunges into large workspaces. This places especially high demands on the axis mechanics in automated processes. Rexroth’s new linear motion system, the “Omega Module,” addresses this need by featuring a very low traveling mass so that top speeds can be reached. By guiding the module’s table part over ball rail systems, the module achieves a high degree of rigidity for precise movements.

The Omega Module linear motion system allows for higher dynamics over longer distances in feed units, thanks to the combination of its low traveling mass

and fast belt drive. Because the drive is stationary, the linear system can be set up in any position in addition to being used as a vertical axis. A pneumatic

clamping element maintains the position at standstill and also clamps hanging loads.

As a single-axis system, the Omega Module comes with the necessary mechanical and electrical interfaces to fit with the modular Rexroth EasyHandling system. EasyHandling also allows for fast start-up. With the EasyWizard commissioning tool, only a handful of axis-specific data needs to be entered, which helps to reduce start-up time to just a few minutes. As a single-axis system, the Omega Module is ideal for assembly and handling applications or for other automation tasks.


Close to the actuator: pneumatics with an energy-efficient designThe new, lightweight AV03 valve system from Rexroth has an ultra-compact design thanks to a diagonal arrangement of the valve components

Fast and light for long movementsRexroth’s Omega Module linear motion system adds even more capability to the EasyHandling modular system

�The Omega Module features a low traveling mass to reach speeds and a high degree of rigidity to allow precise movements.

16drive & control localTECHNOLOGY

Bosch Rexroth Corporationwww.boschrexroth-us.com/linearsystems

For faster, easier, more economical development of handling systems, Rexroth’s EasyHandling approach is exactly what today’s deadline-driven OEMs and systems integrators seek. EasyHandling combines systematic and seamless integration of all drive and control technologies with linear actuators, standardized mechanical and electrical interfaces, all supported by new start-up and commissioning tools to dramatically simplify the automation process. Reduce development time by up to 80% and enable a more effi cient and cost-effective engineering process.

Ingenious solution, Build handling systems faster

Exactly

Bosch Rexroth CorporationCorporate Communications14001 South Lakes DriveCharlotte, NC 28273

Telephone (800) 438-5983Facsimile (704) 583-0523E-Mail: [email protected]

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