Monitoring power of high performance automation assemblies

The assembly system LTM-CI by STIWA Automation sets new standards in terms of high-performance automation of components in the small parts field.STIWA Automation GmbH from Austria is a European leader in the product and high-performance automation field. The recently launched system for the assembly of small components breaks new grounds in terms of the fuse protection of 24VDC components.

The modular design of the assembly system is also reflected in the installation and control technology. Each assembly module has all the necessary units in compact drawer modules on board, from the PC- based control equipment, the drive equipment through to the signal processing. The limited space posed a special challenge.  The LOCC box by Lütze for electronic load monitoring satisfies all technical and space-related requirements in an unsurpassed manner.

"The technicians at STIWA were particularly impressed by the excellent properties of the LOCC-Box in terms of switching and protecting capacitive loads, which are found in almost all intelligent components (with intermediate circuits) nowadays," says Stefan Baier, Product Manager at STIWA Automation GmbH. "The smart design and the visualisation that uses simple and understandable codes via LEDs on the upper side of the box are important arguments in favour of this system." The LOCC-Box is an ideal

solution for the selection of fuses; the previously required oversizing of the 24VDC power supplies to ensure the provision of shutdown current for conventional circuit breakers in the event of an error, is now no longer necessary." Thanks to the precisely designed power supply units and the streamlined shape of the LOCC-Box, it was possible to save valuable space and costs.

The remote set/reset option can also be used to specifically operate the assembly system in an energy-saving mode during non-productive times such as shutdown, pause and maintenance. This means that, depending on requirements, only those components that are currently required are supplied with power.
A further point that contributes to "Efficiency in automation" is to establish a safe state before the fuse triggers. The LOCC-Box solves this to the optimum. The settable trigger characteristics and current strengths are a further advantage for the user.  In the past the assortment contained many types of fuses of varying strengths and characteristics; now, only one part needs to be kept on stock, namely the LOCC-Box. The parameters are set to the necessary rated currents via a control knob when the control cabinet is installed on site.

STIWA has used the LOCC-Box for protecting 24VDC consumers in general assembly systems for the past few years. "However, the LTM-CI machine concept demanded new and expanded properties that were cleverly integrated into the LOCC-Box system thanks to Lütze's willingness to satisfy customer wishes," says Stefan Baier.