Automation is becoming more and more popular and accessible because it enables making more products faster and cheaper.
The thesis describes the automation of a testing press for cargo-vehicle springs for Springtech Automotive AG Company.
The task was to build a suitable electric enclosure with all the elements that will provide flawless working of a hydraulic press. We had to choose the correct electric engine, electric valves, motion sensor and load cell. Because the hydraulic-press operation is an automated process we had to write a program in Siemens TIA Portal and develop a user interface for the operator. The operator can watch graphs that show how springs expand, how trolleys move and which force causes a plastic deformation of the spring.
The thesis is made up of four main parts. The first two parts include the buyers requirements, the explanation how the hydraulic press works, as well as the presentation of elements that are in the electric enclosure and on the press. The last two parts describe the development of the program for the automatic hydraulic press in TIA portal, the communication between the PLC and operator computer, and a further analysis of the results that we get from the graphs.
With the tests, we can compare the reference and the measured force values and measure the force that causes a plastic deformation of the spring. In such a manner, wer ensure that particular spring properties are within the predefined tolerance range.
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