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MACHINE BUILDING

Helping to characterise

analytical sensors

DRIVES, MOTORS & CONTROLS

MOTION SUB-SYSTEM INCLUDING GEARED MOTORS CONTROLS ANALYTICAL EVALUATION PLATFORM

hen ExpoPharma designed a new Process installation effort through less cabling which furthermore the temperature controller – each end effector includes a
Analytical Technology (PAT) powder-stream simplified commissioning. And most importantly, JVL’s heater and temperature sensor that is used to reduce the
conditioning chute – a full-scale integrated motor technology is proven to be inherently possibility of powder material sticking as well as aid the
Wdevelopment platform for characterising better protected against electrical noise, which can be a cleaning of PAT probe windows.
analytical sensors for use in continuous pharma or similar significant problem with traditional ‘centralised’ panel- Mclennan’s scope of supply covered the programming
manufacturing processes – they turned to Mclennan for a mounted motion systems where power, signal and and commissioning of the complete sub-system for the
standalone Ethernet-based three-axis micropositioning communications cabling is typically longer and noise- Multi-Probe Chute with the three motor axes part of a
sub-system, complete with planetary gear units, pre- prone - an especially important requirement for the Modbus TCP protocol network segment which also
programmed HMI and a temperature controller. sensitive sensor equipment under evaluation on the included an MT400 series HMI from Kinco and an EMKO
ExpoPharma’s Spectrum Multi-Probe Chute allows platform. PIDQuadro temperature controller. The three motion axes,
multiple PAT technologies to be simultaneously evaluated Electrical installation for the JVL integrated pre-programmed for comms interfacing and configuration,
as a means to economise API software related use and microstepping motors, which are also available as are slaved to the HMI which is assigned as the sub-
speed production development by providing optimum servomotor variants, was simply achieved through on- network master.
interfacing for several sensor types that economically board M12 connectors for drive power and the daisy- Using Kinco’s HMIware configuration
gather high-quality data in sequence during the same chained Ethernet connection to the HMI. Whilst an software, Mclennan programmed a
process stream. The various sensors used provide precise ‘open-loop’ microstepping motor solution was series of graphical screens that
information from the powder stream including chemical used, to boost positional accuracy and to ensure display or assign values for the
structure, identity, particle size, contamination etc. that axis position is always known on positioning axes. There is also
The three positioning axes, supplied from Mclennan’s power-up (with no homing procedure provision for manually
distribution partner JVL, are MIS232 series integrated required), optional absolute positioning each axis with jogging
microstepping motors – the novel motion control solution encoders were included and and other functions to help develop
that combines motor, drive, controller and comms in a conveniently wired directly to the specific motion sequences used
single package. Fitted with Mclennan’s own range of HMI from another M12 during sensor evaluation. Also slaved
IP57-M01, 10:1 ratio planetary gear units to provide high connector on the integrated to the HMI through the Modbus TCP
resolution angular positioning, each drive micropositions motor. Mclennan also network segment are the temperature
special ‘wheels or flipper-shaped’ end-effectors that are provided the wiring for controller’s display, level setting and alarm
designed to collect sample material from the powder functions for each of the three end-effector
stream and present it to the sensor being assessed mechanisms. Thus, through the HMI,
through a probe window. each axis with its different positional
These sensors are typically particle image analysers, and dynamic motion requirements,
Raman spectroscopy probes and a near infrared (NIR) and corresponding end-effector
spectrometers. For these diverse and complex analytical temperature settings, are all easily
sensor types, the characterisation process necessitates its selected, interrogated or diagnosed. As
corresponding and different shaped end-effector to part of its system commissioning
manage the sample collection (and for some a PAT probe service, Mclennan supplied a complete
cleaning regime) with quite different positioning installation and programming manual
sequences in terms of angular travel, speed, and also carried out site visits for
acceleration and deceleration. system evaluation and acceptance
Mclennan worked engineer-to-engineer testing.
with ExpoPharma from the early stages of With the evaluation of the
product development. Through its various analytical sensor probes
system integration capability and managed by ExpoPharma as a further
experience the ‘distributed’ integrated Ethernet network segment, the
stepper motor solution was recommended complete machine combines
to provide cost and functional advantages, positioning and machine control
and to maintain the maximum portability capability from Mclennan with
requirements specified for the Multi-Probe ExpoPharma’s considerable expertise
Chute. as a leading manufacturer of equipment
The compact and easily installed stand- interfaces for process based analytical
alone solution reduced ExpoPharma’s product sensors.
development burden and also required much less MORE INFORMATION: www.mclennan.co.uk

14 INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY • July/August 2020