Page 9 - Industrial Technology EXTRA - 14th April

Classic automation
pyramid with its different
hierarchy levels

within the system. Simply translated to industrial whereby individual products and automation
applications, this means individual components work components are assigned to individual levels
together better. (actuator, field and control).
For seamless connectivity, the mechanical, On every level, the machine builder must consider
electrical and the intelligent interfaces all need to be the multiple interfaces. For example, the design of the
considered, across all components. Connectivity in mechanical system for the automation of motion must
automation technology must be carefully considered match the configuration of the servo drive system.
from the workpiece to the cloud. This in turn needs to be integrated optimally into the
The objective of seamless connectivity is to make control environment. Software tools for design,
the interfaces as simple and easy to handle as configuration and commissioning play a key role here.
possible, so that using the devices is more reliable No single communication standard can be applied
and faster. Design and commissioning becomes easier across all levels. In most cases stand-alone solutions
and faster allowing machine builders and end users to handle subtasks, but these do not always allow a
concentrate more effectively on their tasks. seamless approach. This causes many challenges for
The automation control hierarchy typically used in integrators: for example, where linear mechanical
machines and production systems is based on the systems and servo drive technology need to be
classic automation pyramid (shown opposite) combined quickly and easily from different

April 2020 • INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY EXTRA! • p9