Modular and standardized from unit to application

A completely redesigned coating line as a starting point: With a standardized and modular architecture for automation and drive technology from Siemens, Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint is laying the foundation for efficiency gains throughout the entire development process and for digital business models.

Mastering complexity with modular design

More complex processes, more diverse options, from interfaces to logistics and handling: “If you don’t have a standard, it’s going to be difficult,” says Markus Faude, head of development and design at Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint. For this reason, together with a team of experts, he developed a fundamentally new system concept that is making its debut in a new coating line. The aim of the project was to develop a line architecture that consists largely of modules and standard components for automation and drive technology.

New coating line from Koenig & Bauer for coating metal sheets, developed together with technology partner indumate

“As a system supplier for the metal packaging industry, we not only supply complete systems for printing, varnishing, and drying metal sheets, but also integrate different logistics and handling systems: driverless transport systems, material flow management, transport and handling robots – depending on the application our customers have for them. In order to master this complexity, we would like to optimize our overall efforts for the design, integration, and commissioning of our solutions,” Faude continues. This optimization applies to mechanical and electrical design as well as to software design: “Our goal is that in the end we will have configurable modules that are only activated on the software side, depending on their functions.”

The SIMATIC Drive Controller controls all machine functions. This makes the entire architecture simpler and leaner and saves valuable space in the control cabinet.

Peter Lang, Managing Director, indumatec GmbH

Simple, consistent, and integrated

Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint took the first step toward a standardized architecture with a new line for coating metal sheets, which the company developed together with their technology partner, indumatec GmbH. In the process, mechanical design was optimized – of the feeder, for example, where the metal sheets are separated – while the entire electrical construction was also redesigned.
“The aim was to be able to put the line into operation according to a plug-and-play principle,” says Peter Lang, managing director at indumatec. That’s why all units, from the feeder to the coating shop to the dryer, use PROFINET and PROFINET IRT.

Front view of a Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint coating machine with open access panel and roller system.

Siemens SIMATIC control cabinet with drive components and wiring for a Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint machine.

“This means that we have only one interface between the units,” he explains. The control cabinets also do not have to be set up separately, as they are already integrated into each unit. –“This was a major design challenge at first, because we really had to optimize the space required for the components in the control cabinet,” Lang continues.
Indumatec benefitted from the Siemens components used for the entire automation: “The advantage for us is that we can put together the system from a very broad portfolio in such a way that it fits each respective requirement – from the drives to the control system to the operating devices.”

For example, a SIMATIC Drive Controller with an S7-1500TF CPU controls all machine functions, including motion control tasks and the safety systems integrated into the controller via Safety Integrated.
“This makes the entire architecture simpler and leaner,” Lang confirms. Siemens also supported indumatec with the electrical design: the control cabinets were manufactured according to the specifications of the project team at the Siemens plant in Chemnitz, Germany. “It worked perfectly,” Lang confirms.

Siemens control cabinet with SIMATIC components and drive technology for a Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint coating line.

Currently, five programmers are working on a project at the same time in the TIA Portal – and it’s working very well.

Christian Daub, Head of Electrical Development, Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint GmbH

Close-up of sheet feed and conveyor mechanism inside a Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint printing machine.

More efficiency from engineering to service

Christian Daub, who was responsible for the project as head of electrical development at Koenig & Bauer, also sees numerous advantages in the standardization of automation: “We have all the components in the TIA Portal and only one project for the entire system. The software is well-designed using building blocks, so that our programming as well as the teams in commissioning and service can easily find their way around.” In addition, TIA Portal makes it possible to work in a team: “Currently five programmers are working on a project at the same time – and it’s working very well,” says Daub.

The software for the line was created in the TIA Portal in such a way that different units and customer options are stored as software options: “In the future, we will be able to create the entire project and then adapt it to each respective application on site using these options.” For commissioning and service, working in the TIA Portal offers yet another advantage: “We deliver the TIA Portal in this system on an industrial PC and thus have the complete project available on-site. In addition, we can also access the machine data from our offices in Stuttgart or from the home office via secure remote access, as if we were on site. This makes service much easier.”

We expect to save up to 40 % in design through standardization and modularization, which we can use directly for new innovations.

Markus Faude, Head of Development and Design, Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint GmbH

Flexible and future-proof technology

While the finishing touches on the new line are underway, Markus Faude is already looking ahead: 'With this project, we want to show what is possible – also in terms of other applications. With the modularity of the hardware as well, we are taking a big step toward neutral production. We can simply swap a drive or a power unit for a more powerful or weaker component; the structure is always the same. When it comes to technical issues, we have an expert in Siemens, who goes through the entire solution with us – which, of course, suits us well as a system provider. And last but not least, the technology has been chosen so that we'll be absolutely future-proof.' Faude is thinking in particular of new digital business models.

Metal sheet transport system on a Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint coating line.

Koenig & Bauer - Digital Twin of the machine.

New digital business models are next: data-based service concepts, applications related to quality and sustainability, and product recognition via camera systems to enable traceability for the packaging on the supermarket shelf back to the printing and coating processes, or process data for optimizing resource and energy consumption. The first digital application is already in the works, and Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint has also developed a digital twin for the infeed. 'I see enormous potential here,' says Faude, 'starting with sales support, where we can discuss the solution with the customer at a very early stage, through the project phase, where we can generate a large part of the application from the model, to virtual commissioning – this is really a convincing concept.

Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint

Koenig & Bauer MetalPrint, a company of the Koenig & Bauer Group, is the global market leader as a system provider for printing and coating lines, dryers, and exhaust air purification for the metal packaging industry. As a system supplier, the company supports customers all over the world with complete printing and coating lines in a wide variety of configurations. One of the project highlights in recent years is, among other things, a 140-meter-long printing and coating line, the longest MetalStar line that has ever been installed.

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