Standards and design turn the machine into a partner

A machine that gives the user optimal support and helps them to work effectively and productively – that is the standard that AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology sets for its solutions. And that's why the company has developed an innovative, intuitive and easy-to-use HMI design.

Contact Sales

Simple visualizations for post-processing machines

What makes a good visualization? Fabian Jarski has a clear answer to this question: "The visualization immediately catches my eye if I'm interested in a machine or already working with it. It also determines how I get on with the machine. And a good visualization not only looks good, but also appeals to the operator and is fun to use." For the automation expert at the Rösler Group, it was therefore an exciting but also challenging task to develop the new visualization for the post-processing machines from AM Solutions: "As a PLC programmer, I have a completely different view of the HMI (Human-Machine Interface) than the users. That's why I have to constantly keep changing my perspective and keep questioning myself."

Visualization is important because it is the poster child for the operator, for the customer.

Fabian Jarski, Automation Engineer, Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH

A young man looking at a wall-mounted operating panel.

Experience and innovation for additive manufacturing

With AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology, the Rösler Group has bundled its solutions for the post-processing of additively manufactured workpieces and products under a single brand, explains David Soldan, who is Head of the AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology division. "Rösler realized some time ago that the additive manufacturing processes themselves impose specific demands on the post-processing and surface finishing of their 3D-printed parts. Companies that use and offer these processes also differ from other users. In the field of 3D printing, we have a lot of start-ups and scale-ups that are about to enter series production. AM Solutions is both: On the one hand, as an in-house start-up at Rösler, we are very familiar with the challenges faced by these users, and on the other hand, we are part of a company that has more than 80 years of experience in the manufacture of machines and systems for mass finishing and shot blasting technology."

3D printing is a market that is very much characterized by design issues. Printer, post-processing, HMI – it all has to come from a single source in order to win over users.

David Soldan, Head of AM Solutions 3D post-processing technology, Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH

Design meets functionality

According to Soldan, 3D printing is a market that is very much characterized by design issues. "Printer, post-processing, HMI – it all has to come from a single source in order to win over users." The post-processing solutions from AM Solutions therefore hit the mark with a visualization that is geared more toward consumer solutions than conventional industrial machines, "with icons and functions that are familiar from smartphones and that are really intuitive to use," explains Thorsten Wifling, Head of Electrical & Software Engineering at Rösler. "Users have everything they need to work productively with the machine, but also no more than they need. They can operate the machines easily and without much prior knowledge – an aspect that is becoming increasingly important given the shortage of skilled workers." AM Solutions uses as hardware SIMATIC HMI Unified Basic Panels.

A person operating an HMI panel mounted to a machine.

Standardized development, but multiple degrees of freedom

For this visualization, Rösler combined the completely new design with standardized processes. "We have developed an extensive library for the automation sector that maps the functionality of our machines at various levels." Thanks to the faceplate-in-faceplate function of the SIMATIC WinCC Unified visualization software, Rösler also uses exactly the same structure in the visualization. The advantage: To a large extent, projects are no longer programmed, but planned and configured – "this makes us efficient and, above all, the project is of significantly higher quality right from the start," says Wifling. Fabian Jarski also feels the benefits in his daily work: "It saves me a lot of repetitive tasks. Let's take a simple case, the visualization for a motor with a setpoint and actual value: If I have to set it up again, it usually takes me 10 minutes. With the faceplate, I just pull the motor into the project and I'm done."

More options in the project

At the same time, SIMATIC WinCC Unified gives him a wide range of freedoms to adapt the visualization to exactly suit his requirements, for example using Javascript. "For instance, we developed a faceplate for a barcode scanner which allows the user to operate the scanner easily using their familiar HMI. Which makes it easy to process the values from the scanner in the HMI and redistribute the load between the PLC and HMI." This enables AM Solutions to reduce the CPU requirements of the PLC, particularly for cost-sensitive applications, which in turn has a positive effect on the price-performance ratio of the overall package. "For our start-up users, a new post-processing solution is already a significant investment, which is why we want and need to be able to offer economical solutions," explains Soldan. The three machines in the Customer Experience Center at AM Solutions therefore use SIMATIC HMI Unified Basic Panels as their hardware. "And what I find great about it is that I can simply swap Unified Comfort and Basic Panels in the project. Right-click, swap device, select Basic Panel, import. It's so easy!", enthuses Jarski.

A person using an operating panel mounted to a machine

Even more support for developers and users

Following the solutions developed by AM Solutions, the HMI design of the other Rösler machines is also to be modernized and standardized: "and then we will have a foundation that all our colleagues can work with." Thorsten Wifling is also thinking one step ahead: "With standardization, we have now laid the groundwork for thinking about processes such as automatic code generation – this will further reduce the workload of our teams significantly." But Rösler is already benefiting from greater efficiency in engineering: "Standardization, simulation – that means fewer and fewer in-house commissioning procedures. The machine is delivered to the customer fully assembled, we install the software in the control cabinet, and commission the solution on site. This works because everything is tested in advance." At AM Solutions, David Soldan's aim is for the machines to be commissioned directly by the user without the need for a service technician: "Ideally, genuine plug-and-play: set up, connect, done." Visualization makes an important contribution to achieving this goal.

Users can operate the machines easily and without much prior knowledge – an aspect that is becoming increasingly important in view of the shortage of skilled workers.

Thorsten Wifling, Head of Electrical and Software Engineering, Rösler Oberflächentechnik GmbH

Partner for industrial post-processing solutions

AM Solutions – 3D post-processing technology is a brand of the Rösler Group, which has been a leading expert in surface processing for over 80 years and offers the world's most comprehensive portfolio of mass finishing and shot blasting systems, consumables, and services. With AM Solutions, the Rösler Group is expanding its range with a special brand for automated, industrial post-processing solutions for 3D-printed parts. The company's machines are suitable for a wide range of printing processes and materials and, in addition to highest quality, assure maximum reproducibility and cost-effectiveness. To this end, AM Solutions has bundled all of its 3D printing expertise in one department, which has its own mechanical engineering, development, Customer Experience Center, and sales units. AM Solutions also produces plastic and metal parts for Rösler itself using 3D printing.