| Dartec 1200kN material testing machines are used in one of the largest steelworks in England for production monitoring. Two of these machines and one measurement station are integrated into a linear robotics system for determining the specimen dimensions. The third materials testing machine is employed for manual testing and as a replacement machine in the event of outage of the robotics system.
The test machines and the robotics system were installed in the early 90s. At that time, the control software was created and the individual systems integrated into the entire system by the customer itself.
Increased demands now call for modernization of the system. In the process, the Dartec machine control systems are to be replaced by current technology and a new, flexible software is to be used. The objective of this step was to also ensure service reliability and prompt technical support.
The customer decided in favor of a Zwick modernization. The reasons for this were, on the one hand, the flexible textXpert test software, which can be connected ideally with the central computer and, on the other hand, the testControl machine control system, which satisfied all customer requirements. Last but not least, our English service organization met all customer expectations.
Initially, in collaboration with the customer, a specification was created. In the first step, the stand-alone machine was upgraded: the measuring station and communications with the central computer were data-technically integrated. Once this was running perfectly, the entire robotics system was modernized.
The customer can now continue to control the entire facility from the desktop of the central computer. Now, however, state-of-the-art technology is operating in the background and is accomplishing its tasks with high reliability and flexibility. |
