Cooperation for machine control
Integrated control of industrial laser systems
Siemens and Scanlab announce their cooperation in the field of industrial laser system control. The two companies have integrated the RTC6 scan head control card into the Siemens Simatic S7-1500 controller for use in laser-based manufacturing applications.
The integrated control solution can be used for various laser processing methods, from laser cutting, laser welding, laser marking and laser drilling to laser sintering (additive manufacturing) and micromachining. The combined control system reduces the need for additional hardware and shortens engineering time, creating tangible added value for machine builders and system integrators.
Laser processing is one of the growth areas in mechanical engineering in recent years. The complex processing machines consist of a wide variety of OEM components. By combining different suppliers, users benefit from reduced integration costs and avoid unnecessary interfaces. Siemens and Scanlab are presenting their cooperation with the joint control solution at formnext 2019.
The Simatic IPC427E industrial PC from Siemens serves as the platform for the new machine controller for laser processing systems. The RTC6 scan system control card was integrated into this hardware platform via APIs and connected directly to the Simatic S7-1500 software controller.
The function blocks in the PLC program allow machine builders to program easily in accordance with ICE61131-3. The common platform combines all automation tasks on a single device, enabling faster queries thanks to reduced interfaces and a common diagnostic concept. This increases the efficiency of the entire engineering process.

Scanlab beruft Christian Sonner in Geschäftsleitung
Scanlab, OEM-Hersteller von Laser-Scan-Systemen, ernennt Christian Sonner zum Leiter des Entwicklungsbereichs. Mit dem Steuerungsexperten stärkt das Unternehmen seine Position im Bereich digitaler Produkte und Ansteuerlösungen in der photonischen Industrie.
In addition, all components are system-tested, particularly robust and comply with international standards and guidelines for industrial applications. Thanks to the integrated control solution, machine performance and processing quality are measurably increased.
The joint trade fair demonstrator is aimed at industrial users who are interested in a comprehensive automation concept for their systems. The demonstrator will then be on permanent display at the Siemens Additive Manufacturing Center (AMEC) in Erlangen. Future development steps include the integration of virtual machine concepts for engineering, programming and virtual commissioning, for early testing with the help of a digital twin.
Formnext:
Siemens stand: Hall 12.1, Stand D81
Scanlab stand: Hall 12.0, Stand B41








