With the "DC Platform", Interroll provides system integrators and plant manufacturers with a coordinated technology offering that has undergone many years of development and testing, emphasizes Armin Lindholm, Managing Director of the Global Center of Excellence Rollers & Rollerdrive in Wermelskirchen. The motorized roller portfolio enables system manufacturers to respond even more individually to user requirements. With this platform, a unique range of conveyor solutions can be implemented - from autonomous conveyors that can be put into operation via plug-and-play without the use of a PLC, to individualized high-performance systems that can be integrated seamlessly and transparently into the data world of modern Industry 4.0 applications for monitoring in control stations, preventive maintenance or other functions.

"We have significantly expanded the power range of our motorized rollers, the Rollerdrive. Previously, we offered a mechanical output power of 32 watts, which was oversized for many applications, such as transporting empty containers, but offered too little power for heavy goods," says Irma Slavinskaite, Senior Product Marketing Manager at Interroll. Now, however, three roller drives with different power ratings are offered in conjunction with the DC Platform: 20 watts for light goods, 35 watts for medium-weight items and as standard for container conveyor technology, and 50 watts for lighter pallets and heavy goods weighing up to 250 kilograms. The new EC5000 roller drives are the most efficient way to achieve zero pressure accumulation conveying. Compared to conventional technology, energy savings of up to 50 percent can be achieved. Rollerdrives are only switched on for a short time when a product needs to be transported. This means that no motor is permanently in operation.

The conveyor systems can be equipped with both 24-volt and 48-volt technology or retrofitted or converted, for example if the product range changes and higher or lower output is required. As the interface and design are the same, the parameters only need to be adjusted depending on the control system installed.

Depending on the weight of the material to be conveyed, three roller drives with different power ratings of 20, 35 or 50 watts are available. © Interroll

According to Irma Slavinskaite, 48-volt technology has advantages: "48-volt systems are much more cost-efficient; depending on the comparison, they allow the use of up to 50 percent fewer power supply units compared to 24-volt systems, enable smaller cable cross-sections or longer cable extensions and reduce sources of error." All of this leads to lower investments in the overall system. Another advantage of the DC Platform is that the customer can obtain all components from a single source. The fact that responsibility for the product function lies in just one hand also offers advantages. As the same control technology and the same roller drives are also used for different conveyor technologies, there are corresponding advantages. The range of possible applications is also increased. For example, robotics applications are easier to implement as one axis can be replaced by a roller drive. This is made possible by millimeter-precise positioning via the EC5000.

The motors have now become "smart" and provide information that can be read out in the PLC. This is made possible by the fact that, in addition to the analog interface, the EC5000 is also available with an optional bus interface based on the Canopen standard. This makes the conveyor systems transparent in terms of data for the first time: in conjunction with the multi-protocol-capable Multicontrol from Interroll, various data and functionalities can be visualized consistently via the PLC, such as a Human Machine Interface (HMI). This means that the entire system can also be analyzed and optimized in terms of data. For example, information on the current operating status and the operating load of the individual roller drives can be displayed over time, and errors, jams or faulty discharges can also be detected. In general, the system is optimized by evaluating the data received.

The DC Platform is compatible with predecessor products; existing systems can be retrofitted and expanded. pb