Manufacturers of conveyor and sorting systems for large logistics centers are faced with the challenge of designing systems that can achieve ever higher speeds while maintaining maximum availability, as the key requirement of customers is optimum goods throughput. In order to guarantee this, items must be picked, sorted and provided in an exact sequence as quickly as possible after they are received so that they can be dispatched as quickly as possible.

Optimizing these processes is the core competence of EAE Solutions in Ahrensburg. The company develops control solutions for various application scenarios in intralogistics. The modular EAE Flow software platform for controlling conveyor and sorting systems makes it possible to exploit the full potential of existing, new or retrofitted intralogistics systems. The design of the system is based on the latest automation developments and the highest industry standards.

EAE Flow consists of the modules EAE Flow.Master, which imports sorting and transport parameters and optimally controls the entire material flow. The EAE Flow.Control module takes over the real-time control of the electromechanical equipment. It transports goods efficiently and reliably on the basis of WCS (Warehouse Control System) information, I/O signals and scan and image data. The EAE-Flow.Commander visualizes the operating status of the systems, statistics and reports. The SCADA-compatible user interface is web-based and can be accessed on several authorized (mobile) devices.

In addition to the engineering and development of software and hardware, EAE Solutions also handles installation and commissioning. The company uses decentralized automation technology from Turck, primarily Ethernet I/O and safety modules with decentralized control logic and IO-Link, in order to keep the installation effort as low as possible and to make the systems flexible and cost-efficient at the same time.

I/O modules with fast counter input

Depending on the sorting task, different sorting solutions are used, which EAE Solutions serves with specifically optimized control systems: In addition to the tray sorter, these are solutions for pocket sorters and crossbelt sorters as well as for conveyor technology. In the EAE Pocket Sorter, for example, precise detection of the sorted goods is a prerequisite for precisely timed processes. The progress of the transport route is recorded via the teeth of the wheels that transport the pocket hangers. These teeth have to be counted quickly in order to determine the exact positions, for example, for discharging transport pockets.

However, the high speed of the teeth makes it impossible for standard controllers to read them due to the cycle times. This is where the IP67 module TBEN-S1 from Turck comes into play: The compact multi-protocol I/O module for Ethernet has eight digital inputs. The first input is a fast counter - ideal for use in pocket sorters. The fast rotating teeth are detected as pulses by a proximity switch and counted directly and decentrally by the TBEN-S. The controller then retrieves the determined values and can thus ensure exact positioning.

New development on request

Control technology for conveyor and sorting systems requires signals to be read in quickly and at many points in the system. The large number of sensor signals requires a large number of block I/O modules to be used, which means that their price plays a greater role than in other industries and applications. In the specific application in the pocket sorter, this means that a module with eight inputs in places where only three or four signals need to be read in is not an economical solution. Even modules with four inputs and four outputs cannot always meet the specific signal requirements.

At the suggestion of EAE Solutions, Turck has therefore developed a module with four universal channels that can be used variably as inputs or outputs. A total of up to four 3-wire PNP sensors or four PNP DC actuators can be connected. "The new development from Turck suits us very well," says Stefan Püttmann, product and project manager at EAE, about the flexible module. "It allows us to offer truly cost-efficient solutions for the many hundreds of modules that we use."

EAE was also impressed by Turck's decentralized IP67 safety solution: The core is the TBPN hybrid safety I/O module, which can be used to control safety functions without a control cabinet and in the immediate vicinity of the danger zone. This decentralized signal processing allows shorter cycle times and thus enables a higher conveying speed of the system. In addition, this consistently decentralized solution means that the safety functions are retained in unaffected areas of the system in the event of an unplanned event such as a cable break.

As the first Profinet/Profisafe block I/O module on the market, Turck's TBPN combines safety and standard I/Os as well as IO-Link. "No one else offered a safety block I/O module that combined standard and safe inputs/outputs in one device," recalls Püttmann. "We realized that we could also use the module's standard inputs and IO-Link inputs for traffic lights, signals or normal sensors. This allowed us to utilize up to 90 percent of the module's capacity - with all the features it has."

Joint development of individual solutions

"At Turck, we have access to ready-made components that are ideal for our applications," says project manager Püttmann, "starting with the small TBEN module with the fast counter at the first input, through the safety module, the RFID readers and the pick-to-light components to the service."

Turck's practical solutions, developed jointly with EAE Solutions, ensure the throughput and availability of modular customer systems today. Particular emphasis is placed on consistently decentralized concepts that have been developed in partnership. "In addition to high product quality, good advice and reliable service are essential for us," emphasizes Stefan Püttmann. "This is where I see Turck at the forefront. The great thing about our partnership is that we develop solutions together in workshops. We always have someone who listens and finds solutions for our concerns and customer requirements. A comprehensive service package - and that's important to us."