Insmart
Innovative
Smart
Technologies Pty Ltd
ACN 083 623 698

 

Insmart home page

Insmart RF3 Roll Former Control System

Example Control Equipment
Screen and Display

 
Example products
(Accuracy often +/- 0.1mm)

 
Steel Framed House
Steel wall frames and roof trusses produced by Insmart automation software

 
A reliable and easy to use system focused on increasing productivity and reducing scrap.

 

    Major benefits:
  • Easy to use Windows system
  • Precision counting with accuracy better than 0.5mm
  • Operates any number of in-line punching stations
  • Continuous production with no scrap between jobs
  • Ability to re-make items from production history
  • Product database for saving complex and cutting list import system for reducing
    data entry and production errors.
  • Automatic job sorting from longest to shortest.
  • Automatic label or spray printing for marking each item
  • Production history export
  • Velocity profiling for maximising production
  • Output stack tracking and weight display
  • Customer focused support

 
LESS SCRAP

LESS IDLE TIME

MORE CONTROL

  Panel Touch Screen Controller

Panel Touch Screen Close Up

Panel Touch Screen Controller

 
Quick Links to this page
  Job Queue
Motion Control
Product Designers
Networking
Internet Browser Enabled
Operation
Overview
Productivity
Reliability
Scrap Reduction
Label or Spray Printing
Work Sheet Reconciliation
Office Work Sheet Data Entry
Supported Configurations
Tuning with Motion Analysis
Testimonials
  In-line punching

Fixed Position In-line Punching
No manual location adjustment necessary as steel is correctly positioned under each tool

Other Links
  Job Import File Specification - Free documentation for transferring manufacturing data to controllers.
Computer Requirements Specification - An explanation of computer requirements.

 
HIGH VOLUME MANUFACTURING
The Insmart control system has been expertly constructed for reliable high volume manufacturing.

 
CONFIGURATIONS
Adaptable to many different manufacturing configurations.

Click to view larger image.

  Click for larger image  Stud and Truss
 
  Click for larger image  Loop and Flying Shear
 
  Click for larger image  Door and Window Frames
 
  Click for larger image  Cut To Length Slitters
 
  Click for larger image  Recoilers and Perforating
  Any number of in-line stations can be configured to work as "stop to operate" or operate "on the fly". A station can be a pneumatic or hydraulic tool or a spray printer.

Guillotine modes - stop to cut, fly cut, or slow to fly cut.

Fly refers to the material moving whilst the operation takes place.

The controller supports entry and/or exit encoders, splitting and recoiling, multiple machine beds connected by a demand loop, perforating press and feeder, drop stackers, suds pump, guards and emergency stop.

 
WATCH VIDEO PRESENTATION
Insmart Control Software Overview

 
UPGRADING OTHER CONTROLLERS
With a little electrical work virtually any line can be upgraded to take advantage of the Insmart Control System. We commission each installation to make sure the system is connected and configured correctly. On-site training and electrical schematics are always provided. Down time will vary depending on the machine but many upgrades are completed within a single day.

 
  ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
If you have clients in the steel industry and would like to be involved with supplying professional control systems please contact Insmart for further information.

 
MOTION CONTROLLER SUPPLIERS
The Insmart control software is able to use any motion control interface that can communicate with a Windows 10/8/7 PC. Please E-mail a proposal to Insmart for consideration.

 
INDUSTRY LEADER IN AUTOMATION AND CONTROL
Insmart continues to pioneer advances in roll former control. Our ongoing research and development means the level of excellence provided by our controllers simply keeps growing.

Spending time on-site is an important part of our ongoing research and development. As well as meeting client expectations we are interested in making the system work efficiently for the people who have to operate the machines.

 
TIME SAVING PRODUCTIVITY BENEFITS
  Accepting work sheet production data over a network increases production as the roll former is not idle while data is manually entered.

The data handling screens allow the operator to quickly and efficiently organise and submit jobs for manufacturing.

A database facility allows standard products to be designed and saved. This allows recurring production of standard items without the need for design and data entry. The operator can simply highlight a product from the database and submit all the items for the product for manufacture. This reduces data entry time and data entry errors.

Velocity profiles can be created and easily selected to match the speed of the roll former to requirements such as going slower when rolling thin material to prevent buckling.

The roll former can be programmed to automatically reduce speed when short items are being produced. This allows the operator to keep up without having to stop/start the roll former.

A job tracking system reduces errors by making sure jobs are manufactured on the correct controller.

A production history facility allows operators to view recent production and re-select any damaged items so that they can be manufactured again.

 
SCRAP REDUCTION
  The Insmart controller has features and material tracking counters to ensure a roll former uses the least amount of scrap possible when loading a new coil, using only part of a coil, or completely finishing a coil.

A pendant execute mode allows in-line punches to operate whilst material is being "inched" through the roll former.

Coil Change Over Scrap - Analysis of material tracking and scrap reduction.

 

PRODUCT OVERVIEW

 
Larger image
 

View real size screen image in a new window

 

The control system operates on a Windows compatible computer connected to a motion controller and digital I/O. A number of Ethernet connected devices are supported and can be used at the same time. Being PC based there are no memory or storage limitations. Networking and compatibility with corporate networks is straight forward and support and maintenance of the PC is not vendor specific.

The control software has been specifically developed for the control of roll forming equipment.

Although the software has built in support for touch screens most operators seem to prefer using a standard LCD monitor with a keyboard and trackball.

 

PROVEN RELIABILITY
There are over 90 Insmart control systems working day in and day out all around the world. Most service requests are for trouble shooting electrical equipment failures.

 

FRIENDLY INTERFACE
Menus are simple to follow with explanations and examples provided in the on-line help system. Large text and buttons enhance visibility and viewing distance.

 

TESTIMONIALS
Click Here - to read what our clients think.

 

HELPFUL PRODUCT DESIGNERS
Custom made product designers can be incorporated into the control system to assist with accurate data entry.

Product units are converted into manufacturing units so that "finished" dimensions can be used for data entry. This reduces errors, saves time and makes the process very easy.

Standard items can be designed and saved to a database where they can be recalled and submitted for manufacture.

Window Frame Designer

A Garage Door Designer

Window Frame Designer

A Door Frame Designer

Window Frame Designer

A Window Frame Designer

 

EFFICIENT NETWORKING
With in-built Windows networking the control system not only becomes part of the corporate network but can also be supported, upgraded and have problems diagnosed remotely across the network or Internet.

Manufacturing jobs such as trusses or house frames can be easily transferred across the network directly to the control system.

A job import display handles the queuing of jobs until they are manufactured. Operators have the freedom to choose the order in which jobs are manufactured. Items in the job queue can be rearranged until an item "enters" the machine for manufacture.

 

INTERNET BROWSER ACCESS TO PRODUCTION DATA
The Insmart control software is able to serve production data and other valuable information to any Internet browser across the local network.

With this facility managers are able to download production data and remotely view perfomance and production related information.

 

PRODUCTION DATA SORTING
The items for a customer order are sometimes made from different coils. The Insmart controller automatically sorts data into coil lots so that when a coil is loaded all items across all jobs are manufactured at the same time.

 

JOB QUEUE
A job queue is made up by selecting products and quantities from a database or by using the network feature to automatically import production items. Each item records the following information:
 
  • Type of material required such as gauge and/or colour,
  • Quantity,
  • Job code/number,
  • Client description,
  • Marking text to identify the item,

Jobs can be queued according to any requirement such as coil width, colour, gauge and roll former configuration etc.

job Queue

Items are queued for manufacture in the job queue

 

LABEL OR SPRAY PRINTING
To mark items or packs a sticky label printer or ink spray printer can be connected to the computer controller. The Insmart control software can be configured to automatically mark each item. The marking for each item can be an assembly code from a bill of materials CAD system or be automatically constructed to contain generic information such as the item length.

Label Printer
 
Sample Stick On Label

A sample label that can be automatically printed as items exit the machine.
Additional Insmart office software can print item or pack labels along with a work sheet order.

Spray Printer
 
Sample Spray Printed Item Length

A spray printer can automatically mark each item with
a drawing piece code or just simply a length.

 

OFFICE WORK SHEET DATA ENTRY
The Insmart office work sheet data entry software can automatically print work sheets, item labels and pack labels.

Other compelling reasons to perform data entry in the office are:
 Machines do not stand idle while operators perform data entry of orders, and
 Experienced office staff will make less data entry mistakes.

Click Here - for more information about the Insmart Office Work Sheet Data Entry Software.

 

WORK SHEET RECONCILIATION
Work sheet reconciliation is useful as a double check to confirm that items for a job have actually been manufactured.

After a work sheet has been completed the total production for the work sheet can be automatically displayed as shown below.

Work Sheet Reconciliation

When this feature is enabled the encoder at the start of production for each work sheet is recorded allowing the total encoder registration to be compared to the work sheet totals.

 

OPERATION
A green run button is depressed to enable automatic production. The control system enables the machine, and a knowledge base about the machine and the products is used to produce the required products.

All manufactured items are recorded in a production audit list that contains the date and time of manufacture, operator's code, and the linear count when the piece was guillotined from the coil.

When an item is manufactured with a defect it can easily be submitted back to the top of the job queue for manufacture again by simply highlighting the item from the production list and selecting a Scrap option.

 

PRODUCTION PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
The Insmart Production Performance Management Module is an add-on for the Insmart roll former control system. Throughout the day in 10 second intervals the encoder rotation is measured and recorded.

Data can be displayed and graphed on an hourly, daily and monthly basis. This data may be used as a key performance indicator (KPI) for managing production and scheduling.

A daily production summary displays a hour by hour summary for the day.

A monthly production summary includes totals for each day of the month and a daily average.

Data is accessed using an Internet browser. If the controller is networked the data is available to any staff with browser access to the network. A password may be used to prevent unauthorised access to the data.

The Insmart roll former controller has built in administrative functions that can be accessed via a browser.

Hourly Utilisation Breakdown

SAMPLE HOURLY SUMMARY

View Interactive Monthly and Daily Production Summary Samples
 

2D PREVIEW
The controller supports the 2D preview of drawings.
  2D Preview
 

MOTION CONTROL
The controller supports the use of variable speed drives with motion control systems and also PLC counter controlled slow down to stop systems.

Motion controllers use PIDVFA control loops to provide fast movement and accurate stopping. PIDVFA is an algorithm that uses Proportional, Integral, Derivative, Velocity Feedback, Velocity Feed forward and Acceleration Feed forward.


Click to watch video    Motion Control Video

Click on this link to view a video.
The link contains an activex control used to play the video that might get blocked.
Select the "launch in external player" link if you do not wish to use the player.

 

MOTION ANALYSIS
Sometimes motion control equipment require tuning.

The control system is able to record and graph the velocity of the material as it is transported through the machine. This ability provides the information to allow the motion control parameters to be tuned for optimum performance.

The graph below is an actual recording of material being notched at different locations. Short distances between operations result in slower movements limited only by the acceleration parameters for the drive.

 

CONTROL SYSTEM FLOW CHART OVERVIEW
The following chart shows how manufacturing data is processed by the control system.

Control System Flow Chart Overview

 

DOCUMENTATION
The software is supplied with complete on-line help written in English. A printed manual is available by request.

 

SERVICE AND SUPPORT
Except for the electronic interface the computer equipment is standard Windows PC compatible equipment so service and spare parts are readily available and can be independently obtained.

 

REMOTE ASSISTANCE
Remote Internet assistance comes standard with every Insmart controller. Although rarely required, clients have peace of mind knowing that a trained Insmart engineer can very easily provide assistance if and when required.

 

EXPERT HELP
Experienced professional engineers at Insmart are available to promptly deal with any system or software query.

 

EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS
Cabinet, Windows 10/8/7 computer with touch screen or LCD screen, Insmart control software, motion control and digital I/O interface.

 

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