Plate Punching & Marking Automation

JSW has commissioned plate punching and marking machines at their plate and rolls mill more than a decade ago and wanted to bring the existing automation system over a digital operations platform that will allow them to manage punching and marking operation thru a single software platform. One of the most challenging aspect of this project was the integration of machines and automation system over a common platform with minimum information available on the existing system and punching/marking machines protocol.

CSI automation and software engineers embarked on a daunting task of gathering and assimilating available information on machines & automation system and design and integrated solution that will support legacy punching & marking machines of various makes, integrate with multiple versions of Siemens PLC and most importantly have an real-time integration with SAP for getting punching/marking operation done thru data available from SAP directly.

The project was successfully deployed and commissioned at the factory. Few highlights of the solution given below:    

• Machine Integration

  Machine communication was achieved by implementing integration solution using proprietary protocol of the machines and seamless integration with Siemens WinCC and CSI application

• Automation Solution on Web-based platform

  One of the unique feature of the deployed solution was all the functional modules for automated punching and marking operation was delivered as a web-based application for all production units   

• Multi-facet Integration Capabilities 

  The solution supported communication with PLCs over both OPC DA and native S7 protocol, communication with machines over serial & ethernet and Rest API based data exchange mechanism with SAP and between operational modules     

• Advanced templating feature

  Capability of defining custom punching and marking templates gave enormous flexibility to JSW in managing customer order specification