GEA will showcase a GEA separator skid at this year’s Rockwell Automation Inc. Automation Fair in Anaheim, California (November 18-21). The skid is controlled by Rockwell Automation’s latest hardware and software solutions like FactoryTalk Optix. Rockwell Automation marks an important milestone in its partnership with GEA for centrifuge control and digitalisation technologies.
Said Dieter Hille, Vice President Automation & Controls, GEA Separation: “For our new control generation GEA X Control, it was important to us that operation and design are standardized, regardless of the underlying system architecture or manufacturer.”
The development of the new control technology was the result of close cooperation between GEA and Rockwell Automation experts from Germany, India and the USA. Together, the network developed the new Rockwell Automation-based software for GEA X Control, bringing it to market readiness. As part of the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) Partner Program, GEA Rockwell Automation awarded Gold Member status, recognising its innovation leadership.
Added Stefan Kösters, Global Strategic Account Manager, Rockwell Automation: “We are delighted to have GEA at our side as a strong practical partner with outstanding application expertise. Our shared goal is to elevate automation, regardless of the size of plant size, and to provide competitive advantages for our customers.”
At the Automation Fair GEA and Rockwell Automation will demonstrate the advantages of the new system architecture using the Plug & Win I separator, designed for craft breweries and cider producers. The FactoryTalk Optix software enhances HMI and data visualisation, expanding connection capabilities into a cloud architecture. It enables integration into smart machine, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), edge computing, data management and AI to monitor drive technology via FactoryTalk Analytics GuardianAI from Rockwell Automation.
GEA X-Control leverages the open automation standard MTP (Module Type Packaging). At the event, GEA and Rockwell Automation will demonstrate how plug-and-produce solution, based on the MTP network protocol, standardises data exchange between the automation and engineering systems. This simplifies the integration of separators into existing production environments, reducing implementation time and increasing production flexibility.
The displayed separator is also available as a complete Eplan project. Eplan, a leading provider of electrical engineering software solutions for machine, plant and control cabinet construction, created the centrifuge’s control system as a digital twin. This twin is the basis for automated data exchange between PLC and Rockwell Automation’s Studio 5000 via the AML interface. Through Eplan’s augmented reality-based eViewAR solution, the project can be viewed directly at the control cabinet, even with the door closed. This ensures a continuous data flow from engineering to service.
The partnership between GEA, Rockwell Automation and Eplan is another important step in the digitalisation and modularisation of production processes. GEA has already implemented similar collaborations, particularly in MTP and system-independent programming. Initial pilot systems are already successfully operating at customer sites. For more visit GEA.com
