At the Hannover Messe 2015, Siemens is presenting the benefits of the multi-carrier-system in the Digitalization Forum at its trade fair booth using an actual machine from Optima. The showcase exhibit demonstrates to visitors how the multi-carrier-system can be adapted quickly and flexibly to different production requirements in conjunction with industrial software from Siemens. In practice, machine manufacturers can check individual solutions or modular machine concepts on the basis of 3D models and simulations and thus speed up the commissioning of their machines. The multi-carrier-system makes it possible to move and position the transport vehicles completely freely and independently of each other in accordance with the simulation. Vehicles can also be flexibly inserted into the system or removed from the system, and integrated into existing intralogistics systems. The result is that different product formats can be manufactured on one production line.
The technical basis of the multi-carrier-system is formed by linear motors from Festo for moving and precisely positioning the transport vehicles. Siemens brought its extensive automation know-how into the development of the transportation system: i.e. using a holistic engineering approach and integrated motion control functionality, the transport movements can be controlled precisely, and different machine modules can be coordinated in one system.