Flow of materials and goods in the factory with AS Interface
There are a lot of arguments in favor of organizing the flow of materials and goods in the best possible way: expensive storage space can be utilized to the full, quality can be assured and supplies can be delivered to the customer at time.
de Man Industrial Electronic in Borgholzhausen, Germany, a company that specializes in customized warehousing concepts has already used the Actuator Sensor Interface (AS-i) in several applications. Two examples of these are the Bedford meat processing plant in Osnabrück and Hörmann, a gate drive manufacturer in Halle/Westfalia.
The most important factor in designing warehousing concepts is the use of state-of-the-art , clearly structured control systems. Modular system concepts with standardized local control boxes for actuators and sensors, which save time and money, in terms of configuration and installation, can be commissioned quickly and are easy to service and maintain. AS-i meets all of the demands imposed by this concept.
The AS-i pneumatic module
As far as optimizing the cost and time required for wiring and easy installation in materials-handling technology are concerned, de Man gives top marks to the AS-i pneumatic module. Two double-acting pneumatic cylinders are each driven by an air box at each point where the storage containers are marshaled into singles.
The photograph shows the AS-i pneumatic module. The module ensures that every critical point is taken smoothly. It also coordinates signals from the sensors; and the plug-in connection ensures that power is supplied to the pneumatic cylinders directly.