Industry: Electroplating

Products: Modular controllers

(MELSEC System Q automation platform),

frequency inverter drivers (FR-F740 and FR-E540 series)

Reliable Process Management

for Electroplating Applications

First published in June 2008 by Mitsubishi Electric, based on information provided by ERO Montage und Anlagenbau GmbH, Herrnhut, Germany.

Mitsubishi Electric Europe /// Factory Automation - European Business Group /// Gothaer Strasse 8 /// D-40880 Ratingen /// Germany

Tel: (02102) 4860 /// Fax: (02102) 486112 /// Email: info@mitsubishi-automation.com /// Web: www.mitsubishi-automation.com

ERO Montage und Anlagenbau GmbH in Herrnhut, Germany,

designs, builds and installs custom systems for electroplating

and other surface finishing applications. Modular program-

mable logic controllers and frequency inverter drives from

Mitsubishi Electric ensure that the systems run smoothly and

reliably.

ERO GmbH is one of Germany’s leading manufacturers of

systems for electroplating, anodising, black oxide finishing,

phosphatising and surface coating. The company offers a full

range of products for surface finishing, from individual

containers to turnkey industrial plants. ERO’s customers are

both large and small firms in many different industries; in

addition to electroplating services they include companies in

the automotive, rail and aerospace industries. The exacting

quality standards in these industries require fully-automated

production systems that can perform surface finishing

economically, at high throughput rates and with consistent

quality for both jobbing electroplating services and in manu-

facturing industry.

One of the most common processes used in surface finishing

is chemical or electro-chemical treatment of components in

aqueous solutions of metal salts, complemented by pre-

treatment and post-treatment baths for steps like cleaning,

de-greasing and sealing. Constant conditions are essential in

all the process steps to meet DIN EN ISO 9000 quality assur-

ance requirements. Parameters like bath temperature,

current density and electrolyte concentration and also

immersion time and rinsing criteria all affect the quality of the

surface finish. Comprehensive documentation of all produc-

tion cycles is also required, and this can only be achieved with

a seamless flow of information across all levels from the field

level to the control level.

The MELSEC System Q automation platform from Mitsubishi

Electric is the brain of the ERO systems. The modular PLC

system controls all the components – the transport and

metering systems, the rectifiers, the heating, cooling and

ventilation systems, the process water and waste water

treatment systems – via a Profibus DP network and is

connected to the control level with an Ethernet link. The

modular controller systems are custom-configured with the

expansion and special function modules needed for each

system type. Nearly a hundred different I/O, special function

and network modules are available. In addition, Mitsubishi

Electric frequency inverters of the FR-E540 und FR-F740 series

are used for transporting the parts through the electroplating

baths.

ERO’s control systems include special software modules

developed specifically for the needs of electroplating appli-

cations. The eroDAT package manages all process and

production data, eroVIS Pro provides clear process visualisa-

tion support and eroGAL optimises the flows of goods and

materials. Together, these systems ensure full transparency

for all functions and process and production data, from the

source to management. The combination of modular

controller and visualisation technology enables flexible

solutions for all jobbing and manufacturing electroplating

tasks, including both the new systems and modernisation of

existing installations. The advanced modern technology

enables fully-automated production with high throughput

rates and comprehensive quality control.

Mitsubishi Electric is a competent partner that

provides comprehensive technical support, even

in the planning phase. The MELSEC System Q

controller system is powerful and very reliable,

and the GX IEC Developer programming software

package is a user-friendly development tool that

makes PLC programming really enjoyable.

(Thomas Fux, Programmer,

ERO Montage und Anlagenbau GmbH,

Herrnhut, Germany)

Application story /// Application story /// Application story /// Application story