Gaining a Competitive Edge with Functionally Integrated Components

A new generation compact valve manifold with IO, top center, brings valves closer to grippers, creating higher performance and lowering weight on this end-of-arm tool. (Image: Harris Hill Automation)

Machine builders are under intense pressure to keep engineering time in line with shorter delivery schedules and materials, assembly, and inventory cost considerations. Machine builders are also striving to make equipment smaller, lighter, higher-performing and easier for their customers to maintain. While functionally integrated products have been available for a long time, they are more vital today than ever for machine builders and end users to improve processes and products. And there are more options available to provide solutions.

What is Functional Integration?

This Festo metal VTSA valve manifold replaced individual components and saved the OEM 14 hours of labor to purchase and install this system compared to a system constructed of multiple parts. (Image: Festo)

Functional integration brings different forms of machine operation together into a single solution, as opposed to relying on independent solutions for each function. Consider, for example, a portion of a machine that requires multiple tasks: connecting several digital sensors, controlling a light stack, actuating several pneumatic cylinders, and controlling the vacuum generation for a set of suction cups, all connected to the Ethernet fieldbus of the main PLC. These separate functions could all be handled by independent solutions with one or more automation components assigned to each function. Or these separate functions could all be handled by a single solution, one automation component that integrates all the functions.

Case Study: Examining Time Saving in Functional Integration

Festo analyzed the process an OEM used to design, order, commission, and start up a valve manifold as opposed to the individual components they had previously specified and were familiar with. The project involved control of an automated fuel cells manufacturing system where the manifold would control and regulate various clamping and transfer cylinders, a press, suction unit, and compressed air motors.

The valve manifold featured the following integrated functions from left to right: 1. fieldbus interface, 2. sensor input, 3. safety component, 4. soft start/quick exhaust safety valve, 5. valve with pressure regulator, pressure gauge, and exhaust air flow control, and 6. valves with pressure shut off plates. This unit is IP65/67 rated for on-machine-mounting, which opened space in the control cabinet.

Table 1. A timed comparison between a functionally integrated valve manifold and applying individual components.

At the end of the project, Festo documented a 14-hour time savings from using one functionally integrated valve manifold versus individual products (Table 1).

While the case study focused on time savings, there are other benefits of functional integration. An automotive industry customer reduced machine size, streamlined installation, and made trouble shooting and maintenance easier by replacing 20 independent sensors, valves, cables, and sections of tubing on one of its machines with a functionally integrated valve manifold.

Anticipated savings will vary by industry and machine. “Functionally integrated valve terminals save approximately 30 percent of specifying, design, and ordering time for an average workstation, versus discrete valves,” said Jon Osborn, Engineer, Machine & Automation, STIHL, Inc. “Integrated valve terminals also save time during wiring.”

What does Osborn want to know about a multifunctional component before purchase? “Determining the interface protocol and availability of documentation and 3D models are important,” he said. “Ease of use; for example, can the device position in a daisy chain change without causing addressing changes? Our team must understand what diagnostic features are available. Ease of service when needed and availability of spare parts are also important considerations.”

Bryant Law, Controls Engineer for a global industrial automation company, said, “If implemented well and is a fit for the application, multifunctional products offer a great benefit. As a controls engineer, the main things I care about is whether the “functionally integrated” component can perform the tasks and be controlled in the way I need for the application. Price, documentation, and customer support are vital in my decision making. I am seeing more of it, for example, there is a lot of IO-Link being used to add more functional integration to sensors and actuators.”

Examples of functionally integrated components include:

Valve manifolds
Servo drive/motor components
Servo drive/motor/actuator components
Servo drives with integrated safety
PLCs with integrated safety
Controlled pneumatics products based on piezoelectric valves integrated with sensors and control algorithms for closed loop proportional pressure and flow control
Components with multiprotocol fieldbus capabilities
An integrated design to delivery process

Harris Hill Automation: Insights into the Importance of Functional Integration

Harris Hill Automation, Poland, ME, is a 100 percent Veteran-owned company founded in 2020. Since its inception, Harris Hill has successfully delivered turnkey automation projects and support service visits across diverse industries, including manufacturing, life sciences, automotive, military/defense, and food processing.

XZ axes, top, integrated functionality from design to drop-in ready subassembly of this case packing machine. The compact valve manifold with I/O, center, reduces weight on the end-of-arm tool. (Image: CODI Manufacturing)

Harris Hill Automation Founder and President Bill Gagne, who has 30 years of automation experience, commented on the importance of function integration. “Deploying functionally integrated components offers multiple advantages, including reduced design and commissioning time, lower material costs due to fewer individual cables, and enhanced long-term reliability for customers by minimizing the number of electrical connections.”

In terms of what his team looks for in functionally integrated components, Gagne provided an interesting take on the subject, which not only included the functions within the component but emphasized the total vendor ecosystem.

“We prioritize product reliability, ease of use, cost, and availability,” he said. “The vendor should also provide easy access to product specifications, training and commissioning documentation, and expedited support for any potential issues.”

Function integration implies shrinking the supplier base and perhaps raises concerns about supply chain robustness as one component does the work previously done by many. Is supply chain consolidation a concern?

“Functionally integrated components reduce the number of individual part numbers on the bill of materials, streamline administrative and documentation efforts, and minimize risk during procurement,” Gagne said. “Additionally, they provide long-term benefits for the end customer by simplifying replacement part management. I feel these benefits outweigh any supply chain risk of multi-source, multi-branded solutions.”

What trends does Gagne see in multi-functional components? “The increasing availability of products with multi-protocol support is benefiting operations for both suppliers and customers,” he said. “For suppliers, it reduces the total number of part numbers in the catalog, while for machine builders and end customers, it simplifies the selection process. We’ve seen this directly improve our position, particularly during upgrade projects or PLC brand transitions.”

CODI Manufacturing: Insights into Functional Integration

A functionally integrated family of servo drives/motors/actuators decreases specification time, lowers the number of accessories, simplifies assembly, and reduces space. (Image: Festo)

For more than 30 years, CODI Manufacturing, Littleton, CO, has been providing packaging solutions to the beverage manufacturing, filling, and conveying industries. From its beginnings in a 5,000 sq. ft. rented warehouse to its current 100,000 sq. ft. facility, CODI has provided innovative automated solutions to its global customer base.

“We find that functionally integrated components reduce engineering time,” said Matt Wetterlin, Controls Manager, CODI Manufacturing. “It’s vital to have a trusted vendor because we know the products are going to be quality and do what we need them to do.”

CODI used the engineering tool Handling Guide Online to unify configuration through the delivery of multi-axis systems. (Image: Festo)

CODI takes an expanded view of function integration. “We frequently use our vendor’s online engineering tool to configure XZ axes handling systems,” Wetterlin said. “This saves lots of mechanical design time because all the details are handled via software. Not only are the motors, gearboxes, and actuators sized for the application parameters we input, but also parts such as motor brakes, limit sensors, e-chains, and cable routing are all identified and included in the bill of materials. The system also includes the 3D model. We receive delivery of a fully built subassembly. It’s an incredible benefit as time to market continues to shrink. It’s a competitive advantage.”

What does Wetterlin look for in functionally integrated products? “We look at our system and ask where product consolidation could help us make the machine better,” Wetterlin said. “This usually entails discussions with our automation vendor for which product will fill this need. We are also looking for good documentation, instruction manuals, components that can be easily configured, 3D CAD models availability, and reasonable delivery times.”

This proportional valve terminal, the VTEP, integrates piezoelectric cartridges/sensors/control algorithms in each valve. The VTEP provides closed-loop control of moderate air flow on up to 10 channels and measures less than five inches wide. (Image: Festo)

What trends does he see for functional integration? “In my opinion, for the sake of design, installation, and commissioning, if a single device with a single fieldbus can take the place of multiple devices or combine multiple fieldbus devices into one single point, that’s what I’m looking for,” Wetterlin said. “I know that our vendor does a great job at combining components, while not sacrificing modularity.

“I encourage OEMs and end users to explore new solutions that integrate more functionality into each device to reduce design, installation, and commissioning time.”

This article was written by Eric Rice, Product Market Manager – Motion Control and I/O, Festo (Islandia, NY). For more information, visit here .