Siemens donates equipment to Georgia Tech
Siemens has made in-kind donations of automation and motion control technologies to the Georgia Institute of Technology Foundation for two research projects. These donations, sponsored by the Siemens Automation Cooperates with Education (SCE) program, were given for the development of the Aerospace Manufacturing Lab and the Cherry Picker Crane Project, which are driven through the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Research Center (MARC).
“We are pleased to support these Georgia Tech projects because industrial innovation is the key to a manufacturing renaissance in the United States,” said Raj Batra, president of the Industry Automation division at Siemens Industry, Inc. “The combination of Georgia Tech’s applied research and Siemens practical automation experience in plants and facilities all over the world is a powerful combination.”
The donation to the Aerospace Manufacturing Lab is made in conjunction with a research agreement between Georgia Tech and the Boeing Company to investigate and develop innovative manufacturing technologies for potential application in aerospace products. The donation from Siemens is valued at $102,667 and includes Simatic S7 embedded controllers, Simotion controllers with Servo motors, Sinamics variable frequency drives, Scalance industrial networks and wireless mobile panels.
The lab consists of a staging area used to transport parts via an omni-directional mobile platform or overhead crane system with three trolleys, two of which can be used for tandem lifting, with a third incorporating a telescoping z-axis for precision part location and machining. These devices will move via an integrated motion control system, the parts of which were donated by Siemens.
“We are excited to use the equipment given by Siemens to explore design concepts for a ‘factory of the future,’” said Dr. Steven Danyluk, MARC department chairman. “This work could not be accomplished without this donation, and we look forward to closer cooperation between our two organizations.”
The Cherry Picker project is part of Georgia Tech’s Crane Control Research within the Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. Led by Dr. William Singhose the project includes exchange students from Zurich and has been a long-standing program sponsored by Siemens and the SCE program. Valued at $44,732, the donation includes Simatic S7-300 programmable controllers, Simatic operator panels, Sinamics variable frequency drives and Scalance industrial networks.
“Cherry pickers are an important class of machines that transport humans to high heights,” Mr. Singhose said. “With this donation from Siemens we can further our understanding of the dynamics and stability of the machines, which is crucial for efficient and safe operation.”
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