SINAMICS120  - Delivering High Performance

Flexibility for successful machine concepts

As part of the SINAMICS drive family, the SINAMICS S120 drive is a modular system for high-performance applications in machine construction and plant engineering. SINAMICS S120 offers high-performance single-axis and multi-axis drives for a very broad range of industrial applications. By virtue of its scalability and flexibility, SINAMICS S120 is the ideal system for satisfying the ever increasing demand for more axes and better performance. SINAMICS S120 supports flexible machine designs and faster implementation of customized drive solutions.

The response to ever increasing demands

Modern machines must be built at ever lower cost, but devliver greater productivity. The SINAMICS S120 drive concept meets both these challenges! It is easy to configure and thus helps to reduce project completion times. Its excellent dynamic response and accuracy permit higher cycle rates for maximum productivity.

Applications in machine and plant engineering

Regardless of whether the application involves continuous material webs or cyclic, highly dynamic processes - SINAMICS S120 means increased machine performance in many sectors:

• Packaging machines
• Plastics processing machines
• Textile machines
• Printing machines
• Paper machines
• Hoisting equipment
• Handling and assembly systems
• Machine tools
• Rolling mills
• Test stands

Modularity for mechanical engineering

SINAMICS S120 is designed to allow free combination of power and control performance. Multi-axis drives with higher-level motion control can be implemented with the SINAMICS S120 modular system as easily as single-drive solutions.

Greater flexibility with central control intelligence

On the SINAMICS S120, the drive intelligence is combined with closed-loop control functions into Control Units.

These units are capable of controlling drives in Vector, Servo and V/f modes. They also perform the speed and torque control functions plus other intelligent drive functions for all axes on the drive.

Free performance selection for Vector and Servo control modes

The use of a SINAMICS S120 Vector control is recommended for drive solutions with continuous material webs, for example, wire-drawing machines, film and paper machines, as well as for hoisting gear, centrifuges and marine drives.

Servo control with SINAMICS S120 is employed for cyclic processes with precise, highly dynamic position control and servo motors, e.g. in textile, packaging, printing machines and machine tools.

SINAMICS S120 - functions for better efficiency

• Basic functions: Speed control, torque control, positioning functions
• Intelligent starting functions for independent restart after power supply interruption
• BICO technology with interconnection of drive-related I/Os for easy adaptation of the drive system to its operating environment
• Integrated safety functions for realizing the implementation of safety concepts
• Regulated infeed/regenerative feedback functions for preventing undesirable reactions on the supply, allowing recovery of braking energy and ensuring greater stability against line fluctuations.

DRIVE-CLiQ - the digital interface between all components

All SINAMICS S120 components, including the motors and encoders, are interconnected by a shared serial interface called DRIVE‑CLiQ. DRIVE-CLiQ forms the backplane for the complete drive system. The standardized cables and connectors reduce the variety of different parts and cut storage costs. Converter boards (Sensor Modules) for converting standard encoder signals to DRIVE‑CLiQ are available for third-party motors or retrofit applications.

Swift and automatic: The electronic rating plate

An important digital linkage element of the SINAMICS S120 drive system are the electronic rating plates integrated in every component. They allow all drive components to be detected automatically via a DRIVE-CLiQ link. As a result, data do not need to be entered manually during commissioning or component replacement - helping to ensure that drives are commissioned quickly and successfully! The electronic rating plates of the motors contain, for example, the parameters of the electrical equivalent circuit diagram and the characteristic data of the built-in motor encoder in addition to information such as order and identification numbers.

Modular design ensures flexibility and scalability

The multi-axis design, also referred to as common DC bus, is very modular with a power offering of Line Modules and Motor Modules - both available in booksize compact, booksize and chassis formats. Line Modules function as the central energy supply to the voltage-source DC link. Line Modules are optionally available with regulated infeed/regenerative feedback to provide a constant DC link voltage. Motor Modules (DC/AC units) supply the motors with energy from the DC link. All the drive intelligence is organized into Control Units. The control units perform all the closed-loop control functions for the drive grouping. They also handle all other drive functions such as the interconnection of drive related I/O's, positioning functions, etc. and feature PROFIBUS DP or PROFINET as the central interface for linking to higher level automation systems.

On single axis units, also referred to as AC drives, the rectifier and inverter power section are contained in one device, the Power Module - available in blocksize and chassis formats. For single axis applications, drive control functions are performed by a single axis Control Unit (e.g. CU310) mounted on to the Power Module. This separation of power and intelligence allows for maximum flexibility and scalability. Integration into multi-axis applications is easily accomplished by connecting a DRIVE-CLiQ link to a multi-axis Control Unit (e.g. CU320). This is accomplished by mounting a CU adapter (CUA31) on a block size Power Module in place of the single axis Control Unit.

Together this integrated line offers the most optimal drive solution for any application servo or vector.

All formats can be combined as required

The different SINAMICS S120 formats can be combined freely thanks to their DRIVE-CLiQ interfaces, e.g. Line Modules in chassis format can be freely combined with Motor Modules in booksize format for multi-axis applications with high total output.

SINAMICS S120 and SIMOTION - the perfect team

Modern machines must be capable of handling ever more complex Motion Control tasks and perform them with increasing accuracy and speed. In regards to this requirement, the SIMOTION Motion Control System and high-performance SINAMICS S120 drive system form a perfect team. The SIMOTION D variant, which is physically integrated in the SINAMICS S120 drive, is the ideal solution for machines with a large number of axes and stringent precision requirements. This distributed automation structure allows the machine to be segmented into various axis groupings, with each grouping controlled by a separate SIMOTION Motion Control System. The SIMOTION systems communicate either via PROFIBUS DP or PROFINET. Another important aspect: The compact machine design thanks to the distributed automation structure and a Control Unit directly in the drive.

Totally Integrated Automation - the unique automation platform

With Totally Integrated Automation (TIA), Siemens is the only single-source provider to offer an integrated spectrum of products and systems for all sectors. Tailored to meet individual customer requirements, sector-specific automation solutions can be implemented efficiently on the basis of TIA. Lower life-cycle costs for plant operation and a significant reduction in the time to market result in a marked improvement in productivity and greater investment security.

Easy - Totally Integrated Automation with SINAMICS S120

Apart from SIMATIC, SIMOTION and SINUMERIK, SINAMICS is also one of the core components of TIA. The STARTER commissioning tool is therefore an integral element of the TIA platform. It is thus possible to parameterize, program and commission all components in the automation system using a standardized engineering platform and without any gaps. The system-wide data management functions ensure consistent data and simplify archiving of the entire plant project.

PROFIBUS - the No. 1 fieldbus

PROFIBUS DP, the standard fieldbus of the TIA system, is supported by all SINAMICS S120 variants. It provides a high-performance, system-wide communication network which links all automation components: HMI, controls, drives and I/O devices.

PROFINET - for enhanced performance and open IT communication

SINAMICS S120 is also available with a PROFINET interface. This Ethernet-based bus enables control data to be exchanged at high speed via PROFINET IO with IRT or RT and makes SINAMICS S120 a suitable choice for integration in top-performance multi-axis applications.

At the same time, PROFINET also uses standard IT mechanisms (TCP/IP) to transport information, e.g. operating and diagnostic data, to higher-level systems. A SINAMICS S120 with this interface can thus easily be integrated into factory IT networks.

The components of the SINAMICS S120 drive system

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Some pictures and information on this website are Used with permission of Siemens Australia.