Andernach 12 mars 2025 - Masa is working on a new intelligent plant control system in a promising research and development project. The aim is to achieve a more harmonious production process, reduced wear and improved energy efficiency, thereby increasing the overall productivity of a concrete block and paver making plant. Initial results will be presented at bauma 2025.

The project originated from a bachelor’s thesis by Evelyn Lepp in the Electrical Engineering programme at the University of Applied Sciences Koblenz. The thesis examined the speed profiles of the finger car in a concrete block and paver production plant. Due to the promising results, Masa initiated its own R&D project, which is being further developed by Evelyn Lepp as an engineer. The aim is to optimise the control concept to reduce downtime and improve the motion profile.

Steps to the new concept

The path to the new control concept comprises several steps with currently different stages of development:

The jerk-limited motion profile as the key to intelligent plant control
The new concept is based on a jerk-limited motion profile. The aim of a jerk-limited motion profile is to make the movement of the system as smooth as possible. Abrupt changes in speed are avoided by limiting the jerk during acceleration and braking.

Adaptive speed adjustment/ECO mode
The next step in the new control concept is the development of an algorithm for adaptive speed adjustment for the finger car. To determine the optimum speed of a system, a balance must be struck between various factors. The next step in the new concept is therefore to adaptively adjust the speed of the finger car. However, the control system now also differentiates between two scenarios: At high-capacity utilisation, when the finger car has to process many orders in a short time, the control system runs at the maximum permissible speed to ensure the production flow. In contrast, when the workload is lower, the control system does not simply reduce the speed. Instead, in ECO mode, the calculated optimum drive speed is considered, and downtimes are accepted in order to achieve greater efficiency.

Tests
The intelligent plant control concept has already been tested using simulations and compared with the previous control concept. A further load test under real conditions on a finger car in a customer plant is currently being prepared. In the future, other components will also be included in the intelligent plant control system. For this reason, the Masa team also carried out live tests on a cubing device. Here too, the results were extremely promising.

Prospects

Among other things, Masa engineers are currently working on transferring the new concept to other areas of the entire plant. The aim is to realise the advantages already achieved with the finger car there as well. Another approach is the visualisation of energy consumption within a production plant.

Masa will present the initial results of this R&D project at bauma 2025.

bauma 2025 – The Masa team looks forward to seeing you!

Visit us!
07–13 April 2025, Munich
Messe München, Hall B1.347