Switch from S5 to SPEED7 in less than an hour

Existing control technology at the performance limit

Die Deutschen Edelstahlwerke GmbH, a leading manufacturer of long stainless steel products and one of the largest tool steel manufacturers, is considered one of the most modern companies in the industry. DEW has demonstrated this by, among other things, being presented with the German Environmental Award. Especially here, where billets weighing several tons are brought into shape with massive rollers in furnaces at temperatures more than 1000°C, energy efficiency plays a crucial role. The flow of material needs to be regulated, and parameters, such as gas or air consumption, monitored and controlled in these ovens. The previously installed S5 controllers increasingly reached their limits. The connection of the control systems in high-level systems such as energy controlling was no longer possible with the existing hardware in a simple way. Also, without modernizing the control technology, the control system could not meet the quality requirements of the aviation and aerospace industry.

Gradual modernization

The VIPA IM 306 interface modules were the perfect solution. They made it possible to exchange just the S5 CPU instead of the complete control system. Together with our SPEED7 CPU 315SN/NET, the old S5 controller became an S7 controller that could now easily communicate via Ethernet with the higher-level system without any problems and fulfilled cycle time and memory size requirements. The S5 I/O components and the wiring of the signal modules were able to remain in place. According to Ibrahim Agpolat, whose responsible for process technology at the Witten plant, the conversion itself took less than an hour. Since most S5 spare parts, no longer manufactured, were still in stock at DEW, there was enough time for converting the peripherals to new systems.

SPEED7 standard moving into all production areas

This positive experience has led DEW to use time during planned downtimes to complete the conversion of the controls to the new technology. The continuous change in technology without much time pressure and within budget suits the intentions of DEW very well.