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 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 speedy implementation of customized drive solutions.

The response to ever increasing demands

Modern machines must be built at ever lower cost, but deliver ever 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 industries:

• Packaging machines
• Plastics processing machines
• Textile machines
• Printing machines
• Paper machines
• Woodworking machines
• Hoists and cranes
• Handling and assembly systems
• Machine tools
• Rolling mills
• Test stands
• Machinery associated with renewable energy applications

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 with harmonic, circular motion.

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 rational 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. 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 type 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 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

DC/AC units (Motor Modules) – available in compact booksize, booksize and chassis formats – are characterized by their modular design. All the drive intelligence is organized into Control Units. The Control Units perform all the closed-loop control functions for the drive line-up. They also handle all other drive functions such as the interconnection of drive-related I/Os, positioning functions, and feature PROFIBUS DP or PROFINET as the central interface for linking to higher-level automation systems.

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 and high level of supply compatibility. Motor Modules supply the motors with energy from the DC link.

On AC/AC units, the infeed and motor power supply functions are combined in one device, the Power Module – available in blocksize and chassis formats. For single-axis applications, drive control functions are performed by a special Control Unit (CU310-2) mounted on the Power Module and for multi-axis applications, by a Control Unit (e.g. CU320-2) connected by a DRIVE-CLiQ link. In this case, a Control Unit Adapter is mounted on the Power Module in place of the Control Unit.

SINAMICS S120 blocksize, booksize compact, booksize and chassis formats

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 Control Units in booksize and chassis formats

Example configuration of SINAMICS S120 booksize format

Example configuration of SINAMICS S120 blocksize format

Example configuration of SINAMICS S120, integrated in control cabinet and distributed

SINAMICS S120 can be scaled with respect to performance and technology. In the case of more exacting technological requirements, for example, the SINAMICS S120 Control Unit can be replaced by a drive-based controller for motion control. This is the SINUMERIK 840D sl for machine tools, or the SIMOTION D for production machinery and plant engineering. It is also easy to couple the SINAMICS S120 to a higher-level SIMATIC S7 with integral technology functions.

Scalable motion control functions

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 industries. Tailored to meet individual customer requirements, industry-specific automation solutions can be implemented efficiently on the basis of TIA. Lower life-cycle costs for plant operation and a significant reduction in 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.

PROFINET – for enhanced performance and open IT communication

PROFINET, the standard fieldbus of the TIA system, is supported by all SINAMICS S120 variants. 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.

PROFIBUS

SINAMICS S120 supports PROFIBUS DP. It provides a high-performance, system-wide communication network which links all automation components: HMI, controls, drives and I/O devices.

The components of the SINAMICS S120 drive system