Training – the key for automation

Automation is comprised of a collection of technological elements that have brought various benefits to the industry, making it key to improving the efficiency of production processes. This is not just achieved through machinery, but also through a qualified human team that decides which machines to use and how to do it.

For this, it is essential for technicians to have an in-depth knowledge of the equipment’s hardware and software in order to adapt to the needs of each production centre and to quickly detect and solve any problem. Due to the sector’s continuous and rapid evolution, providing technicians with specific, top-quality training like that offered by itsme ELEKTRES has become imperative.

Saplex case study

Saplex is a company with over 40 years’ experience in the production of flexible plastic products. With more than 50% of the market share, it is a leader in its sector and has a current workforce of 128. Its facilities, measuring 11,000 m2 and situated in Canovelles (Barcelona), are equipped with the most advanced machinery and have a production capacity of 28,000 tonnes a year. Here, the raw material is transformed into coils, which are subsequently put together in different production stages.

They recently incorporated new machines into the food section where zip-closing freezer bags are produced. Unlike the rest of the plant’s machinery, this new equipment came with a Siemens automation and movement control system (comprised of PLC and HMI programming, frequency controllers and servo drives), unknown to the Saplex technicians until now. “We saw the need to carry out training before starting to work with them”, explain Eduardo Valor and Javier Moreno, technicians from Saplex’s modifications and upgrades department - the department charged with new equipment, assembly and the continuous improvement of the process.
 

On-site training days led by itsme ELEKTRES

Saplex entrusted itsme ELEKTRES (Spanish member of the itsme group) to provide technical training on the new equipment. As well as being able to transfer specific knowledge, itsme ELEKTRES also offered Saplex advice on how best to organise the training programme. The idea was to give training on the company’s premises in Canovelles. For a few days, a trainer from itsme’s technical team went there with all the equipment necessary to deliver useful and practical training. “It worked really well for us because that way we didn’t have to move”, the technicians pointed out.
 

“The itsme ELEKTRES trainer brought along all the equipment to practise the skills acquired”

Each training day was divided into an initial theoretical part and then a practical part in which the technicians were provided with the skills required to carry out diagnostic and maintenance procedures on the PLC Siemens systems, the G120 frequency controllers and the S120 servo drives, as well setting up practical exercises for the technicians to practise. For these exercises, itsme ELEKTRES provided the participants with practice racks with PLC SIMATIC S7-1200/1500, ET200, HMI, S120 servo drives and G120 frequency controllers, training models and laptops.

“During training we came across a part of Siemens programming that we hadn’t seen before”, Eduardo explains, who adds that he already had some experience using previous platforms, but that he didn’t know how the TIA Portal worked. “The problem with programming – both PLC programming and frequency controllers – is that one brand can be completely different from the next”, he points out. Until now, all of Saplex’s automation has been through Omron, whilst regarding machinery, it has worked with different brands such as Allen Bradley and Lenze.

Therefore, the Saplex technicians needed to acquire the necessary skills to repair, modify and adjust the new machines. “This knowledge makes us independent and also saves us time and costs”, they explain, whilst offering a practical example: “We had a machine breakdown and thanks to the knowledge we gained during training we could perform an accurate diagnosis and quickly fix it”.

As well as helping them reduce the duration of unscheduled breakdowns, training with itsme ELEKTRES has also allowed them to make changes to adapt the machines to their needs and make them more efficient. “When you start to work with series machines you gradually notice possible improvements and aspects that could be adapted more to our way of working. After the training, we are now in a position to be able to make these modifications”, they explain. In this case, for example, with the knowledge acquired they have been able to personalise messages and buttons on the touch screens for this production line.
 

“Training allowed Saplex’s technicians to reduce the duration of unscheduled breakdowns”

After the training days, Saplex’s technicians have continued to use the help of itsme ELEKTRES to solve any problems that have emerged later.
 

The importance of continuous training

Saplex is a company that really values continuous training and its workers have several training sessions throughout the year. “Training is always good, especially in this sector, we must keep on learning and refreshing our knowledge”, the technicians explain, “as this knowledge allows us to undertake improvements that produce more and to a higher standard”.

They will entrust future training sessions to itsme ELEKTRES, with whom they also have a supplier relationship. “If we were to put on another automation training session then we would choose itsme ELEKTRES because it has been a very positive experience”, they conclude.

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