One-stop-shop solution from Siemens

Linking of Geared Motors and Motion Control divisions brings significant benefits for customers

SIEMENS say they have improved their offering to customers by more closely integrating some of their specialist UK divisions.

Andy Hodgson, head of Siemens Drives and Motion Control, said it made operational sense in a highly competitive environment to link Geared Motors with Motion Control, as this allowed Siemens to offer complete design solutions to customers – totally integrated automation (TIA) and integrated drive systems (IDS).

Geared motors are some of the most competitively priced units within the industrial drivetrain, which comprises motors, gearboxes, couplings and controls, and competitors often buy Siemens control systems to use with their own geared motors as they do not manufacture all components themselves.

‘At Siemens, we are able to provide the complete drive system including PLCs, drives and motors, and take away the customer’s concerns about sourcing different components through different manufacturers and then hoping these components will function well together,’ explained Mr Hodgson.

‘We’re removing the gamble from the equation and providing the secure assurance of a properly designed system with all its associated benefits of higher and more reliable performance over a longer time span.’

Reflecting the success of this integrated approach, Siemens have recently won four projects involving the provision of more than 1,000 of their Simogear geared motors plus Simatic controls for a fully automated warehouse conveying system.

In another recent project, Siemens are not only providing the integrated drive systems, but are also providing condition monitoring in an environment where reliability is crucial for guaranteed production. In looking for a supplier who could provide 99.9% uptime, the customer tested three machines fitted with condition monitoring over a three-month period.

The machines were tested for vibration, heat and bearing wear, and all achieved full productivity during this time. However, one machine was identified as having a bearing issue, which was subsequently repaired over a weekend, demonstrating the value that condition monitoring can bring to predictive maintenance.

Meanwhile, Siemens’ Geared Motors division has a new UK business manager, Julie Ferguson, whose role incorporates balancing Siemens’ growing geared-motors business in the UK with the company’s assembly centre for geared motors, based in Leeds.

Ms Ferguson, who has worked for Siemens since 2005 and prior to that was with Flender Power Transmission, brings a total of 27 years’ experience to the job.

Closely involved with integrating Flender into Siemens, her role now includes some support in Europe as well as strategic work aimed at doubling Siemens’ geared-motor business within the next three years.

‘It’s a very exciting time for geared motors, with our new Simogear range providing not only a high-quality stand-alone product, but also the benefits of being fully compatible with all the other Siemens components in the drivetrain. This provides great reassurance to our customers and is already being reflected in the business we are now doing,’ she said.