Cable Substitute in the Cold Running Mill

In cold running mills, heavy loads (e.g. stainless-steel coils) are inter alia transported over long distances within production halls. Vehicles applied for this are automatically controlled, where upon hybrid cables are still used in many cases, providing for energy supply and control (very frequently via PROFIBUS as Fieldbus) of the vehicle.

Cables are often used to to supply the vehicles with power and for data communication. However, this solution has a negative effect with regard to operational safety (cable break), increasingly leading to applying radio technology (Industrial Wireless) as cable substitute: The cable is then only applied for supplying energy while signal transmission is done via radio links set up between vehicle and control unit using wireless modems.

The DATAEAGLE radio module series of Schildknecht AG represents a particularly proven and reliable radio technology for this. About ten years ago, the steel company Aperam Stainless Services & Solutions in Sersheim successfully implemented the modern radio technology as a cable substitute for a distance of more than 100 m: The wireless PROFIBUS signal transmission using DATAEAGLE still runs trouble-free, and also energy supply of the vehicles has become more reliable and cost-effective.