WCA May 2010

and

RFID-assisted braiding

Niehoff’s BMV series (12, 16 and 24-carrier) lever arm rotary braiding machines are designed to process bare or coated copper wire, aluminium wire and stainless steel wire with a single-wire diameter ranging from 0.05mm to 0.3mm (44– 28 AWG) as well as artificial yarn and fibres. These braiders are used for a multitude of different applications including the manufacture of data, control and coaxial cables, hollow braids for battery cables, stranded braids, and mechanical reinforcements for pressure hoses and medical catheters. The BMV braiders feature a functionally optimised design, equipped with energy saving drives, energy-optimised components and new spool carriers made of precision-

machined high-grade aluminium. The machines meet the current safety regulations of the machinery directive RL2006/42/EG and fea- ture an infinitely variable electronic control of line speed and braiding pitch as well as an automatic central lubrication system. Optionally, an automatic empty bobbin detection system can be integrated in the machine. This

accurate detection system stops the machine before a braiding bobbin is completely empty, while minimising the residual wire on the braiding bobbin. The BMV machines can be combined with either longitudinal or central taping devices for tape application to the braided cable.

BMV type braiding machine ❍

A recent development from Niehoff and its partners is a radio frequency identification (RFID) based braiding bobbin management system that simplifies bobbin tracking logistics. It consists of bobbins marked with an RFID transponder, a read/write system integrated into the automatic wire winding machine (for example, the automatic winding machine of Niehoff’s DSA series) and a mobile reading device, and can be connected to a production data acquisition (PDA) system with a manufacturing execution system (MES). The RFID transponders carry production data. They have a higher data storage capacity, thus more information, than traditional barcode systems and cannot be erased or rendered illegible. The stored data is secure as the RFID transponder is insensitive to conventional pollutants. The new RFID system enables decentralised data storage beyond factory boundaries, tracking of individual bobbins and data documentation. When further processing the bobbins, a machine operator can compare the bobbin data with the production order log and identify whether or not a bobbin is suitable for the production process.

Maschinenfabrik Niehoff GmbH & Co KG – Germany Fax : +49 9122 977 155 Email : info@niehoff.de Website : www.niehoff.de

Braiding spool with RFID transponder ❍

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Wire & Cable ASIA – May/June 2010