Siemens, Prima Power Drive Evolution in Auto Industry

The companies look to redefine standards in the 3D manufacturing industry.

A 3D printer from Prima Power.
A 3D printer from Prima Power.
Prima Power

Siemens and Prima Power, a manufacturer of sheet metal working machinery and 3D laser cutting technology, have announced the result of an intensified collaboration that could redefine standards in the automotive manufacturing industry. The collaboration has led to the integration of Siemens' leading numerical control system, SINUMERIK ONE, into the latest model of Prima Power's flagship 3D laser cutting machine, Laser Next.

Laser Next 1530/2130 is the first Prima Power's 3D laser cutting machine on the market to be equipped with Siemens' SINUMERIK ONE. This collaboration leverages Siemens' control and digitalization systems and more tan 40 years of Prima Power's expertise in laser technology for automotive applications and set new benchmarks for productivity, efficiency and integrability in the vehicle manufacturing.

The new version of the 5-axis laser machine Laser Next incorporates state-of-the-art technologies to offer improved dynamic performance and productivity achieved through the flexible and high-performance multicore architecture of SINUMERIK ONE, combined with Prima Power's proprietary algorithms.

Laser Next 1530/2130 equipped with SINUMERIK ONE results are more productive, faster, flexible and more efficient also thanks to integrated SIMATIC S7-1500F PLC controller and Siemens Totally Integrated Automation Portal ecosystem. Laser Next 1530/2130, with SINUMERIK ONE, sets new trends in manufacturing efficiency and sustainability introducing Siemens’ Digital Twin capabilities. The Digital Twin of SINUMERIK ONE, - Create My Virtual Machine -, has been a key element in Prima Power digital transformation helping the Prima Power R&D department to simulate and test workflows in a completely virtual environment. This innovative Digital Twin made it possible to engineer and optimize the machine even before the real-life new Laser Next prototype was made available with significant shortening of the machine's time to market.

The Digital Twin of the machine enables the creation of an accurate digital replica: the entire process is virtualized, eliminating the need for physical machining on the shop floor for certain activities. Furthermore, in SINUMERIK ONE collision avoidance functionalities can be enabled even in complex scenarios, involving cutting machines integrated with robotic solution. Digital Twins address real-world challenges, enhancing business efficiency and safety and fostering sustainability.

The machine’s compatibility and integration capability have also been significantly enhanced. Incorporating the advanced safety features of SINUMERIK ONE allows it to meet global safety standards without the need for additional modules, in fact thanks to the comprehensive integration of the safety functions in the control and drive technology of SINUMERIK Safety Integrated, the system is extremely efficient and flexible. The integration with automation systems is streamlined, thanks to Siemens' availability of comprehensive PLC standard communication protocols. Moreover, compatibility with OPC-UA and MQTT communication protocols meets global market demands for simplified integration of data collection systems, enabling endless solutions for data-driven application development.

Highly integrated security functionalities are a further plus of the new Laser Next model achieved through SINUMERIK ONE, certified in accordance with IEC 62443 and offering a comprehensive protection through the Siemens “Defense in Depth” concept, safeguarding plant, network, and system security.

With “Defense in Depth,” Siemens provides a multilayer security concept that gives machines and plants both all-round and in-depth protection as recommended by the international standard IEC 62443. It is aimed at plant operators, SINUMERIKtors, and component manufacturers alike, and covers all security-related aspects of industrial cybersecurity.

The synergy between Prima Power’s advanced laser technology and Siemens' innovative control & digitalization systems offers automotive manufacturers a powerful solution to level up their production processes. The combined strengths of the SINUMERIK ONE and Laser Next 1530/2130 are set to drive significant advancements in performance, security, and digitalization, making them ideal solutions for the evolution of smart automotive manufacturing.

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