Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. Supports Customer’s Transition from Mechanical to Digital Achieve Flexibility and Variability

ARL Service turned to Shaltz Automation and Mitsubishi Electric Automation for support in replacing metal cams with digital cams in a newly acquired grinding machine.

VERNON HILLS, Ill. – March 20, 2024

Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. and Shaltz Automation supported a custom machinery company, ARL Service, in an aspiration that was deemed “crazy” to consider – replacing physical cams with digital cams for a machine that grinds carbide inserts. The metal cams were produced based on specific requirements from a third party, resulting in a time delay that affected production. Setup was laborious, so changeovers were few and far between.

The new system included Mitsubishi Electric automation components, including FX5 PLC, MR-J4 servos and amplifiers, simple motion modules, GOT2000 Series HMI, and FR-E800 VFD. The combination of these solutions, along with digital controls and software, resulted in a system that could replace the physical cams. The solution allows ARL Service to quickly generate new, virtual cams since everything on the machine is programmable and variable. Since the system is digital, services such as diagnosis, repairs, and upgrades can be performed through the Internet for new machines.

“We were amazed that with each machine, we kept finding out just how much more these digital controls could do. So, each new machine is better than the one before,” said Al Lewellen, Owner of ARL Service, “When it got down to the real nitty-gritty, the support from Mitsubishi Electric was fantastic.”

For more information about this customer success story, please visit Case Study – ARL.

— About Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc.

Headquartered in Vernon Hills, Ill., Mitsubishi Electric Automation, Inc. is a U.S. affiliate company of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. It offers a broad product portfolio including programmable automation controllers (PAC), programmable logic controllers (PLC), human machine interfaces (HMI), variable frequency drives (VFD), servo amplifiers and motors, control software, computerized numerical controllers (CNC), motion controllers, robots and low-voltage power distribution products. Additional information about Mitsubishi Electric Automation is available at us.mitsubishielectric.com/fa/en/.

— Media Contact