Sercos International, supplier of the Sercos automation bus, is presenting a number of demos during Hannover Fair in Hannover, Germany from April 25-29, in Hall 9, Booth G28. A highlight will be the Hexapod demo from Bosch Rexroth, which is offered as a fundamental motion system (drive- and flight simulator, also simulator for other uses). The system is available in different sizes and varieties (electrical and hydraulic), depending on its usage and load capacity, and with its own Sercos master-based drive. 

This demo will show Sercos as a motion and I/O bus with synchronization capabilities which allow a high performing MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) function. Another highlight will be the Sercos SoftMaster demo, which was developed in cooperation with Bosch Rexroth, ISG Industrielle Steuerungstechnik and Tenasys. This demo will show how the highest speed and hard real-time can be achieved using a standard Ethernet controller. Some renowned companies are already implementing the first projects on the basis of the Sercos III SoftMaster in cooperation with Bosch Rexroth AG.  

In addition, there will be an OPC UA Info Point, where visitors can learn more about the OPC UA Companion Specification for Sercos that was released in November 2015. 

Various parameters of different Sercos III master and slave devices can be extracted and/ or changed, using a Windows 10 based tablet and an OPC UA client application. Sercos specific device and function profiles can thus be made available for one or more OPC UA clients, independent of the product or manufacturer. Data exchange between machine periphery and higher order IT systems will therefore be easier and the requirements of Industry 4.0 regarding semantic interoperability will be supported.  

Another booth highlight is the conceptual approach that simplifies the integration of machinery in manufacturing. True to the motto "Fewer cables, less complexity, easier machine integration," Sercos International developed this approach in collaboration with ODVA and the OPC Foundation. A uniform network infrastructure where Sercos telegrams, CIP messages and TCP/IP telegrams run via a single cable allows mechanical engineers and users to reduce costs and complexity involved in machine integration. At the same time, they are able to keep using their preferred product suppliers and automation devices.