Maximum modularity, minimum effort: How SW fundamentally simplifies machine control!

No cable clutter, full IO-Link power: How the world market leader for CNC centers controls its current generation of machines.

High-end mechanical engineering (CNC & automation)

Profinet & IO-Link via Modular Bus System (MBS)

Drastically reduced wiring effort & predictive maintenance

The challenge: When high-tech meets complexity

Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH (SW) doesn't just build machines – it builds highly complex, multi-spindle CNC machining centers for the automotive industry, aerospace and e-mobility. The challenge for the series production models? Extreme variance. Jede Kundenanforderung ist anders. Every customer requirement is different. Previous wiring of the control panels was complex and error-prone. SW needed a solution that

dradically simplifies wiring.
provides a uniform user interface (look & feel) despite diverse machine configurations.
is future-proof and smart (keyword: Industry 4.0).

The solution: Plug & Play instead of individual wiring

The answer was provided by SCHLEGEL's Modular Bus System (MBS). Instead of wiring buttons individually, SW now relies on a pre-configured Profinet/IO-Link solution.

Intelligence in the button: IO-Link allows operating elements to be not only controlled but also parameterized.
Consistent design: High-quality haptics with integrated button labeling that remains legible even in harsh industrial environments.
Smart features: Dimmable light indicators (night design), integrated operating hours counters and RFID expandability.

The control panel is no longer passive hardware, but an intelligent part of the machine control system.

The result: Process reliability on a new level

The changeover has sustainably transformed production and maintenance at SW:

Efficiency boost: Wiring effort in assembly has dropped significantly. Fewer cables mean fewer sources of error.
Predictive Maintenance: The machine reports itself. Switching states can be monitored via IO-Link and wear parts can be identified before the machine comes to a standstill.
Logistics win: Standardization has enabled SW to significantly slim down its spare parts inventory.

Do you want to achieve similar results?

"The SCHLEGEL product series enables us to create individual control panels with standardized bus interfaces in an attractive design. Thanks to SCHLEGEL's innovative strength – also due to professional cooperation over many years – an outstanding solution for our SW control panels could be developed."

René Hermle

Head of Hardware Development, Schwäbische Werkzeugmaschinen GmbH

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