With the functionality and complexity of ATG automatic tire grading machines, the number of product/customer-specific adaptations has grown – and with it the variety of mechanical and electrical/electronic components and machine variants. This variety was to be reduced and the design modularized and standardized, thereby further increasing the benefits not only for users, but also for the company's own engineering, internal and external production, commissioning engineers, and service departments. 

Evolution of the ATG-Evo automatic tire grading machines. In order to minimize variant diversity and product variance, Hofmann opted for Siemens in the field of automation and drives. Including power supply, distributed I/O, RFID, network engineering, and industrial controls. Together with drive specialists, an integrated, standardized concept was developed, covering the entire process from the infeed to the quality diverter at the outfeed. Also on the software side: All motion control functions are implemented in the central SIMATIC PLC using standardized PLCopen modules. High-performance SINAMICS drive technology from Siemens is an efficiency driver and the new standard, reduced to just a few variants and perfectly tailored to all tasks from conveying to motion control: SINAMICS G115D WM, SINAMICS S120/SIMOTICS S servo motors, SINAMICS S120M distributed servo drive system. A SIMATIC S7-1500F, a SIMATIC Box PC, and an HMI solution with SIMATIC WinCC Unified round off the package. Siemens provided support with the automation concept, drive design, and first commissioning.