Configuring Siemens MM440 Drives for Winding Machine

1. Winding Machine Drive Architecture Overview

A two-axis winding machine uses a spooler (capstan or take-up reel) that sets the line speed, and a traverse carriage that distributes the material across the width of the spool. Both axes must move in strict proportion; any mismatch shows up immediately as a stretched, slack, or telescoped lay pattern. On a legacy machine with mechanical reversing, the traverse drive must accelerate, decelerate, and reverse at the end of every stroke while remaining perfectly synchronous with the line speed. This is the application for which the Siemens MM440 (MicroMaster 440) wobble generator and analog-trimmed speed follower were designed.

For a typical rebuild, the spooler is driven by a 7.5 kW MM440 (6SE6440-2UD37-5FA1 frame size C, 400 V class) and the traverse is driven by a 0.75 kW MM440 (6SE6440-2UD08-7FA1 frame size A). The two drives are linked by a single 0-10 V analog wire; no external PLC is required when both drives have hardwired terminal control and a BOP or AOP is available for commissioning.

The synchronization rule is straightforward: the master (spooler) controls the line speed; the follower (traverse) reads the master's actual output frequency through an analog channel and tracks it. Because the follower reads an actual output value rather than a setpoint, the follower stays locked to whatever the master is physically doing, including during ramp-up, ramp-down, load transients, and stall recovery.

2. Hardware Prerequisites and Drive Configuration

Confirm the following before applying power. The MM440 must have the matching 400 V 3-phase supply, the correct motor data entered, and the correct firmware variant for the wobble function.

Verify the MM440 firmware version on the follower using BOP navigation: P0003 = 3 (expert), then P0010 = 0, then r0018 shows the firmware version (e.g., 3.2.10.0). Wobble parameters P2940-P2949 are masked out on older firmware revisions; if r0018 < 3.2, perform a firmware update via the PC-based DriveMonitor tool or the AOP before commissioning the wobble function.

3. Master Drive (Spooler) Configuration

The spooler is the speed reference authority. Set it up first, verify open-loop speed control, then wire its actual frequency to the follower.

3.1 Quick Commissioning

1. Set P0003 = 1 for standard access, then P0010 = 1 to enter quick commissioning.
2. Enter motor data from the nameplate: P0304 (rated voltage, V), P0305 (rated current, A), P0307 (rated power, kW), P0310 (rated frequency, Hz), P0311 (rated speed, rpm). Run P0340 = 1 for automatic motor data calculation.
3. Set P0700 = 2 (command source = terminal strip). Wire DIN1 to ON/OFF1, DIN2 to reverse (if required), DIN3 to fault reset.
4. Set P1000 = 2 (setpoint source = analog input 1, AI1).
5. Configure AI1: P0756[0] = 0 (0-10 V unipolar), P0757[0] = 0, P0758[0] = 0%, P0759[0] = 100%, P0760[0] = 0 V (no deadband).
6. Set reference and limits: P2000 = 50 Hz (reference frequency for 100% analog), P1080 = 5 Hz (minimum), P1081 = 55 Hz (maximum).
7. Set control mode: P1300 = 0 (V/f linear) for simple V-belt drives, or P1300 = 20 (sensorless vector) for tension-critical applications where 0.5% speed accuracy is required at low speeds.
8. Set ramps: P1120 = 5.0 s (ramp-up), P1121 = 5.0 s (ramp-down). The follower's ramps will be set shorter; the spooler ramps are the master reference.
9. Set P0010 = 0 to exit commissioning and P0970 = 1 to save to EEPROM.

3.2 Verify the Master Before Linking

With the follower disconnected, run the master open-loop. Monitor r0021 (smoothed actual frequency) and r0024 (output frequency with slip) on the BOP. Command 5 Hz, 25 Hz, 50 Hz from a hand-held potentiometer on AI1; confirm the motor reaches commanded speed within the ramp time and that r0022 matches the command within ±0.1 Hz at steady state.

Now configure the analog output that will drive the follower.

4. Analog Output Wiring and Scaling (P0771 Family)

The MM440 has two analog outputs (AO1 on terminals 12/13 and AO2 on terminals 26/27) and one optional third output on the encoder interface board. For a single-wire master-to-follower link, AO1 is sufficient.

The relationship is:

AO1 (V) = 10 × (r0022 - P0777_scaled) / (P0778_scaled - P0777_scaled)

With P0777 = 0 V at -100% and P0778 = 10 V at +100%, the analog output spans -10 V to +10 V. To get a unipolar 0-10 V output that tracks 0 Hz to 50 Hz linearly, scale the converter so r0022 = 0 Hz → 0 V and r0022 = 50 Hz → 10 V. This is done by setting P0777[0] = 0.0 V mapped to -50 Hz equivalent and P0778[0] = 10.0 V mapped to +50 Hz equivalent, then accepting the symmetric bipolar output. If the follower accepts bipolar input this is fine. For a strictly unipolar output, set P0778[0] = 5.0 and remap the scale start to 0% via P0880 bias, or use AO2 with P0780[0] = 1 (invert) plus a 50% offset.

5. Follower Drive (Traverse) Configuration

The follower is a slave speed controller that reads AI1 as its sole setpoint source. It must NOT have its own setpoint potentiometer, keypad speed adjust, or fixed frequency enabled.

5.1 Command and Setpoint

5.2 Analog Input Calibration

The follower's AI1 must be calibrated so that 0 V → 0 Hz and 10 V → 50 Hz. The factory defaults for the MM440 unipolar input are P0756[0] = 0 (0-10 V), P0757[0] = 0, P0758[0] = 0%, P0759[0] = 100%, P0760[0] = 0 V. The scaling is referenced to P2000. If a small bias appears (e.g., AI1 reads 0.05 V at the master output when both drives are at 0 Hz), set P0760[0] = 0.05 to deadband it out.

For 4-20 mA signaling with a 500 Ω burden, set P0756[0] = 2 (4-20 mA), P0757[0] = 4 (mA at 0%), P0758[0] = 0%, P0759[0] = 100%.

5.3 Control Mode for the Traverse Drive

The traverse drive must respond to the master's analog signal with low latency. Set P1300 = 20 (sensorless vector control) on the follower for 0.5% speed accuracy and 50 ms response time, or P1300 = 0 (V/f linear) if the lead-screw load has very low inertia. For servo-class traverse systems (< 5 ms response), fit the MM440 with the optional encoder feedback module (6SE6400-0EN00-0AA0) and use P1300 = 21 (vector with encoder).

6. Ramp Time Matching for Synchronous Response

During a setpoint change, the master accelerates along its ramp (P1120/P1121). The follower receives the master's instantaneous output frequency and must track it without lag. If the follower's ramps are equal to or longer than the master's, the follower will be late at every transition, producing a momentary slack or tension spike that shows as a thickened region in the wound coil.

Rule of thumb: Follower ramp-up time ≤ 0.5 × Master ramp-up time, and follower ramp-down time ≤ 0.5 × Master ramp-down time. For the example build:

The rounding times (P1130-P1133) soften the S-curve of the ramp function generator. Keep the follower's rounding shorter than the master's to maintain tracking during the curved portion of the ramp.

7. Wobble Generator Function (Function Diagram 2300)

The wobble generator superimposes a triangular or sinusoidal speed modulation on the follower's setpoint. The output of the wobble function is added to the AI1 setpoint via the additional setpoint connector P1075[0]. For a mechanically reversed traverse (limit switch trip), the wobble function is not needed because the physical reversing handles the lay pattern. For a non-mechanically-reversed traverse (electronic reversal), the wobble function replaces the reversing.

Per the Siemens support entry for the wobble function (Entry ID 23684572), the relevant parameters are in the P2940-P2949 range on the MM440:

Function diagram 2300 shows the internal signal flow: the wobble frequency (P2942) feeds a triangle-wave generator whose amplitude is scaled by P2941. The output passes through a PI controller (P2943, P2944) and is added to the main setpoint (P1070[0]) through the additional setpoint path (P1075[0]). The end-of-stroke limits (P2948, P2949) provide a dwell zone that protects the lead-screw nut from impact loading.

For a copper wire winder at 0.5 m/s line speed with a 100 mm stroke length and 5 mm lay pitch, the required wobble frequency is:

f_wobble = v / (2 × L_stroke) = 0.5 / (2 × 0.1) = 2.5 Hz

The lay pitch (material advance per stroke) is:

pitch = v / (2 × f_wobble) = 0.5 / (2 × 2.5) = 0.1 m = 100 mm

If the calculated pitch exceeds the stroke length, reduce the wobble frequency; if it is less than the desired lay, increase the wobble frequency.

8. Tension Control and PID Integration

Winding machines that require constant tension (paper, film, foil) need a closed-loop tension controller. The MM440 has a built-in PID controller (P2200-P2295) that can be enabled and used for dancer, load cell, or diameter-taper compensation.

For dancer-based tension control, wire the dancer position sensor (typically a 0-10 V linear potentiometer) to AI2 (terminals 10/11). Set P0756[1] = 0 (0-10 V unipolar), P0758[1] = 0%, P0759[1] = 100%, and adjust P2264[0] = 755[1] to read AI2 as the feedback. The PID output modulates the main setpoint through the trim path; net result is that as the dancer rises above setpoint, the spooler slows down; as it falls, the spooler speeds up.

For load cell feedback, wire the load cell amplifier output (typically 0-10 V or 4-20 mA) to AI2 and set P2261 (PID setpoint fixed value) to the desired tension reference in % of full scale. The spooler then maintains constant web tension regardless of changing reel diameter.

9. Step-by-Step Commissioning Procedure

1. Pre-power checks. Verify wiring per the MM440 operating instructions (Entry ID 99664128). Measure insulation resistance (≥ 1 MΩ at 500 V), confirm PE bonding, and verify the STO loop is closed.
2. Power up and identify. Apply 400 V to both drives. Both BOPs should display a stop state. Note the firmware version (r0018) on the follower to confirm wobble support.
3. Commission the master. Follow the steps in Section 3.1. Run the motor open-loop at 10 Hz, 30 Hz, 50 Hz. Check r0021 and r0022 match the setpoint within ±0.1 Hz at steady state. Measure voltage at terminals 12/13 with a DMM: 10 V should correspond to P2000 (50 Hz) and 0 V to 0 Hz.
4. Wire the analog link. Connect terminal 12 of the master to terminal 3 of the follower, and terminal 13 of the master to terminal 4 of the follower. Use a shielded twisted pair; ground shield at master PE only.
5. Commission the follower. Follow the steps in Section 5. With the master OFF, apply a hand signal (0-5 V from a potentiometer or signal generator) to AI1 on the follower. Verify the follower's r0021 follows the signal and the motor responds. Set P2000 to match the master (50 Hz).
6. Run linked, no load. With both motors uncoupled from the machine, command 10 Hz on the master. The follower should accelerate in lockstep. Monitor r0022 on both drives; they should match within ±0.2 Hz. Repeat at 25 Hz and 50 Hz.
7. Set follower ramps. P1120 = 2.0 s, P1121 = 2.0 s on the follower (shorter than master). Command a step change from 0 to 50 Hz on the master; the follower should reach 50 Hz before the master does.
8. Enable wobble (if needed). Set P2940 = 1, P2941 = 20, P2942 = 1.5 Hz on the follower. With the master at 25 Hz, observe r0021 on the follower — it should oscillate between 22.5 and 27.5 Hz at 1.5 Hz rate. If the lay pattern is wrong, reverse the wobble output sign with P0780[0] (inversion flag) or swap the two motor phases.
9. Couple the machine and load test. With the spooler loaded, verify tension and lay quality. Adjust P2270/P2271 if PID is enabled. If the lay pattern is irregular at the reversal point, increase P2948 (skip band) and P2949 (dwell time).
10. Save and document. Set P0970 = 1 on both drives to save to EEPROM. Print the parameter set using DriveMonitor or AOP. Mark the terminal cover with the commissioning date and parameter dump number.

10. Troubleshooting Matrix

11. Safety, Operational Limits, and Migration

11.1 Safety Considerations

Per IEC 60204-1 and IEC 61800-5-2, the following must be in place before energizing the machine:

• Emergency stop (Category 0 or 1) wired through the STO inputs of both drives. The MM440 STO meets SIL 2 / PL d when properly wired per the operating instructions.
• Overcurrent protection at the line side: molded-case circuit breaker or fuses sized at 1.5-2.0× the drive input current rating. For 7.5 kW MM440 at 400 V, use a 25 A Type D breaker.
• Motor overload protection is built into the MM440 (i²t model). Verify P0640 (motor overload factor) is set to 1.0-1.1× the motor's nameplate current. For variable-torque loads (centrifugal pumps, fans), set P0640 = 1.0; for constant-torque loads (conveyors, winders), set 1.1.
• Safe direction of traverse: the wobble function and the reversing logic must never command the lead-screw nut past its mechanical limits. End-of-travel limit switches wired to DIN4 (configured as external fault via P0704 = 9) will coast the drive to stop on actuation.

11.2 Operational Limits

11.3 Migration to SINAMICS V20 / G120

The MM440 has been succeeded by the SINAMICS V20 (basic) and SINAMICS G120 (modular) drive families. For new installations or replacements, parameter mapping is direct:

For applications requiring the wobble function on a modern platform, the SINAMICS G120 with a DCC (Drive Control Chart) extension or the SIMATIC S7-1500 with T-CPU closed-loop control is the recommended path. The MM440 with firmware 3.2+ remains fully supported and is the lowest-cost path for the winding machine application described here.