ROBOTS AND AUTOMATION | TECHNOLOGY


All the compact cells use an identical design to achieve maximum flexibility. To avoid having to change the auxiliaries during every mould set-up, they integrate all components needed for both free-falling parts and for soft depositing using Viper robots.


Engel says another advantage of standardisation with its systems solutions is uniform control logic across the entire production cell. Robots and other automation units by Engel are fully integrated into the injection moulding machine’s CC300 control unit. Production staff do not need to familiarise themselves with a different control philosophy for the automation. “Given the trend towards ever greater complexity in production processes, this feature is becoming increasingly important,” it says. At Sytrama Robotics, which is part of Negri


Bossi, CEO Domenico Ghilardi highlights the shift of robot manufacturers in recent years away from products towards solutions. “Instead of it being the robot that drives the solution, it has become the solution that decides the type of robot; and as manufacturers we have increasingly expanded the range of products in order to offer the best possible solution,” he says. “In any case, the supply of plastics automation is showing continuous growth, regardless of market trends, especially for those who have adapted the dedicated hardware and software architectures of the control systems,” he says. “The adaptation to the demands for flexibility, Industry 4.0, new safety regulations, and in this last year the problem of Covid 19, has radically transformed ways of designing and producing. All our products enable communication between various devices using various protocols, including OPC-UA, to create interconnected systems, remotely controllable, and designed to minimise the presence of specialized technicians, with significant reduction in movement of people as well as costs. We are also supplying systems with surveillance cameras with software capable of detecting process anomalies.” The Hannover Messe Digital Edition 2021 in mid-April saw Arburg present a new turnkey system that it said would raise the bar in aspects of digitalisation, automation, and the circular econo- my in plastics processing. A networked injection moulding machine produced digitally decorated drinking cups marked with recycling information that is specific to them. Not only that, but they are also 100% traceable. The exhibit used a hot runner mould from Haidlmair. Part handling was the responsibility of a new vertical robotic system, the Multilift V 20, with a 20kg load capacity and a transverse design. Once


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removed from the mould, the cups were sent for plasma treatment and then to a digital printing station. “This means that the product enhancement stage is integrated directly into the production cell,” says Arburg. “It is possible to choose from three different images on a tablet in order to print the surface of the cup. Once polished, the cup’s surface is also adorned with two DM codes: one containing the process data for traceability pur- poses and the other containing the material information with recycling in mind.” The Allrounder is equipped with an Industrial IoT


gateway as standard, providing a standardised form of networking. In this application, the Arburg Turnkey Control Module (ATCM) SCADA system visualises all relevant process and quality data and merges it for specific parts. To achieve this, the injection moulding machine, automation systems and the digital printer each send the relevant data to the ATCM. This makes every individual cup 100% traceable.


CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: � www.sumitomo-shi-demag.eu � www.fanucamerica.com � http://yushinautomation.com � www.muller-technology.com � https://industrial.omron.eu � www.comau.com � www.universal-robots.com � www.kuka.com � www.pcmoulding.co.uk � www.beck-automation.com � www.star-europe.com � www.sepro-group.com � www.staubli.com � www.engelglobal.com � www.sytrama.com � www.negribossi.com � www.arburg.com


April 2021 | INJECTION WORLD 25


Above: Arburg networked machine produces digitally decorated cups with two DM codes


IMAGE: ARBURG


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