TECHNOLOGY | SMART FUNCTIONS
meaning postponement of the project to an unspecified date. The all-electric Engel E-mac 75 injection moulding machine, on which the lab-on- a-chip articles are produced using the Engel Coinmelt injection compression moulding process, includes E-connect.24 for remote maintenance and online support. This meant that Engel technicians from both Schwertberg and Houten were able to access the data required for optimising the injection moulding process in real-time. Mould data had already been exchanged by email. The data provides important technical information for the feasibility and quality of the product, but is ultimately not sufficient on its own to get the best out of the machine. The moulded part must be repeatable, ensuring the same quality and preci- sion over thousands of shots. In order to transmit results of the individual
Below: KraussMaffei is able to create custom reports with data from EasyTrace for fabricating connectors overmoulded on a CX 80 with metal inserts
optimisation steps, Molenschot sent live images from the cleanroom production of the test runs. A Skype conference was used to discuss the param- eters, which needed further modification. The level of technical sophistication is high, because the surface structure of the component, which other- wise needs to be manufactured to be absolutely flat, is a real challenge. Very filigree microstructures had to be placed deeper in the mould than in relation to its diameter. The project is considered a precedent for future
cooperation. “Without the Corona crisis, we certain- ly would not have agreed to this procedure,” says Molenschot. “I would have attached great impor- tance to an employee from Engel’s headquarters in Austria visiting us on site in Tilburg.” At the same time, he demands more flexibility from all those involved in such a process: “We as developers have to learn to actually use these new technologies, all of which are already available,” he adds. “Even if it
just means working more effectively and also more cost-effectively.” KraussMaffei has developed the EasyTrace modular system that gathers all relevant produc- tion data in plastics processing and transfers them to the specific customer systems for evaluation, whether from the extruder, injection moulding machine, automation or peripherals. EasyTrace acts as a central data hub between the individual levels of production, creates more transparency over the entire value chain and supports quality assurance. All machines communicate with their production environment. They log their manufacturing se- quences and provide the information at the proper time for the respective cycle for further processing – whether for the downstream system in the process or for central evaluation. However, the various protocols are not always fully compatible. The company says that making all data available together for evaluation – for example by an MES system – is essential, particularly for Industry 4.0. These systems should be as simple as possible and not overloaded with powerful IT systems. However, this is a shortcoming of most solutions. They are not adequately tailored to plastics processing. The EasyTrace data hub is a type of information highway with integrated interpreter. EasyTrace quickly acquires information from material dryers, plastics processing machines, complex automation systems, cameras, printers and scanners. The special feature is that EasyTrace supports nearly all interfaces that exist in the market, including E63, Profinet and E77. This makes it possible to integrate machines from different manufacturers or older machines into digital production. For example, if the injection moulding machine already has the KraussMaffei DataXplorer analysis software, communication between the machine and EasyTrace is direct. DataXplorer saves up to 500 signals per second as continuous curves and acts as a “magnifying glass” for taking an in-depth look into the injection moulding or extrusion process. EasyTrace can be coupled to the customer’s own MES or FFS system, store data there or take over other data, for example for labelling the individual articles with codes.
CLICK ON THE LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION: �
www.arburg.com �
www.milacron.com �
www.wittmann-group.com �
www.fanuc.eu �
www.engelglobal.com �
www.helvoet.com �
www.kraussmaffei.com
46 INJECTION WORLD | October 2020
www.injectionworld.com
IMAGE: KRAUSSMAFFEI
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