AUTOMATION/SMART FACTORY u TM ROBOTICS
versions in a variety of other ways. Advantages include higher rates and speeds of injection because the all-electric maching relies on toggle clamping rather than direct pressure clamping, which is better for high-speed injection moulding. Further advantages include improved dry cycle times and the overall stability of the mould itself. Thanks to these benefits, Lotan has ordered several more Shibaura Machine IMMs from TM Robotics, specifically its newest SXIII range of injection moulding machines. The SXIII is an enhanced performance model that provides significantly faster injection speeds than traditional moulding equipment. As a result, the machine offers a 35% faster cycle time than conventional hydraulic servo IMMs. Lotan also achieved a lower cost-per-mould.
THE BOTTOM LINE Aside from performance advantages, injection moulding machines must also be easy to use. This guarantees Lotan’s team can stay on-track to meet their key performance indicators (KPIs) by controlling the equipment and keeping it running sustainably. That’s why SXIII range of injection moulding machines are equipped with Shibaura Machine’s user-friendly controller that connects to Lotan’s programmable logic controller (PLC) for
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By using Shibaura Machine’s all-electric IMMs, Lotan has experienced 20- 40% lower running costs compared with older-fashioned hydraulic machine.
simple, repeatable operations. All-electric moulding machines also have the edge when it comes to maintenance. With PLC controllability, injection moulding operations can be tie-into the production facilties Internet of Things (IoT) things systems. Data on the IMM’s performance can be collected through sesnors and relaid to the plant’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) or manufacturing execution systems (MES) to support preventive maintance, traceability and quality management. But, what what about the energy effeciency of all-electric versions hydraulically-powered machines? By using Shibaura Machine’s all-
electric IMMs, Lotan has experienced 20-40% lower running costs compared with older- fashioned hydraulic machine. Traditional hydraulic injection moulding machines are also less efficient because they consume energy even while idle, whereas all-electric injecting machines only use energy while in action. Indeed, Shibaura Machine’s all-electric IMMs
have been found to yield energy savings of 60% compared with European hydraulic servo IMMs. Other performance tests by Shibaura Machine measured its EC650SX-61B IMM, with a clamping force of 650 tons, against a hydraulic servo machine. It delivered a 51% energy reduction.
In another instance, another EC-SX
model, the 1,800 ton EC1800SX-155B, was tested against a competing all-electric IMM. Although both machines had the same energy consumption, the Shibaura Machine IMM delivered a faster cycle time, which gave overall energy efficiency savings of 30%. Injection moulding might presently be
responsible of up to 90% of the processes GWP. Hower, the performance of all-electric IMMs like Shibaura Machine’s SXIII and EC-SX show this trend can be reversed, with positive effects on sustainability and also manufacturers’ bottom line.
Irish Manufacturing October 2023 29
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