Engel to present self-optimising moulding process

The injection moulding machine manufacturer will present products from its inject 4.0 range. process technologies for greater efficiency and quality and new hydraulic injection units.

Engel’s stand will feature a self-optimising injection moulding machine to demonstrate how the potential for efficiency and quality via Industry 4.0.

The e-motion 80 TL machine is equipped and networked with intelligent assistance systems. The set-up facilitates the systematic use of machine, process and production data and the deployment of intelligent assistance systems.

At the trade fair, the injection moulding machine’s CC300 control unit will simulate fluctuations in the raw material and ambient conditions. Visitors to the event will be able to watch live as the machine identifies deviations and automatically readjusts the parameters before even a single reject moulding is produced.

Temperature control

By linking the e-temp control units to the injection moulding machine via OPC UA, the development partners have established a milestone along the road to the smart factory.

The OPC UA protocol facilitates powerful, platform-independent and above all secure communication, both at shop floor level and with superordinate control systems.

The modularity of the inject 4.0 concept makes it easy for polymer processing firms to harness the opportunities presented by Industry 4.0. Even individual stand-alone solutions such as iQ assistance systems offer considerable benefits.

In Jönköping, ENGEL will also present solutions for networking machine parks and entire production sites as well as online support, remote maintenance and predictive maintenance products.

There will be a Scandinavian launch for Engel’s e-connect customer platform at Elmia Polymer.

The portal provides an overview of the machine status, the processing status of service and support orders and the prices and availability of spare parts. In this way, the portal simplifies and accelerates communications between processors and Engel as the supplier.

All service products in the inject 4.0 range have been integrated with e-connect, including the new e-connect.monitor, which makes it possible to monitor the condition of critical components in injection moulding machines during current operations, and calculate their residual life.

Vertical integration

Tailored to the specific requirements of the injection moulding industry, the manufacturing execution system offers vertical data integration to the level of individual cavities.

The software ensures transparency in order to, for example, utilise the total available capacity of a machine park or correlate productivity indicators and economic objectives.

The MES can be adapted to the precise individual needs of processors: as it is not dependent on a specific interface, injection moulding machines of different brands can be incorporated.