Energy efficient plastics
injection molding and robotic systems in the spotlight
Arburg is to present all facets of its innovative plastics injection
molding technology with ten exhibits at the 2008 Fakuma in Friedrichshafen
from October 14 to 18.
The main focus of the Arburg trade fair stand at Fakuma 2008 will be
energy-efficient plastics injection molding production and innovations
in the field of robotic systems. Trade visitors will also be introduced
to a representative cross section of the current range of Arburg products,
applications and services at the 940 square metre Arburg stand No. 3101
in Hall A3.
“Energy Efficiency Allround” is an important Arburg corporate objective
in 2008 and is consequently a major focus of the company’s presence at
the Fakuma. Arburg adopts a holistic approach to optimising energy consumption,
i.e. both in terms of the company itself and of the Arburg products and
their fields of application. On the one hand, the goal is to produce the
Allrounder machines using as little energy as possible. On the other,
Arburg seeks to use its products and expertise in order to efficiently
minimize energy consumption among its customers. In this context, the
energy efficient Allrounders are identified by the “e²” energy efficiency
label. In addition to the relevant design and equipment of the machines,
Arburg also provides extensive individual consulting with regard to process
optimization. Here, it is not only essential to minimize power and water
consumption, or heat dissipation into the environment, but for example
to optimize production capacity utilization and ensure high plastics injection
molding quality with a minimum reject rate.
Energy efficient Allrounder A and S series
Four exhibition machines at the Fakuma bear the “e²” energy efficiency
label: two representatives of the electric Allrounder
A series and two hydraulic Allrounder
S series machines with electromechanical dosage drive.
On the electric two-component Allrounder 470 A with a clamping force of
1,000 kN, a part in a hard/soft combination is produced from liquid silicone.
The two injection units are arranged in an L-configuration, so that the
pre-molded plastics part can be moved to the second cavity via the vertically-operating
robotic system.
At the Fakuma six high-quality,
labelled yogurt pots will be produced in an overall cycle
time of just four seconds. View
High resolution image. photo: Arburg
Arburg will demonstrate the high performance of its electric machines
with a high-speed IML application. Six high-quality, labelled yogurt pots
will be produced in an overall cycle time of four seconds. In order to
meet the requirements with regard to material preparation and speed, the
Allrounder 570 A with a clamping force of 2,000 kN is equipped with integrated,
adaptive hot runner control, a high-performance plasticising cylinder
and a mold featuring a pneumatic needle shut-off system. The complete
IML automation equipment – feed, separation and placement of the labels,
as well as removal and cavity-specific stacking of the pots – will be
provided by “Waldorf Technik”. With this complete system, Arburg impressively
demonstrates how IML plastics products can be produced rapidly, reliably
and in high quality, as well as in large volumes.
As further fast-running, energy efficient high-performance machine, the
Allrounder 630 S, will be presented equipped with a 48-cavity bottle cap
mold. In order to achieve a high material throughput in a very short cycle
time with this packaging application, the fully accumulator-driven hydraulic
machine also features a high-performance plasticising cylinder and an
energy-saving electromechanical dosage drive.
Electrical dosage is also implemented on the Allrounder 920 S with a clamping
force of 5,000 kN and the largest, size 4,600 injection unit. Moreover,
the exhibition machine is equipped with a Multilift V robotic system and
is integrated within a production cell. A patented folding crate from
“Ifco Systems” will be produced in a single cycle, removed by a robotic
system and subsequently assembled fully automatically. The sequence of
this complex application is simply and reliably controlled via the “Selogica”
user interface.
Allrounder S - from huge to tiny
As well as the largest S-series machine, the smallest will also be on
show at the Fakuma. The Allrounder 170 S with a clamping force of 150
kN and a size 30 clamping unit. The plastics exhibition machine will feature
a 12-millimetre screw and will process a micro granulate. Following injection
molding, the finished micro gear wheels are removed by a horizontally-operating
Multilift H robotic system.
Flexible use of vertical Allrounder V
A further small machine represented will be the vertically-operating Allrounder
175 V with a clamping force of 125 kN, which is equipped with a servoelectric
rotary table. The two mold halves of the rotary table allow the insertion
and removal of parts during the plastics injection molding process. This
machine can consequently easily be integrated into automated production
lines. The fact that the vertical Allrounder V machines with their free-space
system are not only predestined for the encapsulation of inserts is evidenced
by the Allrounder
375 V with a clamping force of 500 kN. This vertical machine, introduced
onto the market in the spring of 2008, will be presented in conjunction
with the Exjection®
process from “IB Steiner and Hybrid Composite Products GmbH”. This process
can be used to produce long, thin-walled and structured plastics components
with integrated end caps and functional geometries, also using viscous
thermoplastics. Thanks to the horizontally-installed mold on the vertical
Allrounder V machines, there are no limitations in terms of mold, stroke
and, consequently, part lengths because the servo-controlled transfer
movements are performed horizontally during the plastics injection process.
Thanks to the central Selogica control system, the complete system can
be conveniently programmed and controlled.
Complex production cell with six-axis robot
The Allrounder 570 S with a clamping force of 2,200 kN will also be presented
for the first time at the fair. This is the new machine size of the hydraulic
Allrounder S machine series, which was first introduced at the K 2007.
Optimum processing of BMC moist polyester will be demonstrated on this
exhibit through the production of an insulating rail for a domestic iron.
For this purpose, the Allrounder 570 S will be equipped with a position-regulated
screw, a newly developed screw compression device for optimal material
feed and an integrated mold heating system. Thanks to feed pressure control
specially developed for this application, the servo-motor driven feed
screw of the screw/injester unit enables gentle and very consistent material
preparation, even in the case of large shot weights. The finished molded
parts are removed and subsequently processed fully automatically by a
six-axis robot from “Kuka”.
Selogica user interface implemented in robot control system
The integrated production cell automation communicates with the Selogica
control system via the robot interface and additional fieldbus expansion.
In close co-operation with “FPT”, Kuka’s OEM partner, a Selogica user
interface has been implemented in the robot control system. This allows
machine installation technicians to perform sequence programming of the
complex six-axis movements of the Kuka robot in their familiar plastics
injection molding environment without requiring outside help. Through
the expanded real-time fieldbus connection, even complex mold entry operations
are very easy to implement.
Multilift V Select: Simple programming and extended application
Trade visitors to the Fakuma will be introduced to the simple and convenient
programming of the servoelectric “Multilift V Select” robotic system with
the new teach-in function. Here, by means of manually performed steps,
the robotic system can learn the positions it has to move to in order
to pick up and set down parts with the utmost precision.
Furthermore, with this exhibit, Arburg will present the entry level Multilift
V Select model on an Allrounder Golden Edition for the first time. From
autumn 2008, it will therefore also be possible to equip the Allrounder
Golden Edition machines with an Arburg robotic system, extending the range
of applications for the Multilift V Select.
In total, six Allrounders will operate with robotic systems at the Fakuma,
a clear reflection of their increasing significance within complex plastics
injection molding production. In this context, an important role is played
by integration into the machine control system. This is achieved comprehensively
via the Selogica user interface.
Fakuma injection molding production under control
Ensuring consistently high product quality, optimizing production capacity
utilization, minimizing downtime and thereby ultimately enhancing the
energy efficiency of production will become increasingly important for
reasons of economy in the future. The manner in which this objective can
be achieved through centralized production planning and control will be
demonstrated by Arburg at the Fakuma with a production management stand
and the Arburg host computer system, ALS, which will enable access to
all ten Fakuma exhibits. The Arburg host processing engineering team will
thus be able to demonstrate the benefits of ALS live and answer individual
questions. ALS offers a comprehensive overview of the entire production
operations as well as rapid, secure access to current data relating to
running plastics injection molding production. ALS enables both effective
planning as well as implementation. Thanks to its modular design using
independent modules, the system can be flexibly adapted to customer requirements
and is consequently also interesting for small injection molding companies.
For example, machine and mold maintenance can be planned in a targeted
manner, which is increasingly important in terms of preventive measures.
In addition to preventive maintenance, these also include oil analysis
and machine calibration. Both of these will be demonstrated and explained
in practical terms by the Arburg Service Team at the exhibition stand.
Representative cross section
Ten exhibits, including electric and hydraulic Allrounders covering a
clamping force range from 125 to 5.000 kN, vertical machines, various
Multilift robotic systems, as well as a six-axis robot, complex production
cells and a broad application spectrum comprising micro injection molding
multi-component technology in conjunction with LSR processing, thermoset
injection molding (BMC moist polyester) and Exjection – with this comprehensive
program, Arburg will again prove at the Fakuma 2008 that its products
are suitable for use in all fields of plastics injection molding and that
Arburg has the capability to provide the corresponding consulting expertise.
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