Plastics & Rubber World - May/June 2019 - 21

automation

complement of robotic solutions, ranging from frame-mounted three-axis
Cartesian models, to six-axis articulated
robots and five-axis hybrid units which
offer six-axis functionality on a Cartesian
platform.
With adding value in mind, the French
robotics specialist has carried out a series
of studies looking at how automation can
build this into production, with the focus
on machine cycle times. "We have studied
kinematics of robotics as part of a wider
solution," explains Renaudeau. "Some customers want us to commit to a cycle time
within a given application, that actually
helps us."
He continues by highlighting the key
benefit plastics manufacturers can gain
by adding automation across their operations. "The biggest advantage of automation is not cost [reduction], but improved
product quality," he says.
Wittmann Battenfeld has carried out
its own studies looking at cycle times and
how these can be reduced to improve
value. With most recent machine releases, including the R9 range of robotics, the
Austrian firm has launched an improved
version of the 'smart removal' program
intended to reduce plastic injection machine cycle times. Barry Hill offers more
details.
"Normally, the robot would have to
wait for a signal to say that the mould is
fully open before it starts to move. This
is dead time, dead money. In practise,
the system works out when to expect
the signal and starts to move the robot
before the signal arrives. Just before it
enters the danger area, it checks the
open signal has been received. If that's
not there, the robot stops immediately.
If it's there, it carries on to complete the
task."
Hill says that the smart removal

Sepro Success 7 picks finished components at KHG Plastics
program has helped customers achieve
between 10 and 20% reductions in machine cycle time. "It's a really strong feature," he adds.
Another route to reducing overall production costs is cutting energy usage. Robots manufactured by Wittmann Battenfeld
use high-efficiency motors, but where there
is a need for compressed air, the systems
limit that related draw. "We have the EcoVacuum system which monitors
compressed air pressure
across the cell," says
Hill. "That switches off when optimum pressure is
achieved and, if there's
a pressure drop for any reason, the Venturi system is restarted.
Moulders are really up against it when it
comes to utility costs and this helps to save
a lot of energy."

A variety of Wittmann
robots feature smart
removal, including this
WX163

SmArt fACtory
US-based lighting specialist Vision
Plastics uses a new Sepro S5-25 robot
to pick moulded lens frames

The EcoVacuum system and other automated features come together to achieve
the functionality broadly referred to as
Industry 4.0, or the smart factory. Barry
Hill says that every product the company

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