ENGEL is start a new chapter in the development of intelligent assistance with its new iQ process observer, which will be shown at K 2019.
To date, assistance systems have been used to optimise individual steps in the injection moulding process, such as injection and cooling, but the new iQ process observer goes several steps further, providing an overview of the entire process for the whole batch.
This makes it possible to identify changes in the process at an early change, allowing operators to determine their causes and find a solution more quickly.
The iQ continuously analyses several hundred process parameters across all four phases of the injection moulding process, and the results, split into the four phases, are immediately visible in an easy-to-understand overview on both the injection moulding’s CC300 control unit and the ENGEL e-connect customer portal.
The software automatically defects drifts by continually checking the results against the previous cycles, as well as comparing certain process parameters with a set reference condition.
Furthermore, the system notifies the machine operator of counterproductive process settings and conditions, in addition to possible causes by text message.
This helps the user to optimise their process and, when necessary, to resolve errors.
Paul Kapeller, Product Manager for Digital Solutions at ENGEL Austria, said: “By using the iQ process observer, process technicians can maximise the potential for efficiency and quality offered by the injection moulding machine and production cell.”
“The iQ process observer is currently the only assistance system on the market based on live data, which actively indicates changes in the process and counterproductive settings, helping to improve stability throughout the process.”