Arburg Technology Days 2016: Golden age

The Golden Electric series from Arburg is set to emulate the success story of the entry-level hydraulic Golden Edition series. The new Allrounders are designed to meet customer demand for high-performance entry-level machines for the precise, energy-efficient production of sophisticated moulded parts.

Electrical technology at an attractive price

The proven technical components of the new machine series are exactly what customers have come to expect in terms of production efficiency "Made by Arburg - made in Germany". The Allrounder Golden Electric machines make use of consistent standardisation to offer an excellent price/performance ratio, e.g. through a fixed combination of distance between tie-bars, clamping force and injection unit size. The new machines are available in the four 370, 470, 520 and 570 sizes with clamping forces of 600, 1,000, 1,500 and 2,000 kN.

High-performance, precise, energy efficient

The double five-point toggle ensures fast, high-performance cycles. The play-free spindle drives operate with great precision. The position-regulated screw enables cavities to be filled with a high degree of repeat accuracy, ensuring high injection quality.

The Allrounders from the Golden Electric series feature liquid-cooled motors and servo inverters and also offer benefits in terms of energy efficiency, short dry cycle times and high reproducibility. Compared to hydraulic standard machines, the high efficiency of the servo motors, continuous power adaptation and energy recovery during braking mean that up to 55 percent less energy is required. The machines are also easy to maintain thanks to swivelling injection units, plug-in cylinder modules and further improved lubrication and cooling.

fig. 1: The new Golden Electric series comprises four high-performance entry-level electric machines for the precise, energy-efficient production of technically sophisticated moulded parts.

In focus: Standard applications

The Golden Electric series is designed for standard applications in thermoplastic processing, such as technical injection moulding. The high-end machines remain available for high-performance and special applications in the shape of the electric Alldrive series, which can be adapted individually to the relevant application required. Seamless integration in the Arburg product range is assured through universal machine sizes and dimensions, as well as the practical combination of high energy efficiency and broader performance characteristics.

Strengthening the electric portfolio

In view of the clear demand for a comprehensive machine size range to meet practical requirements on the international markets, the introduction of the Golden Electric series comes at exactly the right time. Owing to the benefits they offer, an increasing number of processing companies are interested in electric machines that combine features such as precision, energy economy and reproducibility at a low cost for standard applications. The new Allrounder Golden Electric machines provide the appropriate solution. Together with the highly successful hydraulic Golden Edition machine series, they form the "Golden product family" from Arburg.

From pickers to complex turnkey solutions

As a supplier of production systems, Arburg offers not only injection moulding machines, but also a wide range of automation solutions from a single source. More than 30 automated applications were on view at the Technology Days 2016. The product range extends from pickers for sprue removal, linear robotic systems and six-axis robots featuring the Selogica user interface, through to innovative robot-human cooperation and turnkey solutions tailored to specific customer requirements. 

"In order to further increase added value throughout the injection moulding process, a growing number of increasingly complex steps are being integrated using automation," explains Oliver Giesen, Head of Projects at Arburg. "The Technology Days 2016 offers us an opportunity, based on numerous turnkey systems, to show our customers just how they can integrate functions in components, ensure high part quality and produce more efficiently."

Customised turnkey solutions

There is an increasing demand for specially tailored, automated injection moulding solutions that need to be supported during operation and beyond the product life cycle. As a primary contractor, Arburg covers the entire spectrum in the turnkey sector: from consulting and project management through to implementation and installation and, including servicing, for the complete production cells.

In response to the high demand for large Allrounders and such complex automated systems, Arburg is further expanding its international activities in the turnkey sector. Moreover, it has invested in its headquarters in Lossburg and has recently opened an 18,600 square metre assembly hall. Of the 78 machine test stands available there, 38 are intended for turnkey systems, which will be configured and commissioned along with their peripheral equipment. The new hall will be the setting for the special "Robots and Turnkey Solutions" exhibition area at the Technology Days 2016. In total, over 30 automated applications will be on view in Lossburg from a variety of industries and in varying degrees of complexity.

Robots in action

The "Robots in action" presentation area at the Technology Days took a playful look at just what the automated systems from Arburg can do. Here, model cars from company Bruder will be steered around an obstacle course. The Integralpicker V will use its fast pick&place movements to load and unload two dumper trucks and a tractor with "hay bales", while the linear Multilift V robotic system will ensure that the trucks cover long distances in dynamic style. Ideal for 3D movements, a six-axis robot will be used to steer a tractor. The three automation units will communicate by means of peripheral interfaces.

Arburg demonstrated its standardised control philosophy and product range with this playful practical example. All of the robotic systems are programmed via the Selogica user interface. The movements of the six-axis robot can thus be programmed by the machine operator with ease, as can those of the linear Multilift robotic systems. This makes it is possible to respond flexibly to rapidly changing requirements. In addition, there will also be a "Robot Programming" workshop. A retrofittable Integralpicker V featuring an external Selogica control system will show visitors just how easy it is to teach the robot system.

"With our range of automation solutions we will present the full range of flexible robotic systems to our customers at the Arburg Technology Days, up to and including complex turnkey systems with competent consulting services," said Oliver Giesen, Head of Projects at Arburg.

Wide range of automation applications

Anyone who wants to find out more about automation will be able to see more than 30 automated applications at the Technology Days 2016. Arburg not only offers its own range of robots, but also implements complex turnkey solutions for a variety of industries and applications together with expert partners:

• Turnkey medical solution: a clean room version of an electric Allrounder 520 A will use a 64-cavity mould from Tanner to produce pipette tips in a cycle time of around 4.5 seconds. The quality control and robotic systems are provided by Hekuma.
• Turnkey packaging solution 1: a "Packaging" version of a hybrid Allrounder 570 H will demonstrate how four 125 millilitre thin-walled articles can be produced in a cycle time of 1.65 seconds. The mould and high-speed demoulding system for stacking moulded parts are made by Brink.
• Turnkey packaging solution 2: a "Packaging" version of the hybrid Allrounder 630 H will use a 4-cavity mould to produce 14.5 gram thin-walled tubs. Handling will involve a linear Multilift V robotic system with dynamic mould-entry axis. This makes it possible to reduce action and set-down times by up to 40 percent. The cycle time is approx. 3.5 seconds.
• Turnkey lightweight construction: a drink holder with integrated fastening elements will be produced from particle foam (EPP) and PP using the PCIM process. The production cell is from Arburg, while the expertise on particle foam and its processing will be supplied by Ruch Novoplast and the mould technology by Krallmann.