An ARBURG injection moulding machine at the HARTING stand (Hall 11/C15) at Messe Hannover 2019 not only produced plastic parts, but also supplied significant volumes of data. In cooperation with ARBURG, HARTING used this practical example to show how eg energy measurements and ambient readings can be used to monitor product quality and signs of wear. Data from machines and equipment systems are the basis for future performance improvements within modern industrial production environments. Enhanced with RFID tags, such systems also ensure optimised material flow in the production process. HARTING used the ALLROUNDER injection moulding machine from ARBURG to show the latest solutions in the fields of RFID-based tool recognition, energy measurement and OPC UA integration.

OPC UA uses ARBURG, eg, for the online provision of process information to higher-level systems. The ALLROUNDER at HARTING was equipped with an ARBURG IIoT gateway for this purpose. This linked the injection moulding machine with the new customer portal "arburgXworld" and connected it to the ARBURG booth at the Hannover Messe (Hall 6/J10). This makes, for example, remote maintenance possible via ARBURG Remote Service. OPC UA is also used for the company's own MES (ARBURG host computer system ALS), which ARBURG has had in its product range for years. 

 

With the MICA-based Plug and Play solutions, plant operators can also digitise (retrofit) existing machines very easily. All that is required is to either add the necessary sensors and capture their data, or have the MICA additionally act as a gateway that makes direct contact with the existing controller. Consequently, implementations towards standardised communication protocols such as OPC UA are very simple and require no additional hardware outlays.

 

For integration tasks, for example in the direction of the Cloud or specific MES systems, HARTING always leverages the MICA.network in cooperation with its customers. The right system integrators can be found here with respect to the specific task or technological expertise. Thus the technology group has teamed with its partner PCO in the machine area to demonstrate how such RFID logistics systems can be implemented to suit the customer's requirements.