Arburg at Equiplast 2021: a pioneer in the field of digitalisation

Martín Cayre, Geschäftsführer von Arburg Portugal und Spanien. (Foto: ARBURG) / Martín Cayre, Managing Director of Arburg in Portugal and Spain (Photo: Arburg)

– Pioneer: Arburg sets the standard for digitalised plastics processing
– arburgXworld: comprehensive digital products and services make everyday injection moulding easier
– Production cell: automated Allrounder produces ready-made mask cases

At Equiplast, which will be held on 14 - 18 September 2021 in Barcelona, Spain, Arburg will focus on digitalisation. In Hall 2, stand D-35, visitors will be able to obtain extensive information about the digital services and products offered by Arburg. Highlights will include the arburgXworld customer portal with plenty of new features and an automated injection moulding application built around an electric Allrounder from the high performance Alldrive series.

"We are really looking forward to meeting our customers and prospective clients face to face again at Equiplast 2021, where we will present our customised injection moulding solutions and combined expertise", says Martín Cayre, Managing Director of Arburg in Portugal and Spain. "With our new turnkey application, we are demonstrating the ways in which the future of injection moulding production will become ever more digital, efficient and sustainable. The Allrounder exhibit is integrated with the IT network and operates using the pioneering Gestica control system."

Digital products and services

Arburg is an industry pioneer in the field of digitalisation. The "arburgXworld" program combines the entire range of digital products and services. The customer portal with the same name has emerged as a central marketplace for plastics processors, with new apps and features added on a continuous basis. This includes the new "AnalyticsCenter" for process analysis. Visitors at Equiplast 2021 will be able to see the "arburgXworld" new features for themselves and experience how even the free basic version of the customer portal can make everyday injection moulding easier. On top of this, the Arburg host computer system (ALS) will also be presented.

Fully automated production of mask cases

Arburg produces and develops its injection moulding machines, their control systems and automation at the German headquarters in Lossburg. Arburg Spain has designed a turnkey system built around an electric Allrounder 470 A for Equiplast 2021. Like all new Allrounders, the injection moulding machine with a clamping force of 1,000 kN is equipped with an IIoT gateway as standard, which means that it is completely networked with the Arburg host computer system (ALS), among others. The exhibit uses a 1+1-cavity family mould from our Portuguese partner Gura, with a cycle time of around 30 seconds, to produce a case and clip for storing face masks.

A Multilift Select is used to operate the machine. The linear robotic system is fully integrated into the controller, allowing for optimised sequences and stable processes. The Multilift Select first removes both injection moulded PP parts and sets them down on a work station. After the surface of the mask cases have undergone plasma pretreatment and have been stamped with the partner’s logo using pad printing, they are enclosed by a gripper, where the clip is added and the finished part is placed on a conveyor belt.

Local turnkey team for Spain and Portugal

In order to cope with the high demand from the Iberian peninsula, the Arganda del Rey subsidiary of Arburg in Madrid has put together a local project team made up of turnkey experts, which will carry out ambitious automation projects and turnkey applications in Spain and Portugal alongside local partners. Work is being carried out in close collaboration with customers to develop individual solutions that increase part quality, process reliability, availability, productivity and profitability of the production process.

Additionally, Arburg is the only injection moulding machine manufacturer with a subsidiary in Portugal.