How to follow the injection molding machines?

With Astn’go, it is possible to follow the production on injection molding machines in different fields such as plastics.

What data can you track on an injection molding machine?

As with other equipment, monitoring an injection molding machine involves to compare the actual production cycle time with a standard cycle time of a WO, a reference or the equipment.

In the case of a injection molding monitoring, it is also necessary to take into account the mould and the number of impressions on the mould. Depending on the WO/reference, it is possible to produce X products during a cycle. With Astn’go, the setting of the number of parts per cycle can be done at the WO operation, reference or equipment level.

1. Measure the availability of your means of production

Measuring the availability of an injection molding machine provides information on the use rate of the equipment and the details that explain its malfunction. It is possible to measure the availability of an injection molding machine by comparing the operating time of the machine with the planned production time. In other words, it is possible to know if the equipment was producing for the time it should have been producing.

2. Measure the performance of your means of production

By comparing the actual production time of a part or a cycle with the time initially planned, Astn’go measures the performance of the injection molding machine. If sub-cadences affect the performance, a reason analysis is performed to correct them.

*It is also possible to analyze the quality rate by comparing the good quantity with the quantity produced. However, Astn’go does not automatically detect scraps. This data must be collected by the operator directly on his terminal, after a quality control.

How to follow an injection molding machine with Astn’go?

1. Collecting the operating time of the injection molding machine

The operating time of your equipment is calculated according to the production represented by the parts count.

As shown in the diagrams below, Astn’go can determine the operating or downtime status of a production equipment according to the standard cycle time for the current production. This cycle time can be carried by the WO operation, the reference, the equipment.

2. Collecting the performance with part counting on the injection molding machine

The counting of the parts is done automatically in number of cycles. The number of parts per cycle depends on the number of prints on the mould for the reference.

The IIoT needs to collect a signal telling it each press cycle. This signal can come from a relay, powered by a sensor or by a signal sent at each press cycle.

3. Evaluate the performance of an injection molding machine

• By retrieving the top press cycle signal and deducting the number of parts produced, you can measure the performance rate of your machine in addition to the availability rate.

The performance rate will compare the actual cycle time for the completion of a part compared to the standard cycle time.

Two ways of interpreting downtime

By comparing the count of parts produced with the standard cycle time, it is possible to detect equipment downtime.

The injection molding machine is considered to be in production if the time between two tops cycle is less than or equal to N times the standard cycle time. If it is greater, the injection molding machine is at downtime.

Depending on the settings, it is possible to define 2 scenarios for taking this downtime into account:

• The downtime can be taken into account as soon as the time between 2 Tops cycle is equal to N times the cycle time:

• The downtime is taken into account from the moment the last piece has been counted.

Is Astn’go’s IIoT mandatory for line data collect?

To collect data mentioned above, it is necessary to connect the Astn’go IIoT to your machine. This data will be processed by the Astn’go application and displayed on the different screens to the operator and the manager in real time.

What process and what equipment?

This type of monitoring is particularly adapted to injection molding machines, extrusion, plastic, rubber…