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 by Mr. Dipl.-Ing. (FH) Hubert Jäger founded JÄGER-Engineering and converted into a GmbH 

 . Special machines and production cells have been built since September 

 One focus here is the development of intelligent low-cost production systems (LCIA /LCIP®) based on FANUC and SIEMENS controls.

The first LCIP machine concept was delivered in September 

 for a large automotive supplier from the region. The first training courses on the topic (LCIA /LCIP®) took place in September 2013. The next current training courses can be requested.

As a medium-sized company with headquarters in Königsfeld near Villingen-Schwenningen, we have regional roots and are internationally networked as a long-standing partner of leading companies. The basis for this: trust, reliability at all levels and the willingness to realize visions together.

Flexmaster Pro | Feeder

Hopper conveyor JE series | 5-15L

Hopper conveyor JE series | Drive Control AC 220V

Jäger-Engineering GmbH

Automated insertion into injection molding machine

Automatisiertes Einlegen in Spritzgussmaschine

Spritzguss

Injection molding

注塑成型

injection-molding

In this video, we demonstrate the use of an automated system for inserting components into an injection molding machine. This innovative solution optimizes the production process and significantly increases efficiency.

The operation of the insertion process is shown step by step, demonstrating the precise positioning and handling of the components. The seamless integration of the insertion system into the existing injection molding machine will then be demonstrated, including the communication interfaces and control logic.

The benefits of this solution include increasing production speed and accuracy, reducing scrap and material waste, and improving worker safety by minimizing manual intervention.

An important aspect here is maintaining a low footprint.

Produktion

Manufacturing

Production

製造業

Fabricação

Productie

Produkcja

การผลิต

制造业

Üretim

제조

Produzione

manufacturing

機械人&射出成型機

Robolink & Injection Molding Machine

Robolink & Máquina de moldagem por injeção

Robolink和注塑机

Robolink & spuitgietmachine

Automatisiertes Teilehandling für effiziente Spritzgießautomaten

Robolink e macchina per lo stampaggio ad iniezione

Bestückung

Machine tending

Obsługa maszyn

Mantenimiento de máquinas

機械加工

Machine bedienen

机器操作

기계 관리

機器維護

Équipement

machine-tending

Plastics industry: Automated parts handling for efficient injection molding machines

Whereas employees used to have to place ice scrapers in an injection molding machine hundreds of times per shift, this monotonous task is now performed by a low-cost robot. It is so cost-effective and easy to operate that the investment in automated parts handling pays for itself after just four months.

Monday morning, start of shift at a manufacturer of ice scrapers. An employee places twenty blanks in a magazine and starts the BOY 35 EVV, an injection molding machine that overmolds the scrapers with a lip made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). What follows is an example of part handling automation in the plastics industry. robolink, a four-axis robotic arm from Cologne-based plastics specialist igus, grips a blank with a vacuum end effector. The arm then moves to the overmolding machine. The highlight: there are also suction cups on the back of the end effector. This allows the arm to pick up a finished overmolded ice scraper, then turn 180 degrees and place the next blank - with a repeat accuracy of 0.8 millimeters. Removal and loading thus take place in a single motion cycle. And that saves time. The robot arm then places the finished ice scraper on a conveyor belt.

The solution for automated parts handling on an injection molding machine was on display for the first time at Fakuma 2018, the International Trade Fair for Plastics Processing in Friedrichshafen. "The topic of automation is growing strongly in the plastics industry," says Bernd Fischer, division manager for application technology and service at Dr. BOY, a company based in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, specializing in the development of injection molding machines since 1968. "Unlike a few years ago, more and more machines are leaving our factory automated today." Before this automation phase, workers had to insert blanks into the machine by hand. Hundreds of times per shift. A monotonous job that is inefficient, tiring and error-prone.

Automated parts handling: payback after approx. four months

Packaging, technical parts, semi-finished products and consumer goods: The plastics processing industry is one of the most important sectors of the German economy. According to the German Plastics Processing Industry Association (Gesamtverband Kunststoffverarbeitende Industrie - GKV), more than 330,000 employees, mainly from small and medium-sized enterprises, generate annual sales of over 65 billion euros. However, this balance sheet is no reason to rest on one's laurels. After all, the sector is going through a transformation phase - just like most other industries. Cost pressure is increasing. And topics such as automation and Industry 4.0 are becoming a competitive factor.

"However, many companies shy away from the topic of automation because they fear investment costs of several hundred thousand euros," says Norman Franke, Head of Automation Injection Molding at igus. "Yet today, thanks to low-cost robotics, it is easily possible to automate monotonous and dangerous processes at low cost and low risk. For example, the robolink robot arm with 5-DOF costs from 3,845 euros - a fraction of the price of conventional industrial robots." The reason for the low cost: Many components of the robotic arm, such as bearings and gears, are not made of metal but of high-performance plastic.

"The investment can pay for itself after just four months," Fischer emphasizes. This is because employees now only have to spend ten percent of their working time on parts handling - namely refilling ice scraper blanks into a magazine from which the robot arm serves itself.

Low-cost robotics is not only comparatively inexpensive to purchase, but also to operate. That starts with operation. "Many companies fear that they will have to spend a lot of money on IT experts to program the robotic arm," says Fischer. "But in fact, after a training period of just a few hours, it's possible even for IT laypeople to define motion sequences." This is made possible by software from Commonplace Robotics, whose origins go back to adult education.

At its heart: a 3D simulation of the robot arm. A Digital Twin of the real robot. Instead of programming, employees define the start and target positions of the arm with mouse clicks. The software calculates the motion paths automatically. It is also possible to insert your own 3D objects. The matching robot controller, integrated in a control cabinet as a DIN rail version, takes care of controlling the stepper motors - and communicates with the controller of the connective injection molding machine via EUROMAP interface. "We have designed the operation of the system so intuitively that the need for IT specialists is reduced to a minimum," emphasizes Fischer. "This saves costs and counteracts the problem of a shortage of skilled workers, which also affects the plastics processing industry."

Since the bearings of the robot arm are made of high-performance plastic and not metal, dry running is possible without lubricants. The lightweight plastic components also reduce energy consumption - another savings factor in times of rising energy costs. Last but not least, the automation does not even require additional space. "The automation of parts handling takes place within the 1.67 square meter footprint of the compact insert molding machine. The company does not have to provide additional space. The low-cost robot, the parts magazine and the conveyor belt are positioned on the free machine table of the injection molding machine to save space."

Low-cost automation of injection molding machines faces a hungry market, Fischer is convinced. He says the solution is particularly suitable for machines with longer cycles. "For cycle times of more than 30 seconds, it makes economic sense for companies to automate part handling with low-cost robotics." For faster machines, on the other hand, robolink is too slow, he said. The robotic arm moves at a maximum speed of 0.25 meters per second and manages seven picks per minute.

Driving automation forward: Online platform RBTX bundles expertise of several manufacturers

If companies like the automated parts handling, they have the option of expanding the automation. This is where RBTX comes in, an online marketplace where manufacturers of low-cost robotics pool their products and expertise. Companies put together automation solutions with the help of a configurator. Robots from igus, for example, provide the basic electro-mechanical framework - including Cartesian robots, jointed-arm robots and delta robots. They can be combined with components from various manufacturers, including vision systems, grippers, interactive software, power electronics, motors, sensors and control systems. Nasty surprises regarding compatibility are ruled out. "To ensure that even small medium-sized companies can make the low-risk leap into the automation age, engineers have already combined and tested all the components," says Franke. "This ensures smooth interaction. Companies can conveniently put together solutions and get started right away."

Automated quality control with igus ReBeL

Automatisierte Qualitätskontrolle mit dem igus ReBeL

Quality Control

Quality control

质量控制

Kontrola jakości

品質管制

Kwaliteitscontrole

品質管理

Control de calidad

품질 관리

Contrôle qualité

quality

Customer Tests

Testen door klanten

Tests clients

Müşteri Testleri

客户测试

Tes Pelanggan

Testes de clientes

Testy klienta

การทดสอบของลูกค้า

客戶測試

Kundentests

Test dei clienti

customer-tests

In this customer application, a traditional task from the functional and quality inspection domain has been automated using a collaborative robot. Previously, this task required a dedicated worker. Thanks to the deployment of the cobot, this worker can now be assigned to more complex and value-added tasks. The cobot takes over the repetitive and monotonous inspection processes with high precision and reliability. The investment in the cobot was relatively low and paid off completely within a few months, leading to significant cost savings and increased operational efficiency. Additionally, the cobot improves working conditions by relieving employees from tedious tasks, allowing them to develop further and take on more demanding responsibilities.

Automated quality inspection of facets

Automatisierte Qualitätsprüfung von Wasserhähnen

Vision supported Pick and Place application with igus room gantry

Kameraunterstützte Pick and Place Anwendung mit igus Raumportal

Pick & Place

Pick-and-Place

Al ve yerleştir

拾取&放置

픽 앤 플레이스

ピック&プレース

Pick &amp: Place

取放 (揀選 & 放置)

Pick and place

หยิบและวาง

pick-n-place

In this application, a pick-and-place solution was tested for a customer using an igus linear robot, a camera, and a conveyor belt. The individual components had to communicate seamlessly to ensure the metal part could be reliably picked up from the conveyor belt and accurately sorted. The integration of the camera for detecting and positioning the metal part, along with the precise control of the linear robot, played a crucial role in ensuring the system’s high reliability and efficiency.

Automated loading and unloading of a laser engraving machine

Automatisierte Be- und Entladung einer Lasergravur Maschine

Scanner

Tarayıcı

스캐너

Skaner

掃描器

扫描

เครื่องสแกน

スキャナー

scanner

Handhabung

Material handling

Manuseio de materiais

Malzeme taşıma

Przeładunek materiałów

Manipulación de materiales

倉儲物流

物料搬运

Materiaal handling

ระบบจัดการสินค้า

물류 산업

Movimentazione dei materiali

マテリアルハンドリング

Manipulation

material-handling

总览

In this specific customer application, a cost-effective solution for loading and unloading a laser engraving machine was sought and successfully implemented. The igus ReBeL robot takes on the task of picking up the parts to be engraved and precisely placing them into the machine. Subsequently, a linear system equipped with a laser engraving head carries out the engraving process. Once the engraving is complete, the robot removes the processed part from the machine and places it for further processing or packaging.

Thanks to the low cost of the cobot, the investment in this automated solution pays off in a very short time, making it particularly attractive for companies looking to reduce their production costs while simultaneously increasing efficiency.

Automated handling of snail shells

Automatisiertes Handling von Schneckenhäusern

In this particular customer application, the task was to transport snail shells to various positions within a cycle time defined by the customer. The main challenge was selecting an appropriate end effector, as the snail shells needed to remain undamaged throughout the process.

After careful consideration and analysis of the requirements, the decision was made to use a SoftGripper. This type of gripper is characterized by its flexibility and adaptability, allowing it to conform to the shape of the delicate snail shells. This not only ensures safe transportation but also minimizes the risk of damage.

The choice of the SoftGripper was crucial for the success of the application, as conventional grippers, due to their rigid structure, would not have been able to handle the fragile snail shells without causing damage. By using the SoftGripper, the required cycle time could be met while preserving the integrity of the snail shells.

Restaurant

Restauration

餐饮

レストラン

餐廳

식당

restauracja

gastronomy

ReBeL Cobot with easy to use vacuum gripper for pick and place

ReBeL Cobot mit einfach zu bedienendem Vakuumgreifer für Pick and Place

Süper düşük maliyetli

Superlage kosten

Superlowcost

Superniskikoszt

超低成本

Coût très faible

Super low cost

ซุปเปอร์โลว์คอส

Custo superbaixo

초저가

经济型

superlowcost

The ReBeL Cobot, equipped with the CobotPump from Schmalz, offers a versatile solution for pick-and-place applications. It has one gripping point and can be configured with up to four contact points for additional stability. These features make it ideal for efficient handling tasks. You do not need compressed air just 24v form the robot controller. The ReBeL Cobot with the CobotPump is a cost-effective option for companies looking for a reliable automation solution.

Jäger-Engineering GmbH

Products from Jäger-Engineering GmbH

Low cost solutions built with RBTX