Shopfloor monitoring & process monitoring at SolidPlast

ENGEL's shopfloor monitoring is an essential tool for the modern manufacturing industry. This digital system monitors all machines and provides transparency in production.

Shopfloor monitoring...

• Analyzes production data retrospectively.

• Identifies optimization potential at the touch of a button.

• Requires minimal configuration effort.

• Works independently of the manufacturer.

All these features accelerate daily business, relieve skilled workers, and provide an overview - regardless of location.

The iQ process observer continuously records and analyzes hundreds of process parameters in real time. The focus is on critical parameters. By doing so, it optimizes quality, efficiency and costs in production.

iQ process observer...

• Detects and evaluates process-relevant deviations.

• Automatically assesses their impact on production using algorithms.

• Utilizes data and expertise to optimize processes.

• Stabilizes the injection molding cycle and thus contributes to high quality in series production.

Overall, the iQ process observer reduces costs, saves energy, and minimizes the need for manual machine monitoring.

The Polish company SolidPlast, based in Kartuzy, faced a challenging task. Their customer required the use of polyoxymethylene (POM) for the production of a three-part assembly of a gas measuring cell in building technology.

POM is known for its strength and rigidity. However, it presented the company with technical challenges due to its shrinkage properties during injection molding. These are considerable, especially when producing precise and dimensionally accurate components in mass production.

Due to limited production space and the commitment to maximum productivity, SolidPlast invested in new injection molding machines in 2020:

1. A tie-bar-less ENGEL victory 320/100

2. An all-electric e-mac 265/80

CEO Dariusz Barton had a clear vision: shifting from manual quality control to quality-driven production. The acquisition of modern machinery marked the first step toward this goal.

The next step was the integration of ENGEL’s digital assistance systems to optimize processes. To achieve this, SolidPlast implemented:

• shopfloor monitoring

• process monitoring with iQ process observer

• iQ weight control

• iQ clamp control

The future belongs to transparency and knowledge. This is especially true in a time when customer demands continue to grow. Dariusz Barton was looking for a provider that not only met current requirements but was also open to future digital possibilities.

ENGEL was chosen because it offers the smartest solution with the best control system on the market. Internally, the transition was carried out systematically. New employees were specifically trained in operating the intuitive CC300 control unit of ENGEL’s injection molding machines. This step was crucial, as finding qualified personnel with injection molding expertise is becoming increasingly difficult.

The primary goal was to improve Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and enable process monitoring from the office. With shopfloor monitoring integrated into the ENGEL customer portal e-connect, the entire production process can be monitored and analyzed from a central dashboard. The system provides key metrics, including reject rates, downtime, cycle times, and more.

The implementation of shopfloor monitoring and the iQ process observer at SolidPlast, in combination with the new machines, delivered impressive results and improvements in production. The company already had experience with iQ weight control and iQ clamp control, but the introduction of the other tools marked a new milestone in their digital transformation. 

The integration of shopfloor monitoring with the remote maintenance tool e-connect.24 was straightforward and seamless. For new employees, it took just one session to explain the system, after which they were able to use and understand it effectively.

One of the biggest advantages is the traceability of issues and downtime during shifts when the office is unoccupied - especially during night shifts. With shopfloor monitoring, these occurrences can now be better analyzed and understood, allowing for improved risk prediction and faster reaction times in critical situations.

SolidPlast has now fully incorporated shopfloor monitoring into its daily routine. Every morning, a 15-minute meeting is held to review and discuss any issues from the previous day, ensuring continuous process optimization.

With the iQ process observer, Dariusz Barton was able to monitor process parameters in real time and adjust them to his needs. This led to a smooth production flow, where all critical indicators remained in the green zone. Additionally, the system allowed for trend monitoring over the entire process history, enabling operators to identify potential issues early - before a machine had to be stopped. Also, the history helped to better predict mold wear, resulting in a longer service life.

A practical example:
In the system, a mold was flagged in "yellow" status due to increased ejection force. A technician responded by cleaning and lubricating the tool, extending its service lift. In addition, the system also identified issues with temperature control, even though the temperature control units were from a different supplier and not integrated into the machine’s control system.

By implementing process monitoring with the iQ process observer, SolidPlast has significantly reduced both time and costs. The company now saves approximately 11 hours per month due to fewer manual quality checks in the lab.

The outer housing parts are produced on the ENGEL victory 320/100, which uses the iQ weight control and iQ clamp control assistance systems in addition to the iQ process observer.

The tool analyzes the injection pressure curve during the injection process. It automatically adjusts the injection profile, the switchover point, and the holding pressure to match current conditions. This compensates for fluctuations in the environment and raw material - even before a reject part is produced. 

This tool ensures the optimum clamping force. It determines the ideal value based on mold breathing for each injection molding process. During the production of the gas measurement cells, it was discovered that a lower clamping force than originally set manually was sufficient. This solved the issue of over-molding and enabled SolidPlast to produce flash-free parts fully automatically. At the same time, the lower clamping force reduced both energy consumption and mold wear.