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Arburg to show digital transformation in plastics processing at Hannover Messe

Arburg will present the multiple-variant injection moulding of elastic tension straps ‘on demand’ as well as current Industry 4 components for the ‘smart factory’ at the Digital Factory, on stand J10 in hall 6, at Hannover Messe.

“We regard ourselves not only as a supplier of machines, but also as a technology partner, efficiency promoter and pioneer in the plastics industry with regard to the topic of digital transformation,” explains Heinz Gaub, Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg.

From the smart machine and host computer system to the smart factory and smart services, Arburg has a large range of offerings for ‘smart’ injection moulding companies in order to enhance added value, production efficiency and process reliability in networked and flexibly automated production.

As an important component of Industry 4.0, the Arburg host computer system (ALS) enables the comprehensive traceability of orders and batches. Machines can be networked in a simple, standardised manner by means of interfaces based on the OPC UA communication protocol.

At the Hannover Messe 2018, visitors will be able to gain an impression of all aspects of the digital transformation at Arburg: solutions for the smart factory, Arburg Remote Service (ARS), combinable Industry 4.0 components and the individualisation of high-volume parts as single unit batches through the combination of injection moulding and additive manufacturing.

For example, how to integrate specific customer requests on-line into the ongoing injection moulding process with a clever product and tool design, tension straps, will be shown at Hannover.

A turnkey system related to the vertical injection moulding machine Allrounder 375 V produces elastic tension straps on demand and in different versions – flexibly from shot to shot, completely without machine conversion. Such an application is ideal for cable assembly in the automotive industry, for example.

A Freeformer and a variety of functional components will be used at the Hannover Messe 2018 to demonstrate that Arburg Plastic Freeforming (APF) is not only suitable for prototyping, but also for the industrial additive manufacturing of functional components.

The Freeformer is an open system that provides independence for users: They can qualify their own original materials and optimise the freely programmable process parameters specifically to their specific application. One huge advantage is that original materials certified e.g. for medical technology or aerospace applications can be used.

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