A publication of theARBURG Group

Issue 12 Autumn 1999

Information onInjection MouldingMarket and Technology

ARBURG II: Change-over – step by step

DistinctionsA double victory for ARBURG

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Karl Hehl Eugen Hehl

C o n t e n t s

ARBURG exhibitions”13” – a lucky number for thefair centre Friedrichshafen

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ARBURG architectureLight and bright

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ARBURG technologyFast interventionARBURG productionWith cable boxes and handling manipulators

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ARBURG technologyWhy use vertical set-up?ARBURG customer reportCooperation with a view to innovation

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ARBURG ServiceAlways there when you need themARBURG Tech talkOptimum adjustment in machine control

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ARBURG subsidiariesSingapore: ARBURG PTE Ltd.

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ARBURG customer reportCAMO: success started at the cinema

The pace is stepping up as we move towards the year 2000. This

move into the new millennium has involved the company in

major efforts to convert the computer system. Y2K compatibil-

ity is the key word here.

ARBURG’s readiness for this and the assurance that this magic

date gives us no cause for alarm was confirmed in the very

positive result of the audit at the beginning of March by TÜV

Rheinland/Berlin-Brandenburg.

Our company did, however, distinguish itself in other ways this

year: in an independent market survey on brand image,

ARBURG came out streets ahead in first place and was further

honoured by Robert Bosch GmbH with the supplier award for

1997/1998.

All this clearly confirms that our company is on the right road.

With ARBURG II, we are setting a new, important milestone in

our company history on this road.

With ARBURG II, too, complex functions will go hand in hand

with appropriate design, remaining true to our ARBURG prom-

ise. Bad design is hard to sell.

We hope you enjoy this latest edition of ARBURG today.

ARBURG today,Issue12 / Autumn 1999Customer magazine of the ARBURG Group

Published by: ARBURG GmbH + Co

Editor:Dr. Christoph Schumacher (Editor in charge)Editorial team:Juliane Hehl, Martin Hoyer,Roland Paukstat, Bernd Schmid,Jürgen Schray, Renate Würth

Contributors to this issue:Uwe Becker (Text), Jürgen Schray (TechTalk),Markus Mertmann (Photos),Martina Schrenk (Graphics)

Editorial address:ARBURG GmbH + CoPostfach 110972286 Loßburg

Tel.: +49 (0) 7446/33-3149Fax: +49 (0) 7446/33-3413e-mail: today_kundenmagazin@arburg.comwww.arburg.com

PRINTING INFORMATION

Reproduction – including partial –subject to approval.

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fidence and innovation sectors.ARBURG came first in each

case in these. The company camesecond in machine quality, serv-ice quality and troubleshooting.There was no ranking lower thansecond.

”The traditional index for thestrength of a brand is spontane-ous recognition”, is the view ofthe market researcher, WinfriedPfenning, in assessing the resultas a sign of ARBURG’s excep-tional market position in hissurvey. A company’s image af-fects the buying decisions of po-tential customers because todaythere are so many companies withsimilar product services, so thisranking as top company came justat the right time.

The ARBURG management feltthat these exceptional markswere the result of joint efforts, towhich all employees had contrib-uted in their own particularsector.

The same applies in principleto the second distinction of theyear as well, with the qualityprize awarded by the BoschGroup. The focal points for scor-ing were the quality of productsand services, flexibility and reli-ability of supply of Bosch partner

companies. The award is of par-ticular value to ARBURG, as forthe first time, companies from thecapital goods sector and logisticsservice provider sector were alsohonoured.

Apart from ARBURG, a total of52 other companies includingthree other capital goods manu-facturers were awarded thesought-after trophy, which is onlyawarded every two years.

Efforts to ensure comprehen-sive quality control, implementedat ARBURG with dual ISO 9001and 14001 certification, are natu-rally increasingly becoming a fea-ture of general working life, but itis particularly pleasing whenthese efforts are also recognisedand appreciated by customersand business partners. We wouldtherefore like to extend particularthanks for this double victory. Weshall continue to make everyeffort in the future to justify theconfidence placed in us. This isyour most obvious right as acustomer!

A double victoryfor ARBURGARBURG has two great rea-sons for congratulating it-self: in the May edition ofthe specialist plastics maga-zine ”Plastverarbeiter” (PV)ARBURG gained pole posi-tion in a survey of the plasticinjection moulding machinemarket that PV-Redaktionwas commissioned to under-take. This was followed inJuly by the second major dis-tinction.

ARBURG was honoured with asupplier award for 1997/1998 byRobert Bosch GmbH ”For qualityand special services as a BoschGroup supplier”. Good reason forboth management and the work-force to be especially proud oftheir company.

The PV market survey was runby Pfenning Marktforschung/Beratung/Analyse (MBA). The out-come of the brand image investi-gation could have hardly beenbetter for ARBURG.

Out of the ten competitorsnamed, the company came in aclear first with a total score of 88out of a possible 100 points.

Particularly satisfactory resultswere achieved in the manage-ment, customer information, con-

Highly delighted – three ARBURG associ-ates with Plastverarbeiter publisherAlexander Büchler (from left to right,Michael Hehl, Eugen Hehl, AlexanderBüchler, Juliane Hehl).

The Bosch Group’s recognition of thespecial quality of service supplied byARBURG is set in stone.

Managing Director Herbert Kraibühler(second from left) and Divisional HeadDomestic Sales Eberhard Lutz(3rd from left) accept the award fromDr. Wolfgang Colberg (left) andDr. Klaus Bolenz (right). Photo: Bosch

Dist inctions for A R B U R G

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1981 saw its successful intro-duction: we are talkingabout the International spe-cialist exhibition for plasticsprocessing, the Fakuma inFriedrichshafen.

The continuing success of theFakuma shows just how right P.E.Schall, the exhibition organisers,were to take the plunge. It is notonly the technological highlightsof the exhibition itself whichattract the public, but also theregion itself with that specialLake Constance flair, and thetown of Friedrichshafen, whichhas a long history of technologybehind it – thinking of the Zeppe-lins, for example.

With innovative industrialconcerns such as ZF, MTU andDASA, Friedrichshafen shows howorientated it is to the future and

A R B U R G exhibit ion

ing micro-parts with a 15 mmscrew, which made its debut atthe Technology Days ’99. Anothernew introduction is theALLROUNDER 630 S 2500-1300representing the large-scaleARBURG machines. With a clamp-ing force of 2500 kN and an injec-tion unit size 1300, this machinepaves the way to new productionpotential for customers with ma-chines in the medium clampingforce range.

A further focal point of theexhibition is thermoset process-ing. In this sector ARBURG isshowing a specially equipped

420 C 1300-350 ma-chine for processingthermoset wet polyes-ter with an INJESTERtamping device. Thecoupling housingmade on thisALLROUNDER is han-dled by a new designARBURG horizontalhandling system,

which grips the mould from therear side of the machine.

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ARBURG is showing a representativecross-section of the ALLROUNDERmachine range from the smallest to thelargest, with several innovations ashighlights.

ARBURG has always strongly sup-ported this exhibition not just forregional solidarity but also be-cause it feels that the exhibitionconcept is exceptionally convinc-ing. A highly professional exhibi-tion organisation provides a greatattraction with a high level of in-formation but at the same time afamiliar set-up in beautiful sur-rounding countryside.

ARBURG: focal points of theexhibition, both large andsmall

So what does ARBURG have tooffer at the Fakuma this year?

Both large and small innovations,you could say. The 220 S 150-35that ARBURG is showing is thesmallest ALLROUNDER for mak-

to growth. The current municipal-ity numbering some 55,000 in-habitants also benefits from tour-ism to the Lake Constance area.

Optimum extensionSo how does the exhibition fit

into this scene? Clearly very wellindeed, as events are so popularthat there are concrete plans forextending its capacity. PaulEberhard Schall, the main directorof the exhibition organiser, P.E.Schall GmbH Frickenhausen, issteering towards a new exhibitorrecord with the 13th Fakuma exhi-bition.

ARBURG has been in on it asan exhibitor right from the firstFakuma in 1981. In the view ofEugen Hehl, Chairman of theARBURG board, the exhibition isan essential feature of today’sspecialist exhibition calendar.

13 – A lucky numberfor the exhibitioncentre Friedrichshafen

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SELOGICAThe overriding topic of the

year, the SELOGICA control sys-tem and its exceptional advan-tages, is also widely representedhere. The control system avail-able universally for all newALLROUNDER machines withgraphic sequence editor, exten-sive individual access and moni-toring options, ergonomic opera-tion and divided-screen technol-ogy offers installers and opera-tors optimum overview andtransparency. The interested visi-tors can try out dummy terminalsand operate the machines directlyat the exhibition to discover forthemselves the advantages ofthis.

So the company is showingthree new developments at Fried-richshafen in 1999 alone. Proofthat ARBURG really appreciatesthe worth of Friedrichshafen asan exhibition centre. Anyone whoknows ARBURG will know that itstill might have an ace up itssleeve. And where better to playit than the trusted exhibition inLake Constance, which is so closeto ARBURG’s home.

Three questions on Fakumato Paul E. Schall

Did ARBURG’s presence at thefirst Fakuma exhibition in 1981have a signal effect on the furtherdevelopment of theexhibition?

ARBURG’s for-ward-looking deci-sion to exhibit atFakuma in 1981 inFriedrichshafen wascertainly an important step in thesuccess of our exhibition. The de-cision was a clear indication tothe sector. So Eugen Hehl is with-out doubt one of Fakuma’s mainsponsors.

How do you see the exhibitioncentre, Friedrichshafen, and Faku-ma developing in the future?

In 2002, Friedrichshafen willhave finished a new exhibitionarea covering 55,000 square me-tres gross with 7000 m2 morespace than the present site. Thiswill open up further opportunitiesfor development to Fakuma. So Isee very positive growth potentialboth the for the site and for theexhibition itself.

How do you see the growthpotential for the plastics sector ingeneral and where do the maintrends lie in your view?

Development of the Fakuma isa clear indication: the plasticssector has a very sound future inmy view. Important specialist ar-eas with attractive possibilitiesfor development are, for example,powder processing, optical discproduction and multi-componentand sandwich injection moulding.

Take the Shuttleto MIMtec

Anyone visiting the Fakumaexhibitions as an interestedspectator and processor ofinjection moulded parts us-ing metal powder shouldmake sure they talk to ournice ladies at the informa-tion desk.

In conjunction with ARBURG,the Swiss firm MIMtec will beoperating a shuttle service dur-ing the exhibitions to Rorschach,bringing guests to the companyso that they can see MIM’s ex-emplary production for them-selves.

MIMtec AG is an ARBURGcustomer and a 100 % subsidiaryof Perfecta Schmid AG, an inter-nationally renowned manufac-turer of weaving machines. Com-plex metal parts needed for pro-duction are produced on two270 S 500-60 ALLROUNDER ma-chines collected by the handlingsystem, palletized, with auto-matic fluid and thermal debind-ing.

Various group trips are of-fered, organised and operatedjointly by MIMtec and ARBURG.Individual visits are also possi-ble.

Further details can be ob-tained from the information deskat the ARBURG stand at theexhibition in Hall 3, N° 326.

Ultra-modern: MIM productionline at RorschachPhoto: MIMtec

Friedrichshafen at Lake ConstancePhoto: the town of Friedrichshafen

Modern environment: the Friedrichshafenexhibition offers the optimum setting forspecialist events.Photo: the town of Friedrichshafen

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A R B U R G customer report

Camo: Successstarted at the cinema

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If the owner of the ”First TVcinema” in Schwanenstadt inAustria had known that hispremises would one dayhouse a high-tech companyinvolved in the design andconstruction of injectionmoulding products, he wouldcertainly have changed di-rection.

Of course, Camo’s head officesare no longer housed here, buteven more successful than the de-velopment of the cinema wasindeed that of the firm itself: thecinema no longer exists, butCamo certainly does!

Camo’s history – 10 years ofrapid growth

Still back in the time of thecinema, in January 1989 Camo’sowner, Josef Eidler, boughtpremises in Schwanenstadt which,having previously been used as acinema and knitting concern,seemed to be ideal for producing

precision moulds for injectionmoulding and press blanks.Camo, standing for ComputerAided Moulding, was born. Evenat that time it was not just amould construction firm workinghand-in-hand but a CAD flexibledesign and production facility.

100 employees now work atCamo, not only on injectionmoulds but also press blanks and

devices, machine components andinjection moulded parts, as wellas assembling high tech equip-ment. CAD is used throughout thebusiness from design to planningthrough to production.

From the outset, Josef Eidlerconcentrated on training his ownapprentices. ”That is part of ourcompany policy”, his reasoninggoes. ”We want to train up ourown specialists”.

How ARBURG started atCamo

Obviously, when the companyfirst started to develop, mouldconstruction was the main busi-ness, so the first ALLROUNDERmachines were designed exclu-sively for matching customermoulds. Customer requirementssoon, however, became more ex-tensive. They were clearly on theroad to complete processing ofentire projects. From the designand construction of mouldsthrough to production and im-pression of injection mouldedparts, and finally pre-assemblyand packaging, all these tasks arenow covered by Camo.

This meant that the injectionmoulding sector also became in-creasingly important. 24 injectionmoulding machines are now inoperation at Camo, including 17ALLROUNDERs, giving ARBURGthe lion’s share.

High tech for complexmoulds

The main end users of Camoare from the electronics, precisionmechanics, household applianceand automotive industries. Thedemand is usually for complexmould geometries. This is why thedesign and development depart-ments are so closely involved inplanning. Detailed working draw-

ings and computer-aided workpreparation are only one side ofthe coin. Camo also has state ofthe art equipment in the designsector too: 3D product develop-ment using Pro/Engineer CAD/CAMsoftware, data processing forstereolithography and rheologicalcalculation, 2D mould design, NCmilling program production todrawings or data transmissionand integration of data fromother CAD systems for productionare the key words here. Milling,countersunk and wire eroding andgrinding are all CNC controlled.Quality control, assurance andtesting by mechanical, opticaland electronic inspection meth-ods during and after productionare all part and parcel of the proc-ess. Major customers, such asPhilips, appreciate this workingmethod and have a wide range ofproducts made exclusively byCamo, such as the combs andhousings for various beard trim-mers.

A sound philosophyThe Philips beard trimmer is a

good example of the all-roundtechnical support offered byCamo and Josef Eidler: ”At theoutset we were brought in tobuild the moulds. At first themoulds were highly complex,such as the entire drive mecha-nism for the Philips Ladyshaveor the open-work comb for thetrimmer. We commissioned fiveALLROUNDERs in one go toachieve a practicable solution tothe problem. The production of

housing components was alsoconsidered. As those in chargelearned that we not only designand develop moulds, but also pro-duce, impress and pack parts, wewere able to persuade them toplace the entire order with us.

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Providing a full service alsomeans making the most of thesynergic effects in the company.So our methods pay off, despite apossibly higher production cost,on unit numbers.”

Clearly the entire companyphilosophy bears fruit, as Camohas already three times beenawarded the distinction of”Internorm partner diploma”, aswell as receiving the ”Gold Sup-plier Award” from the PhillipsDAP household appliances factoryin Klagenfurt. Camo itself has hadISO 9001 certification since 1997.

Salient details: housingcomponents for the Philipsbeard trimmer

One complex practical exam-ple from the Camo productionunit is the complete production ofhousing components for thePhilips beard trimmer. ThreeALLROUNDERs operate in a Gei-ger handling assembly line, toproduce a window and the frontand back of the trimmer housing,which is then impressed in thesame production block andpalletized in ready-made blisterpacks. Sprue separation is han-dled automatically, so that pro-duction is fully automated.

One feature of particular inter-est is the production of the win-dow, which is later used todisplay the cutting length setting.It is made of clear PC and is pro-duced on an ALLROUNDER 270 Cwith a single mould. A handlingrobot removes the window fromthe cavity and places it on thepick-up device of a linear slide.The slide runs to the buffer presswhere the window is impressedand made ready for pick-up by afurther handling system. The sec-ond handling system takes thewindow and places it in themould of one of the twoALLROUNDER 370 C 600-250,which are positioned on the leftand right at right angles to thecentral linear slide. Injectionmoulding of the window with theABS cover and the housing, i.e.the back of the future trimmer,made of the same material, takesplace in a twin cavity.

This is where it starts to getcomplicated. After opening themould, the CNC handling systemremoves both parts, but thenplaces just the cover in the pick-up of the linear unit. Before that,the cover produced by the secondALLROUNDER C and impressed inthe interim, has been removedfrom the linear slide to leavespace for the next one to be im-pressed. As this new impressionprocess is taking place, the im-pressed cover and the housing areplaced together in the blister

pack. The complexity of the pro-cedures is increased still furtherby the fact that the productionunit works discontinuously toenable automatic exchange of thepackaging inserts in the twoALLROUNDER C machines with-out interrupting production.

The comb for the beard trim-mer is produced on a machinewith twin moulds. The design ofthe mould is particularly expen-sive in this case. The combinationof open-work bars which do notpass all the way through but stopat the corner angle, require ex-tremely high precision in mouldconstruction.

The combs are produced on anALLROUNDER 270 C 400-100,with a CNC device ensuring care-ful handling, positioning in thecorrect setting position and pack-aging in the boxes. As Josef Eidlersays: ”It is not without good rea-son that we are considered acentre of excellence byPhilips, when it comesto making theseparts”.

Camo has already produceda range of trimmer types forPhilips. Optimum product qualityeven in detail is a commonfeature to all.

The transparent window is impressedin a buffer press.

The complex twin cavity mould isused for the production of the housingand cover of the ABS cover.Photo: Camo.

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most part discovered on theALLROUNDERs. And that is likelyto continue! ”

Investment in the futureJosef Eidler sees the way for-

ward as follows: ”Developmentmust proceed in other companysectors just as dynamically as ithas with CAD/CAM. I am thinking

in particular of further expansionof automated production as wellas extension of assembly lines. Ata technological level, multi-com-ponent injection moulding is theway forward. We have startedproducing hard/soft combinationsand feel that this sector too is afurther point of contact withARBURG”.

It all started with anALLROUNDER D

Development in the firm ofCamo has thus been good. A longroad that started with anALLROUNDER 320 D 850-210,which ARBURG and Camo havetrodden together over the years.The owner of the company is wellpleased with our Black Forest ma-chine technology as ever before.As Eidler comments, ”ARBURGproducts have our full support.What we have learnt about injec-tion moulding we have for the

Light and bright ”Intelligent” baysAn EIB (electronic information

bus) system will be used to con-trol the entire lighting systeminside the bays. Energy savinglamps can be switched on instages to achieve the optimumlighting levels in all working ar-eas in conjunction with penetrat-ing daylight. All the building serv-ices – heating, ventilation, etc. –will be controlled by the centralbuilding automation system ofthe works, which also handles ex-traction of harmful CO from theroad at the goods delivery point.Bay ventilation is largely handledby natural means and is also pos-sible in poor weather conditionsby means of a specially integratedmodule on the south side of theshed roof.

Natural resources are also uti-lised in the form of rainwater col-lection. The current planned col-lection capacity is 600 m3. 350 m3

in the area of the sprinkler tankwill enable waste heat from theproduction process to be ”stored”

Foundation work

ARBURG II is making major

strides into the future: whilst

some sectors are still continu-

ing with the basic tasks, since

July parts of the production

systems have been on the

move round the clock. Flying

machines, impressive designs,

breathtaking prospects as far

as the eye can reach!

A R B U R G architecture

.. stepArt in construction: the wide range ofpipework will be pre-graded

”Light” is the keyword in con-struction of ARBURG II. The primefactor is optimum lighting atworkstations inside the bays.Daylight is provided not onlythrough the transparent outerskin of the bays, but also via theshed roof. The glass front of thisstructure at an angle of 60° is onthe north side, and the non-trans-parent surface on the south side.This is set at an angle of 45°. The60° angle ensures a relatively low

heat input. On the non-transpar-ent south side, solar technologycan be applied at an optimum an-gle to the sun. Here solar collec-tors will be used firstly to utilisesolar heat and secondly for pho-tovoltaic current.........

New views, prospects andinsights, but also more com-pany transparency: a glassstructure offers many inter-pretations

Whilst we are used to this typeof architecture from exhibitionhalls or formal buildings, ARBURGwill be using this design specifi-cally for the construction ofARBURG II for the production sec-tor. The advantages of this type ofconstruction which should beready for all sectors to move intoin the year 2000, are anything butmere philosophy. According tothe latest scientific evidence,ultra-transparent buildings per-meated with light with a view ofthe outside generate motivationand this has a positive impact onthe well-being of employees. Thatincludes an ergonomic workplacedesign.

Factors considered for the pre-vious company buildings havebeen even more closely incorpo-rated in the new building: energysaving, environmental protectionand use of natural resources arepriority targets for ARBURG II andthus anchored in the company’sphilosophy.

The ARBURG types bay willmeasure 80 x 96 m, with glass fa-cades on three sides, to a total of3,000 m2. The high quality heatinsulation glass will be combined– as in the administration build-ing – with wall heating housed inthe pillar frame system. This obvi-ates the necessity for conven-tional heating units. Additionalheating is provided solely by darkglas radiators in the ceilings andfloor heating in the basement, thefloor heating being supplied bywaste heat from the productionprocess. Shade against peak solarradiation in summer will be pro-vided by a specially designedfrieze on the east and south sidesof the building.

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up to a temperature of 40 °C max.,so that in cold weather the heatstored there can be recycled. Thiswill be supplied to the buildingsas heating energy. The remainingcollection capacity will be usedon the one hand for external irri-gation and on the other hand asindustrial water for the sanitaryblocks.

With regard to the future fi-nancial impact of sealed areas,this procedure will provide itemsfor tax offsets.

Safety measuresThe safety necessary in a

building complex of this magni-tude will be ensured by clearlyvisible evacuation, alarm and res-cue systems. Complete roommonitoring controls access to thebuildings as well as lorry prepara-tion at the goods delivery point.

Ground, floor and drainageprotection is also especially con-sidered in the waste disposalbuilding. All devices and contain-ers are designed accordingly. Theconcept of multiple use of energythus makes for an ”intelligent”extension to the works combinedwith automation of the building.

.. by.. step....

Load-bearing elements

Hoch hinaus - die Stützpefiler

The rooftops of ARBURG

Work round the clock

A R B U R G technology

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At the Fakuma exhibition,ARBURG will be presentingits latest developments inthe handling sector onthree of its machines – theALLROUNDER 570 and 420 Cand the ALLROUNDER 470 S:horizontal handling, a cost-effective, ergonomic solu-tion for removal of partsfrom the simple through tothe more complex.

This new removal handlingsystem will in future be offeredon all machine sizes.

Compared to vertical removal,horizontal intervention offers someimportant advantages. Firstlyhorizontal removal has much lessimpact on the height of the entiremachine configuration. It is fullyvariable even when used in theparting line, as it moves in fromthe rear side of the machine. Theconventional machine arrange-ment thus becomes more univer-sal, as additional vertical periph-erals such as brush or strippingdevices can be used. Moulds canbe inserted from the top into theclamping unit without obstruc-

tion and the shorter interventionpaths provide additional stabilityand speed due to the horizontalaxis arrangement, not to mentioncost benefits.

Swivel movementThe gripper arm of the hori-

zontal handling system travelsalong a defined path into themould closure and can, if neces-sary, perform a swivel movement90° around a vertical axis outsidethe mould. This provides a largesetdown area, but the dimensionsof the machine and handling sys-tem at the same time remain com-pact. Grippers, pincers, suctionboxes or suction plates can befixed swiftly and easily. Admissi-ble gripper weights and availableintakes and outlets enable morecomplex gripper configurations tobe used, however. The simplestdesign of the new handling sys-tem operates pneumatically, withthe option of adding on furtherpneumatic shafts. A further op-tion is servo-electric horizontalintervention shafts.

In line with ARBURG philoso-phy, the new handling system canalso be integrated with all itsprocesses in the SELOGICA ma-chine control system.

Asse

mbl

y of

Cont

rol C

abin

ets

placed on the assembly plates asassemblies for use in the controlcabinet. This is done using ”han-dling manipulators”, manuallyoperated manipulators which canlift loads ”weightlessly”.

The control cabinet housingsare routed to a buffer area on flex-ible conveyor cars and are alreadyspecifically assignable in terms ofcontrol configuration by machinenumber. Once the plate assemblyline has completed the prelimi-nary assembly work, the controlcabinet then passes on to one of atotal of five assembly lines. Theprocessing sequence is determinedby assigning a number accordingto the machine priority concerned.The conveyor car also containsthe relevant control hardware aswell as the ”cable box” with allthe pre-assembled wiring for thespecific control cabinet.

Wiring according to wiringdiagram

Those working on the assem-bly lines fit the control cabinetsout completely. The connectionsprovided in the cable boxes arealready equipped with all the req-uisite end contacts and onlyrequire wiring according to thewiring diagram.

Full use is made of any poten-tial for rationalisation, as UweBergmann, Group Head of thecontrol cabinet assembly unit ex-plains to us: ”by using freely con-figurable modules for customisedcontrol applications we can shifthardware tasks to the softwaresector, which means we can notonly work more flexibly but alsomore cost-effectively long term.

But there are also less spec-tacular changes that contribute togreater efficiency. ”We no longerproduce cable connections withthe conventional crimped connec-tors. We use an ultrasound sol-dering system to form the connec-

There is not a buyer, ma-chine installer or operatorwho wants to know whatreally goes on in anALLROUNDER. All that mat-ters is that the machinefunctions.

To make sure that our custom-ers need to worry as little as pos-sible about the ”inner life” of theALLROUNDER, some of our firm’sdepartments do nothing but that:the control cabinet constructionunit at ARBURG assembles, groupstogether and puts the controlcabinets of all ALLROUNDERs tothe acid test before they arepassed on for final assembly.

Control cabinet housings arepassed on complete to the depart-ment from steel plate manufac-ture, control hardware from theelectronics department and cableharnesses from the cable manu-facturing unit.

The control cabinet constructiondepartment is responsible of mak-ing a functional ALLROUNDERcentral switching system from allthe various components.

The first stage in this is plateassembly. It is here that the indi-vidual components for the heavypower units – such as transform-ers, fuses, contactors and mainswitches for the machines – are

Cable boxes andhandling manipulators

Fastintervention

Horizontal handlingcovers parts removalfrom the rear sideof the machine intothe mould

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A R B U R G production

stored by the test engineer as aone-off according to the wiringdiagram. There is one of thesemodules for every technical salesunit, which means that an indi-vidual test routine can be interro-gated automatically for each cus-tomised control cabinet. In futurewe plan to enable test engineersto produce the required test mod-ule in situ.

Room for further detailedimprovements

That there is always still roomfor improvement despite constantefforts in this direction is evidentfrom a final look at an explana-tion of the system. According toUwe Bergmann, ”There will al-ways be improvements in details.For example, a relatively shorttime ago, plate screws with aTorx head were introduced as astandard connection betweencomponents and assembly plates.These replaced a number of

Bildbeschreibung

Control cabinet assembly Pre-assembled cable harnesses Control cabinet test bench Handling manipulator

Assembly of heavy power components

Perfect order

tions directly from the ends of thecopper cable,” is how Bergmannexplains the latest advances intechnology. Once the control unit,power inserts, cable harnessesand pre-assembled assemblyplates are installed in the controlcabinet and wiring is completed,the next step is quality control.

There are a total of six testbenches for 100 % inspection ofall available connections betweenthe individual component mod-ules.

In-house test benchesThe test bench concept was

developed in-house at ARBURG.In the dialogue between the PCtest bench and SELOGICA controlsystem, a special test programchecks all the functions by apply-ing pre-set currents fully auto-matically to the functions. The PCprogram transmits a message toalert personnel if a fault is de-tected.

An important feature here isthe open structure and dynamicsof the program. If the softwaredetects a fault that has not yetappeared, the test engineer canadvise the system of his proce-dure in keywords once he haslocated and remedied the fault.

This means that a comprehensivearchive of knowhow and experi-ence can be established, which isalways available automatically tothe system if the same fault oc-curs again.

What actually happens is thattest personnel receive a messagedisplay not only of the fault butalso (various) remedy options atthe same time. This minimises theproverbial ”looking for a needlein a haystack”.

In order for this to work, thePC program has an extensivedatabase at its disposal. This con-tains ”test modules”, small testprograms which are produced and

threaded screws, plate plastic riv-ets, resulting in an increase in thenumber of plate screws orderedwith a consequent reduction incost.”

So in control cabinet construc-tion as in all other sectors, thetrend is the same, to be able tohandle increasingly more complextasks more effectively.

One of the main ad-vantages of verticalclamping units is thatit is ”particularly suit-able for inserts”. Butwhat is really behindthis general assertion?

One of the general ad-vantages of vertical work-ing positions is the easeof access to the clampingunit or the mould. This isparticularly important inrelation to manual fittingby operators, as this re-quires safe access to theclamping area of theALLROUNDER.

There are no limita-tions on installation ofthe injection units. Bothhorizontal injection inthe parting line and cen-tral injection through thefixed platen with avertical injection unit areall easily possible withthe ALLROUNDER designprinciple.

This means that several com-ponents can be produced with avertical clamping unit.

A special design with verticalclamping and injection units andmoving platens that close fromthe top are likewise available inthe ARBURG machine range. Theentire hydraulics of the clampingunits with this solution arelocated underneath (traction sys-tem) to enable installation of theinjection unit on the movingplaten.

Insert/Outsert techniqueThe advantages of a vertical

clamping system can be seen inparticular in automation or in thecase of particular requirements inprocessing special parts. It is, for

A R B U R G technology

More flexible peripheralsolutions

Finally the space availablearound the clamping unit affordsa more flexible, individual use ofperipherals around the machine,such as robots or handling sys-tems, for part assembly or dis-charge.

Special applicationsThere are a number of special

applications in the thermoplasticsector where use of a verticalclamping unit can prove advanta-geous. A typical example is themanufacture of PET preforms forbottle production. Due to defor-mation problems, stripping ofparts from the mould can only be

done at the neck of thebottle. A vertical clamping unitcan offer advantages in this casefrom the point of view of both theinjection moulded part geometry(mould fill) as well as stripping.Use of this type of system can en-sure sound production and strip-ping from the mould for even themost difficult part geometries.

So if we look at the applica-tions of vertical clamping unitsmore closely, it is evident thatthere is a much wider range ofuses for this machine arrangementthan ”just” injection moulding ofinserts.

ing, detaching or packaging ofparts. Precision is again of primeconcern here.

There are, however, also appli-cations for parts which requirecoating for insulation purposes orinjection moulding for applicationto other modules. The existingfree space around the mould canbe used to optimum effect forbringing the conveyor and cen-tring devices for conveyor move-ment and the end of travel switchfor monitoring, registerand cutters close to themould without any prob-lem.

example, important to ensurethat there is no jarring whenprocessing small parts requiringoptimum centring. With a platenmoving vertically from top to bot-tom, it is possible to achieve this.The half-mould used for insertingstays static, which then reliablyrules out such sources of risk.

Coil to coilThis technique feeds inserts to

the injection moulding machineon the train from a coil. These arethen injection moulded andstored on a coil again. Thismethod is widely used in the au-tomotive parts supply industry forexample. Autonomous productionstations make complete electricalcontacts with installations con-nected in series upstream anddownstream for punching, bend-

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Insert made using avertical clamping unit

A R B U R G customer report

When a long-standing partnercelebrates its anniversary, it istime for ARBURG to look backover this joint effort – espe-cially when it has been as suc-cessful as it has with GerhardKläger.

What started more than 20years ago with the purchase of anALLROUNDER 305, has now seeninnovation in development. Klägeris one of the leaders in injectionmoulding of ceramic products – aposition that is not least attribut-able to its partnership withARBURG.

This year the company headedby Dr. Roland Kläger will be 40years ”young”. The focal point ofbusiness for this firm, which hasits head offices in Dornstetten inthe north Black Forest area andhas 90 employees, is precision in-jection moulding of plastic andceramic parts, mould constructionand engineering services, productplanning and development.

Over 1600 products are cur-rently produced for sectors suchas medical technology, the elec-

In technical terms, Kläger isstate of the art. Parts productionis handled fully automatically onALLROUNDERs with dischargehandling, with the green compacts

then passed on to thestripper furnace and

then to sintering.Capacity is cur-rently fully utilised,and a productionfacility has there-

fore been pur-chased directly

next to theworks inDornstettento enable fur-ther expansion ofthe PIM parts pro-duction. To this end,the Dornstetten firm isconsidering purchasing fur-ther ALLROUNDERs to boostthe production capacity.

Trends in this sector clearlypoint towards expansion, andRoland Kläger is clear in his mindwhat the targets are: ”By the year2000 we will be injection mould-ing non-oxidic materials at massproduction level.” A task that willrequire an in-depth knowledge ofPIM processing. This knowledgewill be to hand, thanks also tocollaboration with ARBURG.

View of a production bay at Dornstetten:Pure ARBURG! Photo: Kläger

trical industry, telecommunica-tions technology, consumer prod-ucts and the automotive industry,machine construction, air andspace technology, and micro-sys-tems technology. Kläger’s refer-ence list includes such names asHewlett-Packard, Bosch, Siemens,Mannesmann and Deutsche Aero-space – all firms who have confi-dence in the extensive know-howof a high tech company, whichsets store by quality awareness,flexibility and customer orienta-

tion as the keystone of relationswith its customers. An exemplaryinnovative management structureimplemented in all company sec-tors provides for open dialoguebetween all employees rightacross the hierarchies.

The owner of the company,Dr. Roland Kläger, is convincedthat this is the only way to instil acompany spirit to promote newideas for new products.

Cooperation in the PIMsector

For several years now Klägerhas been testing new materialsand techniques with ARBURG inthis sector. The processing of dif-ferent ceramic powders andthe production of hollow-blown or two-compo-nent ceramics arekey features of thebusiness.

In 1998 the companywas honoured with the first”EuroMold Award” for a ”ce-ramic scoop with hollow-blownhandle” in the category ”Materi-als and Methods”. As well as ma-terial processing, the design, ma-terial savings, weight reduction ofparts for the same stability andtime savings in the processthroughput time by a reduction incycle times were also praised.

Advantages for bothpartners

Kläger and ARBURG have col-laborated in Powder InjectionMoulding (PIM) sector since theend of 1996. Collaboration coversall the main sectors in thisprocessing method.

Cooperation witha view to innovation

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Dr. Roland Kläger, ownerand creative forcebehind the companyPhoto: Kläger

AEMAEM

A R B U R G Service

The maintenance package isdesigned to enable routine main-tenance work to be carried outeasily on the machines. The pack-age contains all the parts used forthe ALLROUNDER concerned forroutine maintenance intervals.

The basic wear part packageincludes all components with arelatively high level of wear,although this is of course depend-ent on the production conditionsin which the machine is operated.The rule of thumb in this case isthat all parts that may fail withina year from commissioning of theALLROUNDER are provided in thispackage. Typical examples of thisare the check-valve, nozzle heaterbands and temperature controlelements.

Operating safety is covered bythe mechanical and electricalequipment package. These spareparts packages contain compo-nents which are of particular usein businesses where several of thesame type of ALLROUNDER are inoperation. They are thus muchmore comprehensive than themaintenance and wear basedpackages. These packages areused, for example, by subsidiariesand trading partners wishing tokeep a store of parts for a newALLROUNDER machine series.

The hydraulic hose spare partspackage is based on the fact thatprofessional associations specifythat high pressure hoses on ma-chines must be changed at leastevery six years on grounds ofsafety. The ”hose package” isdesigned to meet these require-ments and is likewise availablefor all current ARBURG machines.

So what are the spare partspackages for?

Customers deciding on this”package solution” benefit ineach case from ARBURG originalspare parts. This thus rules outproblems arising during and afterexchange of these products. Also,according to our experience, itguarantees that the componentsfit the machines a hundred per-cent and the packages alwayscontain all the requisite parts forthe intended purpose. In addition,as an incentive, there is always afinancial benefit as the total priceof the packages is lower than thatof the total for all the individualparts together. A simultaneousreduction in delivery and orderingcosts also has a positive impacton budget when ordering thesespare parts packages. ”The out-standing plus factor of this solu-tion is the actual reduction in ma-chine downtime, as the customeralready has the essential spareparts to hand and they do not

We all know what it is likewhen technology does notseem to be able to do whatyou want it to, especiallywhen you could least dowith a problem. And eventhen it is not always easyhaving to resort to the tele-phone or computer to orderspare parts.

Never mind the fact that thesethen have to be delivered to theright site. ARBURG can save youtime, stress, money and trouble,however: AEM, our active spareparts management system enablesevery customer to order spareparts packages specially designedfor each ALLROUNDER beforethere is an urgent need. So thereis no longer any need to fear ma-chine downtime – the necessaryparts are already in place whenyou need them and can be usedstraight away, reducing down-time, which no company canafford, to the absolute minimum.

Based on their experience,spare parts specialists have puttogether spare parts packageswhich provide the customer withexactly the right exchange partsfor their ALLROUNDER, accordingto the age and condition of themachine, as required for mainte-nance or the replacement of wearparts.

Looking at the individual pack-ages in more detail, it will be no-ticed that they cover three mainproblem areas: firstly, mainte-nance, secondly, wear and thirdlyoperating safety. All the packagesare available for every currenttype of machine, and on request,some are available for certainolder models from the ARBURGrange.

Always there whenyou need them

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need to be ordered and supplied”,stressed Norbert Seeger, who isresponsible for the spare partsservice, in explaining the advan-tages of this new system.

How does AEM operate inpractical terms?

After giving general informa-tion on this new service, custom-ers wishing to order spare partsindividually that are prime partsin the packages are advised of thebenefits of the package solution.ARBURG’s spare parts servicethen quotes a price for this. Thereis no fixed package structure,parts are put together individuallyto suit requirements based on thecustomer’s details and the ma-chine numbers. The general sys-tem for the package solution ismodular. This means that acustomer choosing an extendedpackage does not buy the basicpackage as well. This has advan-tages in both financial and man-agement terms. Packages can be

AAEM

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Optimum adjustment in machine control

ordered for delivery with a newmachine or afterwards, perhapsbefore routine machine mainte-nance.

With the introduction of spareparts packages, ARBURG is takinga further step towards individualcustomer service. Not only arecustomers actively offered cost-effective solutions, but the pack-ages can be tailored to suit spe-cific machines. This quality ofservice opens up new dimensionsin advice as well, and this will infuture be tailored even morespecifically to individual customerrequirements.

The requirements present-day machine control systemshave to meet are extremelyhigh. It is important here toensure optimum adjustmentof the control system to theneeds concerned.

Even with the basic SELOGICAcontrol set-up, optimum adjust-ment to the injection mouldingmachine can be achieved.

Depending on your require-ments for the injection mouldingprocess, the machine functionalitycan, however, be vastly increased.Various extension capabilities,combined in a function package,can be put together and combinedwith each other as necessary.

Complex injection cycles canbe performed with the ”extendedmonitoring” package. At eachpoint in the cycle, the mould canbe monitored in its position simplyby marking the sequence editor.

Expensive mould technologyrequires the most exact travelmovement of the injection mould-ing machine. The ”extendedtravel capability” package affordsa much wider range of travelstages and hence profiled ma-chine cycles. Programming of theejector and core pulls with inter-mediate stop positions presents noproblem and, as well as reducedmould wear, adjustment of theclamping force saves energy.

Optimum adjustment of pro-duction on your machine to yourbusiness can be achieved by theextended function ”productioncontrol”. The injection mouldingmachine can be switched on andoff by automatic control. With ex-

AEM – active spare partsmanagement provides spareparts packages containingspare parts tailored to suitthe age of the ALLROUNDERmachine, as required forservicing.

Packages are availablenot only for current machineranges but also for oldermachine models. By order-ing the spare parts pack-ages in advance, there isnothing to fear from main-tenance work or machineproblems: spare parts areready and available whenthey are needed.

tended production downtimes, theoperating temperatures of themachine and peripherals arereduced. Programmed starting cy-cles ensure that each time the ma-chine is restarted, no defectiveparts are allowed into current pro-duction.

Machine operation is facili-tated still further with the ”opti-misation/operating aids” package.Freely programmable parametersmean that you can set up a high-speed operating facility withoutany problem. This enables you tocompress the relevant parametersfor your machine operator intotwo pages. For high-speed cycles,all times are displayed in1/100 seconds.

The ”quality assurance” pack-age enables you to ensure thequality of injection moulded partsdirectly on the production line.Defective parts are automaticallyextracted. The adjustable moni-toring graphics controls processessuch as the compression integralon each injection shot, so that theslightest deviation in the injectioncycle can ensure extraction. Theautomatic random sampling func-tion ensures ease of quality moni-toring, as do the extended moni-toring functions.

Last but not least, processdocumentation is becoming in-creasingly more important. Thisextended function enables you torecord extensive documentationon important quality-related ac-tual values on hard copy or floppydisc. SELOGICA – the easy way todo it!

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well – at ARBURG in Singapore,which came into being tostrengthen the bond between cus-tomer and company. ”We are ba-sically not doing anything out ofthe ordinary” comments MichaelHo, branch chief in Singapore ontheir efforts in customer care,”we are just trying to show ourcustomers that we understandtheir problems.

Major growth potentialIt is especially in the South Pa-

cific area that the future promisesto be as interesting as it has inthe past. The opening up of coun-tries such as Vietnam, Laos andMyanmar and continuing effortsat industrialisation in the regionas a whole mean that a local pres-

ARBURG PTE Ltd.:Gateway to AsiaARBURG’s long-term involve-ment in the Far East is notjust limited to Japan, Chinaand Korea. As internationaltrade centres, the city statesof this region have alwaysbeen of major importance.

This is why ARBURG has itsown subsidiary in this strategi-cally important base: ARBURGPTE Ltd. in Singapore, serving theentire Asiatic Pacific area, orASEAN region.

As early as the Sixties,ARBURG started to develop con-tact with Singapore. As economicdevelopment was making majorstrides in this area, the require-ment for plastic products andthus injection moulding machinesstarted to increase. With ARBURG’sclaims of offering optimum serv-ice with reliable ALLROUNDERtechnology, the company soonbecame very popular.

1988 Technical TrainingCentre, 1991 subsidiaryset-up

ARBURG took the final deci-sion to choose Singapore as abase at the end of the Eighties. In1988, the Lossburg companyopened a ”Technical TrainingCentre” which was equipped tooffer extensive technical services.As a synergic effect, local employ-ees were instructed in all techni-cal matters by the Lossburgtechnical personnel, so that theSingapore service team was soon

in a position to be able to offerextensive help themselves.

Just three years later the serv-ice centre was extended to pro-vide a fully-fledged subsidiary.The initial manning levels of threewere increased to 14, and ARBURGSingapore became ARBURG PTELtd with several agencies – Thai-land and Indonesia – in the SouthEast Pacific region.

A familiar imageThe image ARBURG gained in

this region by this early commit-ment is evident. The companywas in fact the first German injec-tion moulding machine manufac-turer with its own offices in SouthEast Asia. This high profile imagewas reinforced with cooperationwith major scientific institutions.Here ARBURG provided supportby passing on machines on loanfor training purposes.

This ”basic work” did not gounnoticed by customers eitherand is often reflected in long-termassociations with ARBURG. Thisis promoted by various specialfunctions – ”Family Days”, meet-ings and technical seminars as

ence is essential for an interna-tionally active company such asARBURG. Thoseworking in Singa-pore see the mainpotential in optical disc produc-tion and new media/telecommuni-cations. This is why ARBURG isprogressing and intensifying itsservice in the region via thebranch in Singapore, as ARBURGPTE Ltd. is the gateway to Asia!

Michael Ho, subsidiary chief in Singapore,ensures optimum contact with Asiaticcustomers

Fig. Below: The ARBURG service team:fully trained training and highly competent