Maximum process stability – minimum rejects

07.11.2016

Thanks to more than 600 installations on injection moulding machines with electrical injection units, the iQ weight control software developed by ENGEL AUSTRIA has become well established worldwide.

Thanks to more than 600 installations on injection moulding machines with electrical injection units, the iQ weight control software developed by ENGEL AUSTRIA has become well established worldwide.




At its symposium in June of 2015, the injection moulding machine manufacturer is presenting the product with an enhanced range of functions. In addition to the switchover point and the injection speed profile, now the holding pressure can also be automatically readjusted during the running process.



Producing moulded parts of a consistently high quality shot by shot is the aim of every injection moulder. Simply using a precise injection moulding machine will not achieve this, however. Even minor changes in ambient conditions or in raw materials and wear have an affect and can mean that parameters need to be readjusted. The iQ weight control software makes it possible to automatically recognise deviations and compensate for them in the same shot. Thus rejects can be drastically reduced and productivity can be increased decisively.


Stable conditions from the injection to holding pressure

To achieve this, the software analyses the pressure profile at the screw position in real time during the injection process and compares the measured values with a reference cycle online. Based on these results, the switchover point and the injection profile are adapted to the current conditions which keeps the injected volume constant during the entire production run. Thus the effects of fluctuations in viscosity on the filling of the mould, especially in applications with switchover points that depend on the injection pressure, can also be compensated.

ENGEL even goes one step further in the new version of the software. The automatic holding pressure correction now makes it possible to compensate for fluctuations in viscosity even after the injection phase has been completed by adjusting the holding pressure profile.


Benefits also for thick-walled components

The new feature opens up a wider range of applications for iQ weight control. While the automatic readjustment of the injection parameters increases weight consistency, especially in the fabrication of thin-walled components, it is the holding pressure phase that has a crucial impact on quality in the production of thick-walled parts.

During its symposium, ENGEL will demonstrate the potential of the upgraded software in the production of housing parts for medical use made of polypropylene on an all-electric ENGEL e-motion 170/110 T injection moulding machine. Adding small amounts of a material that flows more easily (wax) simulates realistic fluctuations in viscosity. Without corrections to the holding pressure, the weight of the components increases with sinking viscosity by up to 0.29g. This corresponds to almost one percent of the component weight and leads to unacceptable deviations. However, when the automatic holding pressure correction is activated, the component weight remains consistently within the tolerances with fluctuations of 0.07g, and no rejects are produced.


Consistent control logic makes the application easier to use

iQ weight control is available for all ENGEL machines with electric injection units. This includes the ENGEL e-motion, ENGEL e-mac, ENGEL e‑duo and ENGEL e-victory model series. The software does not require any additional hardware: instead, it is integrated into the CC300 control unit of the injection moulding machines. The consistent control logic ensures that the application is intuitive and comfortable to use.