25 years of Arburg host computer system ALS

With the growing complexity of injection moulding processes, a higher level of qualification is necessary for order planners, machine installation technicians and operators. A modular, high-performance production management system (MES) ensures transparency of production. ALS is a valuable tool for the central planning, fast acquisition and straightforward management of machine and order data.

The major advantage of ALS is its modular structure. Starting from a basic platform, the system can be expanded in accordance with a company’s individual needs. The individual expansion modules can be matched to the relevant configuration. As a result, systems can be created to suit every requirement.

The basic expansion stages for machine and operating data acquisition (MDA and ODA) form the basis of all individually configurable Arburg host computer systems. These can be freely combined and expanded.

Today, some 5,000 Allrounders and injection moulding machines from other manufacturers are connected to an Arburg host computer system. The Arburg solution satisfies the trend towards the automation of injection moulding processes and the increasing demands with regard to seamless quality assurance. In addition to robotic systems, an increasing number of peripherals and the automated selection of good and reject parts are being integrated into a central control system in the case of production cells. With the host computer system, the machine and equipment can be easily interlinked, efficiently controlled and all processes continuously documented. Various orders can be directly allocated to individual machines. The order status, production schedule and unit volumes are all visible at a glance. Thanks to the automatic monitoring and documentation of changes in the production process, product quality can also be actively improved.

For modern information management, it is not always enough to have the latest production data available only on the office computer. Stationary devices are being increasingly replaced with mobile applications. Arburg has recently introduced a new solution for smartphones. With “ALS Mobile”, decision-makers can call up current production data in real time from any location, permitting an extremely flexible response. In order to continuously measure and control performance in production planning, the current OEE values, for example, can be transmitted via a smartphone.

This “Overall Equipment Efficiency”, a quotient based on quality, efficiency and availability, provides an indication of added value. Furthermore, the ALS analysis tool provides insights into current cycle times, running orders, shifts, batches, unit volumes and the current utilisation level of the machine fleet. In addition to smartphones, PC terminals, the relevant scanners and other web-capable devices can also be equipped with the new functionality.