Arburg at the Fakuma 2014

A further innovative application will be presented on a hybrid Allrounder 520 H in "Packaging" version: the production of a SKET cup, a recent development of Uniplast, a company belonging to the Knauer group. The mould and the highly flexible Multiflex IML robot are made by H. Müller-Fabrique de Moules SA. The special geometry of the cup, with spiral-shaped flow aids, enable extremely thin walls to be produced with a thickness of less than 0.3 millimetre in conjunction with a relatively thick sealing edge, so that the cups can be reliably sealed in production. The cup is produced with innovative peel-off cardboard labels which can be easily removed to reveal printed product information on the inside. The cycle time of this application is under five seconds.

Trends in automation: complex and/or flexible

Automation plays a key role in efficient production, ensuring process stability, availability, high output and part quality. Two trends are in evidence. On the one hand, turnkey systems are becoming increasingly complex, while on the other, there is a demand for highly flexible automation solutions. Arburg will provide proof of the wide range of its offerings at the Fakuma: from the electric Integralpicker and the linear Multilift robotic systems, through to six-axis robots. An intelligent solution will be presented in the form of an interactive process involving human/robot cooperation, in which inserts are transferred manually to the robotic system. This ensures flexibility and disposes with the need for complex feeder peripherals.

High-level flexibility and complexity are also offered by the mobile robotic cell with a small six-axis robotic system from Kuka, which also moves along an additional linear axis. The advantages of this solution, implemented with cooperative partner fpt Robotik, are short cycle times, an increased working area and the option of using the cell on different Allrounder machines.

A suitable solution in every case

“Our Fakuma exhibits underline that each machine and production solution from Arburg can be specifically tailored to the requirements of the customer, industry and product – that’s all part of what we mean by production efficiency,” explains Michael Hehl.