Engel at Chinaplas 2015

Equipped with its own control unit, the Engel e-pic robot is not exclusively designed for deployment on Engel injection moulding machines, but also for third-party machines without needing any machine-specific customisation. In combination with an Engel injection moulding machine, the robot can be integrated with the CC300 machine control unit. The robot and machine then access a shared database, thus enhancing process reliability and operator convenience, while achieving efficiency optimisations in production sequences. The control unit converts the rotary motion of the swivel arm into a linear movement. Users who are used to working with a linear robot do not need to learn new skills.

In addition to the Engel e-pic, an Engel viper linear robot and an Engel easix multi-axis robot will also be taking part in the Robot Parade. With its three robot designs, Engel offers an efficient solution for a wide variety of handling tasks. On top of this, Engel's automation range includes peripheral components such as conveyor belts and tailored automation solutions.

To be able to develop tailored automation solutions in China, too, Engel has established a team of automation specialists locally in the past few years. "We will again be increasing staff levels at our Automation Center in Shanghai this year," says Willmeroth.

Engel has developed and built its own robots since 1980, and is the world's leading supplier of injection moulding process automation today.

Best-in-class on-site service throughout the product lifecycle

As technology advances, this has also led to increased demand for maintenance services in China. This explains why Engel is currently expanding both its local service network and training offerings. "We see a growing need for information and training in China, particularly in the area of processing technologies." says Gero Willmeroth. "It is important to us to support our customers in the best possible way throughout the entire service life of the injection moulding machine, robot and system solution. This is the added value that Engel offers its customers worldwide."