This high productivity is supported by optimized, intensive tool cooling. Two separate cooling circuits are available – on upper and lower table of the forming station – with display of flow rate, inlet and outlet temperature. Up to six individual circuits can be connected to the tool per cooling circuit.
RDK 90, also a modular concept, provides various options to configurate a high-performance thermoforming line suitable for the respective application. The options include roll pre-heater, hole punch press, separate steel rule punch press or various stacking stations through to integrated handling systems for follow-up treatment of products. In a presentation given at the Illig presentation days Rüdiger Sonntag, Key Technology Manager Plastics of KUKA Roboter GmbH, Augsburg, illustrated the multi-use options provided by industrial robots (sixaxis articulated arm robot) especially for processing high quantities.
The RDK 90 automatic pressure forming machine is designed for both, so-called off-line rollfed operation and in-line feed with pre-linked flat film extruder. The skeletal granulator available in the RDK 90 modular system was optimized in such a way that even un-punched parts up to 80 mm high and/or material thicknesses up to 1 mm can be drawn in and ground.
This is helpful and required e.g. for start-up of the interlinked extruder-thermoformer production line up to the point where a steady and stable process sequencing is achieved.
All additional devices and lines required for the completion of the production line, from material roll stand through to additional cooling devices, are now equipped with Profibus interfaces for RDK 90 as standard. This creates the prerequisites for the new „Illig ThermoLine Control“ generation to centrally manage and operate all individual devices of the line via the thermoformer's control. Besides an increase in operator convenience, e.g. by central process optimization, data management or process visualization, even the nonproductive secondary times needed for format or tool changes can be considerably reduced.
Moreover, error diagnosis and trouble shooting can be carried out much easier and faster. When a production line is integrated in the Illig NetService, the service engineers can look into all components of the line by internet from Heilbronn. Errors can be diagnosed and short term corrections can be made in case of malfunctions due to settings.
Based on the acceptance and positive response of the participants regarding these presentation days and past events of this kind Illig will continue to provide this type of information platform for users of thermoforming technology. Knowledge transfer and machine demonstrations using practical samples are main features.
