Additionally, machine makers are hard at work creating new technologies to enhance the recycling material processing. To guarantee constant injection into the mold, a lot of these methods concentrate on regulating the volume of material and machine pressure. But once the material gets into the mold chamber, things get much harder to monitor and regulate. Cavity pressure sensors provide some useful information, but their usefulness is restricted to the beginning phases of the molding process since, once the first plastic layer hardens (frozen skin), they lose some of their sensitivity.
How Dielectric Analysis Fills a Solution Gap
Dielectric analysis (DEA) is a measurement technique that characterizes materials based on their electrical properties. The mobility of molecular chains within a material is measured in response to an applied alternating current field. When integrating them into plastics processes, in-mold DEA sensors can provide real-time data on material properties as they undergo molding. By offering a continuous, in-situ view of a polymer material’s state, DEA technology can address the challenges posed by recycled materials. In particular, deviations in solidification/crystallization behavior due to material damage and composition should be mentioned here. Anomalies are detected and evaluated using specifically trained software algorithms that combine material science and machine parameters.
sensXPERT Digital Mold, a technology from Netzsch Process Intelligence GmbH, offers an advanced solution that combines sensor data, machine parameters, material science and machine learning to continuously monitor and control plastics production processes. Key features include real-time anomaly detection and dynamic process adjustments. These capabilities ensure that deviations in material behavior are detected immediately and countermeasures can be taken, maintaining consistent final product quality. sensXPERT is a solution that acts as a central unit to bundle pressure/temperature/dielectric sensor data, machine parameters and material science and supports the customer as a co-pilot.
For plastics processors, the technology improves production efficiency by minimizing defects and reject rates, ensuring consistent part quality and providing comprehensive data transparency for regulatory compliance. As a result, recycled materials can be processed effectively.
The expert companies behind “avidens”
With the aim of providing an overall view of technological solutions and combining industry experience along the plastics value chain, the following companies have joined forces to form “avidens”:
The specialist for materials science, sensor technology and artificial intelligence in the plastics industry "sensXPERT", experts in plastics engineering and processing "Schwarz Plastics Solutions", material analysis experts "Netzsch Analyzing & Testing", and precision mold maker "Precupa".
In a wider circle also material distributor "Meraxis", a sister company of plastics processor Rehau, and digital solution provider for laboratory data "LabV" are cooperating in "avidens". By combining expertise in materials, machine data, and process parameters with data processing technologies, this setup provides hands-on solutions both as service on their own production setup, as well as turn key solution for customers.
