Willkommen

ENGEL | iQ weight control

Welcome

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 1

Introduction | Does this seem familiar?

• Short shots?

• Flash?

The injected melt amount is

subject to variations

? Aren‘t electric injection units

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 2

doing highly precise and
repeatable movements?

?
Introduction | Highly precise movements

• Repeatability of velocity-
controlled injection movement

• Independent measurement by
Stop position Start position
external inductive stroke
transducers B B A A

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 3

±3 µm B A ±10 µm
B A

....
7,7 8,2 36,4 36,9
Introduction | What is the origin of deviations?

Raw material, drying

• Numerous outside
influences affect
process and quality
Ambience
• Often these influences conditions
cannot be controlled

Is there

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 4

no solution?

Closing behaviour
Temperature control, of non-return valve
water supply
Introduction | The solution: iQ weight control

     Monitoring
• Reliable detection of

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process and quality
deviations

Prozess-Regelung
     Vermeidung von

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 5

Qualitätsschwankungen

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Introduction | The solution: iQ weight control

     Monitoring
• Reliable detection of

    
process and quality
deviations

Process control
 
    • Avoid / reduce quality

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 6

variations

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iQ weight control | Monitoring

Conventional iQ weight control

• Time dependent signals x(t), p(t),… • Injection pressure vs. screw stroke p(x)

• Derived key figures as process parameters • Comparison with reference curve yields new
for monitoring, eg.: process parameters:
- Cushion - Injection volume
- Switch-over pressure - Change in viscosity

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 7

- ... - Conformance of pressure profile

• Sometimes limited significance with • Highly significant with regard to quality

regard to quality
iQ weight control | New process parameters

injection

Injection pressure p
Injection

Injection pressure p
volume
iQ weight control compares the actual
pressure curve with a previously stored Referenzkurve

reference curve aktueller Druckverlauf

Screw stroke x Screw stroke x

The deviation from the reference curve is split
up into three contributions
Change in Conformance of

Injection pressure p

Injection pressure p
viscosity pressure profile

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 8

Each contribution forms one of the new
iQ weight control process parameters
Referenzkurve Referenzkurve

aktueller Druckverlauf aktueller Druckverlauf

Screw stroke x Screw stroke x

Monitoring | Injection volume

iQ weight control detects:

• Pressure rise starts later or earlier
• Melt amount has changed

Injection pressure p
New process parameter:
• Injection volume

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 9

Referenzkurve
Reference curve

Typical influences: Current pressure

aktueller curve
Druckverlauf

• Varying melt flow after decompression stroke Screw stroke x

• Closing variations of non-return valve
 Monitoring | Injection volume

Shot weight
Example | Engine cover
104,3
104,2

Shot weight [g]

•
104,1
2-cavity hot-runner mould, PA 6.6 104
103,9
103,8

• Conventional parameters can‘t explain 103,7

103,6
shot weight variations 103,5

• Clear correlation between injection 0 10 20 30 40 50

volume and shot weight

Cushion Switch-over pressure Injection volume

Injection volume [cm³]

32,05 1444 125

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 10

s/o pressure [bar]
32 1442 124,9
Cushion [cm³]

31,95 1440 124,8

1438 124,7
31,9
1436 124,6
31,85
1434 124,5
31,8 1432 124,4
31,75 1430 124,3
31,7 1428 124,2
0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50 0 10 20 30 40 50
Monitoring | Injection volume

Example | Cover cap

• 8-cavity cold-runner mould
• PE-LD

Detect process disturbances

Injection volume [cm³]

• Tunnel gate blocked by polyamide 18,5
contamination of raw material 18
17,5

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 11

Can be easily detected by monitoring the 17
new parameter injection volume 16,5
16
800 810 820 830 840

Shot counter
Monitoring | Change in viscosity

iQ weight control detects:

• Pressure slope is flatter / steeper
• Melt viscosity has changed

Injection pressure p
New process parameter:
• Change in viscosity

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 12

Typical influences: Referenzkurve
Reference curve

•
Current pressure
aktueller curve
Druckverlauf
Batch variations
• Moisture, drying conditions Screw stroke x

• Temperature variations
Monitoring | Change in viscosity

Example | Cover for connector plug

• 2-cavity cold-runner mould
• Polyamide 6.6

Regrind content was changed

2

Change in viscosity [%]

Change in viscosity 0
-2
• Virgin material = reference: 0%
-4
• 50 % regrind: approx. -3% 100 %
-6

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 13

• 100% regrind: approx. -12% Virgin 50 % regrind
-8
material regrind
-10
-12
-14
-16
520 570 620 670 720
Monitoring | Conformance of pressure

iQ weight control detects:

• Localized deviations from the reference curve
• Unusual process changes

Injection pressure p
New process parameter:
• Conformance of pressure profile

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 14

Referenzkurve
Reference curve

Typical causes: Current pressure

aktueller curve
Druckverlauf

• Plugging of hot runner or machine nozzle Screw stroke x

• Non-return valve did not close properly
Monitoring | Conformance of pressure

Conformance of pressure profile [%]

Example | Conformance of 100 800

Injection pressure [bar]

700

pressure profile
90
600

80 500

400
70
300
Detection of unstable process state
• Conformance of pressure profile
60 200

100
50
shows distinct variations 100 105 110 115 120 125 0
15 20 25 30 35

• Cause: Pressure curves show strong Screw stroke [mm]

Conformance of pressure profile [%]

deviations due to plugging of nozzle 800
100

Injection pressure [bar]

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 15

700
90
600
After increase of nozzle temp by +10°C
• Conformance value stays permanently
80 500

400
70
high (> 95 %) 300

• Deviations of pressure curves are 60

50
200

100

significantly reduced 470 475 480 485 490 495 0

15 20 25 30 35
Screw stroke [mm]
iQ weight control | Monitoring

New, significant parameters for monitoring

Simple configuration
• Automatic / manual limits
• Selectable actions

Clear representation using „box plots“

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 16

Lower limit Actual value Upper limit

Box: min & max of last 20 shots

iQ weight control | Injection control

Conventional iQ weight control

• Injection speed profile and switch-over point • Injection speed profile and switch-over point
are exactly the same each cycle are adapted individually each cycle

• Fill state of cavity at switch-over to holding • Fill state of cavity at switch-over to holding
pressure is subject to variations pressure is kept constant

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 17

• Process variations inevitably influence Effects of process variations on part quality
part quality can be compensated for
Injection control | Conventional

• Example | LCD-Bezel
- Polypropylene
- 98% partial filling
- No holding pressure

• Conventional injection:
without iQ weight control

B A •

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 18

B A Start- & Stop positions
are the same each cycle
B A
B .... A • But: Fill state is changing

7,7 8,2 36,4 36,9

Injection control | iQ weight control

Objective of iQ weight control

• Compensate melt amount variations in the
filling phase

Injection pressure p
Deviations randomly change each
cycle
• Adaptation needs to be done during injection
in the same cycle
Referenzkurve
Reference curve
Current
aktuellerpressure curve
Druckverlauf

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 19

Example: viscosity and melt
Screw stroke x
amount are larger than in
reference cycle
• Pressure rises earlier and increases more
steeply
Injection control | iQ weight control

The deviation from the reference curve is split

up into contributions of melt amount and

Injection pressure p
viscosity
Viscosity

Melt amount

Referenzkurve
Reference curve
Current
aktuellerpressure curve
Druckverlauf

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 20

Screw stroke x
Injection control | iQ weight control

The deviation from the reference curve is split

up into contributions of melt amount and

Injection pressure p
viscosity online during injection

Thus each point on the pressure curve can be

associated with the corresponding point on
the reference curve
Referenzkurve
Reference
Referenzkurve
curve
Current
aktuellerpressure curve
Druckverlauf

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 21

The resulting point pairs have the same fill
state of the cavity Screw stroke x
Injection control | iQ weight control

How does iQ weight control react?

• The injection speed profile is shifted

Injection pressure p
according to the detected melt amount

• Likewise the switch-over point is adapted to

the actual fill state of the cavity
Referenzkurve
Reference
Referenzkurve
curve

• These corrections are done in the same Current

aktuellerpressure curve
Druckverlauf

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 22

cycle – in realtime

Injection speed v
• Outcome: Consistent fill state at switch-over
to holding pressure
Screw stroke x
Injection control | iQ weight control

• Example | LCD-Bezel
- Polypropylene
- 98% partial filling
- No holding pressure

• Intelligent injection:
with iQ weight control

B A • Starting position is constant

•

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 23

B1 A Stop position is changed
B2 A
B3 A • Consistent filling is
.... achieved

7,7 8,2 36,4 36,9

iQ weight control | Benefits

Improved repeatability

• Shot weight variations reduced by up to 85%

• Biggest potential for thin-walled parts
• Example | LCD-Bezel made of POM

0,025 %

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 24

0,177 %
iQ weight control | Benefits

Consistent filling under changing conditions

• Automatic adaptation to current process conditions

• Less manual readjustments required
• Avoids short shots or flash
• Example | keypad, PA + 30% GF with moisture variation
8,7

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 25

8,6

Weight [g]

8,5

8,4
9:1 mixture 100 % dried
dried/undried material Material
iQ weight control | Examples

Engine cover
• 2-cavity hot-runner mould
• Polyamide 6.6 104,8
104,6

Shot weight [g]

104,4
100 shot repeatability test 104,2

• Weight variations reduced by 75 % 104

103,8
103,6
103,4

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 26

103,2
0 50 100 150 200 250
Shot counter
iQ weight control | Examples

Engine cover

Change in viscosity [%]

0

•
-1
2-cavity hot-runner mould -2

• Polyamide 6.6 -3
-4
-5

• Layered material in feeder -6

- Virgin material -7
-8
- Regrind 240 260 280 300

106,5

• Change in viscosity in first

Shot weight [g]

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 27

106
regrind layer is in both cases -50%
approx. -7% 105,5

105

• Weight deviation was cut in half 104,5

by iQ weight control 104

240 260 280 300

Schusszähler
iQ weight control | Examples

Cover for connector plug

• Partial filling without holding pressure
• Change from virgin material to 50 % regrind content
• With iQ weight control: Fill state remains the same

Virgin material 50% regrind 50% regrind

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 28

Reference part
iQ weight control | Summary

Intelligent software for machines with electric injection units

• ENGEL e-motion, e-mac, e-victory, e-duo

Detects and monitors changes of injected volume and viscosity

Controls the actually injected melt amount in realtime

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 29

Higher repeatability, less rejects
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Switch over! To consistent quality.

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ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 30

Switch over! To consistent quality.

With ENGEL iQ weight control.

    
    

ENGEL Austria GmbH | 01. 2013, Georg Pillwein | Seite 31

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