Page 30 - Plastics News August 2019

FEATURES

Remember, we were only talking about 0.5 sec cycle-time unknown to him and he has some stake in it. He now is
reduction. not only monetarily involved but also emotionally. Do not
underestimate this part.
On the other side, the same knowledgeable supplier
knows that once the mold is closed, the automation It is also beneficial to have a local supplier who
system movements should slow down enough that the understands the climate, culture, language and state or
robot returns to the mold only shortly before it opens federal regulations like OSHA, MIOSH, UL, and any other
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the lifetime of many components and therefore guarantee This again can cost a lot of money if not understood and
higher uptime. Use speed and high acceleration only respected when building the equipment.
where they are absolutely necessary.
A good supplier knows and can support relevant industry-
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such as GAMP 5 (Good Automated Manufacturing Practice)
for medical plants or FMEA (Failure Mode and Effects
Analysis).

The supplier should know and use components and controls
with good local support and acceptance. Sometimes
the preferred control supplier or other components
cannot be obtained. Usually these preferences are not a
showstopper, but they can make things easier in terms of
ease of operation and support for the customer.

Another important point is respecting and adapting
to the customers production environment, such as
climate, temperature, humidity and range of variability.
Understands customer capabilities and weaknesses. This Depending on the materials used and geometry of the
starts with proposing and designing reasonably complex part, temperature and humidity changes can dramatically
DXWRPDWLRQ ÀWWLQJ WKH FXVWRPHU·V FDSDELOLWLHV 6RPH change the electrostatic charge effect on parts. I have
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with highly complex automation. This can overwhelm hover in a reject bin. This often cannot be simulated at
molders that will not be able to utilize the equipment to the supplier’s factory acceptance testing because the
its maximum and maybe even end up frustrated and not environment there is completely different. The supplier
utilizing the automation at all and afraid of automating PXVW EH SUHSDUHG WR DVVLVW WKH PROGHU ZLWK HIÀFLHQW
further in the future. counter-measures. Nevertheless, it is even more important
that the supplier make the molder understand that this
As mentioned before, it is not only the molder’s point is the molder’s responsibility, since local conditions
responsibility to gradually build up its knowhow in cannot be simulated or evaluated from the supplier’s side
automation and being able to operate and support it. before the system is installed. But even then, the plant
Much more is it the responsibility of the supplier to environment is a moving target that changes with the
understand the capabilities of the customer and therefore temperatures, humidity, material batches, etc.
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Today, it is more important than ever before to understand
Next, it is essential to develop the automation concept cleanliness—cleanroom vs. white room vs. gray room or no
with the customer involved. Bring the customer’s people restrictions. The automation supplier needs to know the
on board—not just drop off the automation system at the
customer. Have many review sessions so the customer GLIIHUHQW URRP VSHFLÀFDWLRQV DQG WKH PHDVXUHV UHTXLUHG WR
not jeopardize these limits. This could mean, for example,
has a chance to grow with the system while it is being not using top-entry robots so as to avoid contaminating
developed and built. Thus, the customer has a chance the molding area with particles from above. Or use special
early on to address its concerns and ask questions. In energy chains with reduced particle emission, or additional
the end, the customer will get a system that is not
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