Page 31 - Plastics News August 2019

FEATURES

There are many more considerations: vacuum creation, hardware components are stressed the most in high-speed
FRPSUHVVHG DLU FROOHFWLRQ H[KDXVW DLU ÀOWHULQJ HWF applications. The supplier also understands that it is not
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The automation supplier should also be trained to
understand the possible impacts on part quality due to acceleration and the deceleration. The knowledgeable
EDWFK WR EDWFK YDULDWLRQV LQ PDWHULDOV 0),²PHOW ÁRZ supplier will used oversized bearings and structural
parts to stretch the maintenance cycle to the maximum
index) and other parameters, such as drying tolerances.
as well as the lifetime of those parts. This extra cost is
7KLV ZLOO KHOS VLJQLÀFDQWO\ LQ FKRRVLQJ WKH ULJKW PHWKRGV an investment in the reliability and effectiveness of the
and parameters for quality inspection.
system.
An effective automation supplier today needs not Does it use latest materials that are light but robust?
only good telephone support, but advanced support Investing in more expensive, advanced materials will, in
technologies such as remote service solutions, web service many cases, pay off fast. Good and effective automation
support, and even augmented reality support. is not cheap but shows a reasonable ROI besides having

,W LV D ELJ EHQHÀW IRU D FRPSOH[ DXWRPDWLRQ SURMHFW WR great impact on quality improvement, reduction of
have a local project-management and support team, contamination, overall cost reduction, and more.
since reaction times are important. In the project phase, Is it designed for low maintenance? Today’s technology offers
LW LV DOVR EHQHÀFLDO WR KDYH VLJQLÀFDQW RYHUODSSLQJ ZRUN components with low or no maintenance requirements. It
hours. If you are trying to coordinate a project with a is important to make intelligent use of those components
European or Asian supplier in a time zone that is six to to reduce downtime and increase yield. This also helps the
nine hours ahead or behind you, you may have zero to two molder to accept more complex automation. Oversizing
overlapping work hours. Project coordination therefore certain components with limited lifetime, like bearings
EHFRPHV PRUH GLIÀFXOW and structural parts, can make replacement less frequent.
Offering a good local support, in terms of service Does it have good access points for troubleshooting
technicians and spare parts inventory is likewise and maintenance? One fundamental point that is often
LPSRUWDQW 5HPRWH VHUYLFHV KDYH KHOSHG VLJQLÀFDQWO\ overlooked (or remembered too late in the design
to reduce downtime and optimize equipment without a process) even by the best design engineers is to keep the
service visit. But there will always be a need for physical automation simple to troubleshoot. This required that the
support at the customer side. Lack of local service support operator have easy access to all sensitive areas where
FDQ UHVXOW LQ VLJQLÀFDQW GRZQWLPH DQG FDQ GHVWUR\ D products can jam or that need readjustment after some
good yield with one incident if the system is down for time. All too often, these areas are buried under other
multiple days or a week. Local service support cannot be mechanics or are just not readily accessible.
completely replaced by remote services.
Is it designed for user-friendliness? Intuitive controls and
A good supplier of automation will always (when applicable) HMI (Human Machine Interface) aid the acceptance of
justify the investment with a solid ROI calculations. FRPSOH[ DXWRPDWLRQ VLJQLÀFDQWO\ ,W LV LPSRUWDQW WKDW
AUTOMATION FEATURES TO LOOK FOR the supplier understand the skill level of the operators
and adapt the control to the customer’s needs. In some
,V LW GHVLJQHG IRU PRVW VXIÀFLHQW ÁRRU VSDFH XVDJH" 0HGLFDO production environments, it is essential to simplify the user
and sensitive electrical and consumer parts are often interface and give limited access. In other environments,
manufactured in clean rooms or white or gray rooms. LW LV LPSRUWDQW WR NHHS WKH LQWHUIDFH DV ÁH[LEOH DV SRVVLEOH
Those rooms are expensive and space is therefore limited. to allow the customer to dive deeper into the control and
8VLQJ VSDFH HIÀFLHQWO\ FDQ EH D KXJH FRVW IDFWRU 7KDW make changes himself.
puts a premium on design of space-optimized automation
systems. From supplier to supplier, there can be huge Does it allow for fast and easy product changeover? For
differences in layout concepts and space utilization. automation systems that can produce several different
Consider this carefully before you place an order. products and need changeover of certain components, like
end-of-arm tooling EOAT), it is essential that changeover
Is the design highly reliablefor high-speed, high-volume be fast and easy. Here quick-connects with integrated
processes? A good automation manufacturer knows which pneumatic, vacuum and electrical circuits are mandatory.

31 August 2019 Plastics News