By the end of the year, Germany‘s largest used injection molding machine will be on its way from southern Germany via Amsterdam to Mumbai. Gindumac organizes the complete logistic handling with the customer.

All components of the large machine, such as the plasticizing unit in the picture, have to be removed and packed for long distance transport to India

16:9

Komponenten für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Maschinen und Komponenten

Spritzgießmaschinen, allgemein

Spritzgießmaschinen

Gebrauchtmaschinenhandel

Dienstleistungen

Dienstleistungen in der Metallbearbeitung

Kunststoff-Verpackungsmaschine

Sondermaschinen

Gebrauchtmaschinen

Betriebstechnik für Kunststoffverarbeitung (Peripherie)

Kunststoffverarbeitung: Verfahren

Gindumac Receives Big Order from India

Part 2 of the series on the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 (PIC 4.0) at RWTH Aachen describes the procedure by which industrial use cases of a Smart Factory are identified and converted into real testbeds within the PIC 4.0.

The PIC 4.0 extends the infrastructure of the Institute for Plastics Processing in Industry and Craft at RWTH Aachen University

PIC 4.0 Elaborates Holistic Solutions for Industrial Demands

Industrie 4.0 für die Qualitätssicherung

Industrie 4.0

Digitale Transformation

Wirtschaft

Innovationen und neue Technologie

Industrie 4.0 für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Use Cases of Digitized Plastics Processing

Maintaining competitiveness while producing in Germany requires not only cost-efficient production, but also high-quality products. Vorwerk Elektrowerke is accepting this challenge. In collaboration with the Institute of Product Engineering at the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany, the company is testing a 100 % inline quality monitoring system as well as a quality prediction using machine learning.

Customers who choose the Kobold VK 200 vacuum cleaner expect top quality. To ensure this, efforts for the introduction of Industry 4.0 measures are taken in the production plant in Wuppertal, Germany

Successfully Managing Digital Transformation with Automation and Artificial Intelligence

Spritzgießen

Künstliche Intelligenz für die Qualitätssicherung

Mehrkomponenten-Spritzgießen

Kameras, intelligente

Fertigungsautomation

Bildverarbeitung

Machine Learning / Künstliche Intelligenz für die spanende Fertigung

Industrie 4.0 für die spanende Fertigung

Datenanalyse

Inline- / Online-Messsysteme

Qualitätssicherung

Qualitätssicherung Kunststoff

Inline Quality Monitoring and  Data-Based Quality Prediction

Because it has not yet been possible to exploit the full potential of digitization in plastics processing, the Institute for Plastics Processing at RWTH Aachen University is building a new application-oriented research infrastructure along the lines of a Smart Factory. Kunststoffe is accompanying the building of the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 with a series of publications. Part 1 describes the concept and the initial demands on the physical infrastructure.

Visionary overall picture of the expanded IKV in future, supplemented by the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0

The Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 Is under Construction at the Campus Melaten in Aachen, Germany

Smart Factory

Energieeffizienz

Central Hub for Digitization  in Plastics Processing

Munich-based mechanical engineering group KraussMaffei is repositioning itself and uniting all divisions under a single brand. At a time of accelerated technological change, the company is increasing its efforts to develop new products for digital solutions and new business models – and that includes plastics recycling.

Everything remains different: Dr. Frank Stieler, CEO of KraussMaffei

KraussMaffei Consolidates Three Divisions and the Previous Group Brands under a Single Brand

Extrusion

Doriat, Clemens, Dr.

Nachhaltigkeit

Umweltmanagement

Kunststoff-Recycling

Kunststoff-Aufbereitung

Ressourcenmanagement

Produktion

Compoundieren

Moving with the Times

A consistent flow of data and information is essential for digital solutions and meaningful analytics. The introduction of potential solutions is therefore often associated with high costs for data preparation.

Exemplary information flow across several steps of the value creation process in injection molding(Work-Center-Layer)

Standardization Guarantees High Data Quality for Future Applications

Vernetzung / Cloudlösung für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

IoT-Plattformen für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

To Get the Information Flow in a Row

M-Hub is the first mobile App that helps entrepreneurs to promote their business and find all players in the plastic industry with the tap of a finger.

M-Hub was launched at the K-show 2019. One year after, the app has reached more than 8000 professionals and 1500 companies from more than 80 countries.

Software

The Plastic Industry in Your Hand

The cluster of excellence “Internet of Production” at the RWTH Aachen University conducts research on structures to realize a “Google of Production”. The Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 serves as demonstration platform to present real-world solutions to the industry already today.

The Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 as part of  a network of research facilities at the Campus Melaten, Aachen, focused to production technology

IKV Offers an Application-Oriented Demonstration Platform for Excellent Research

The PIC 4.0 as Part of the Internet  of Production

With the help of the coupling station, fast material changes become normal practice, material sources such as dryers, roller containers or external silos can be used by several consumers, and RFID monitoring ensures a faultless production process.

RFID antennas and tags on every coupling make sure that correct connections are established in every case between material feeding pipelines and processing machines

Kunststoffverarbeitung allgemein

Kunststoffverarbeitung

Materialhandling

Material Distribution Monitoring

In an online survey, representatives of the plastics industry formulated their expectations toward the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 (PIC 4.0).

Wordcloud generated from the answers to the open question concerning the most important use cases for PIC 4.0

Part 5 of the Series: Practical Demonstrators for the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0

Messdatenerfassung und -verarbeitung

Steuern, Regeln

Prozessoptimierung

Prozessmanagement

Machine Learning

Automatisierungstechnik

Kunststoff-Rezyklat

Kunststoff Werkstoffe

Focus on the User Benefit

The multitude of software applications often requires the handling of information in different data formats. It is not uncommon for information to be lost in the process, which is why PIC 4.0 is researching methods for implementing continuous simulation chains.

Stages of an exemplary product development process for a load-balanced saddle equipped with different tapes

Part 6 of the Series: How a Web-Based Interface Supports Data-Handling

Simulation

Spritzgießsimulation

Virtual Reality für die Qualitätssicherung

User-Friendly Data-Exchange in the Digital Engineering

Over past months, many in-house workflows and development processes have slowed down and also changed. Nevertheless, time has not stood still, also not in injection molding technology. The debate and development have been shaped by two themes: digitalization and the circular economy. Below are some examples of developments and projects that underpin this trend.

Two displays are seamlessly integrated into the continuously 3D-formed instrument panel

Innovative Injection Molding in Times of Pandemic

Schaumspritzgießen

Folientechnik (IMD, IML, FIM, u.a.)

Spritzgießwerkzeuge

Werkzeuge für die Kunststoffverarbeitung

Biokunststoffe

Spritzgieß-Sonderverfahren

Schnecken und Plastifiziersysteme

Lasermarkieren

Oberflächentechnik

Laserbearbeitungen

Kreislaufwirtschaft

There Is More beyond the Horizon

Guido Frohnhaus has been Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg for a good two years now. The pandemic restrictions meant that he has made very few appearances outside the company so far, but, as he says himself, he spent the time getting to know the in-house processes at all levels and in great detail. In this interview with Kunststoffe, the 52-year-old talks about the course he plans to set and how crucial the high level of in-house manufacturing and programming expertise is for the company’s independence.

“Gestica Will Be the Fixed Star in the Customer’s Universe”

The digital shadow is the core concept of the Cluster of Excellence “Internet of Production” at RWTH Aachen University. It represents the data trace of an asset to describe its real behavior. In the Plastics Innovation Center 4.0 (PIC 4.0), digital shadows, e.g. the data trace of a sensor, are used to optimize processes taking into account real behavior and to determine simulation quality.

The construction of the PIC 4.0 proceeds and throws its shadow on the Campus Melaten.

Part 7 of the Series: How the Digital Shadow Enlightens Real Processes in the PIC 4.0

Sensorik für Kunststoff-Verarbeitungsmaschinen

Digitaler Zwilling

Out of the Shadow into the Light

Innovation management affects many areas, which now increasingly include digital services in addition to classic product and process innovation. Beyond the continuous reassessment of technical setups, a platform is being established for the consistent provision and further development of software services and dedicated analysis algorithms. Thereby, services are being provided to generate new ideas from the application and to facilitate the transfer of technology into industrial practice.

The outer skin of the PIC 4.0 is closing, inside the design of the demonstration cells is in full swing.

Part 8 of the PIC 4.0 Series: Flexible Infrastructures Facilitate Access to Innovative Services

Innovationsmanagement

Produktentwicklung (F+E)

Smart Services

Internet der Dinge

Messdatenerfassung, Software

Softwarearchitektur

Adaptable Structures for  More Innovation

Online Trading with Used Machines Booms in Corona Times

Corona is also driving digitization in the used machinery trading. The global second-hand market for metal and plastics processing machinery is undergoing structural change.

Plant closures and project cancellations bring more supply of used machinery. At the same time, the high market dynamics in times of crisis require flexibility in the planning of production capacities. When new projects are confirmed at short notice, new production capacity is needed quickly. The advantage of direct availability increases the demand for used machines.

Currently, two crucial questions arise for machine users: How can I sell my machine at the best possible price and how can I quickly find a suitable machine to expand my production capacity?

Local Trading Declines, Global Online Trading Grows

The market with used metal working and plastics processing machinery, whose global market volume is estimated to be in the double-digit billions, is changing. More and more local and stockholding dealers are withdrawing from the business because they can no longer ensure the necessary global distribution channels or no longer withstand the pressure of capital requirements. It is also becoming increasingly difficult for long-established traders to find suitable successors. This is currently leading to consolidation in the trading environment. Dealers who increasingly rely on the online channel and global sales will be among the winners in the booming used machinery market.

One of these modern used machinery dealers is, for example, the Gindumac group, which has digitized and globally positioned its trading business with its transactional machinery platform since it was founded in 2016.

„Important for us is to offer sellers and buyers the optimal sales and procurement channels. Through our online platform, we generate the highest possible reach and assortment widths here. For sellers, we offer global marketing at the best possible price or a direct purchase option for planning security. Buyers will find a broad assortment including an all-round carefree package with transparent documentation and worldwide logistics services,“ says Benedikt Ruf, Managing Director of the Gindumac Group.

In the 4th quarter of 2020, the Gindumac Group was able to increase the machinery value offered on the online platform by 117% compared to the previous year, while maintaining the same marketing investment.

„We see the doubling of the machinery value offered in Q4, 2020 as a confirmation that the used machinery market is moving more strongly towards global online trading. That is why we always focus on maximum and global online reach in our marketing. When we market a used machine via our transactional online platform, we are also listed on all relevant advertising platforms worldwide. The current development shows that the future of the used machinery trading can only take place digitally and globally,“ adds Janek Andre, CEO of the Gindumac Group.

It is to be expected that the Corona crisis will continue to drive the digitalization of the used equipment trading in 2021 and that the trading structures will undergo a lasting transformation. In this process of change, the used machinery market will take on a new relevance for manufacturing companies. The purchase and sale of used machinery opens flexible planning and concrete expansion options for production capacity as well as new opportunities for more economical liquidation of existing machinery.

Gindumac GmbH  

https://www.gindumac.com

The Gindumac Group focuses on global online trading with used machines.

Janek Andre (left) and Benedikt Ruf, founders and directors of the Gindumac Group