Plastics production and processing

moldCONTROL is a thermography solution for recognizing quality fluctuations in injection molding production. The compact, industrial thermal imaging camera captures a thermal image of the component directly after the injection molding process. The software compares the infrared images associated with the component (actual) to stored references (target). The identified temperature differences provide the basis for a good/bad decision reported back to the handling system.

Depending on the respective measurement task, it is sensible to carry out a two-sided thickness measurement. Arranged opposite the material, two displacement sensors detect the thickness. This measurement arrangement is particularly suitable for high speed measurements and fluttering materials. Micro-Epsilon also offers sensors and turnkey systems for two-sided thickness measurements.

In its sensor housing, the combiSENSOR combines an eddy current displacement sensor and a capacitive displacement sensor. This unique sensor concept enables one-sided thickness measurement of electrically non-conductive materials on metallic objects. Its field of application is the thickness measurement of plastic film or of plastic coating on metal plates. Connected to the sensor via a cable, the controller processes and calculates the signals in order to put them out via interfaces.

Foreign bodies, uneven distribution of the adhesive or unevenness when closing may produce open joints between the top material and the sidebars. The scanCONTROL laser profile sensors check if there are open joints and detect their gap size.

The thicknessCONTROL measurement system is used for thickness measurement of plates and strip materials. Depending on the measurement task and materials, the head is equipped with different sensors that measure in a fixed track or in a traversing method. Comprehensive software packages and interfaces enable measured values to be recorded.

With blown film extrusion, non-contact temperature measurement is a difficult measurement task. Ambient radiation also penetrates thin films and distorts the intrinsic radiation of the films. The infrared CT-P3 and CT-P7 pyrometers only detect the infrared radiation emitted by the plastic films and ignore the penetrated ambient radiation. This is how high precision detection of the surface temperature is possible.

In the extrusion of high quality plastic profiles, adherence to tight manufacturing tolerances is crucial. For quality assurance, laser profile scanners from Micro-Epsilon are used. Thanks to the surface compensation, the scanners reliably detect the profiles of black rubber surfaces. For gap measurement, special software packages are available with which different parameters can be easily selected.

Surfaces play an important role in the functionality and aesthetics of plastic components. Therefore, optical surface inspection is a central approach for 100% quality control. Deflectometer-based inspection systems from Micro-Epsilon inspect shiny surfaces and detect even the smallest of deviations. The defects found are evaluated and displayed in the 3D model.

As well as color fluctuations, streaks can occur during production. With translucent films, the film color is measured very accurately and quickly using the ACS7000 color measuring system together with the ACS3 transmission sensor.

In order to avoid defective production and to conserve resources during the extrusion of plastic products, it is crucial to recognize color deviations not just at the end of the process chain but already during the ongoing process. The accurate colorSENSOR CFO color sensors are used for color recognition in the process and transmit color deviations directly to the control system.

Při vstřikování plastů hraje důležitou roli přesný barevný odstín výrobků, který se však mění během chlazení. Dosud bylo možné měřit pouze vzorky zchlazených dílů. Systém colorCONTROL ACS od společnosti Micro-Epsilon určený k inline měření barev nicméně umožňuje 100% kontrolu produktů bezprostředně po jejich vyjmutí z formy.

Výrobci vstřikovaných dílů z plastů musí splňovat stále vyšší kvalitativní požadavky koncových uživatelů, a to zejména automobilek. V důsledku tohoto vývoje celosvětově roste význam online kontroly teploty, která se provádí bezprostředně po vytlačování.

Online monitorování procesů je zárukou neměnné kvality při výrobě fólií. Kombinovaný snímač KS5 od společnosti Micro-Epsilon měří tloušťku vrstev fólií bezkontaktně a bez opotřebení.

Při výrobě vyfukovaných fólií představuje tloušťka důležitý faktor pro zajištění konzistentní kvality. Tloušťka fólie může během výrobního procesu významně kolísat. Systém společnosti Micro-Epsilon určený pro vyfukované fólie jejich profil měří kontaktně nebo bezkontaktně přímo za vytlačovací tryskou. Systém je instalován na vratném rámu, nepřetržitě se pohybuje nad fólií a do hostitelského systému odesílá data pro řízení chodu vytlačovací trysky.