About robotics in injection molding

For many injection molders, automation is a way to increase productivity and decrease costs. But for some others, it’s about more than just productivity: a better experience for your employees, better quality products, and the ability to change production techniques on the fly. Whatever your reason for automating—or not—here are some ways you might benefit from robotics in injection molding.

Injection molding automation – The basics

Injection molding is one of the most common manufacturing processes in the world. It makes everything from toys to tools, household appliances, and auto parts.

What is injection molding?

Injection molding works by injecting molten plastic into a mold cavity, which cools and solidifies into its final shape. The process is similar to hot glue gun glue because both materials are liquid when injected but become solid once they cool down.

Benefits of injection molding automation:

Increased speeds

– Higher speed means more output per hour, increasing productivity and lowering costs.

-Fewer defects – Automation improves product consistency while reducing human error, so you get fewer rejects at your factory floor or plant warehouse.”

End of arm tooling (EOAT)

The arms end tool (EOAT) is usually connected to the end of the injection molding robot and is an auxiliary tool.

EOAT applies to the automotive industry to perform tasks such as stripping and pushing parts from molds. They are usually suitable for injection molding robots to perform the part transfer, material handling, and inspection.

Robot type

injection molding. The most common type of robot used in injection molding is the Cartesian robot. A horizontal coordinate system positions parts or tools inside the machine’s work area. Other types include gantry robots, SCARA (Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm), and delta robots.

Essential injection molding robot movements Section: Coordinated movements

As you might imagine, there are several activities that the robot needs to perform to inject material successfully into a cavity. These movements include: moving the tooling to the correct location; moving it up and down; moving it left and right; and moving it forward and back.

Additional motions can also be added, including rotating at different speeds, tilting, or even changing how far apart two parts of the tooling are from one another.

To make all these motions happen smoothly, they must be coordinated through software that controls how quickly each axis spins. The software also ensures everything happens at exactly the right time so that nothing gets mixed up while running through its sequence of operations!

Robotic controls and programming languages

If you are looking to implement robotics into your injection molding process, it is essential to understand the various types of controls currently available. A PLC (programmable logic controller) is the most common control system. These systems have been used for years and are still widely used today. Typically they are less expensive than other options, but they can sometimes be difficult to program because they don’t work precisely as computers do. They usually need a unique tool called an industrial robot programmer, which helps simplify the coding process. This simplifies the programming and realizes complex functions such as multiple axes and cycle time.

Robotic controls also come in many different shapes and sizes depending on what type of application you’re working with; some will even allow multiple robots to be controlled simultaneously through one interface!

Payoffs of robotics in injection molding

Reduced labor costs

Improved quality

Reduced cycle time

Increased capacity

Improved flexibility and adaptability to changes in the products or process. Robots can also be programmed to perform multiple tasks, giving you an edge in production speed and efficiency.

Automation is a critical factor in the profitability of your injection molding operation

Automation is a critical factor in the profitability of your injection molding operation. Robots carry out repetitive tasks, leading to greater accuracy than if humans had performed them.

Reminder

We hope you now have a better understanding of robotics’s role in injection molding and the benefits it can offer your business. If you want to learn more about how robotics can help your organization, get in touch with Topstar immediately!