Putting Industry 4.0 to Work in a Molding Plant

The smart factory of the future will require continuous integration of order information, machines, molds, and logistic peripherals using standardized and transparent information technology. Functional assemblies such as robotic systems are linked with the machine's central control system by means of a real-time Ethernet connection and are automatically identified by this as soon as they are plugged in. According to Industry 4.0, every component of every machine in a "smart factory" can communicate with host-computer devices (such as Arburg's ALS) in order to create a transparent production. Cleanroom production at Plastikos Plastikos Inc. in Erie, Pa., which is implementing elements of Industry 4.0. At Vorwerk in Germany, complete movement of parts is managed via a six-axis-robot integrated with the machine controller (Arburg's Selogica control).