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The revolution in plastic injection molding: How Variobotic is redefining production
In the world of plastic injection moulding, where efficiency and flexibility are crucial to a company's success, many plastic injection moulding companies are facing major challenges. Finding qualified personnel, coping with low-volume, high-mix production and optimising existing injection moulding machine systems are just some of the difficulties that need to be overcome. This is precisely where Variobotic GmbH comes in with an intelligent, cost-effective and modular solution.
The challenges: From a shortage of skilled labour to flexibility
Traditional automation solutions in injection moulding are often inflexible and expensive. The market demands ever more cost-effective, customisable systems. In modern injection moulding machines (IMM), manual loading and unloading requires hard-to-find personnel, which is inefficient and expensive. Long cycle times, fluctuating quality and limited flexibility complicate production and force companies to make costly decisions.
A brief look into practice: The Bernd Richter example
Sebastian Granzow, Head of Process Engineering at Bernd Richter GmbH, was looking for an automation solution for a process in which components are manually inserted into the IMM and removed again manually after overmoulding with plastic. The manufacturer of customised, high-quality cable systems in the medical, defence and industrial sectors and part of the globally active Amphenol Group had already been able to implement flexible feeding and removal automation solutions with Variobotic GmbH in the past. The requirements were clear. The existing injection moulding process for a component of an electronic device was to be optimised. Higher quantities and cycle times, increased process stability and quality, reduced error rates and better control over the entire process were the problems.
Variobotic and the modular principle
Variobotic GmbH recognised the challenges of injection moulding and developed an innovative solution. This is based on a modular principle and therefore does not have to be designed from scratch every time like a customised machine. Thanks to customised automation, the system is precisely tailored to the process, without any unnecessary accessories. Costs are reduced and amortisation is achieved within a year for smaller systems.
„Making automation possible for everyone. Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often forgotten. They should automate, but often can't because the costs and challenges are too demanding. This is exactly where I and Variobotic GmbH come in“ says Peter Klement, CEO of the company.
The realisation of the Bernd Richter example
The centrepiece of the solution is the soft PLC with its Variobotic operating system. The joint control of interfaces, such as the EuroMap 67 and 78 in this case, as well as all individual modules simplifies the centralised operation of the system. This simplifies seamless integration into an existing system.
The VarioShaker 540 flexible part separator enables the efficient separation and feeding of unsorted components. The SensoPart V50 robotic vision system sends the coordinates of the correctly shaped and positioned components to the industrial robot, which picks up the part and inserts it into the injection moulding machine, via a prefabricated interface. The Yaskawa GP4 then removes the overmoulded workpiece from the BOY 35 EVH injection moulding machine. Consistent opening, placement, and removal times ensure minimal cycle time and reliable adherence to production schedules.
Previously, quality inspection was carried out manually, which increased the error rate. The BOY system carries out a quality check independently. This saves time and costs.
Once the IMM is open, the Yaskawa removes the finished component and inserts a new one directly using a triple gripper. This creates a consistent rhythm that keeps the quality and parameters of the plastic constant. The process step enables the cycle time to be standardised and the quality performance to be stabilised.
The component is then separated from the sprue in the separating station and sorted into good/bad containers for smooth further processing.
Control of the entire process has been made more efficient by adapting the internally defined process parameters such as cycle time, a good/bad counter and the automatic detection of rejects.
Once the production order has been completed, the system is retooled and the finished component becomes a new blank. It then undergoes a second, identical cycle with a different form of injection moulding. The rapid changeover of the system to the new requirement provides the efficiency to realise different processes within one solution. Bernd Richter GmbH benefits from high flexibility with low additional costs.
The amortisation period for such a large system is usually 2-3 years. We were able to design the solution for the company in such a way that the investment is fully amortised in less than 2 years.
More than just plastic injection moulding
The Variobotic solution is more than just an automation solution for plastic injection moulding. Thanks to the modular approach and the powerful soft PLC with the specially developed Variobotic operating system, other automation tasks such as component assembly, order picking or other areas can also be solved efficiently.
Conclusion: Future-proof production with Variobotic
Automation does not have to be complicated or inflexible. Variobotic shows that a smart, modular solution can revolutionise plastic injection moulding. Companies that rely on this technology benefit from maximum efficiency, lower costs and a significantly reduced dependency on personnel who are difficult to find. The future of production is flexible - and Variobotic provides the right solution.
Pictures: ©Bernd Richter GmbH
Video and Text: ©Variobotic GmbH