Control system and software developers from a number of leading injection moulding machine manufacturers met at Arburg in Lossburg to develop the Euromap 77 interface. The aim of the 14 members of the working group, which is headed up by Dr Harald Weber of the German Machinery and Plant Manufacturers Association (VDMA), is to create a uniform international interface for the exchange of data between injection moulding machines and the production management system (MES) and to make digital communication compatible with Industry 4.0.
“As the leading international injection moulding machine manufacturers, we have decided on the UPC UA application protocol for all communication between machines and the production management system (MES). We have made significant progress with the development of Euromap 77. The next step will be to build the associated data model,” explained Michael Vieth, Group Manager for Control Technology and Industry 4.0 expert at Arburg.
The new Euromap 77 interface will enable even faster and more efficient data exchange between injection moulding machines and host computers, paving the way for the widespread use of Industry 4.0 in the plastics processing industry. Another advantage over Euromap 63, which is to be replaced, is greater flexibility. As well as standard machines, in future it will also be possible to incorporate multi-component and rotary table machines, as well as individual injection units as required.
As a pioneer in the industry, Arburg can look back on 30 years of experience in digitally networked production. The first fully automated production system was demonstrated as far back as 1986, consisting of several linked injection moulding machines, which were controlled by an early version of the Arburg host computer system ALS. With automated Allrounders, the central Selogica control system, the Freeformer for additive manufacturing and IT solutions, Arburg offers comprehensive expertise in flexible automated production technology and is developing into a system provider for networked production in the digital factory. Arburg has been using the UPC UA user protocol since 2010.
