Kistler upgrades CoMo injection process monitoring system

Düsseldorf, Germany – Oliver Schnerr, head of the plastics business unit for The Kistler Group, said the company is heavily invested in highly precise injection molding.

 “Injection molders are requesting more and better quality control,” he said at the K 2013 preview (July 1-3; Düsseldorf, Germany). “Our systems are reliable tools for ensuring 100% quality in injection molding with zero-defects.”

At the K 2013 preview, Swiss-based Kistler Group announced a new firmware upgrade V2.4 for the company’s CoMo injection process monitoring system. The company said that many of the new features will help processors achieve zero-defect production faster.

The Kistler Group is a global supplier of measurement technology for pressure, force, torque and acceleration. Kistler’s technology is used to analyze physical processes, control industrial processes and optimize product quality.

Kistler said the integrated automatic mold recognition function of the CoMo injection system makes mold connection and setting easier and faster due to automatic loading of mold data during mold changes. Connection errors are detected quickly and can be remedied before they can cause any damage. Kistler has made the synchronized processing of uniform evaluation objects for pressure monitoring multi-cavity molds significantly easier. Evaluation objects of the same type (e.g. maximum) can be selected across channels and processed synchronously afterwards.

MultiFlow, the automatic hot-runner balancing function of the CoMo injection system, now offers more options: in smooth control mode, tip temperatures can now be controlled at even smaller intervals. Due to this enhancement, injection molding processes involving polymers with a viscosity that is significantly affected by temperature changes can now be controlled more accurately. These improvements are of particular benefit to operators of multi-cavity molds for thermoplastic elastomers and other temperature-sensitive polymers. Individual process variations are detected reliably and their effect on process control is eliminated. MultiFlow now also offers an automatic start-up function, which is triggered automatically during production start-up and after production downtimes.

The CoMo injection system's output channels for controlling reject gates or removal robots are now tested via One Touch check. This function ensures the reliable separation of rejects and makes operation more comfortable. The new upgrade also allows network-based data management for easier data handling.

As an industrial process monitoring system, CoMo injection is equipped with connectors for multichannel technology as a standard feature. However, in some cases the use of sensory equipment for testing purposes may require a higher level of connective versatility. Fitted with the modules of the new Lab Conversion Kit (LabKit), CoMo injection can now offer also this kind of versatility. It allows the direct connection and exchange of individual sensors as required. Modules for individual charge and voltage signals and modules with integrated amplifiers for thermocouples Type K or J are also available. Easy assembly and disassembly allows processors an easy switchover and full use of either the benefits multichannel cable technology or the versatility of separate connections. Thanks to its modular design, the CoMo LabKit is easily adapted to the required area of application and can be enhanced whenever required.