Look Mom, no keys! Control system is easy to operate

EXcXP-touch, an extruder control system, is operated via a virtual control panel and dispenses with a physical keyboard, says Peter Hammer, department head responsible for electronics, measurement instrumentation, and controls at this manufacturer. The system allows individual configuration. It takes specialists from the producer no more than a few hours to adjust any operator interface to customers' specifications, even to products originating from competitors. Following selection via a password-protected program, the machine operating sectors appear in the same pre-set portion at the bottom of the 17 inch touch screen which has a resolution of 1024 x 1280 pixels. The screen is laid out in panel format and is suited for left- or right-handed operators. Visualization of the complete machine documentation in DIN A4 panel format helps dispense with inconvenient scrolling up and down. The controls come in a choice of 30 screen languages. The control unit can be operated remotely either from a local PC via Ethernet or PDA via direct modem link or Internet. Cincinnati Extrusion GmbH, SMS Plastics Technology, Vienna, Austria; +43 1 610060; www.cet-austria.com