INDUSTRY 4.0 - Process competence through OPC UA standardized periphery integration

Author: Daniel Wipfli

Achieve maximum productivity in system cells and quality of moulded parts through the possibility of adapting the injection moulding process to your area of application by means of targeted peripheral integration via OPC UA.

Maximum productivity in system cells and quality of moulded parts can be achieved through full competence over the injection moulding process. This is achieved through interaction with peripheral devices and targeted status queries, but also the transfer of information to control systems. In this way, injection moulding processes can be perfectly adapted to the respective application and monitored over a longer period in order to exploit any potential for improvement. The manufacturer-independent communication protocol OPC UA and its standardised EUROMAP interfaces for injection moulding machines create the prerequisites for you to achieve these goals.

Added customer value thanks to open OPC UA standard

OPC UA (Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture) is a platform-independent communication standard that standardises access to machines, peripheral devices, and other systems, from small embedded systems to cloud infrastructures. Thanks 256-bit encryption and certificate verification for each client, your data remains hidden from uninvited eyes. In this regard, the industrial protocol OPC UA was analysed by the BSI (German Federal Office for Information Security) and no systematic security vulnerabilities were found,?(BSI, 2022).

EUROMAP interfaces on OPC UA basis

To guarantee the customer added value of the OPC UA interface, NETSTAL relies on defined EUROMAP interfaces based on OPC UA. This often eliminates the need go to the peripheral devices, as parameterisation and control of the functions can take place directly on the machine. Parameterisation via the machine also has the advantage that it is saved directly in the machine data record, which eliminates the need to re-enter the data when changing tools. With alarm handling, cause-specific messages can now be transmitted from the integrated devices and stored in the machine logbook for later evaluation. The logbook data can then be evaluated at master computer level to identify any potential for process optimisations.

Visit us at the upcoming K show from 19.10.22 - 26.10.22, Hall 15 Booth D24 and be inspired by the integration possibilities through OPC UA:

EM77 - (NETSTAL e-Service and manufacturing execution system integration from bfa solutions ltd )

EM82.1 - (Temperature control units integration of HB-Therm AG )

EM82.2 - (hot runner controller integration of Gammaflux )

umati - (platform for independent machine and manufacturer integration)

Do you have any questions? Or would you like to benefit from the advantages of standardised EUROMAP interfaces, please send me a message: Daniel Wipfli