Chinaplas 2014: ILLIG IC-RDM 54K – High-Speed Cup Production

At this year’s Chinaplas, hall E1, stand A45, Shanghai/China, April 23 to 26, ILLIG will present an IC-RDM 54K automatic roll-fed machine, state-of-the-art in thermoforming. With a forming area of 520 mm x 300 mm, 54,000 APET cups are manufactured per hour using an 18-cavity mold at a speed of 50 cycles per minute. RDM-K machines are designed specifically for serial production of cups in various shapes and sizes from thermoplastic material. Equipped with the new “IC” operating concept (ILLIG Intelligent Control Concept), the user can utilize the high efficiency of this servo-driven thermoformer much more easily and reliably and also to the full extent. The IC concept includes several compatible modules: ILLIG ThermoLineControl, dynamic process optimization of the machine, compensation of environmental influences in the process, faster mold changes as well as self-adaptive start up and ILLIG NetService to support error and remote diagnoses.

Thermoformers of the RDM-K series are frequently employed in-line in combination with upstream material extruders. Such configurations always involve high-volume manufacturing, e.g. of drinking cups made in millions of units. Accordingly, the modules of the new ILLIG IC control concept are particularly relevant to the process and effectively support high-speed production. Besides modules used for general process optimization, such as the self-adaptive start up for material and mold change, above all the IC modules “ThermoLineControl“, “Compensation“ and “ILLIG NetService“ ensure high productivity and availability of a production line and help to reduce costs at the same time.

The complete thermoforming line with all integrated machines is centrally managed, controlled and optimized using the ThermoLineControl module. This makes the system more operator-friendly and saves a considerable amount of time during mold or format changes. On the other hand error analyses and troubleshooting in case of malfunction can be carried out easier and more effectively. The ILLIG NetService allows Heilbronn engineers to look into all line components directly and comprehensively via internet, to diagnose errors and promptly correct setting-related malfunctions. Production down times of RDM-K machines operated in-line must be minimized in case of malfunction in order to limit downtime costs.

The IC module “compensation control” adds to the improvement of process stability by automatically balancing effects of changing environmental influences which occur during production. Without compensation especially the inevitably developing heating up of the machine stand as a result of progressing production time causes the temperature of the material web to be non-uniform (temperature drift) which leads to fluctuating process conditions and, consequently, often fluctuating product quality.

ILLIG is a global leading supplier of high-performance production lines and molds for thermoforming plastic materials as well as of solutions for the packaging industry. The company's product and services portfolio comprises the development, design, fabrication, installation and start-up of complex manufacturing lines and individual components. With branch establishments and agencies in over 80 countries, ILLIG is locally present in all markets around the globe. For more than 65 years, this owner-managed enterprise has been serving its worldwide clientele as a reliable partner in cost-efficient thermoplastic molding of sophisticated precision parts backed by innovative technology of unsurpassed quality and a comprehensive worldwide after-sales support.

Source: ILLIG