Smart luggage tags will be produced according to the principle of spatially distributed production in the smart factory. Injection moulding, industrial additive manufacturing and automation are combined for the customer-specific individualisation of the product and the process data is recorded using the Arburg host computer system (ALS).
Station 1: Injection moulding of high-volume parts
At the first station, an individual turnkey solution, consisting of an Allrounder 375 V and a robot cell with integrated six-axis robot, produces the "luggage tags" in high volumes. The robot removes the finished moulded part and subsequently fits an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip. The integration of the chip means that the product can save and communicate information.
Heinz Gaub, Managing Director Technology & Engineering at Arburg said:
“Our mini factory illustrates customer-specific individualisation of high-volume parts through the combination of injection moulding and additive manufacturing.”
The recorded data includes the date of manufacture, the cycle time, injection pressure and processing temperature from the injection moulding process and the visitor's personal data, which is added later, as well as the process data from the additive manufacturing stage.
Station 2: Personalisation of moulded parts
The next step in the production process can take place both on the Arburg or on the Pöppelmann stand: The user selects a graphic motif for the design of the tag at an input terminal and has his electronic calling card (vCard) produced.
On the Arburg stand K16, the data is transferred directly to the NFC chip of the luggage tag. Pöppelmann demonstrates on its stand B18 the benefits of the "web shop" as a 4.0 business model. The customer simply enters the individual product requirements. A QR code is generated from the order and this is either mailed directly to his smart phone or printed on paper.
On the Arburg stand, this information is read by means of a scanner and the relevant order data is transferred to the NFC chip in the luggage tag for the next production process.
Thus, the part itself becomes the data carrier, identifying itself at the various stations and controlling its continued production process. Each luggage tag is also assigned its own website in the cloud. This is also where all process and quality data recorded by the Arburg host computer system (ALS) are archived.
Stations 3 and 4: Luggage tag individualisation
During the subsequent laser marking, the personalised data, such as name, address, phone number and vCard are added to the luggage tag in the form of a QR code. All of the part handling tasks are performed by an Integralpicker V.
Subsequently, the Freeformer further individualises the luggage tag by additively applying the graphic motif selected at the second station in 3D using TPE plastic. The high-volume product has been transformed into something unique.
Station 5: Use of smart product for online actions
At the last station, visitors learn how they can use their smart luggage tag to execute data-supported actions, such as the online ordering of brochures using the integrated NFC chip. In addition, the contact data can be read out via the QR code or the NFC chip. This contains the individual URL address of the website for the relevant product, enabling all process and quality data to be traced on a 100 percent basis at all times.
Flexible combination of 4.0 components
"Digital networking promotes transparency and facilitates optimum use of production capacity, particularly in relation to smaller unit volumes and frequent product changes," said Axel Kinting, Control Technology expert at Arburg.
IT networking
The Arburg host computer system (ALS) can record and archive all relevant production and quality data, ensuring the complete traceability of orders, batches and individual parts. The control system is a central element in digital communication.
The Euromap 77 host computer interface uses an independent communication protocol known as OPC UA and enables high speed exchanges between the machine and host computer. Machines and peripheral equipment components can be networked in a simple, standardised way. ALS also has a certified interface with SAP.
The luggage tag is fitted with an NFC chip (centre) to which the visitor's vCard and order data can be added. The product itself thus becomes an information carrier.
After contact data and QR codes have been applied by laser, the Freeformer individualises the luggage tag with a 3D graphic in plastic. Visitors are able to use the integrated NFC chip to add more data-supported actions using their finished product.
- Industry 4.0 live: Combining injection moulding, additive manufacturing and host computer system
- Smart factory: Intelligent product controls its own path through spatially distributed production
- New business models: Incorporation of online customer requests and ordering of personalised products.
The exhibit is in K16, in hall 6.
