12th ILLIG Open House
“Intelligent Control Concept“ for High Productivity, Process Reliability and Line Availability

Heilbronn/Germany, June 2012. – ILLIG welcomed more than 200 participants from the whole Western and Eastern European economic regions and also even from North American to South American as well as Asian economic regions to this year's Open House hosted at Heilbronn, May 9 and 10. The experts had the opportunity to gain insight into technology and performance of current ILLIG automatic roll-fed machines. The new “ILLIG IC – ILLIG Intelligent Control Concept“ was a main feature. This control concept is geared at making use of the high performance of the servo-driven 3rd Generation thermoformers to the full extent. Expert presentations were supplemented by numerous machine demonstrations. Machines of the RDK und RDM-K series were demonstrated featuring combined forming-punching operation as well as RV und RD machines featuring separate forming and punching operation. Representing the broad production range of packs, cups, various trays, hinged packs as well as lids were manufactured on these machines. Moreover, food packs were manufactured and decorated directly during thermoforming employing the IML technology.

The ILLIG Intelligent Control Concept (ILLIG IC) is of modular design so the user can make optimum use of the various possibilities provided subject to requirement. The compatible modules are geared at improving productivity and reproducibility as well as availability of a thermoformer and/or a complete thermoforming line.

ThermoLineControl is one of these modules. Using this module, all machine components of the production line can be called up and programmed centrally on the touch panel located at the forming station. At the same time various auxiliary functions are available for process optimization and reduction of tool installation times. The so-called dynamic process optimization was newly added. Using this the machine operator does no longer need to have specialist knowledge with regard to interdependence of optimization parameters. This is calculated automatically by the control for every station of the line. Also, in case of changed setting data, a new calculation and adaptation of the cycle speed starts right away. The highest possible cycle speed is always ensured (high productivity and quality).

To improve process reliability, a now usable compensation control balances the effects of changing environmental influences during ongoing production. In the past especially the inevitable heating up of the machine stand resulted in a non-uniform temperature (temperature drift) within the material web. By continuous, automatic adaptation of the heater elements' temperature and/or the heating time, a consistent material temperature is achieved and thus continuous high product quality. Moreover, use of the new sas-up® (self-adaptive start-up) module results in a considerable reduction in material consumption during start up and commissioning of new tools (sas-up® = start-up operation with reduced cycle speed and process-optimized setting data). After switching over to the production process, the line automatically works at a high cycle speed and with corresponding performance of heater elements for heating up the material to uniform, optimum forming temperature.

The ILLIG Intelligent Control Concept (ILLIG IC) is rounded off by interlinking a production line with the NetService. In this way service engineers from Heilbronn can look into all line components via internet, diagnose errors and correct setting-related malfunctions within a very short time thus ensuring high availability of the production line.

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.

Further informationen:
Wolfgang Konrad, Director Public Relations
ILLIG Maschinenbau GmbH & Co. KG, Robert-Bosch-Straße 10,
D-74081 Heilbronn
Phone: +49 (0) 71 31 / 5 05 – 2 36, Fax: - 12 36, 
E-Mail: wolfgang.konrad(at)illig.de

Editorial contact and voucher copies:
Dr. Georg Krassowski, Konsens PR GmbH & Co. KG,
Hans-Kudlich-Straße 25,  D-64823 Groß-Umstadt
Phone: +49 (0) 60 78 / 93 63 - 0,  Fax: - 20
E-Mail: georg.krassowski(at)konsens.de

---