How Molds Are Driving Industry 4.0 at NPE2018

At NPE2018 in Orlando, the shift from traditional mechanical tooling to digitally connected molds accelerated the industry’s move toward Industry 4.0. While early shot counters and in‑cavity temperature/pressure sensors offered limited data, the new generation of monitors delivers real‑time production insights to operators, presses, and cloud analytics platforms.

Milacron’s SmartMold showcases how embedded sensors can provide uptime, cycle count, temperature trends, and more—whether displayed locally or streamed to the cloud. Operators can pull a tool’s data on a mobile device, receive alerts for maintenance, and view overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) calculated in the cloud. Milacron demonstrated SmartMold on two advanced cells: an all‑electric Roboshot 500 and the Quantum 260 servo‑hydraulic toggle press, with a live dashboard featuring all 10 tools across the show floor. The system connects directly to the mold’s PLC, integrating the entire cell. Milacron partnered with ei3 Corp., which powers SmartMold for 20,000 machines worldwide.

Priamus System Technologies upgraded its Quality Monitor with the embedded QDaq system, eliminating the need for a separate PC. The OPC‑UA interface streams injection‑molding data—including cavity‑pressure, cavity‑temperature, and process parameters—to local or cloud servers. Priamus offers a 7‑inch LED display (QScreen) and web‑based dashboards viewable on any browser. At NPE, a Priamus rep displayed production data from a Sumitomo Demag press on an iPad, highlighting real‑time OEE and viscosity calculations that track batch‑to‑batch material variations.

Männer’s moldMIND II brings predictive analytics to the mold. The monitor records cycles, cycle times, temperature profiles, operating hours, and downtime, storing the data for instant retrieval. With multi‑interface options—Bluetooth, WLAN, Ethernet, USB, OPC‑UA—engineers can access data from any location, while a GPS module tracks mold whereabouts. The system sends alarms to smartphones or MES platforms and can trigger digital I/O to halt a machine during a fault. Männer is integrating AI to detect cooling/heating anomalies before defective parts are produced, aiming for operator‑independent processes.

Progressive Components paired its CVe Monitor with the CVe Live wireless system, pushing data to a cloud portal. Since its first cycle counter in 1993, the company has added GPS tracking to support large corporations that lose tools during mergers or relocations. Glenn Starkey highlights how cloud visibility prevents costly rebuilds.

Cavity Eye unveiled a prototype of its Smart Molding Control (SMC) system, comprising a Smart Measuring Plug (SMP), Smart Control Plug (SCP), and a Monitor‑Switch‑Computer (MSC). The SMP captures up to 32 pressure sensors, sending real‑time curves to the SCP, which communicates 24V digital signals to the press and robot. The system aids mold transfer, qualification, and failure analysis. Four sensor types, ranging from 0.8 to 20 mm pins and 1,000–40,000 N loads, are managed by the central MPM plug.

Haidlmair’s Mold Monitoring 4.0 (MM 4.0) launched in 2016, uses thermocouples and a flow sensor across the entire tool. The solution offers real‑time control, a personalized user portal for mold documentation, injection parameters, and maintenance alerts. Boxes mount on both halves of the tool, delivering a comprehensive view of cycle times, pressures, temperatures, and more.

Collectively, these innovations demonstrate how digital mold monitoring transforms production—providing real‑time data, predictive maintenance, and AI‑driven insights that elevate quality, reduce downtime, and align with the demands of automotive, medical, and high‑volume sectors.