The European Association of Plastics and Rubber Machinery Manufacturers has released the first universal digital standard that allows machines from different manufacturers to talk to each other, making an important step in the development of Industry 4.0.
The association announced the standard called Euromap77 at the media invitation meeting of the 2018 U.S. International Plastics and Rubber Exhibition (NPE2018). Although this is a technical topic, the association official stated that the development of such standards will promote the industry. It is important.
Thorsten Kühmann, general secretary of the Euromap Association, said: 'Our point is that we really need these digital interfaces for Industry 4.0. Industry 4.0 will only really work if you have a complete information flow.'
The Euromap77 standard, officially released on May 4, only covers injection molding machines and allows standardized communication between injection molding machines and manufacturing execution systems (MES).
The association stated that other standards are also being developed, including Euromap 82: Data exchange between injection molding machines and temperature control devices; Euromap 79: Data exchange between injection molding machines and robots; Euromap 84: Extruders and manufacturing execution systems Data exchange between (MES).
According to industry officials, one of the advantages of the new standard is to give plastics processors greater flexibility to allow different manufacturers' equipment to work together and exchange information.
It will not replace the existing manufacturer system, but as an interface. A technologist compared the standard with the memory stick in the personal computer at the media invitation.
Jochen Mitzler, Director of Market Intelligence and Product Management at KraussMaffei Technologies GmbH, a German equipment manufacturer, said: 'It's like inserting a USB stick into your computer.'
The Euromap Association stated that the standard is based on the OPC Unified Architecture and is an interoperability standard used by multiple industries in the field of industrial automation. The association believes that this standard promotes reliable and secure data exchange.
Kühmann stated that this is only the first step, and that more follow-up developments are needed. These standards were developed by European industrial associations. But at the media invitation, some executives stated that it is important to develop global standards.
Kühmann emphasized that European industry people want to share their standards. He said: 'There is no reason to have only one European standard.'
Heinz Gaub, general manager of technology and engineering at Arburg GmbH + Co., an injection molding machine manufacturer, said: 'The more global the standard, the better it will be for multinationals like Arburg.'
In the United States, the Plastics Industry Association (PIA) established a subcommittee to study global standards applicable to Industry 4.0 or the Internet of Things.
At the opening day press conference on May 7th, Bill Carteaux, president and CEO of the Washington-based PIA Association, said that during the NPE2018 show, plastics industry associations from all over the world will meet on the evening of May 9 to discuss How to continue to promote global standards.
Carteaux said: 'The overall goal of the conference was to discuss Industry 4.0 and how we should unite and come up with a globally applicable standard, rather than everyone raising their own standards, and then claiming that this is the best.'
Glenn Anderson, president of strategic customer development at Milacron Holdings Corp. and chairman of the NPE2018 show, said that the development of standards is critical to the wider use of Industry 4.0 technology.
Anderson said: 'There is no doubt that we must formulate standards that will help us calmly meet all challenges, strive to meet customer requirements and integrate with advanced technology.'
Kühmann stated that it is important for the plastics industry to work together with industrial partners to develop their own digital interface standards for the industry's equipment, rather than solely for the development of standards for other data-intensive industries.
Kühmann said that the standards announced by the Euromap Association are only the first step, and more development results will come out one after another.
At the media invitation, other company executives, including Engel Austria GmbH, Battenfeld Cincinnati Group, and Wittmann Battenfeld GmbH, proposed a The two-year timetable began to introduce other standards that were discussed at the meeting.
One thing is clear. Andreas Turk, Battenfeld’s sales director, said that even if it takes years to wait, moving toward Industry 4.0 will require upgrading the skills of equipment operators at plastics processing plants.
Turk said: 'The level of education in the production line will increase. We need higher levels of skilled workers.' He added that more automation related to Industry 4.0 may lead to fewer employees required for processing plants.
He said: 'We may no longer need pipeline cleaners.'