Joint R2B Innovation vouchers (experiments) under OISAIR will transform early stage technologies (between TRL 3 and 6) and patents deriving from universities and research institutes into commercial applications and products for the market through the co-development of prototypes/testing with established SMEs.

Experimental plan description:

The main objective of the experiment is to develop an innovative solution according to Industry 4.0 requirements for increasing the energy efficiency in injection molding process and thus optimization of energy and material consumption inside the injection molding production cycle, when producing complex metal-plastic parts. After reviewing existing solutions in the tool-and-plastic market, we can confirm that there is currently no such solution available that would specially focus also on metal inserts since majority of solutions is focused strictly on the mold and injection molding machine side.

The heat increase that is introduced inside the mold once the correctly heated metal insert based on artificial intelligent (AI) algorithms and temperature measurements with IR camera is inserted inside the mold would allow for smart balancing of temperature field inside the mold, and also lower electrical energy and material consumption. Lower electrical energy consumption would be reached by special AI algorithms that would constantly control the temperature of metal inserts and mold. Lower material consumption would be reached by optimized process parameters in real time that are constantly monitored using the appropriate communication protocols that would help also to increase the overall effectiveness of production (OEE).

TECOS's role:

The main role of TECOS is to develop innovative solution for producing complex metal-plastic parts in accordance with I4.0 guidelines and to increase the energy efficiency during the injection molding production cycle.

Contact: dr. Dragan Kusić