ADwin for Monitoring and Control of Plastic Injection Molding


CHESTERLAND OH — Recently CAS DataLoggers interviewed a long-time customer using an ADwin-Gold Real-Time Data Acquisition Control System. Read on to learn how his plastic injection molding business has benefitted from high-speed data acquisition—and how your business can do the same.



QA Session:



Q: Since you have been using the ADwin Gold system to monitor your plastic injection molding equipment

for several years now, how do you use it for your casting process?



A: We use our ADwin in two different modes:



• Monitoring the shot injection;



• Controlling the shot injection.



Q: What is it about ADwin that makes it suitable for your application?



A: ADwin is easy to interface with our Windows-based machine MMI VB application. The system is programmable, allowing us to customize its real-time control interaction through its various analog and digital I/Os. The ADwin Gold is fast and has a lot of on-board memory so it can collect an entire shot's worth of data locally.



Q: Have you considered any other commercially-available products in the past?



A: Years ago we designed a completely custom solution using the STD bus and standard logic components. For 13 years we've been using a custom solution provided to us by Visi-Trak Corporation.



Q: What advantages can an injection molding machine maker gain by using ADwin instead of their present controller or PLC?



A: Custom behavior or features may be required for proper inter

action with the machine's PLC. However, a PLC may not be fast enough or have enough features to allow the desired functionality. Running on a Windows platform will allow data to be directed through the company network for tasks such as recipe management or process feedback. Using ADwin can put the user in charge of machine capabilities.



ADwin Can Do the Same for Your Application!



For real-time data acquisition and control, ADwin systems have a fast Sample rate of 100kHz aggregate, to 1.25 MHz per channel. All measurements are made at true 16-bit resolution. Gain a competitive advantage from faster sampling and control:



• Extremely fast response time of 1 usecond or less;

• High speed PID loops—up to 100 kHz or more advanced control functions;

• Tightly-coupled Integrated Analog in/out and Digital in/out plus counter/timer channels



ADwin portable data acquisition systems offer all the benefits of direct software connection with Windows without the risk of OS lockups and crashes. The ADwin's onboard local DSP operates in real-time independently of the Windows CPU, so that the system will continue to run even if the PC stops.



Users have full application development freedom with ADwin's full set of available drivers for many of the popular programming environments including VB, VC/C++, LabVIEW, TestPoint and others. This provides for full integration with other applications and programming languages. ADwin also has intuitive development tools with support for up to 10 processes. A wide variety of communications options are available — Ethernet or USB for PC communication, CAN-bus, and RS232/485. ADwin's compact and robust metal enclosure offers multiple form factors:



• Plug-in board

• Encased stand-alone

• Modular rack mount systems



Optional Stand-alone operation:



An available boot option allows for full-function operation independent of any PC or external

computer. Users can augment their PLC installations with a high-speed, quick response-time system.



High-Speed DAQ for Process and Test Control:



ADwin systems are ideal for many different applications including:



• Die Cast Machine Process control, PID during injection (high-speed control of Pressure, Flow, Volume)

• Crack Growth measurement system—Hardware & Software for adaptive/predictive PID control of hydraulic test equipment(for testing valves, hose fittings etc.)

• Stamping press force measurement for predictive failure analysis

• Machine vibration, early fault identification

• Signal generation and signal processing applications



For more information on the ADwin Gold Real-Time DAQ & Control System, additional ADwin systems, or to find the ideal solution for your application-specific needs, contact a CAS Data Logger Applications Specialist at (800) 956-4437 or visit the website at www.DataLoggerInc.com.



Contact Information:

CAS DataLoggers, Inc.

12628 Chillicothe Road

Chesterland, Ohio 44026

(440) 729-2570

(800) 956-4437

sales@dataloggerinc.com

www.dataloggerinc.com


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