Monitoring the IDRA GigaPress® Molding Cycle

Introduction

A metal injection press (die casting) has two molds that are held tightly against each other while molten metal is injected into the cavities of the molds.

Typically, aluminum is used, and the final product, once the mold is opened, can be quite large. For example, consider the body of a Tesla vehicle, which is stamped in one go!

Monitoring the Pressing Parameters

It is essential to closely monitor the pressing parameters to ensure that each stroke is identical and that the product obtained from die casting is perfect.

Typically, the actions of the press, cylinders, actuators, etc., are managed by a high-performance commercial PLC. However, it may not have sufficient performance to carry out real-time measurements (especially analog) across multiple points.

For this reason, the PLC is complemented by dedicated electronics, typically custom-made, which reads the position of the cylinders and records the pressing values as the mold is closed.

The recorded values are then processed, and the results are sent to the main supervision system of the press.

The CJB Electronic Board

We designed electronics based on a microcontroller that, in 2016, provided the highest performance available on the market, adding sufficient RAM to host all the data from numerous analog readings.

Given the project's critical nature, all sections (Analog Inputs, Digital Inputs, Digital Outputs, and Encoder Inputs) were implemented with optical/galvanic isolation to separate these sections from the processor's "core."

This ensured complete independence from ground loops and disturbances on power supplies and signals.

After assembly and testing are completed, the board is coated with a special conformal coating to protect it from dust and moisture.

cULus Certification

The custom board is installed in the press panel, which for foreign markets (typically the USA) must necessarily have all components certified.

Therefore, CJB managed all phases of the cULus certification, and currently, the production complies with the rules of the so-called "certified maintenance file" from UL.

This adds further value to CJB's project.

Production and Possible Evolution

Since 2016, we have produced several hundred boards.

A study is underway for a new and significantly more powerful version, based on a state-of-the-art ARM processor, which will enable much faster data acquisition, a larger volume of data, and nearly instantaneous local processing.

What We Learned from This Project

We have refined our skills in managing signals, isolated power supplies, layouts that avoid interference, as well as engineering, certification, and production in accordance with UL regulations. We are now fully capable of replicating and improving this and similar projects with a strong assurance of final success.

If you need to develop or integrate real-time data acquisition systems for industrial machines of any kind, contact us for more information.