Smart Molding International 3-2022

43 peripherals & automation www.smart-molding.com N ow available in eight sizes – for nominal load-bearing capaci- ties between 3 and 120 kg, the ENGEL linear robots can be ideally adapted to the given automation task in injection moulding operation. The new viper 4 is primarily used for pick- ing and placing small moulded parts. It is designed for manipulation weights of 3 kilograms downstream of the swivel axis and for use on injection moulding machines with a clamping force of up to 2200 kN. In simple part picking and placing tasks, the viper 4 achieves a dry cycle time of 5.5 seconds, with a pick- ing time of less than 1 second. Energy saver switch for vacuum The special thing about the new viper 4 is its extremely low energy consumption. In a stan- dard cycle of 6 seconds with full strokes and the maximum possible dynamics, the energy consumption is 200 Wh. This means that the small robot only consumes the same amount of energy as a legacy CAD desktop workplace. The viper 4 relies on 48-V drive technology to do this and only needs a 230-V AC single- phase power supply. For the first time, all vacuum circuits feature an energy-saving function as standard. The vacuum is controlled by a flow program to reflect requirements. Depending on the application, this re- duces the energy required for the vacu- um circuits by up to 80 percent. Further benefits consist of reduced air filter contamination and far quieter robot operation. ENGEL is setting a new trend in linear robots here. In future, all ENGEL viper models will be equipped with energy-saving vacuum technology as a standard feature. Extremely compact integration capability The viper 4 impresses with its compact size, especially in combination with tie-bar- less injection moulding machines. A version of the viper 4 with a shortened Y-stroke is available for horizontal part removal on ENGEL victory or ENGEL e-motion TL injection moulding ma- chines, for example. It is then located far lower down on the injection mould- ing machine and can handle more than 30 percent additional weight. At the same time it achieves even shorter dry cycle times and a longer service life. Horizontal part removal keeps the lower edges of the crane runway very low, enabling efficient automation even in tight spaces. Like the larger models, the new viper 4 features the iQ motion control smart assistance system and can be fully integrated into the ENGEL injec- tion moulding machine's CC300 control unit. It is also available as a stand-alone solution. ENGEL AUSTRIA GmbH ENGEL is one of the global leaders in the manufacture of plastics process- ing machines. Today, the ENGEL Group offers a full range of technology mod- ules for plastics processing as a single source supplier: injection moulding machines for thermoplastics and elas- tomers together with automation, with individual components also being com- petitive and successful in the market. With nine production plants in Europe, North America and Asia (China and Ko- rea), and subsidiaries and representa- tives in more than 85 countries, ENGEL offers its customers the excellent global support they need to compete and suc- ceed with new technologies and lead- ing-edge production systems. ENGEL www.engelglobal.com Saves energy and space ENGEL extends its series of linear robots for K 2022 with the new viper 4. What is currently the smallest viper model sees the Austrian injection moulding machine manufacturer and automation expert explore a new approach. The use of low-voltage drive technology significantly boosts the energy efficiency. This innovation is another build- ing block towards establishing a neutral energy footprint in plastics processing The new viper 4 sees ENGEL supplement the lower end of its linear robot series while at the same time substantially improving energy efficiency in automation (photo: ENGEL)