Final Report Summary - ICON-HISIM (Intelligent controls for high-speed injection moulding machines)
The ICON-HISIM project aimed to enhance the European competitive edge in the field of plastic production by proposing the development of a high-speed injection moulding machine prototype which would introduce:
- increased productivity without a subsequent increase in costs;
- a reduced environmental impact;
- high reliability and reduced set-up expenditures.
The project succeeded in:
- developing and testing a compact electro-hydrostatic control system for the clamping unit of a high-speed injection moulding machine;
- developing a non-linear control system which enabled the movement of the injection unit;
- developing a pressure adaptive accumulator system for the injection unit in order to achieve optimum process control, thereby reducing energy consumption and enhancing the machine's efficiency by approximately fifty per cent;
developing a co-simulation package tool which comprised two complex domains, namely the drive system's and the injection unit's domain.
Virtual prototypes had been derived and used for the development of drive systems of a high-speed injection moulding machine. The prototypes allowed evaluating and optimising the dynamic performance, the structure and the control system of the drive systems as well as improving the overall machine's performance. The derived non-linear simulation models could be simplified and be linearised for controller design. Therefore, three different solutions had been developed:
- linear and non-linear control system for the drive systems of the clamping unit and the injection unit that are the dynamically critical ones;
- semi-linear and non-linear adaptive control of the clamping unit to provide maximum dynamic performance and accuracy due to self-adaptation;
- iterative learning control of the injection velocity to provide reproducible and high quality parts.
- increased productivity without a subsequent increase in costs;
- a reduced environmental impact;
- high reliability and reduced set-up expenditures.
The project succeeded in:
- developing and testing a compact electro-hydrostatic control system for the clamping unit of a high-speed injection moulding machine;
- developing a non-linear control system which enabled the movement of the injection unit;
- developing a pressure adaptive accumulator system for the injection unit in order to achieve optimum process control, thereby reducing energy consumption and enhancing the machine's efficiency by approximately fifty per cent;
developing a co-simulation package tool which comprised two complex domains, namely the drive system's and the injection unit's domain.
Virtual prototypes had been derived and used for the development of drive systems of a high-speed injection moulding machine. The prototypes allowed evaluating and optimising the dynamic performance, the structure and the control system of the drive systems as well as improving the overall machine's performance. The derived non-linear simulation models could be simplified and be linearised for controller design. Therefore, three different solutions had been developed:
- linear and non-linear control system for the drive systems of the clamping unit and the injection unit that are the dynamically critical ones;
- semi-linear and non-linear adaptive control of the clamping unit to provide maximum dynamic performance and accuracy due to self-adaptation;
- iterative learning control of the injection velocity to provide reproducible and high quality parts.