ENGEL is exhibiting a further development of its machine control unit at Fakuma 2023: the CC300 plus.
Matthias Witzany MATTHIAS WITZANY FOTOGRAFIERT
The CC300 plus control unit is the response from ENGEL to user feedback and requirements. It does justice to what is increasingly becoming the norm in production unit operation: frequent mould set-up procedures and more manual tasks. It is for precisely these users that the new CC300 plus offers the necessary plus in terms of ergonomics and customisation. The three-part structure with a double swivel mechanism and the individually assignable pushbutton panel are the striking differences compared with the CC300.
More movement: make three out of one
The plus in terms of ergonomics is achieved by the three-part structure of the ENGEL CC300 plus made up of three panels – the switch-on, visualisation and pushbutton panel.
The switch-on panel has the normal functions for user login, EMERGENCY STOP and the swivel mechanism. As an option, mechanical switches can be housed for safety-relevant functions, as can individual extensions. User login is just like on the CC300 relying on RFID with the typical EUROMAP65 standard. Optionally, the CC300 plus already supports the new MIFARE-based login system, which gives administrators the ability to set up targeted authorisations for operators.
Like the current CC300, the visualisation panel features a 21.5" touch screen. This central panel is intended for navigation, process settings and general displays.
The newly-developed pushbutton panel is the core of the new CC300 plus.
New pushbutton panel for haptic features, visual appeal and customisation
The striking eight pairs of pushbuttons on the CC300 plus provide haptic key feedback, giving the user a great feeling for safety and transparent control of an ENGEL production cell. Like with the CC300, all the pushbuttons of the plus variant can be assigned individually and in a clear-cut way. Individual functions are quickly accessible via touch controls – whether via e-move or pushbutton pairs. In addition, several different settings can now be defined for the pushbutton panel in order, for example, to be able to switch quickly between controlling the robot, the core pulls and the injection moulding process.
The newly developed multi-touch function not only makes it possible to operate several movements in parallel, but also supports on-screen navigation at the same time.
Independent positioning of the three panels
The three panels – the switch-on, visualisation and pushbutton panel – are connected by an adjustment mechanism which supports granular adjustment and can be positioned independently and in an easy way using keys. The optimum working position is stored on the control unit as a function of the user. If the control unit is not actuated for a certain period of time or if the machine operator logs off, it returns to the starting position and – like the CC300 – melds with the injection moulding machine. This function also reliably avoids collisions with forklifts or the increasingly common autonomous vehicles used in production. After the user logs on, the panels move back to the optimum position as set by the operator.
More transparency: the e-move sequence
Visual displays make machine operation even easier: colours and symbols show whether a function is in use in the current sequence, indicating whether control is or is not possible at the current point in time of the process. The end position of the controlled movement is also indicated. As soon as a key is pressed, a bar display for the "actual travel value" appears and the operator can follow the movement more-or-less live.
e-move is the special feature of the ENGEL CC300 control unit family. The control wheel makes it particularly easy to manually cycle through sequences on the production cell. What is new with the CC300 plus is the e-move sequence, which is visible on the display and shows the stored functions in the order of actuation. Again, this function sequence can be edited individually adapted. e-move is also wear and maintenance free thanks to a new control technology.
Manual operation made easy
Currently more than 40,000 ENGEL production cells are equipped with the CC300. Every one of them can be upgraded to the CC300 plus if needed. In the future, users will be able to choose between the two control units as the CC300 plus is also available for all machine types.
The ENGEL CC300 plus is an "excellent choice" wherever everyday operations often require manual operation. This can be necessary, for example, due to frequent mould set-up for small batches, which is typical in contract manufacturing at times, or in the automotive industry. The ENGEL CC300 plus is also well suited for production cells used in technology centres as flexible development partners. And sometimes the most important reason for the decision may simply be that the machine operator wants a control unit that makes their work easier by going the extra mile in terms of smart haptic features and customisation.
Visitors can experience the new CC300 plus control unit in the Expert Corner of the ENGEL stand in Hall 5A. This is where the special features are being presented in detail to trade visitors.