Plastic Industry

Plastic is the material of the 21st Century. It's range of applications is enormous and thanks to new compositions it is becoming even greater. Therefore, the demands on production and machine building are increasing. Balluff offers high performance sensor and system solutions with high quality network and connectivity technology. We have the ideal prerequisites for reliably managing the growing variety in technology. The high quality of our solutions enables mature system concepts, supports availability of machines and contributes to efficient utilization.

Material Handling: How to achieve an optimal process

To maintain an optimal material handling process it is important to continuously ensure the cleanliness of the plastic. Proper fill levels are ensured by our capacitive and ultrasonic sensors while industrial RFID handles unerring control of all the processes. This ensures that the paths taken by the granulate, fillers and reinforcing materials from the silos to the coupling stations, from the mixers to the injection molding machines run like clockwork. In different production lines and in every single batch. You achieve precise metering of new compounds in every new composition – fast, precisely and reliably.

While at the same time you increase feed efficiency, improve production quality and reduce complaints because RFID records all your process and product data. This continuous documentation even creates legal security.

Injection Molding: In control of every detail

In high-precision injection molding every step has to be performed precisely from injecting the molding compound to ejecting the formed part. With our high-quality solutions you can reliably control every movement of the injection molding machine. Our inductive positioning systems provide rapid mold filling and our capacitive sensors check for completeness. Magnetic encoders ensure soft mold closing. Rugged pressure sensors integrated into the hydraulic cylinder ensure that the platens are properly closed.

You can rely on high repeat accuracy and durability thanks to our technology optimized through High Accelerated Lifetime Tests (HALT). The rugged design delivers extended run times and contributes to equipment up-time. Our quality means your precision. And failsafe performance means efficiency and economy.

Blow Molding: Economy through optimal material utilization

When it comes to blow molding, Balluff offers you great precision for optimal material utilization. Our products ensure exact extrusion of the hoses and allow for the correct structure of multiple plastic layers.

And we make it possible to reliably produce containers with acid-resistant inner walls, different wall thicknesses or in various colors. Our sensors provide an economical solution that guarantees the desired product quality because only exact processing of the individual materials lets you be sure that, for example, tanks containers or bottles have the requisite characteristics.

Bonding and Joining Technology: A continuous eye on every seam

When it comes to secure joining parts, whether of the same and different materials, both ultrasonic and vibration welding offer the best features. By using these welding techniques you ensure the best possible mechanical strength and sealing of the joined materials. To reliably inspect these first-class joining technologies we offer proven solutions. This applies as well to sensitive areas such as the foods industry or medical and electronics.

You can continuously compare the results during the process. Super-fast linear measuring systems give you precise feedback, while versatile industrial cameras take over visual quality control. Weld seams, sizes, distances, production steps – everything can be known at a glance. And our SmartCameras offer outstanding operating convenience.

Robotics and Automation: Lean networks reduce costs

Robotic automation tasks are no longer necessarily associated with excessive installation costs and effort, maintenance, and parts replacement. With non-contact transmission of signals and power using inductive couplers, you can leave wear and cable breaks in the past. Use of these quick-disconnect units also makes you highly flexible.

By also using IO-Link you can significantly simplify your network topology. You reduce the installation costs and effort to a minimum while enjoying noise immunity. With this communication standard you can integrate all the sensors into the fieldbus level. And with IO-Link devices, continuous diagnostics and parameterization are possible using the controller. IO-Link reduces the number of devices and offers transparency down to the last meter. For a lean network structure simply connect your IO-Link devices to an IO-Link network block to bundle the signals. You also profit from huge time and money savings. The Balluff IO-Link portfolio with masters, hubs and intelligent sensors offers an incomparably wide selection for such efficiency.