A publication of theARBURG Group

Number 11 Summer 1999

Information onInjection MouldingMarket and Technology

ARBURG II: Architecture for the future

ARBURG eventDiary of a royal ceremony

3

2

Karl Hehl Eugen Hehl

C o n t e n t s

ARBURG architectureWhere steel-reinforced concrete reaches to the skies

4-5

6

7

Customer reportOptimal lighting: VEMAOptical DiscsBetter, faster – and more satisfied

8-9

9

ARBURG ServiceARBURG getting even closerARBURG technology

10-11

11

Customer reportLittle parts that make great things move: John GuestARBURG TrainingFranz Beitl: “The pilot goes on board”

12-13

13

ARBURG LogisticsBusy as can be in the Warehouse Transfer PointPowder injection mouldingIndividuality in series production

14-15

15

ARBURG ServiceExpertise in a concentrated package

16

ARBURG eventARBURG Technology DaysARBURG technology

Opening events generally have a special appeal of their own.

But when even a member of the royal family pays a visit to our

British subsidiary, that’s something truly exceptional – and not

just for the employees in Great Britain!

It’s a well-known fact that technology has always been in the

focal point of our efforts. As a result, we have written some

technological history. And so it was only too natural that we

named our annual in-house exhibition “ARBURG Technology

Days” this year.

Three days of pure technology – during which the SELOGICA

control system was the central attraction. 1,500 visitors were

on hand to gather in-depth information.

With more than 30 machines and applications, a broad palette

of lectures, a display of spare parts, and – by no means least

important – the popular plant tours, we took every effort to pro-

vide an informative and balanced program. After all, a visit to

our Technology Days should also be rewarding for our guests.

It goes without saying, of course, that glances were cast from

time to time at ARBURG II. ARBURG II is coming into creation at

the spot where steel-reinforced concrete is reaching to the

skies. We are making an investment in the traditional head-

quarters site in the rather keen manner for which we have

become known.

We hope that reading this new issue of our ARBURG today will

be both entertaining and informative.

ARBURG today,Issue 11 / Summer1999Customer magazine of the ARBURG Group

Published by: ARBURG GmbH + Co

Editor:Dr. Christoph Schumacher (Editor incharge)Editorial team:Dieter Dissel, Juliane Hehl,Martin Hoyer, Peter Mechler,Roland Paukstat, Bernd Schmid,Jürgen Schray, Renate Würth

Contributors for this issue:Uwe Becker (Text), Frank Himmelsbach (Pho-tography), Peter Mechler (TechTalk),Markus Mertmann (Photography),Martina Schrenk (Graphics)

Editorial address:ARBURG GmbH + CoPostfach 110972286 Lossburg

Tel.: +49 (0) 7446/33-3149Fax: +49 (0) 7446/33-3413E-mail: today_kundenmagazin@arburg.comwww.arburg.com

PRINTING INFORMATION

Reprints, including excerpts, withpublisher’s permission only.

history and develop-ment. A tour throughthe building followsthat, and then thereis the official opening.

“For the first time, we will berepresented with our own build-ing, as is befitting for ARBURG inGreat Britain,” Eugen Hehl em-phasises the historical signifi-cance of this day for the Britishsubsidiary.

And then Princess Anne stepsforward for the unveiling of a mu-ral that is to be a reminder of this

historic day. With a friendly smile,she poses for the photographer,after which her lady-in waitingreminds her inconspicuously thatit is time to leave ARBURG Ltd.once again.

At precisely 3:00 PM – not onesecond too early or too late –Princess Anne enters her carfollowing her closing graciouswords and sweeps away with thecolumn. The royal banner is low-ered – and an exciting day in thelife of ARBURG’s British subsidi-ary draws to a close.

ARBURG Great Britain

tion area receive their anticipatedsignal by radio from the securityescort of the royal visit. PrincessAnne is nearing her destination –and the royal banner of the Houseof Windsor can now be raised onthe subsidiary flagpole.

The official guests, includingthe mayor and her administrativeofficials, take up their positions inthe foyer. Chairmen Eugen andMichael Hehl, Managing DirectorHeinrich Fritz and subsidiaryManager Frank Davis also preparethemselves for the reception ofthe Princess.

The first curious bystandershave gathered on the throughroad, and the police motorcycleescort makes its way up to thefront of the headquarters withits nearly 2,000 square metres.Following them – between twoLandrovers with security person-nel – is the Rover of the RoyalHouse. The Lord Lieutenant, aformer army officer in a magnifi-cent uniform, introduces PrincessAnne, who is accompanied by alady-in waiting and a personalbodyguard, to the ARBURG repre-sentatives.

Then, there is a ten-minute pri-vate conference in the office ofFrank Davis, during which timeEugen Hehl provides the uncom-plicated member of the RoyalHouse with a survey of ARBURG’s

Diary ofa royalceremony

11:03 AM: Two burly securitymen with little buttons intheir ears and a microphoneon their arm take up theirpositions at the entrance ofthe new ARBURG subsidiaryin Warwick with watchfuleyes. And that was the wayit started: Princess Anne canenter…

At about noon, two bomb-snooping dogs and their trainersmove in and make their roundshere and there through the ultra-modern new building. Of course,everything must be as secure as itcan possibly be when the daugh-ter of the English Queen is onhand to open the new ARBURGHeadquarters in Warwick.

After the guests of honourhave lunched, it’s time: at about1:45 PM, the inconspicuouslywatchful gentlemen in the recep-

Eugen Hehl, Frank Davis, Princess Anne

holidays in August. The explana-tion is simple: for reasons relatedto manufacturing technology,ARBURG’s entire powder coatingoperations must be moved intothe new building by then.

Now, everyone is attemptingto make up for as many of the lostdays as possible at an increasedtempo. Planning for the move hastherefore already reached an ad-vanced stage, and every possiblesynergetic effect is being ex-ploited. For example, excavationwas pushed forward despite thesnowstorms, which occasionedthe rather amazed comment ofthe town’s regional newspaper –the “Schwarzwälder Bote” – dur-ing the deep snows of winter that“the construction site for the newARBURG plant in Lossburg ap-pears to be the only place in theregion at this time where bulldoz-ers are busily digging away.”

The structural method that theconstruction managers have se-lected for the new productionsites is extremely demanding.Impressive steel-reinforced con-crete structures that are plannedhave already been realised tosome extent. Mighty concretepillars reach up to the skies –impressive structural supportswith gigantic spanning dimen-sions that will accommodate the

Despite the time pinch, no oneis letting things get out of hand.Construction here is intended forthe long term, and therefore everystep must have both rhyme andreason. After all, both architec-ture and functionality must com-ply with ARBURG standards – twoprinciples that may seem contra-dictory at first glance, but thatmust nevertheless be reconciled.

The structural dimensions thatmust be mastered are – a well-known fact – colossal. More than300,000 cubic metres of excava-tion, a total of three new struc-tures on a surface that wouldencompass nearly four footballfields, and roughly 20,000 cubicmetres of poured concrete are afew of the impressive key figures.

However, the chronological di-mensions are – as always atARBURG – extremely demanding.In order for the continued expan-sion to go forward on schedule,construction phase BA 12 mustbe completed by the company

Where steel-reinforced concretereaches to the skies

“We have to get it done – nomatter how!” With these words,Eugen Hehl – with his brotherKarl the Management Chairmenat ARBURG – described the timebottleneck into which construc-tion work on ARBURG II hadentered during the unusually longand hard Black Forest winter.

The fact of the matter is, therehave been 60 days of severeweather since the commencementof construction work last August– many, many more than onecould ever have planned for aproject of this magnitude. “Sincethe groundbreaking, it has eitherrained or snowed practicallyevery day,” is the way supervisingconstruction head ManfredWolfer summarises the weather inLossburg in recent months –stormy weather in the truestsense of the term.

A R B U R G a r c h i t e c t u r e

roofing surfaces. Work is pro-gressing here with “shed roofs”or “saw-tooth roofs,” as they arecalled. These roof structures,which are for the most part trans-parent, are calculated in anelaborate process in such a man-ner that as much daylight aspossible will pervade the area –without heating the buildingareas located below them toomuch because of strong sunlight.

The procedure with the newbuildings as work progresses isalways the same. The red earth ofthe Lossburg variegated sand-stone plate must first be exca-vated before work can begin onthe foundation, followed by thepower supply channels and thestructural sheaths, as they arecalled. The sheaths will later re-ceive the gigantic steel-reinforcedsupports. Then, the so-calledtrough roofs will be installed. Asthe name implies, the individualelements remind one of troughsthat have been turned over, atechnology that provides tremen-dous rigidity and stability

ARBURG I is closed off byBA 12 with its nearly 5,000square metres of effective sur-face. Its side walls were set inplace in April. Connected with it,a Logistics building (cold build-ing) – the beginning of ARBURG IIand a visual separation – will beerected.

The preliminary work for theflooring has already been under-taken and the sheaths set up forthe large new production building

(BA 21). This buildingwill have nearly

18,000 squaremetres of ef-

fective surface when finished. Inthe prudent manner of the corpo-rate family, this constructionphase was designed as the so-called “ARBURG Module” andcan thus be duplicated in thefuture without major problems.

And so it has come to passthese days that, more and morefrequently, an eye is cast here andthere toward the horizon inLossburg to take a reading on theweather picture. Because theweather is something that noteven ARBURG can change …

4

The façade is even impressive on the blueprints 5

A R B U R G e v e n t

1,500 visitors from 21 coun-tries took advantage ofARBURG’s Technology Daysat the beginning of May togain a picture of the newmachine technology in theworld of injection mouldingon-site at Lossburg.

This year, ARBURG placed thefocus of its traditional springtimeevent on the control technologyutilised by the ALLROUNDER in-jection moulding machines. Sincethe K ’98 Exhibition, ARBURG hasinstalled the SELOGICA controlunit on all machines. All periph-eral devices – material dryers orrobotic handling devices, forexample – can also be user-pro-grammed and operated via theSELOGICA control unit with itsgraphics-based sequence editor.

Those responsible for puttingon the event were extremely sat-isfied with the excellent visitorturnout and success of the Tech-nology Days. Many of the guestsmade journeys from farawaylands to gather information aboutthe latest engineering develop-ments at ARBURG on site. Profes-sionals from all over Europe,South Africa, Argentina, India andIsrael made their way toLossburg.

Together with the tradition-ally-strong visitor turnout fromthe countries of Western Europe,the numbers of visitors from East-ern European countries increasedsignificantly.

32 machines with differentequipment, different performanceranges and application tasks,numerous product offerings fromthe area of peripheral devices aswell as an attractive and roundedlecture program with the majoremphasis on the “SELOGICAcontrol unit” were presented as abroadly-diversified informationalprogram. In a special presenta-tion, visitors received informationabout the benefits of ARBURG’soriginal spare parts.

Guests from the professionalworld could add to their know-ledge base in the four lectures onthe subject of the SELOGICAcontrol unit that were held byin-house and outside speakers inARBURG’s training rooms.

Seen from a purely statisticalpoint of view, every one of the1,500 guests took advantage of atleast one of these opportunities.The proof in the pudding was pro-vided by the interesting questionsand topics that originated fromthe very heart of everyday pro-duction.

“SELOGICA control unit” wasalso the motto for the plant toursthat were conducted this year –tours that were heavily fre-quented as always. ARBURGdesigns and manufactures all ofthe hardware and software of itsmachine control unit completelyindependently. Of course, part ofthe tour was information pro-vided at a viewing point concern-ing the progress of constructionfor ARBURG II.

ARBURG Technology Days –A smashing success!

Along with the main themes of theSELOGICA control unit and machinetechnology, original spare parts andmould engineering proved to be focalpoints of interest for the visitors.

6

Moist polyester is subject todifferent laws

The processing of polyester isoffered exclusively in conjunctionwith the largest screw diametersof the respective units. These are30, 40, 50, 60, and 70 mm, com-bined with the specific size of theinjection unit.

Additional essential equip-ment that is available especiallyfor the processing of polyesterincludes an adapted cylinder witha nozzle dipping dimension of100 mm and a screw with a checkvalve, a special nozzle with a dip-ping dimension of 175 mm, theINJESTER stuffing unit with achanger for 25-litre containers,additional temperature-controldevices, as well as connectionaccessories for operation withwater.

Customers seeking consultation,support and service may contacttheir Sales Engineer or area SalesManager for initial assistance.

If necessary, appropriate con-tacts in the company’s ThermosetGroup will then be established. Inthis department, there are spe-cialists who can answer questionspertaining to both applicationstechnology and processing tech-nology and who will support thecustomer from planning toproduction of parts.

A R B U R G technology

As of now, ARBURG has sev-eral ALLROUNDERs in itsproduct line that are spe-cially tuned for processingthermosets.

With the appropriate equip-ment, these machines can processboth pourable materials as wellas moist polyester compounds.From an engineering standpoint,all machines are based on theALLROUNDER C series.

The specialists for processingthermosets:

For pourable thermoset mate-rials, the five different injectionunits are supplied with screw di-ameters of 20 and 25 mm (unitsize: 100), 30 and 35 mm (250),35, 40 and 45 mm (350), 45, 50and 55 mm (675), as well as55 and 60 mm (1300). The plasti-cising cylinders have fluidtemperature controls and workwith a de-compression screw with-out a check valve.

Detailed attention toprocessing properties

Temperature and time must bemanaged precisely in order tobring about the optimal cross-linking of the thermoset material.For just this reason, special de-mands are placed on the cylinderassemblies. The heat of frictionmust be dissipated so that cross-linking does not begin in the cyl-inder. ARBURG has installed spe-cial temperature-control sleeveson the cylinders that ensureappropriate high levels of heatdissipation.

Because of the use of open andvery short nozzles, only extremelysmall amounts of material that issubjected to the hazard of prema-ture curing can accumulate thereat the end of the holding pressurephase.

Among other standard features,the machines possess a servo-regulated hydraulic system, ex-tended movements and produc-tion controls. The ALLROUNDERshave capabilities for injectioncompression venting as well asair blasting.

Up to six temperature-controlunits can be operated directly viaa special interface. Two units areincluded in the standard equip-ment package. Auxiliary heatingcircuits that can be programmedand regulated via the SELOGICA –six are included as basic standardequipment – can be installed asoptions for heating the mould.The SELOGICA control unit alsohas special input capabilities forcuring times and dosage delay.

Among the additional optionsthat are recommended are theprovision for advance movementto an intermediate stop withclosed mould for pressure separa-tion of the sprues with thehydraulic ejector, an interface forbrush removal devices or anactuation unit for the vacuumpump. With the equipment pack-age for thermoset processing,ARBURG provides a special ma-chine with all necessary technol-ogy at a fixed price. This is attrac-tive ALLROUNDER engineeringthat can be expanded for theprocessing of moist polyester.Both materials lend themselves toprocessing on ALLROUNDER T ro-tary table machines with theexisting technical equipment.

Thermoset specialists

A Y2K audit was performedat ARBURG on March 1st bythe Technical Supervisory As-sociation of Rheinland/Ber-lin-Brandenburg. And so theyear 2000 – and with it thegreat computer crash – haslost it’s spectral presence forARBURG. All of its computersystems are Y2K-compliant.

It was necessary to check vir-tually every computer at ARBURGfor its functioning after the

“magic date” and to make ad-justments where necessary. If onethinks of the high degree of inte-gration of information systemswith the data processing networkin the company, this is indeed adaunting challenge. It is espe-cially important to remember thatno part – no matter how insignifi-cant – of the whole can be forgot-ten, because it’s the little acornsthat grow into giant oaks, as theproverb states.

For just this reason, ARBURGhad already begun taking neces-sary conversion actions by theend of 1996. These actions arenow for the most part advancedtoward completion. The securityof the essential Corporate proc-esses is no longer in jeopardy.Any remaining activities that arestill necessary have been sched-uled and no longer pose a hurdlefor the success of the conversion.

An so ARBURG can even nowguarantee to its customers that itis Y2K-compliant without reser-vations – thereby guaranteeingits customary reliability, on-timedeliveries as well as product andservice quality. Along with certi-fication in compliance withISO 9001 and 14000, this third“clean bill of health” pertainingto the new millennium is no lessimportant.

Successful audit:ARBURG is2000-compliant

7

������������ ������������������� �������������������� ��������������������� �������������������� ������������������� �������������������� ��������������������� ��������������������� ��������

C u s t o m e r r e p o r t

Injection moulders with tech-nical expertise know whereKrauchenwies-Göggingen islocated. It is with this namethat the VEMA company isassociated – a company thatproduces engineered plasticparts with its own toolingand moulds, primarily forthe automobile industry.

The catchwords in this connec-tion are “PMMA-TPE compounds”for automotive lenses with a re-flector area and light-transparentsectors.

Drive to Tuttlingen – It’sstraight ahead from there

Founded in 1982 by its twoManaging Directors Werner Veserand Josef Macho, the companyconcentrated from the start onthe manufacturing of high-qualityengineered parts. Today, thereare 40 employees in productionand administration.

The link between ARBURG andVEMA is what people commonlyrefer to as a “long-term co-opera-tive effort.” Right up to today, thecompany has relied exclusivelyon machine engineering fromLossburg.

Production consists of 18ALLROUNDERs with clampingforces between 250 and 2200 kN.Four machines between 800 and2200 kN are designed for two-component injection moulding.Parts with two colours or twocomponents can be manufacturedwith shot weights up to 500 g/PS.

VEMA’s distinguishingfeatures

VEMA is well-known in theplastics industry as a supplier ofhigh-quality engineered injectionmoulded parts. Insertion parts,assembly modules, optical andvisual parts are also manufac-tured. Design parts such as actua-tion keys and panels round outthe manufacturing spectrum.

In order to provide support forits customers that extends fromplanning to the realisation of newinjection moulded parts, VEMAhas set up its own facilities formould, fixture and model con-struction. In his way, VEMA cansupply complete solutions thatare created together with thecustomer. VEMA is certified incompliance with ISO 9002, andaudited by Robert Bosch andGeberit GmbH.

Mould construction: Thebeginning of the injectionmoulded part

“Without rapid mould con-struction that functions based oncutting-edge technologies, it isimpossible to obtain truly profit-able orders any more.” This ishow Josef Macho, one of the twoManaging Directors, summarisesthe current situation for manufac-turers of engineered injectionmoulded parts.

The result of this philosophy istool and mould construction withstate-of-the-art machines thatproduce the complete injectionmould based on specificationsfrom the company’s EngineeringDepartment. All data – includingthe milling programs – are gener-ated centrally with cutting edge3D-CAD/CAM software. The Meas-urement and Testing Departmentis integrated into the work ofmould construction.

At the same time, VEMA is in-cluded in the engineering designof the complete components fromthe very outset. As time haspassed, the proportion of thesecomplete-specification projectshas reached 70%.

Special expertise – Lensesfor passenger cars

This particular moulded part isa highly-complex product that isdifficult to manufacture. The partspecifications were defined byBMW and are forwarded to VEMAvia Bosch as the supplier of thecomplete directional signal unit.

Different task definitionsFirst of all, the lens is manu-

factured from PMMA and the sealarea from TPE in one work opera-tion as a two-component part.

Then there is a defined sectorin the side reflector area of theorange-coloured lens that is light-permeable. In order to achievethis final outcome, the prismstructure must be varied.Optimal lighting

Elaborate mould engineering and first-class injection moulding technology:VEMA lights up the darkness

8

O p t i c a l D i s c

The basis of the “domedcat’s eyes”

The electroplated mould insertdisplays a special reflecting ge-ometry. The prisms must reflectthe light ray as it strikes in such amanner that it arrives back withthe same intensity. The light-transparent area that allows theturn-signal light to shine through

in a defined relationship to theoutside is achieved from a mould-engineering standpoint by cap-ping off the prism tips.

PMMA and TPE – are theycompatible?

The fact of the matter is, thatthese two materials can only bebonded to provide a high-qualityresult by maintaining a precisetemperature distribution in themould. A component must beadded to the TPE so that bondingwith the PMMA can be generated.In addition, the PMMA must becooled down to a temperaturethat ensures the optimal bondwith the TPE. If the tolerancerange of ± 2 ºC is exceeded orunderrun, the parts will indeedstill be mechanically sound, butthe required specifications for thereflective characteristics will nolonger be attained because ofminimal alterations in the curva-ture of the lens.

The parts are injected ontwo 520 V 2000 ALLROUNDERs,whereby the horizontal unit withsize 675 was combined with avertical 350 unit. Both machinesare equipped with the SELOGICAcontrol unit, which also managesthe core pulls, additional tem-perature-control circuits as wellas the removal devices. For JosefMacho, the fact that the controlsystem allows great flexibility in abroad range of work sequencesprovides a special benefit.

The complete cycle for the pro-duction of the two lenses isapprox. 68 seconds. This allows adaily production rate of between1,800 and 2,000 parts sets.

Multiple monitoring –Quality as premise number 1

Quality monitoring is handledright at the ALLROUNDER with avisual inspection by machine per-sonnel. In addition, one to tworandom samples per 100 shotsare taken for a pull-off test-to-breakpoint to check the quality ofthe bond.

JIT manufacturingVEMA delivers the lenses for

Bosch by job-order to type specifi-cation. In actual practice, thismeans that not all 3-series and7-series lenses are produced incontinual runs. Instead, themoulds can be exchanged for spe-cific jobs. It is not necessary tochange the entire mould, butrather only the cores. The result isthat production conversions aremade within the shortest possibletime.

ARBURG can point to excel-lent results in a marketwhere speed, reliability andquality count above all else.

The topic here is the OpticalDisc (OD) market, for whichARBURG has two special pack-ages to offer: the ALLDISC and theTWINDISC. With the ALLDISC – aninjection moulding machine tunedto meet the special needs of theOD manufacturer for fast cycletimes – ARBURG takes a leadingposition among machine manu-facturers, just as it does with theTWINDISC for producing two CDsin one injection cycle.

ALLDISC: The SonopressCompany

At Sonopress in Gütersloh,Germany, one of these speedyALLDISC 270 S machines has beenin operation for several weeksnow. The clamping force was in-creased to 500 kN by means of anew mould clamping unit. Sincethe producer of audio CDs andCD-ROMs has set his specifica-tions for quality even higher thanthe standards defined in the Sonyand Philips “Red Book,” it iscalled, the initial test phase was acorresponding challenge for theALLDISC.

Cycle time: 3.5 secondsSonopress is extremely satis-

fied with the machine followingthese start-up tests. Despite thehigh demands, the ALLDISC at-tains cycle times of 3.5 seconds inthe production of audio CDs andCD-ROMs.

TWINDISC: The OMDCompany

At OMD in Switzerland – an-other well-known producer of ODs– there are already five TWINDISC320 C machines at work. Workingtogether with system integratorRobi, ARBURG planned the ma-chines and has optimised themfor the production requirementsof OMD. Since the beginning of1999, a Beta test has been run-ning at OMD with an ARBURGTWINDISC 270 S, testing that isdesigned to lead to the final pur-chase release for this machine.

Benefits of the TWINDISCHans Kruesi, the Managing

Director of OMD Productions AG,sums up the benefits of twin cav-ity moulding for OD production asfollows: “The production of twoCDs in one work operation pro-vides effective benefits in timeand costs. However, these ben-efits can only be exploited inconjunction with machine engi-neering that is matched optimallyto production conditions.”

According to Hans Kruesi, theALLROUNDERs, with their cost-ef-fective and robust engineering –and above all the SELOGICA con-trol unit with its individualisedprogramming and access options– as well as the comprehensivequality assurance functions, pro-vide an outstanding basis for therapid and high-quality productionrequired by OMD.

Better, faster – and moresatisfied

9

A R B U R G Service

ketplace in detail, more flexibilitywill be gained for the future sinceit will be possible to respondmore specifically both in terms oftimeliness and parts volumes. TheService staff will be able to ap-proach customers even more spe-cifically and hence to respond to

ARBURG gettingeven closer

Noz

zle

tips

Couplings

Screws

Check valves

timal prices for future mainte-nance jobs scheduled on hisARBURG ALLROUNDERs. Addi-tional consultation is providedconcerning other replacementparts and accessories that wouldbe beneficial to the customer. Inother words: the customer doesnot have to wait until an actualneed arises for the specific com-ponents to perform requiredmaintenance jobs on hisALLROUNDER. ARBURG’s SpareParts Service assumes this taskfor him by actively consultingwith him and providing “up-front”support. In addition, the customerreceives important informationconcerning the spare parts andaccessories delivery programsfrom ARBURG.

With this program, ARBURG isattempting to take an even moreactive role in meeting the custom-er’s needs in the future and tomake services even more attrac-tive. The main objective is evenbetter and more active servicesupport.

One concrete measure fromthese efforts will be individualspare parts kits that are specifi-cally tailored for the individualcustomer’s ALLROUNDERs. Bymonitoring the spare parts mar-

their needs more effectively. Thisimprovement in communicationsis intended to provide valuable in-formation concerning customerpurchase habits as well as currentmarket trends. Tendencies in themarketplace can be recognised atan early point so that the Serviceteam can also take appropriateactions on a more timely basis.The clear result: better servicethrough better customer contact.

At ARBURG, the hope is thateven greater customer satisfac-tion resulting from “Active SpareParts Management” will have apositive effect on the overall com-pany image and customer loyalty.The first building block of themodular AEM system is scheduledto be integrated into the serviceline by the middle of 1999. Fur-ther modules will then be addedthroughout the year. ThisARBURG service – optimised be-cause it is more individualised –is thus equipped in the best possi-ble way to meet the Third Millen-nium.

As a leading manufacturer ofinjection moulding machines,who wouldn’t be happy tohear that customers alsorate the world-wide serviceof the company as excellentfrom top to bottom.

Fast answers to tricky ques-tions, reliable deliveries, especiallyfor spare parts, comprehensivetraining packages and all-inclu-sive support beginning with plan-ning and extending to commis-sioning – those are all benefitsthat ARBURG customers can takeadvantage of if they need a newALLROUNDER or have problemswith one of their existing ma-chines. Of course, you can’t reston these laurels without allowingthe competition to come a littlecloser. And then, it’s precisely theSwabians who are known for im-proving good things with newideas.

The latest of these ideas isknown as “AEM” – which standsfor “Aktives Ersatzteil Manage-ment” in German, or “ActiveSpare Part Management.” Hiddenbehind the simple abbreviation,however, are some lofty demands.Just consider the following sce-nario for a moment: The customerplaces an order for spare parts forhis ALLROUNDER as usual. Whiletalking with ARBURG’s SpareParts Service, he receives relevantinformation on delivery lead timesand pricing for his spare parts. Atthe same time, the assigned PartsRepresentative offers the callercustom-tailored service kits at op-

10

A R B U R G technology

Dipl

.-Ing

. Pet

er M

echl

er

Electric or hydraulic: which isthe best drive for injection mould-ing machines? The right answer isfound in a combination of bothdrive types – in a hybrid technol-ogy, in other words. The most en-ergy-intensive operation in injec-tion moulding is the dosage. Ifthis operation is removed fromthe hydraulic drive of the ma-chine and performed electrically,the results show up in many ben-efits for the machine operatorthat pay off in hard cash.

Increase your productivity.The electrically-driven dos-

age axle is operated completelyindependently of the hydraulicsystem of the injection mouldingmachine. As a result, the dosageoperation can last from as earlyas the conclusion of the holdingpressure phase – simultaneouslywith other machine movements -to the beginning of the followinginjection operation. This results ina tremendous increase in produc-tivity because of the reductions incycle times by seconds for all in-jection cycles that are determinedby the dosage time.

Conserve precious energyresources.

Roughly 40-60 % of the totalenergy outlay in an injection cycleis accrued during the dosage op-eration. By the use of an electro-mechanical dosage drive insteadof a hydraulic drive, energy sav-ings of up to 20 % – related tothe entire cycle – can be achieved.

Prepare material with less waste.Because of the simultaneity

of the movements, it is possibleto work with lower screw rota-tional speeds. The required mate-rial volume can be prepared in anextended plasticising time with-out a change in the cycle time. Areduction in the shear load on theplastic is possible as a result,while the material throughput re-mains constant.

Reduce your cycle time.Since there is less material

stress during preparation, an im-provement in the homogeneity ofthe mass is possible, whereby areduction in melt temperature canbe achieved. As a result, a reduc-tion in the residual cooling period– and with it the entire cycle – ismade possible.

Increase your material through-put.

Since the greatest share ofthe energy required is accrued bythe dosage unit, the loads placeon the main motor can be reducedsignificantly. As a result, higherthroughput is possible withoutthe requirement for a design witha larger main motor.

With the utilisation of electro-mechanical dosage, the sameperformance specifications andtorque data apply as with the hy-draulic drives.

Electro-mechanical dosage ispossible with size 350, 675 and1300 injection units and is offeredas an option on all our machinesof the S and C series.

Electro-mechanical dosage:Production increases with simultaneousenergy savings

1

3

4

2

5

Large, larger – and then1300! You could put it thatway when you look at thedimensions of the largest in-jection unit that is currentlyavailable at ARBURG.

However, the EUROMAP size1300 just by itself doesn’t sayanything about performance. And– with a shot weight of up to759 g in polystyrol – performanceis indeed “Xtra Xtra Large.”

Size where it’s neededThe new injection unit is in-

stalled on the large ALLROUNDER570 C with a clamping forceof 2200 kN. Three differentscrews with diameters of 55, 60and 70 mm are available. Specialattention was given to the highdemands placed by plasticisingperformance in the design of allthree screw dimensions.

Injection unit:Size XXL

For its 1300 unit, ARBURG of-fers an optional electro-mechani-cal dosage drive that works inde-pendently of the machine’shydraulic system. It can be inte-grated completely into the injec-tion unit. As a result, the dosageoperation can take place simulta-neously with other machinemovements, which means – alongwith shortened cycle times –increases in productivity, energysavings of up to 20 %, and mate-rial preparation that is muchgentler on the material. Since theentire unit can be pivoted later-ally, the tasks changing material,nozzles, screws or cylinders is fa-cilitated significantly.

As a series standard, injectionis carried out with a closed con-trol circuit. Position regulation orinjection process regulation areoptional. Heating of the cylindersis handled adaptively and is pro-grammed via the SELOGICA ma-chine controls. Additional cylin-der modules for processingthermosets or LSR or for injectingpowder materials are available asspecial equipment options.

With the beginning of 1999,ARBURG has assumed allcommercial activities for theSMARTLINER 800.

Since that time, SmartcardsSales Manager Eric de Bruijn – afamiliar name in the industry –has been available to customersand prospects as the direct con-tact for all smartcard-related is-sues.

Optimal supportARBURG’s highly-developed

Sales and Service network guar-antees optimal support for theworld-wide smartcard market.The SMARTLINER 800 was intro-duced to the market at the“K ’98" in Düsseldorf and the“CarteS 98” in Paris. With its newproduction capabilities, it alsoprovided excitement at the CTST’99 in Chicago.

11

At least 800 card blanks canbe produced every hour with thiscompact system – with or without

a chip recess. The simple and fastchangeover of mould inserts inthis process is just one of themany benefits of the system.

Benefits with SELOGICAThe SELOGICA user interface

and the modular mould systemallow highly flexible productionwhile providing favourable condi-tions that were previously un-known.

Full concentrationon smartcards

C u s t o m e r r e p o r t

it is not just the production loca-tions and the company’s subsi-diaries in the USA, France,Germany, Italy, Spain and NewZealand that demand significantexpenditures, but also toolingconstruction and research and de-velopment. More than 70 staffmembers work in the R&D areaalone. It is their task to providefor new engineering develop-ments, tooling configuration anddesign, and the maintenance andrepair of injection moulds andcastings.

In all this, the word for the dayis always the same: Minimumdowntime for production andmaintenance of all tools. Lessthan two weeks are spent in peakperiods between planning and re-alisation of injection moulds. TimGuest, Managing Director for theTool Construction and Engineer-ing Services Department, boils itdown to this: “If you don’t havegood toolmakers and machines,you can’t build good tools. Andyou have to have good tools inorder to manufacture good prod-ucts!”

Innovative thinking bringsabout progress

Tomorrow’s innovations mustbe secured by today’s successes.And it is for just this reason thatJohn Guest Ltd. is not just amanufacturing organisation, buta “think tank” as well. Thus, forexample, more and moreALLROUNDER injection mouldingmachines have been convertedfrom conventional injection tosprueless injection with hot-run-ner systems. The introduction ofthis technology allows productionwith a reduction of up to 75 % of

Little parts that makegreat things moveThose who strive forthe best connectionsare always a positivetopic for conversa-tion. And if anyonebelieves that the fol-lowing narrative isabout telecommunica-tions – well, they’rewrong. John Guest Ltd.is the name of thecompany we wish totell you about.

In West Drayton inEngland’s Middlesex, youwill find the headquarters of theworld’s largest manufacturer ofplug-in fittings for pressure lines,John Guest Ltd.

John Guest’s excellent connec-tions help to keep things moving.In doing so for more than 30 years,this family business has placed itstrust in ALLROUNDER machinetechnology.

John Guest began his notablebusiness career in the 1960’s withthe production of tools and injec-tion moulded parts made ofmetal. The circumstances changedrapidly as Guest began to imple-ment his idea of a plug-in metalcoupling as the connection be-tween pressure lines. In the ‘70’s,production was shifted over to afitting that was made completelyof plastic. With the “SuperSpeedfit” pressure line connector,the first fully proprietary productwas introduced onto the interna-tional marketplace.

24 million fittings were producedin 1989; by 1994, that numberhad climbed to 60 million. Today,the product line of John GuestLtd. includes more than 3,000 dif-ferent connector types and sizes.

Consumers include primarilythe automobile industry, con-struction installers and machinebuilders. With the passage oftime, more than 500 employeesare engaged at two production lo-cations in West Drayton. John

ity criteria in production was notan insignificant element in theagreement.

The accompanying long list ofawards began in 1984 with theinstallation of new connections

made of plastic for pet-rol lines by the Ford Mo-tor Company. In 1985,the plastic fittings wonthe “Horner’s Award”of the British PlasticsFederation for the utili-sation of plastics that isboth innovative anddemonstrates signifi-cant practical value.The British DesignAward followed in 1987.1988 saw the accom-plishment of significantquality standards: inclu-

sion in the list of Ford suppliersbased on Q101 and certificationon the basis of the British Stand-ard BS 5750, Parts 1 and 2, whichcorresponds to evaluation basedon ISO 9001 and 9002. Volvo, Brit-ish Telecom, Peugeot, the Germanbeverage industry, the Fiat Groupor British Gas – the customer andauditor lists of John Guest Ltd,read like a “Who’s who” of theinternational economy.

Investments to secure thefuture

Investments are required in or-der to ensure that the large cor-porations will still be as unani-mous in their evaluation of JohnGuest’s products in 5 or 10 yearsas they are today. In WestDrayton, near London’s HeathrowAirport, there are now five pro-duction and administration build-ings with a surface area of155,000 square metres. However,

Guest’s export share was alreadyabove 60 % of total production by1996, and the trend here is, quitenaturally, clearly on the rise.

Success: Investment andQuality

The development of JohnGuest Ltd. can be reduced to thiscommon denominator. However,investment does not mean invest-ing in new production buildingsand machines alone, but insteadprimarily in a professional staff.

The topic of quality takes up abroad area in the production ofthis corporation. In 1986, the in-troduction of all-inclusive qualitymonitoring was initiated at JohnGuest Ltd. with the system forstatistical process controls. Thismove bore its first fruit one yearlater as Pepsi Cola consummateda contract for the delivery offittings for the new vendingmachines of the soft drink giant.The maintenance of highest qual-

12

A R B U R G Training

The pilotgoes on board

service in the company called“Training.” He was first involvedas a seminar leader for severaldifferent machine types. Then,when Training was moved fromthe Applications Technology De-partment in 1979, he became theHead of ARBURG Customer Train-ing. And speaking of applicationstechnology, because of his activi-ties, he also became a sought-af-ter adviser when it came to tricks,troubleshooting or correctingproblems on injection mouldingmachines.

Joachim Burkhardt is fullyaware that it will be a difficulttask to fill these shoes. Neverthe-less, he is taking on the task withgreat enthusiasm. His backgroundmakes him the perfect successorto Beitl. In 1989, the trainedtoolmaker joined forces withARBURG, and spent 21 months inin-depth training as an applica-tions technician. On the programin 1990 and 1991 was advancedtraining to reach the level of Mas-ter Technician in the industrialarea of plastics and elsatomers.

Following assignments asTechnical Trainer in ApplicationsTechnology and Training Supervi-sor for Trainees in plastics mouldmanufacturing, he was promotedon May 1 to become the newHead of Customer Training. Hissincere wish is to maintain thedepartment at the high informa-tional level of his predecessor andto elaborate and expand thedetails of the course offerings. Inthis way, there will be continuity

in customer training at ARBURG,something that will mean benefitsfor customers into the future.

Franz Beitl – for many longyears the Head of Customer Train-ing at ARBURG. On April 30, heleft the company after almost ex-actly 35 years and set his coursefor retirement. Nevertheless, it’sprobably only his closer acquaint-

ances who know that life is actu-ally just getting started for him –and that he has a very clear pic-ture of how “life after ARBURG”will be for him. The Pilot, you see,is not leaving the ship, but ratheris going on board. He’s nowboarding his own yacht which isalready resting at anchor inNorthern Italy’s Lake Garda.

Franz Beitl could almost becalled part of ARBURG’s capitalinventory. The man who was born60 years ago in Greece’s Piraeusis one of those peo-ple who alwayswant to get thingsmoving. And one ofthose who couldraise his voice andmake you uncom-fortably aware of hispresence now andthen when hethought that thingsat ARBURG weren’tgoing quite right.

Beitl was employed atARBURG since 1964. Right fromthe beginning, his task was tohandle the build-up and expan-sion of that important area of

The newest machine genera-tion is represented in the plantsof John Guest Ltd. in the mean-time in the form of 10 type270 S 350-150 ALLROUNDERs. Themachine contingent is roundedout by a type 305-700-210/210ALLROUNDER for two-colour,two-material injection. This ma-chine is installed in the compa-ny’s R&D area.

John Guest Ltd. is one of thelarger companies world-wide, and

it has growntogether withARBURG. And

that is a very good example ofwhat a long-term co-operativeeffort between two active and in-novative companies can bringabout.

John Guest explains the rea-son that the decisions were madein favour of the S machinegeneration very pragmatically.“A decisive factor for theALLROUNDER S, first of all, is theflexibility it achieves with theSELOGICA control system. Fur-thermore, the machine’s compactfootprint requires only a relativelysmall set-up area – a criterionthat is gaining significance in to-day’s production environment.Not least of all, the new coloursin a clean-room environmentwere a purely emotional factor inthe purchasing decision for us!”

manufacturing costs, a significantlowering of material requirementsand the elimination of a second,downstream processing stage be-fore assembly of the components.

The acquisition ofALLROUNDERs with clampingforces of 1000 kN and more alsomakes the production of largerplastic parts possible in order tobetter meet the requirements ofwater utilities and the brewingand hydraulic industries. And

then there is always the pro-duction of completely-assembledcomponents for the home-handy-man area. Clearly broad fields forlong-term and close co-operationlasting into the future.

Continuity as the basis ofsuccess

From the very beginning, JohnGuest and his employees workedclosely and co-operatively withthe ARBURG subsidiary in War-wick, Great Britain.

The result: with 82 ARBURGALLROUNDERs now, John GuestLtd. ranks among the most impor-tant customers on the BritishIsles.

The company’s machine line-up ranges from type 270 H and Dmachines, to 500 kN type 320 DALLROUNDERs and 270 M 350-90and 320 M 500-210 machines,and extends to a 1000 kN type420 M, whereby the oldest ma-chine is still hard at work aroundthe clock.

13

A R B U R G Logistics

receipts such as individually-or-dered spare parts.

Internal logistics represents anenormous task when seen fromthis light – a task that must becoped with practically ‘round-the-clock. The objective: all goodsmust be transported as quicklyand precisely as possible from thepoint of delivery to their ultimatedestination. The solution:

The TLS Transport Control Systemwith the first two sub-areas“Stacker Co-ordination” and“Package Service” has been em-ployed at ARBURG since the firsthalf of the year in the entire com-pany. Further modules will follow.

TLS encompasses all meansof transport

In the future, the all-inclusiveARBURG Transport Control Sys-tem will co-ordinate and processall internal company transport ac-tivities with centralised controls.All available transport means areintegrated into this system. Allmovements of goods by means ofstacker, Power & Free systems,heavy load tube conveyor and de-centralised conveyor systems willbe controlled by TLS. Togetherwith the stackers, the package

service and the management anddispatching of all trucks on theARBURG plant grounds have nowbeen incorporated into the con-trol system. The Power & Freeconveyor systems are planned tofollow later this year.

Helmut Stumpp, who super-vises the Transport ControlSystem, describes the objectivesthat ARBURG associates with theintroduction of TLS as follows: “Inaddition to a reduction in trans-port costs and cutting transporttimes, we wanted to reduce thesearch times at the destinations.Of course, an enhancement oftransport reliability also played asignificant role.”

When this kind of computer-supported logistics system is op-erated in a company, one alsonaturally wants a clear view ofhow the current flow of materialis working, as well as an under-standing of material flows in thepast. The system provides justthis clarity. In addition, it is openfor future material-flow installa-tions and can also initiate theautomated start-up of transportmovements. However, “beingopen” also means that specialtransport activities can be set inmotion by practically every em-ployee.

The entry of the necessarydata into one of the PDA (Produc-tion Data Acquisition) terminalsdistributed throughout the com-pany is all that is required todefine this kind of transportorder. The origin and destinationco-ordinates are clearly viewablefrom posted signs. The transportvoucher is printed out by a laserprinter at the location and is at-tached to the shipment. Recurringtransport orders can also bedefined and stored in the systemvia the TLS. These orders are theninitiated automatically on anongoing basis.

Finally, the TLS must possessthe capability to allocate costs ac-curately for a transport activitybased on the principle of causa-tion in order to make the financialaspects of the internal transportsystem clear.

ARBURG’s Goods Receivinglooks like nothing less than abeehive on some days. Withhustle and bustle, goods aredelivered, unpacked, con-signed for shipment and pre-pared to customer specifica-tions, recorded for the dataprocessing system, subjectedto part number and qualitychecks – and then?

If things were allowed to justsit about, it wouldn’t be longbefore nothing would be able tomove. After all, between 8,500and 9,000 part numbers land atthe company every month – not tomention unanticipated warehouse

The TLS is integrated fully into theother ARBURG data processingareas. This is especially importantfor communication with the hostcomputer, the warehouse admin-istration computer and the differ-ent SPC (Stored-Program Control-ler) areas.

How does a “transport”occur?

No transport action takes placewithout an event. Events are, forexample, “Conclude work phase”or “Retrieve consigned palette.”Once a System Processor has en-tered the command via PDA, LVSor the host computer, TLS beginsits work. Two typical exampleswill serve to clarify the worksequence. In Manufacturing, a joborder that pertains to a manufac-turing order is created automati-cally by the command “Concludework phase.” One or morepalettes must be transported fromone cost centre to another. In theWarehouse, a transport job thatincludes the source and destina-tion is created for every con-signed palette. Either multipleorders can be compiled on onepalette, multiple palettes can becombined for one transport order,or a transport order can be issuedfor each internal transport means(THM).

Busy as can be in theWarehouse Transfer Point

14

Powder in ject ion moulding

The new ARBURG conceptwas born during a visit to aceramics trade fair in Rimini,Italy. One of the exhibitorsthere cut men’s and women’srings from zirconium oxidesolid stock in small lots witha corresponding diamondtool – and correspondingcosts.

Nevertheless, as the PIM spe-cialists at ARBURG thought, itwould seem that there had to bean easier way to produce therings at a more favourable price.The results of these observationshave now been launched as aninitial test series in the company’spowder laboratory: rings made ofmetallic and ceramic materials –produced on ARBURG injectionmoulding machines.

The test series at ARBURG wasrun with zirconium oxide withseveral colours. In the test, a sin-gle-cavity mould for one ring wasused. Taken by itself, the manu-facturing process is not spectacu-lar. The prepared material isinjected into the mould cavity. Itis then removed for an initialdownstream heat treatment anddebinding, which is the dischargeof the plastic portion from thematerial. The following sinteringoperation helps the moulded partto its final form and strength. Inthe production of the rings, onemore processing phase was addedin which the rings were polishedto a high gloss so that they wouldmeet the high aesthetic demandsof the purchasers.

“The greatest benefit of injec-tion moulding here,” explainedHartmut Walcher, who – togetherwith Uwe Haupt – supervises theCeramics Injection Moulding areaat ARBURG, “is series productionof accessories with consistent highquality that are still reasonablypriced, because the production ofthe green body from ceramic ormetal feedstock does not takemore than 30 seconds.” It is alsothe opinion of the experts thatmaterial savings of nearly 50 %

can certainly be anticipatedwithin this technology, which –with a material price of roughly200 DM per kilogram of zinc ox-ide powder – amounts to seriouscash.

And through this it is clearthat large-scale production ofperfect, high-quality preciousjewellery is feasible with multi-ple-cavity moulds and high per-formance injection moulding ma-chines without problems. In thetest run, the rings were producedon an ALLROUNDER C with a spe-cial cylinder and a highly wear-re-sistant position-regulated 15 mmscrew. The shot volume is 2.8 cu-bic centimetres, and the mouldhas fluid temperature controls.

However, the potential thatresults from the injection mould-ing technology in the productionof jewellery is by no meansexhausted with the production ofrings. Other forms and surfaceswith design emphasis may berealised just as well here – colourcombinations achieved with thetwo-colour injection moulding,for example.

One factor that should be asource of pleasure for producersof jewellery is the short produc-tion times for large-scale runswith injection moulding. In thebatch mode, the throughput timefor the rings was approximatelyone week, whereby the product isready for immediate sale follow-ing surface finishing.

How transport actions areexecuted

Every THM to be transportedleads to one or more transportorders, including vouchers, thatgo to the appropriate means oftransport. The entire transportsection is distributed into differ-ent, non-overlapping zones. As aresult, all path co-ordinates forthe stackers, for example (andultimately for the Power & Freeconveyors), are allocated toexactly one zone. The starting

zone for the transport is the de-finitive factor for the allocation ofstackers; which stackers can beemployed where is also managedvia the master data.

All stackers are allocateddynamically to the plant areas,which means that they can be uti-lised at the network pointsthroughout the plant. The indi-vidual floor conveyors receivetheir next order via radio datacommunication. A new order isnot issued until the first order hasbeen completed and the stackersends its “free” signal.

The materials “flows”For the Manufacturing, Ware-

house Receiving, Assembly andConsignment areas, there are ma-terial flow diagrams at ARBURGthat are stored in TLS. These dia-grams define the exact transportpaths between the individualareas. The transport means thatare available between these areasand special requirements thatmust be fulfilled in order to initi-ate a transport activity are alsolisted. Processing of the orders ismanaged to achieve the optimalpath and time. The system recog-nises alternative routes and, ifprogrammable time specificationsare exceeded, it can automati-cally set transport priorities.

With the installation of the cen-tralised Transport Control System,ARBURG has taken a significantstep toward an efficient systemfor internal logistics managementthat will bring savings in bothcosts and time.

TLS centrally manages move-ments of materials and goodsthat occur in the plant for all ad-ministrative and production areasand makes it possible to trackmaterials clear through to deliv-ery of the machine. “The objec-tive,” in the words of HelmutStumpp, “is to perform all inter-nal transport actions in such anefficient manner that the resultwill be a contribution to shortermachine throughput times, with asimultaneous optimal exploita-tion of all process capacities.”

Individuality inseries production

15

Serv

ice

A R B U R G Service

1616

the candidates is a TechnicalSeminar with a surface area ofover 700 square metres. Collectedthere, in addition to the currentproduct line, are all of theALLROUNDERs that ARBURG hasproduced in the past years, sothat it is possible to get real-world practice with all of thethings that can confront one infield service.

Expansions to the existingtraining rooms are alreadyplanned, a move that is necessarybecause machines are larger onthe one hand and, on the other,because the number of trainees isalso growing. By doing this,ARBURG is paying heed to thecondition that not only goodmachine technology, but also acomprehensive service program,are decisive in the buying deci-sion. And the intent is to maintainthe excellent evaluation this de-partment has received from cus-tomers, or indeed to improve it.

Thorsten Grosse is one of thefive brand-new Service Techni-cians who concluded their train-ing on April 30 this year. TheMaster Electronics Technicianspecialising in energy systemsspent 13 months in the Lossburgheadquarters to learn all he couldabout electrical systems, elec-tronics, hydraulic systems, me-chanical systems and applicationtechnology so that he can giveassistance to ARBURG customers.He describes his impressions asfollows:

Mr. Grosse, are you looking for-ward optimistically to your newtasks following 13 months of train-ing?

Absolutely. The training was sosolidly-founded and comprehensivethat I feel qualified in all the fields ofALLROUNDER technology. Of course,there’s always a little stage frightbefore the first live appearance…

Expertise in aconcentrated packageIn the sale of machines,availability of services hasevery bit as much signifi-cance as the machine engi-neering. For just this reason,ARBURG invests a great dealof time and money in train-ing its Service Technicians.After all, they are the peoplewho have to provide on-the-spot help with the problemsthat occur ever and again inthe world of injectionmoulding. And that doesn’tmean just with the newALLROUNDERs. The peoplefrom Service have a solid un-derstanding of the modelsfrom the ‘60’s, ‘70’s and ‘80’sthat are still hard at work inmany injection moulding op-erations.

An independent departmentthat is dedicated exclusively totraining Technicians in Germanyand internationally was createdas early as 1984. In the interna-tional arena, this department issupported by the InternationalTechnical Support group (ITS).

93 Service Technicianstrained

Today, a total of 5 traininginstructors with specialisation inthe areas of applications, hydrau-

lic systems, electrical systems andelectronics are employed atARBURG. An assistant handlesthe entire administrative tasks fortraining events. A total of93 technicians have gone throughthe training program, a programthat lasts up to 15 months. Thistraining of one year and threemonths also represents a note-worthy statistic because – in theVDMA average – only six weeksare devoted for training of newtechnicians in machine construc-tion.

Employees in Germany aregenerally trained at the Lossburgheadquarters. The technicianswho are employed around theworld are either trained in in-structional blocks with their Ger-man team-mates, or they receivetraining and advanced instructionon-site from trained personnel.The training is rounded out byintensive courses lasting betweenone and three weeks. In thesecourses, the Service and Mainte-nance Technicians receive infor-mation about current productsand their technology.

In April of this year, five em-ployees concluded their trainingsuccessfully, six more begantraining with the emphasis onservice for machines of theC-series and S-series. Available to

Speaking of comprehensive: It’sclear that you are familiar with thelatest ARBURG machine technol-ogy. But how does it stand witholder ALLROUNDER models? Canyou help out there, too?

Of course, we have to understandthe technology of the machines thatare installed at our customer loca-tions. And those aren’t just the S andC ALLROUNDERs. The most popularmachines from the last 20 years areon hand in our training rooms. To putit simply, if one of my customers hasa HYDRONICA or a 305 ECO thatneeds maintenance, he will getservice that is every bit as reliable aswith an “S.”

A task that is so all-inclusivesurely can’t be covered going italone. Who will support you whenyou have “run out of answers?”

If I can’t make headway, I can fallback first to the detailed printeddocumentation that is available atARBURG for every machine type. Ifthat doesn’t help, I can contact thestaff of the Technical Service and con-fer with them to figure out where theproblem could be. Nearly all problemscan be isolated and solved by follow-ing this method.

We certainly wish you all thebest for your future work and hopethat you are spared from problemsthat are all-too thorny. What doesthe future hold in concrete terms?

Initially, I will make severalcustomer calls with an experiencedService Technician, the “co-pilot,” asit were, and try to resolve taskstogether with him as they develop.Sooner or later, though, this last train-ing activity is over. Then it’s go off onmy own responsibility and help outwhen there is a “machine SOS…”