Three days focused on the digitalization

From 18 to 20 June 2024, Engel hosted the Digital Days event at its sites in Schwertberg and St. Valentin, getting new insights into the current state of process digitalization, in injection molding in particular, and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in this field. During the three days of the event approximately 400 participants were able to see practical examples of Engel's activities in digitalization and production optimization thanks to the use of AI and digital twins, i.e. virtual replicas of the machines that allow the user to simulate their behavior without the waste of material or energy that would occur in real situations.

Under the motto “Future meets Reality”, Engel explained the way digital products are able to enhance productivity in the injection molding industry. The  "inject 4.0" strategy, pursued by the company for some years, aims to enable customers to develop and produce high-quality, cost-efficient parts. Through the use of digital assistance systems, AI-based analysis tools like the iQ Process Observer, and the e-connect customer portal, the entire production chain is optimized, from design to sampling, production, and maintenance. These digital solutions lead to energy savings, better part quality, and increased machine availability, ensuring long-term competitiveness. During the event, Engel GPT was also unveiled, a system integrated directly into the customer portal. Through simple voice input, users can access extensive and interconnected knowledge for solving any processing problems. 

Some processors using Engel's digital products in daily operations provided in-depth insights. Dariusz Barton, Managing Director of SolidPlast, spoke about transparent production at a medium-sized company. Thanks to Engel's iQ systems and shopfloor monitoring, the innovative injection molder was able to reduce production costs by 4.2% and increase machine availability by 270 hours annually, leading to higher efficiency. Yiannis Voultzatis, IMM Process & Mold Optimization Manager at BIC stated that Engel authentig data collection system made it possible to improve KPIs significantly, increasing the Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by 3% and reducing scrap by approximately 40%. Piercarlo Balducci, Head of Product Engineering & Head of Maintenance at Interroll, explained how the company relies on the digital setup assistant, Engel setup assistant, which allows for short setup times even by less experienced operators and for the reduction of machine downtime due to tool changes by up to 80%. Last but not least, Florian Wurzel, KM.ON, presented an impressive application example of the edge computing platform from DAIM - a joint venture between Engel and Uni Software Plus - where data is processed and analyzed directly at the "edge," or the source of the action, allowing large data volumes to be processed quickly and with minimal reaction times.