Low-cost automation solution from igus separates injection-moulded parts and sprue without extending the cycle time

Increase efficiency while reducing costs: more and more companies are pursuing this goal in the course of Industry 4.0 so as to remain competitive. The automation of recurring production processes plays a central role in this process – also in injection-moulding production. Removing sprue often takes valuable time. The plastics specialist igus has therefore now developed a low-cost sprue separator for manufacturers of injection-moulding machines, such as Dr. Boy.

More and more factories now use robots. According to the International Federation of Robotics (IFR), there were 3.5 million of them worldwide in 2022 – a new record. They are used in a wide range of areas, including injection-moulding production. To speed up the removal of sprue during production, many companies use so-called sprue pickers, which remove the sprue immediately from the injection-moulding tool with grippers. Such devices have been used with igus components in the injection-moulding industry for years. However, this process also costs valuable cycle time, amounting to 1.25 seconds each time. During this time, the injection-moulding machines stand still as they can only continue working once the picker has moved out of the tool area.

Sprue separator from igus saves valuable cycle time

igus is working on its own automation solutions at the company headquarters in Cologne to increase the productivity of injection-moulding production. Dr. Boy now also uses igus’s expertise in the field of low-cost automation. igus has developed a compact sprue separator suitable for the injection-moulding machines BOY XS and BOY XS E. This solution separates injection-moulded parts from sprue at once on the machine, reducing downtime. The sprue separator is positioned under the ejection shaft. From there, the injection-moulded parts fall onto a separator in the form of a rotating disc. An integrated camera detects the sprue, which is then picked up by a linear robot with a gripper. Two brushes remove the sprue from the part, after which it falls into a box. There is a separate box for the sprue. Meanwhile, the injection-moulding machines can continue working at maximum speed, increasing productivity by 20%. The entire system costs just €10,361.91.

Automate your own factory from as little as €2,000 with RBTX

All components of the sprue separator are available on the low-cost robotics marketplace RBTX powered by igus. Over 100 leading manufacturers now offer their products on RBTX.com – from cobots and end effectors to control systems and software. Users get everything from a single source and benefit from a 100% compatibility guarantee. This means that even non-experts with no knowledge of robotics can automate – starting at just €2,000. People who are still unsure of which processes can be automated or which components are required for their own automation solution can find inspiration at RBTX.com and browse through over 400 complete solutions that have already been implemented .95% have an investment volume of less than €12,000. The RBTX experts at igus are also available for individual consultation. In the Customer Testing Area at igus, which covers over 400 square meters, they test the planned application together with the customer via video call in order to find the most suitable and cost-effective solution.