Euromap, the European association for plastics and rubber machinery manufacturers, has released the finished specification of the OPC UA-based interface for temperature control devices, called European 82.1.
The interface covers general information about the device, status information and process data. Euromap said the standard computer interface greatly simplifies the interaction of the devices in a production cell — regardless of the manufacturer.
Settings can be made directly for the injection molding machine's controller, which also shows relevant quality data.
The Frankfurt-Germany-based Euromap also is working on other interfaces for plastics and rubber machines: For hot runner devices and dosing systems for liquid silicone and for extrusion.