Boy machines get hybrid, go mobile with new options

Düsseldorf, Germany — Some injection molding machines at Dr. Boy GmbH & Co. KG are getting a hybrid option.

The Germany machinery maker said it will offer customers the optional servo-electric drive for the injection unit on its Boy E presses ranging from 60-125 metric tons.

In general, the company's E series machines are equipped with "a very energy-efficient working servo-motor pump drive," Thomas Breiden, Boy's head of marketing and documentation, said at K 2019 in Düsseldorf.

The word "hybrid" is added when the injection molding machine is equipped with the eSP injection unit, as the company refers to it. The eSP injection unit offers advantages including shorter cycle times and high metering quantities, Breiden said.

"Some years ago, we [had] an option [for a] servo-electric screw drive, but with this option only rotative movements of the screw are possible," he said in emailed responses before the K show. "With our new hybrid option, also axial movements are possible, independent from the machine hydraulic."

The optional servo-electric drive will be available to customers worldwide in 2020.

Also at K, Boy is presented a mobile WLAN version of the control unit on the Procan Alpha control system. The WLAN remote control unit is available for all Boy injection molding machines that are equipped with the Procan Alpha 4.

"The main difference, basically, is that you get a location-independent display instead of a fixed display," Breiden said.

Location independence is the big advantage here, he said, where operators can now move freely around the injection molding machine with display in hand.

"This means that you can always see exactly the parts of the machine that you want to adjust with the controller. This can be particularly important with additional units for a multicomponent operation," he explained.

Another interesting feature is the magnetic holder, so the WLAN display can be attached to any position on the machine.

To keep data safe and avoid unwanted access, the company is using a proprietary protocol to transmit the data. The connection to the mobile display is established via a dedicated base station or gateway, Breiden said. The base station establishes the connection with the machine's programmable logic controller (PLC) via a local area network (LAN) interface.

The base station and the WLAN display form a single unit, Breiden said.

"In addition to its function as a gateway, the base station also serves as a charging station for the WLAN display," he added. "Furthermore, the mobile display can be equipped with an emergency stop device that communicates with the machine via a secure WLAN connection."