Wauconda, Ill.-based Progressive Components (W1543) will introduce its new ProFile v4 asset tracking platform at NPE and use it to monitor molds running at partner locations throughout the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla.
Plastics industry employees responsible for tooling productivity can see in real time when a mold is in production and whether key performance indicators are being met with the new wireless Bluetooth capabilities for ProFile and the company's newest CVe-brand monitors mounted on-mold. Also, historical overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) data is recorded and stored, and a preventative maintenance and a work order system is included in the ProFile.
"This advanced capability enables real-time production visibility whether one's molds are across the plant or around the world," Progressive Components President Glenn Starkey said in a news release. "At NPE, one can see molds in action on the show floor, and then in the Progressive booth attendees can then view each molds' uptime, downtime, cycle time and temperatures being monitored."
The upgraded feature also makes it easy to wirelessly access cloud-based files for sharing and transparency.
NPE2024 attendees will see several exhibitors with Progressive Components asset tags on their molds and equipment. The asset tags provide access to authorized personnel to its online file cabinets as well as to ping the GPS location of the mold to keep track of all past locations.
Some demonstrations also are planned, including at partner booths Zeiger Industries (W4281) and Niigata (W4161).
At the Zeiger booth, M.R. Mold & Engineering Corp. produced a four-cavity mold to run in a press built by Shibaura Machine Co. The partners will make automotive connectors. The mold includes Progressive Components' CVe Monitor RT.
The second real-time demonstration will take place with a mold built by Industrial Molds Inc. (part of the Pyramid Molding Group) that will be running in the Niigata booth.
The ProFile mobile app for phones or tablets gives real-time KPIs that provide red/yellow/green indicators based on parameters and limits that were set up at initialization, Starkey said.
The ProFile system also can be used solely as an asset management tool with QR code-enabled asset tags used to retrieve and manage information not only for molds but also for presses, end-of-arm tooling, fixtures and equipment.
ProFile asset tags will be on three tools built by Roembke Manufacturing & Design. These molds will be running at the Arburg booth (W3743), Kistler (W3321) and Shin-Etsu (S26055). In addition, Alliance Specialties and Laser Sales (S31038) will have these asset tags on its laser welding equipment within its booth.
"With this variety of applications on display throughout NPE, attendees can view a scalable system that can be as much or as little as needed for each customer's unique needs," said Lorena Magnelli Fisher, Progressive's OEM sales manager.
Founded in 1987, Progressive Components patented and introduced the industry's first cycle counter in 1994 and has released subsequent versions of its mold monitoring and asset tracking platform over the decades.
Progressive Components W1543