Interfacing to Injection Molding Machines IMMI
INTERFACING TO INJECTION MOLDING MACHINES (EUROMAP / SPI)
Created: November 1st, 2019.
*The e-Series IMMI is compatible with the following e-Series robot serial numbers, and higher, which has the new SCB F2:
UR3e 20205300377
UR5e 20205500828
UR10e 20205000796
UR16e 20205600055
If your robot has a SN older than the ones above, you need to exchange your Safety Control Board to a SCB F2 to be able to implement the new e-series IMMI.
SPI AN-116 & SPI AN-146 - US standards equivalent to Euromap 12 and 67
| Abbreviations | ||
| Euromap | = | European Plastics and Rubber Machinery |
| SPI | = | Society of the Plastics Industry (USA) |
| IMM | = | Injection Molding Machines |
| E67 | = | Euromap 67 interface |
CAUTION: The UR manual with E67 (Part III) contains important guidance regarding robot placement to avoid issues with joint singularities and to protect the IMM from crushing the robot. Find the UR manual with E67 here:
www.universal-robots.com/download
Euromap 67 (SPI AN-146)
It is possible to buy UR robots with a plug and play accessory module (kit) called "Euromap 67" or "E67". With this module, the control box is equipped with a E67 connector to connect directly to an IMM. When this module is installed there is an additional tab in the UR polyscope software, and also there is additional guidance added in the UR manual.
The Euromap 67 recommendation (standard) is free of charge and can be downloaded from this homepage:
Link 1: http://www.euromap.org/files/EU%2067_Ver_1.11_May2015.pdf
Link 2: http://www.euromap.org/technical-issues/technical-recommendations-list
Read more about the E67 interface in the UR manual with E67 interface included. Find UR manuals here:
www.universal-robots.com/download
SPI AN-146 is a USA version of the Euromap 67. It is a copy of the free of charge E67 recommendation with a few notes added. SPI AN-146 is not free of charge. UR recommends to use the free of charge version mentioned above, but in case the SPI AN-146 is needed, it is purchasable from this shop:
https://global.ihs.com
Euromap 67.1 is a special version of the E67. The E67.1 is for turntable IMMs. It uses the same interface as E67, but with a few redefinitions of signal behavior and with a few extra signals in use. The UR E67 interface supports all signals for E67.1 and the software can be adjusted for E67.1 behavior.
Euromap 12 (SPI AN-116)
Euromap 12 is the first and oldest version of the electrical interface between IMM and robot. Though the recommendation has been superseded by E67 ten years ago it is still widely used because many old IMMs are still in operation.
UR do not sell robots with a E12 interface. However, with a E12-to-E67 converter it is possible to use the UR E67 interface with a E12 IMM. Choose your converter carefully. Many converters exists but only a few of them complies with the recommendation which can mean that they work with some robot and IMM brands and not all. Read more about converters in the UR user manual with E67.
The Euromap 12 recommendation (standard) is free of charge and can be downloaded from this homepage:
Link 1: http://www.euromap.org/files/EU12_v1_7.pdf
Link 2: http://www.euromap.org/technical-issues/technical-recommendations-list
SPI AN-116 is a USA version of the Euromap 12. See SPI AN-146 above.
Euromap organization in general
This is the official Euromap homepage:
A full list of Euromap recommendations can be found through the link below.
Link 1: http://www.euromap.org/technical-issues/technical-recommendations-list
Link 2: http://www.euromap.org/technical-issues/technical-recommendations
NOTE That the list includes a list of plug suppliers.
The development of Euromap standards are run by the German VDMA (Plastics & Rubber Machinery Association); convenor Dr. Harald Weber:
Link 1: https://kug.vdma.org/en/home
Link 2: http://plastics.vdma.org
